Majora's Mask is A Timeless Masterpiece

[@RagnarRoxShow]

Massive thanks to everyone who attended and supported the Charity stream! I kicked it off with an initial donation of $184.84 and we managed to multiply that amount over 6 times and surpassed the donation goal of $1,000 by collecting a total of $1,128 over the course of 6 hours for the Red Panda Network. This was fun and meaningful, thank you so much! (Also Control was a really great game!) tiltify.com/@ragnarrox/ragnarrox-control-charity-stream-for-red-panda-network

[@dakotab291]

Im watching this right now and so happy to hear!

[@SionBarzad15]

1

[@deepmind5318]

Rated E games are for everyone, not just kids. Which is why i continue to correct people that say "it's a kid's game". No, it's not a kid's game, it's a game for everyone, otherwise we'd see the rating just saying "for kids".

[@mrmoviemanic1]

Excellent man. Love the pandas.

[@camron7829]

Do one for snow leopards

[@Atroz7]

When you complete the Anju and Kafei quest after all that struggle to then go back in time to witness Kafei walk down the stairs and put the letter in the mailbox is a level of emotion no game has ever come close to matching.

[@jazzyj7834]

Reading your comment caused a spontaneous physical reaction. I have a tear on my cheek. The memory of the heartache of seeing everything wiped away after so much, a conclusion undone, closure ripped open again... It's been many years since I played that. And here I am, a grown man, teary-eyed over the pain of the memory of a fictional character, in a fictional world, with their fictional story unwritten after their last page was done. Nothing mattered, and yet, just for a brief period, it mattered greatly.

[@guilhermegilmoura8623]

i like you

[@spoopybat7880]

Every time I replay the game I do their quest before entering the clock tower for the final battle. I can't help myself, I love their story too much ;-;

[@TheDecatonkeil]

The best thing about it is that it isn't even clear how intentional that is or how incidental it is due to the mechanics. But that is a way in which videogames, with their systems, are an art in itself. Even if nobody wrote that as an intentional script twist, it says something.

[@ZerglingLover]

Titanfall 2 BT death.

[@justaguy2182]

To me, the moral taught by Majora's Mask is simple: You don't need to be a hero to be a light in someone's life. Be there. Listen to people. Understand people. You never know how someone might be suffering.

[@TheBBCSlurpee]

“You don’t want to save the world, you want to save the people in it”🔥🔥🔥

[@TheBeird]

I honestly can't decide which is better. Ocarina does the heroes journey so well and is so accessible, yet Majora is so experimental and brave in its choices. Majora is what we should all want sequels to be; a risk. One could say Majora needed Ocarina, or the Zelda series in general, in order to be what it is. But that it was made at all is a miracle. I love them both for scratching different itches.

[@Tsumami__]

They are two halves of a story, IMO.

[@LayZKimochi420BlazeIt]

I definetly like Majoras mask more than ocarina, especially considering that everything that Ocarina of time does well Twilight Princess does better

[@Sam-iy8qm]

@@Tsumami__ Pretty accurate yeah. They go hand in hand.

[@linkthepig4219]

@@LayZKimochi420BlazeIt That's not true sorry

[@SlowDIIV]

It would be more interesting if you gave a counter argument than a simple "apology"

[@domscards]

I love watching Majora's Mask videos. So charming, yet so dark and mysterious. Something about this game is truly unnerving. I like that you have a different take than all of the other videos on it.

[@Yaggert]

I've barely played the game, maybe a hour but I love watching things about this game. Idk what it is about it.

[@domscards]

@@Yaggert Lol same here

[@paohndz96]

Same

[@ethanffischer]

Any videos you'd recommend?

[@domscards]

@@ethanffischer The Schafrillas Majoras Mask video.

[@autumnaxiom]

"Some believe it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love."

[@philippemetivier368]

Gandalf, the Hobbit.

[@PrimordialNightmare]

I was about to comment that Tolkiens Gandalf would have loved the game before I saw your comment!

[@ballthatbounces626]

This is why I hate black people.

[@berugaslabor]

@@ballthatbounces626 Based.

[@puurq4710]

This gandalf reference is surprisingly relevant to Majora's mask

[@celtictheknight]

The best Zelda game ever created. Timeless Masterpiece.

[@alexigbanoi]

I've had time to think about this. Im struggling between majoras mask and twilight princess as the best zelda game created

[@jerowns]

And then to think it was created with a deadline of a year!! Also a good watch is “Ocarina of Time - a masterclass in subtext” (not my vid) it’s almost like poetry

[@fugostrawberries]

it's in my top 3 :D

[@stocksurfing5158]

Nahhh Ocarina of time so much better, the music and story is so much better

[@celtictheknight]

@@stocksurfing5158 Except it's not. But you can be entitled to your own opinions, it's ok.

[@ahindrance]

I always figured Majora's Mask to be a direct reflection of Link. Where in OOT he's living out a grand adventure, he also skips his childhood and is shock exposed the cynical nature of the grown up world, his innocence taken along with Hyrule after the 7 year span. With the conclusion of OOT, Zelda sends him back to relive the childhood he lost. Wherein I believe link might have grown bitter, returning the wonderous world of his childhood with the jaded worldview of the battle he fought for it ultimately to go away. I think that childlike innocence and wonder leaving could be allegorical with Navi leaving and Link searching for her, leading him to Termina acting as his emotional journey to move on from his bitter mindset. Where skullkid may have been a toxic manifestation of his anger towards himself, and likely the isolation from the Kokiri leading to his antisocial habits. Because if Ganondorf doesn't threaten Hyrule then there's no reason for him to be given a fairy. The people of Clock Town and their plights act as a transient piece of maturing and learning to look outside himself. -------I'm not sure what else to place on this paragraph but I figured I'd say so.

[@JingleJangleJam]

That was exactly my thoughts when playing the game as a kid. The image of a weary, battle-fatigued looking Link, his horse is moving at such a slow pace through the forest, and his head is bowed down, almost like he is contemplating the memory of the screams of the many whom he has had to kill in order to keep the peace of Hyrule. He therefore, I assumed as kid, was outside of Hyrule because he wanted to leave the place where his memories of the cruel awakening into adulthood through bloodshed occurred, he is trying to find a land in order to forget his past troubles in - but it is not so easy, considering that it is not only the burden of death, but also the heaviness of losing the one friend who kept his mind above the trouble with hope. Link cannot settle down back home, because of the burden he has gone through, the weight on his shoulders at that beginning of the game when his head is bowed, lost in thought amidst the mists of forlorn time. . .

[@ExtemTheHedgehogLol]

I just now realized a few things upon reading this. All of Link’s work to save the world is undone when he was sent back in time by Zelda, leaving him in a world unaware of the things he did, unaware of the troubles he faced, and unaware of the innocence he lost. He leaves Hyrule to search for Navi, the only one who knows in full what he went through, maybe thinking that she’s the only one who could console him and bring him back to his senses, only to have everything taken from him, both physically and emotionally, when he gets ambushed by Skull Kid. He loses his only other companion, Epona, he loses the only thing that he can directly link to the world he saved, the Ocarina of Time, and he even loses his own body. He has nothing but his own mind and the green clothes he wears. When first setting foot into Clock Town, he likely just follows what the Happy Mask Salesman and Tatl tell him to do, seeing as he still has that save-the-world mindset from Ocarina of Time. It isn’t until he finds the Moon’s Tear and completes everything that’s required of him that he realizes that he’s completely trapped in this small town, forced to wait three whole days until he can take action. Thus, he does the only thing he can do: he talks to the people around him, looking to pass the time, only to find that the people of Termina have largely complex and interpersonal lives. They have schedules they follow, and they live their day-to-day lives like anyone else would… which is something unfamiliar to Link. He’s used to people only having a maximum of eight states, which can be broken off into groups. The two main groups are past and future, the two timelines that Link jumps between during OoT. Past and future can then be broken into daytime and nighttime, seeing as most NPCs are in different spots during day and night. Those two groups can then be broken off into satisfied and unsatisfied, depending on whether or not Link helped them with their plight. The NPCs in OoT are nothing more than that: NPCs. Some of them play larger roles than others, but in the end, they don’t really do much for the story outside of a few specific cases, only further fueling Link’s sense of isolation from the world around him. But the people of Termina are different. Their lives are intricate, and most of their problems can’t be solved while Link is a Deku Scrub. He can’t solve their problems, but he learns about their lives. All of this leads up to the final hours of the final day. Link finally apprehends Skull Kid, a bunch of story stuff happens, he gets back the Ocarina, all that stuff… but he’s about to die. The only thing he can do is what he views as the same thing that caused him to fall into this abyss of bitterness. The only thing he can do is send himself back in time, just like Zelda did. And he soon learns that he must do this very same thing, over and over and over again, in order to save Termina from certain doom… but also to save its people from their own despair. As the cycles repeat, Link learns more about the schedules and lives of everyone around Termina. He begins to view the time loop not as a deletion of his hard work, but rather a clean slate, a second chance to do what’s right not just for the land itself, but for the people in it as well.

[@zechariahmckenzie7557]

22 years later and I still think of Majora's mask and the deep lessons it has to offer. Truly lightening in a bottle.

[@starman1004]

If you delve deeper into this game, you'd be amazed how many references to buddhism there really are. To name some: 1) The three day cycle represents the 4 signs of sentient existence: Day 1 - Birth Day 2 - Aging Day 3 - Sickness Final Hours - Death 2) There are technically six areas/settings in the game. Each of these areas represents a portion of the wheel of samsara along with its traits. Furthermore, these traits are consistent with what happens in those areas (ex. Deku King reacting on instincts instead of reason, Darmani frustrated he couldn't help his gorons, pirates and zoras fighting for the eggs, etc.) Clock Town - Human Realm - Opportunity and Aspiration Woodfall - Animal Realm - Instincts, survival, self-preservation, ignorance Snowhead - Hungry Ghost/Frustrated Craving Realm - neediness and greed Great Bay - DemiGod/Conflict Realm - violence and envy Ikana Canyon - Hell Realm - agony, terror, and depression Inside the Moon - Heaven Realm - beauty and pleasure 3) The three forms of suffering are greed, anger, and ignorance. In the final battle, each stage is literally one of these three forms: Stage 1 - Greed Stage 2 - Ignorance Stage 3 - Anger In Buddhism, Mara is the god of death and creates and destroys life over and over again and creates suffering. I truly believe Majora symbolizes Mara (even their names are strikingly similar LOL)

[@Matheus-ki9zo]

Now that's a perspective I haven't seen before. I love how this master piece of a game is constantly reinterpreted. And your view on it is a really interesting one

[@inendlesspain4724]

Just for reference, in the japanese version Majora is called "Mujura" (ムジュラ, pronounced similar to "moo-joo-rah").

[@maxwellchute6114]

Wow TIL. I've read a lot about this game over the decades but this is new to me, really great

[@PleasantLeech]

I really do love how each character progresses through the 3 days. There's this obvious threat of unavoidable death getting slowly closer and each character has a unique way of reacting. Some people ignore it until the final moments like the sword master who ends up hiding in a hidden room in his dojo begging for life. People try to run and others simply accept their fate. It really makes them feel like real characters trying to deal with a devastating event.

[@ColeSterling]

“open-world shoot em up slugfest” a PERFECT description of today’s big games

[@beatriz25ish]

I love your content but this one its the one has touch my heart the most. The ending made me cry, I lost 2 in my family, a third one is sick. It is hard to keep hope but we try. Taking care of others does help. My sister and I we take care of the feral cats my mom used to help.

[@RagnarRoxShow]

I'm so sorry for your loss, you're amazing for everything you and your sister do despite everything! All the best to you.

[@beatriz25ish]

@@RagnarRoxShow thank you for your kind words, now more than ever im grateful for people like you. In an age of selfishness is always a gift to find humanity among horror

[@yourbroskijack]

@@beatriz25ish follow your dreams my broski I belvin in you

[@Exalted-Beleth]

Just here to comment 11 months later: Don't ever give up hope, there's NOTHING in this world worth giving up for. I promise with time things get easier, as cliche as that sounds. Your comment definitely touched me, I hope you never give in. 💖

[@ayanamiayachanJ]

@@RagnarRoxShowI have Majora’s Mask but I haven’t played it yet because I’m trying to beat Ocarina of Time I’m in the Spirit Temple as kid Link.

[@Cirquet]

I think it's a coming of age story too. So many of the quests and themes point to it being about growing up and coming to terms with the end of your childhood. And that's just another part of accepting your own mortality. Majora's Mask is definitely my favourite video game, and I can't imagine that will ever change.

[@badbeardbill9956]

Ocarina was effectively the end of Link’s childhood so it’s fitting that Majora is about coming to terms with that

[@MatheusMPL]

9:40 That's why I'm fascinated with this game. Although you may think that going back in time to the point you started appears to be pointless, reviving the past compels you to notice more the seemly simpler events that occours in that 3 days time spawn. You realize what people were doing that you didn't even care to bother, what problems they are going through, and why in the subsequent days they did what they did. It beautifully teaches us to be present in time, to accept what's really going on around you and make the best out of it.

[@Pixxeltrixx]

Still my Favorite Zelda game. Made a very lonely summer much better back in the day.

[@DMTInfinity]

I like your username homie. And sweet hat in your profile picture..! ✌️

[@shimshawcreamtime2845]

I just finished every single quest after 5 years and nearly cried this game is easily number one for me

[@Metal7771]

MM is my favorite and WW is 2nd.

[@mrhanekoma86]

The nostalgia is turning into something else while watching this. I just know it.

[@calgoalden4686]

Just starting the vid but thanks and yes also

[@DMTInfinity]

*lol*

[@TomFay-t4k]

Something about the Astral Observatory music is just so god damn beautiful

[@HybridGib]

Kind of a joke here, but... Woodfall - Swamp, poison water Snowhead - (Snow, ice) Frozen water, but there are hot springs of water Great Bay - People dying at sea, the largest body of water Ikana - There is a well on top and a stream of water at the bottom, but not enough water overall (canyon, dry) The Majora's Moon is a moon, which controls the tides of the ocean (water); there's also the Moon's Tear, which is something that consists of water The Stray Fairies make up the Great Fairies, which live in fountains (you guessed it, water) The Song of Healing contains the same notes that make up the Serenade of Water (water has many health benefits!) Even the very mechanism of the Clock Tower itself is a waterwheel powered by an underground water canal (of course, water) Not only that, but inside the Clock Tower, where the Song of Healing can also be heard, time stands still (the game's mechanics, of course) But on the contrary, Sheik said in Ocarina of Time, "Time passes, people move. Like a river's flow, it never ends." And speaking of Ocarina of Time; the very instrument link uses to manipulate time in Majora's Mask, the Ocarina of Time, is blue, the color we associate with water...but that's not all! Link first obtains it in Ocarina of Time when Zelda, on the run from Ganondorf, throws it in the Hyrule Castle Town's moat, (without a doubt, that's water) which means Link first obtains the Ocarina in the water. And unless I'm not correct about how far that water canal goes or could go, (if Hyrule and Termina are in the same universe or can be) then it could go to same passage of water that powers the Clock Tower's waterwheel. Link uses an instrument first found in water to control the flow of time like a flow of water. THE CENTRAL THEME OF MAJORA'S MASK IS WATER! XD

[@FromHerotoZeroYT]

Majora's Mask is probably my number one favourite game of all time, and you touched pretty much on why :)

[@VfxBlender]

I was in high school and spent the whole spring break playing this game. Wake up at 6pm and play while the sun goes down. Then I played this creepy Eerie game in the darkest part of the night while time passes until eventually the sun would rise outside giving me a sense of peace and relief from the eerie feeling I would get from this game. Then I would go to bed in the morning and repeat. Moral: time and your life passing by can feel eerie at times but no matter how dark things may get the sun will rise and time will go on.

[@eliegow2040]

This game was such a big part in my childhood

[@juancgonzalez2102]

Honey, wake up. RagnaRox just dropped a new video

[@DMTInfinity]

*#lolz*

[@feenickstv4209]

Majora's Mask is the greatest video game of all time.

[@cryptidsgaming1518]

YES!!!!!

[@feenickstv4209]

@@cryptidsgaming1518 😎👌

[@mr_indie_fan]

Its one of the greatest, but it being number 1 is of course subjective

[@feenickstv4209]

@@mr_indie_fan omori is my favorite videoo game now but of course majoras mask will remain as an incredible masterpiece

[@TheBBCSlurpee]

Outer wilds too

[@FanOFTrueHeroes]

Ok cant just listen to this one in the car gotta sit down in the living room, I'll be back.

[@Werewolf914]

I didn't expect Ragnar to make a video on Majoras Mask, and I watch a lot of Zelda channels and thought it was another one of them covering it again and was going to skip it till later, but then I saw it was by Ragnar and immediately clicked, I've watched so many videos on it and replay it so many times, but Ragnar is one of if not my favorite Channel on KZbin so I have to watch.

[@KixMayne91]

I swear there are so many LoZ MM case studies, but I just can't stop watching them. And I still haven't even played this game yet.

[@madinabesen9797]

Omg you have to play 😭

[@lordtullus9942]

Play it you fool!

[@anthonywilliams9415]

You're not missing too much by not playing the game. It's a depressing game and a rushed product. Ocarina of time is the REAL masterpiece

[@TitanEaterOfCrayons]

Play it, one of the greatest experiences in the history of gaming

[@AtomicBananaPress]

Likewise.

[@marcimao622]

I decided to watch this while eating dinner, now I’m crying with noodles dangling around my chin. Worth it. Also I don’t know if it’s just me or anyone else have played the game Outer Wilds, which also features time loop, exploding sun/moon and the whole concept of death and accepting of it. This video explains the whole dejavu I’ve had lol.

[@ArniesTech]

❤️🙏😭

[@icefiredragon94]

I feel happy people finally understanding why Majora's mask was really good. During initial release back in early 2000s, most people i talked to hated it because aside from the confusion without a guide you couldn't save people by stabbing things. And even then when you save people, you get small bits pf gratitude instead of one big celebration. The lack of feeling like the main character turned most kids i talked to off from this game. Despite that my favorite thing about this game was when you complete a task and get a mask, it stays with you not only as a collectible but as a representation of the memory of the gifter has of their happiness. I always thought if you collected all of them to get the Fierce Deity Mask, it represented people's happiness can take down the single bit of despair Majora forced Skull Kid through. Very humanistic.

[@CJJC]

Thinking about Majora’s Mask gives me the same feeling I get from the Doctor Who episode Heaven Sent, which I now realise is a story with a time loop that the protagonist needs to use to make a little bit of progress each time and which is totally soaked in the aura of grief.

[@nicksh1990]

As much as I love OoT and understand that it was genre-defining, MM definitely was better. It is so, so much darker, and is one of the few games (and I'm sure the only LoZ game) where you actually don't have *much* time to just mess about. The end of the world is literally right there, staring at you and getting closer as the days pass. The music throughout is chilling, and creates an amazing atmosphere which conjures a feeling of anxiety. There's so much more I could say, but I feel like it's already been said. I'd love another game like MM, in a Twilight Princess style, with BotW's open world mechanics.

[@GuardianOfFey]

I love how you integrated philosophical principles as center pieces into the video essay.

[@thiccycheese266]

I’m a bit late to the party, but Majora’s Mask was actually my introduction to both manga and the Zelda series. I first watched the gameplay from chuggaaconroy back when I was 8. It’s remained my favorite game since then. It’s message might’ve not gotten into my small kid brain back then, but now I play it with an eye for people’s emotions and wants, and what I can do to make them happy while also improving my time management (in-game, that is lol). It has opened so much for me in my life, and I honestly don’t think I’ll ever stop playing it :-).

[@ryanvaros8827]

Poem at the end is perfect. "Carry the lantern" is what I took away from this as a kid and still do today.

[@kicks9657]

I was tossed around foster homes as a kid, and this game was the first game I ever picked up. I get chills thinking of how this game shaped me as a young guy. So much depth, emotion, very similar of how I felt as a child. Great video

[@Brendan_Johnson]

People are giving up on life because hope is dying in our world and this game gives us an example of hope.

[@SaiyanPanda96]

"We shall greet the morning together." That was one of the last quests I completed, and it hit hard as I then proceeded to beat the game

[@vickykonig1219]

Thank you and everyone involved for this wonderful video! LoZ is my childhood but also informed the values of my adult life a lot. You just gave my feelings about this game beautiful words - had to cry a little, thanks for that 😸

[@justanotheryoutuber3532]

Majora's mask is the only game with A LIVING BREATHING WORLD WHERE EVERY CHARACTER HAS A DEEP STORY THE PLAYS OUT DIFFERENTLY DEPENDS ON LINKS ACTIONS

[@yamiyougs3621]

I like majoras mask so much, i constantly find myself watching hour long videos on it

[@DMTInfinity]

Nice. Lol I feel the same way about games such as Kingdom Hearts, Fallout, Luigi's Mansion, Pikmin, Silent Hill, and all of my other favorite video games and video game franchises. This is my first day at GENUINELY becoming downright interested in playing this particular Zelda game for the first time and this video certainly sold me on it. So I do look forward to playing it for the first time sometime this week or next week when I get some free time..! ♥️

[@mechadendrite739]

This is your most profound video yet. You had me shedding tears by the end. I humbly thank you for all your hard work that you put into these videos, I know for a fact that they touch people deeply and potentially improve their lives. Keep up the fantastic work!

[@IceSpoon]

I don't know if greatest game, but Majora's Mask is my absolute favourite game ever. The stories of unconditional and unjustified hope of Anju & Kafei, the forgiveness of the Four Giants and Skull Kid, and peaceful resignation to die of Romani & Cremia, helped me a lot overcoming things that I wouldn't have been able otherwise.

[@CreatorGrey]

I'm always charmed by how much thought and care you put in each video and this is no different. Even with a topic well covered like this one you always put your own spin on how you present it and I feel that's what makes this a real enjoyable addition to the commentary of this particular game.

[@HeavyHouse24]

One only truly die when there is no one to remember you. So I'm gonna carve my name onto my school's desk for that extra life

[@HeyBlondieGamer]

This brought back many fond memories and a tear or two. OoT captured my heart, but MM stroked my soul.

[@thisisastoryaboutagirlname5109]

Sir this is a Wendy’s…

[@Vexxa_]

i watched my dad play majora's mask as a wee squirrel. it was always the one that made the biggest impression on me, so, when my tiny hands got big enough to hold an n64 controller, i gave it a shot. i never finished it. i tried it again on the gamecube, 3ds, and n64 emulator. i have never been able to finish this game despite it being the coolest concept that i genuinely love. i love this game, but i do not click with the Zelda Gameplay and it's a weird mix of feelings

[@draphking]

When I was a small lad, I ended up failing defending the ranch from the ghosts because I was 8. After seeing the roof of the barn explode off and Romani being pulled into the sky screaming, I immediately turned the game off and didn't play it for like a week. I didn't even know you could come back the next day and find her, I assumed she had just died. Most likely explains my fear of failure, alien abductions and my love of redheads. Thanks Majoras Mask

[@henrikljungstrand2036]

Evidently Majora's Mask is not a game for young children to play without parental guidance/company. It is like one of those movies that you might watch alone at 15 years of age, or with an adult at 11 years of age. Because it has so many mature themes, far more mature than say Conker's Bad Fur Day, while still being classy instead of obscene.

[@shofarsogood7504]

I'm glad we hadn't know at the time. Maybe we would have shied away. .... I'm still scared of that well... er the whole valley village actually lol

[@tomiodatanuki7600]

If you haven't, play "Minit"! It's a recent incarnation of that game mechanic!

[@taldintheamazing]

It’s on such short a timespan that it just can’t compare to MM.

[@erfHz]

Outer Wilds

[@secundaludghens9649]

And the soundtrack is great

[@squirrel_killer-]

This game has always been my favourite. Down to the point where I learned to speed run the all masks category both glitched and glitchless. I am awful at it, would never post my times publicly but damn do I always enjoy this game. While many find it unnerving, I find it comforting, so many people moving beyond their struggles and finding peace.

[@Niucas]

Such a beautiful video! Thank you so much for not using any 3D remake clips.

[@ryangainey94]

This was surprisingly wholesome. Focusing more on the aspects of the game the developers intended for us to see than speculate on the deeper meanings of so much darkness. Although the message of hope is a sweet theme of this game, though, I would argue that the darkness itself is also beautiful in this game. This is not the traditional evil of Ganon or Demise seeking to conquer the world and plague the realm into slavery. His objectives stray into the realm of fantasy and cartoon villainy. But this... Majora's Mask is more like Batman's Joker. This is what happens when madness collides with misanthropy. The spirit trapped inside that Mask may or may not have been evil to begin with, but hundreds or thousands of years in isolation, confined into a cramped little space, especially for an entity as powerful as Majora's Mask, would have been an unimaginable torture. Solitary confinement is already on the fence as being an especially cruel form of punishment, as forced isolation from humanity even for relatively short periods of time can break a person's mind. Even if they are an introvert to begin with. Most of those who wind up in solitary don't stay in solitary for more than a day at a time. And a week is enough to drive some men mad. Only the worst and most psychotic killers have to be permanently placed in solitary for the safety of other prisoners and for the danger these individuals represent. Even then, one day they will die, and their suffering will be eased. No matter if they live out another twenty years in isolation, or fifty, eventually their will crumbles and they can die. But Majora's Mask, well, can't die. And it CAN'T SLEEP, either. And it's been trapped in a cage much much smaller than the rooms used for solitary confinement, a tiny little mask. And it's been stuck in that Mask for hundreds if not thousands of years... Point being it's really not surprising the spirit of the mask has gone batshit crazy, nihilist, sadistic, masochistic, and suicidal. Why would they want the Moon to crash into the earth? Because they want to watch the world burn, and possibly to try and kill themself in the process. The symbolism in this unfathomably cataclysmic darkness is somehow strikingly more relatable than taking over the world, and hits much closer to home... The symbolism in the action of smashing the Moon into the earth has its own stark beauty on an entirely different scale. Beauty in the darkness. And in its own way, is its innocence reflected. This villain took on the aspect somewhat of the petulant child it possessed. The plague of death and suffering that ensues in the wake of the Mask's agonized wrath speaks to the mind of a vengeful child being given the godlike power to mete out a twisted justice of its own. "This is for what you did to me. You trapped and sealed me away, simply for the fear I MIGHT do something terrible. Well, now I WANT to do terrible terrible things. You made me this way. You hurt me. Now I hurt you. I want to die. But I'm going to take you out with me and I am going to make your world a living hell before I do that. Spiteful? You bet. There is nothing left here that can ease my pain. So you can go rot for all I care. There is nothing you can do to stop me... Nothing you can do to help me. If you were going to help me you would have done it ages ago. You don't deserve my pity. You certainly don't deserve my mercy. This world and everything in it will be consumed. This thing you call hope... You destroyed mine a long time ago. Actions have consequences. It's about time you paid the price." -- Majora's Mask

[@ryangainey94]

@Phoenix 𝙾𝚙𝚎𝚗 𝙼𝚢 PROFILE Interesting theory. Though Snowhead and Ikana Canyon equating to greed/neediness versus agony, terror, and depression, that's a bit of a stretch. I see it more likely as the reverse... First the problem in Snowhead is an everlasting Winter. The Gorons are freezing to death slowly without food. It matches neediness maybe but greed doesn't make any sense here. They fear for what they will do without their protector Darmani as they die a slow and agonizing death which they can do nothing to prevent. Snowhead seems more like the Hell realm you speak of. Ikana, meanwhile -- the imperial kingdom of Ikana, more so seems to embody that sense of frustrated craving as well as greed. It is implied that the empire fell long before Majora came along and cursed it with undeath. And that the empire fell to corruption, which the Garo took advantage of. Stone Tower is much like the biblical Tower of Babel as well, a structure built with the express purpose or intent to reach the heavens, a sign of hubris and human greed. Now in undeath the kingdom of Ikana and the Garo live out their old battles to infinitely replay in the search for wealth and power.

[@ShuriBear]

I definitely agree that the games that stick out the most are the ones that give you a new life experience and show a new perspective to something you've never seen before. That might be the reason why the first Life is Strange game is so special to me. It made me realize how much the actions of one human being can affect others. We have to be careful about what we do with our influences because we cannot go back in time to fix it -kind of like in Majora's Mask. Excellent video once again!😄

[@IFinishedAVideoGame]

And now my Christmas period is complete. Can't wait to sink a Christmas beer while watching this!

[@jamzee_]

Just sat down with mine mate, noice choice

[@Link21Majora]

I just finished it yesterday. Masterpiece, it was a great, dark journey that I'll never experience again...

[@richarddill692]

I actually watched Run Lola Run back in high school. For my foreign language class I took German, and on a day before a break, our teacher decided we would watch this movie with English subtitles.

[@Midnitethorn]

Even though ocarina of time will always have a nostalgic death grip on my heart, majoras mask is probably my favorite game in the entire. Music,story, characters, dark undertones, humor, the locations. To this day I think about its lore and messages.

[@MrYeahyouknow]

I remember getting this when it first came out. Ever since it has been my favourite Zelda game

[@ThereIsARatInYourTea]

Ragnar!!!! You just made my life by covering Majora’s Mask! Hope you are well and staying safe during this holiday season:)

[@levinzwarg1878]

Love this video, insane production quality as well. gives me the shivers watching this. would not have been who i am today if i had not played this game day in day out with my younger brother when i was 9 yrs old. realised much later what an influence it had on how we would approach life, even now working in a refugee camp in germany (plenty of side quests there). to this day my most favourite game of all time, part of my childhood and of myself. this game needs to be preserved for educational purposes.

[@charlottew.8460]

I just started replaying major's mask. I was listening to this video while walking and it's just so beautiful! Thank you so much for this beautiful message

[@DaBiggestBird245]

I agree I love majoras mask! my only complaint with the game is it doesnt save dungeon progress if you back to the 1st day and they didn't fix it in the 3ds remake either

[@tylerallison9735]

My Aunt had an N64. This was my very first gaming experience, and man, it still, after 14 years since I first started it up, is a favorite of mine

[@matheusmartins7546]

I really hope they're able to do something similar with BoTW2 tbh

[@urbiznesnunuv6938]

They won’t. They aren’t willing to take those kinds of risks ever again, Majora wasnt great in spite of it’s rushed development. It was great specifically *because* of it. The 3ds version shows this perfectly.

[@xoreign]

@@urbiznesnunuv6938 Rushed development cycles aren't the ONLY way to get unique games. We can hope.

[@urbiznesnunuv6938]

@@xoreign we can’t tbh, how can we when Nintendo hates their fans now

[@xoreign]

@@urbiznesnunuv6938 I've been generally satisfied with them lately. It's a business, and as far as businesses go, they definitely create better games than what's necessary to sell. They could cut so many corners and the games would sell. They know this. and yet the games are still consistently quality. If you don't wanna hope that's fine. Ive been following them my entire life and I'm rarely disappointed with them.

[@urbiznesnunuv6938]

@@xoreign then I really have to give thanks to my old age letting me see through the facade of botw being a masterpiece because I guess I’ve grown out of them shilling 😁

[@Keepyourstickontheice1234]

I love this video I come back to it every year this game was a huge part of my childhood and I didn’t fully beat it till I was 20 as you get older you think more and more about what a masterpiece this was and this video captures it all perfectly

[@JKSmith-qs2ii]

What I think is the absolute genius in Majoras Mask is the dread that the moon brings along. You are never comfortable, constantly tense. And when the day finishes and the screen becomes smaller and smaller as the bell sound overpowers all other sound it reaches its peak Kino value.

[@lusive_]

I swear this man's voice alone is like asmr i love it

[@carinapabst4807]

I've watched a thousand of Zelda theories and reviews and other videos here on YT and never before did a video make me cry. But you really did - and the game. Majoras Mask is truly a masterpiece and you showed perfectly why it is.

[@Void-x4e]

Only and favorite Zelda game I played that helped me through dark times, thanks for giving me the chance to work on this Video!

[@dfailsthemost]

I like the idea of some other reality where the game simply didn't allow you to prevent the disaster. The success state would simply be realizing that the attempt was worth it regardless. Flashing to the people he met and realizing that the skull kid understood this all along.

[@TheBBCSlurpee]

You should def play outer wilds

[@MonsterMaze]

What an AMAZING thumbnail!

[@RagnarRoxShow]

Absolutely love the art piece done by Anton Oxenuk for this one! His art is absolutely precious: twitter.com/antonoxenuk

[@orrinellis856]

short hike is a modern game that nails that earnest tone

[@makzpook6855]

Beautiful video of a timeless classic - You're videos are only getting better and better, Ragnar.

[@jcman-lp6lg]

the amount of days it took me to complete kafei and the biggoron's sword, and the journey to completing it without any guides was truly something special for me as a kid.

[@serephineclaibourn3422]

About 2 minutes in the goosebumps prickle out across my skin. Well done with your narrative, audio, visuals, the whole presentation and video all!

[@kirabornemann6972]

This was such an amazing video, and I was holding back tears through most of it, the gameplay being so important to me as a child and the music so emotive. Thank you for your understanding and praise of this masterpiece

[@DMTInfinity]

Alright, you've sold me. I'mma play the game for myself sometime this week or next week when I finish working on some new projects that I'm working on for my channel. And if I dig the game enough, maybe I'll even consider doing a Let's Play, Retrospective, review, and/or something else like that for the game to give it a nice place on DMT Infinity..! Amazing channel by the way..! I absolutely Love your content and absolutely adore your voice..! Keep up the amazing work, and I'll make sure to tune into all of your newest videos, and if there's any videos that I've yet to see on your channel that interest me, I'll certainly check them out as well..! 💞

[@elvonrap]

Great video that really brings forward what makes MM special. However, I strongly disagree that OoT can be reduced to just a traditional hero's journey with "(for the time) good running, jumping and dungeon crawling". OoT has many layers and themes, that are perhaps even more subtle than MM's. This is best summed up by Good Blood's video "OCARINA OF TIME - A Masterclass In Subtext", which is hands down one of the most well crafted videos I have ever seen on KZbin. For those reasons, I believe that OoT has stood the test of time just as well as MM. Both games are timeless masterpieces.

[@1983simi]

When this came out I was 16 and it basically ate up my entire summer. Playing it just once was not enough. It has all the humor and adventure of traditional zelda while also sucking you into its intense un-apologetically melancholic mood. It's such a fever dream of a game that just sticks with you long after you played it. and still every replay feels equally new because there are all these little moments that can touch you in different ways depending on your mood. My all time favorite Zelda forever.

[@Operation_FUBAR]

In my opinion, Majora’s Mask has the best story of all the Zelda games. It’s so mysterious and interesting and I love the dark undertones. I was really excited to see it get a video essay. Excellent work!

[@Benetnosh]

The shop’s music goes so well with the little red pandas. ❤️

[@ihjtmq]

I CAN'T WAIT TO WATCH THIS. Majora's Mask is my favorite game to watch video essays of, and you are my favorite analyst. I'm so hyped thank you so much :']

[@frostycuriosity4386]

Dear Rag, you are an exceptional reporter, educator, creator, and humanist providing all subtleties in this field of creation, psychology, and hope. Thank you for your work.

[@hugoam7503]

Excellent video! I would have made a bit more emphasis on how this game is about letting go of painful feelings like grief or desperation. This is observed on the quests behind several masks but specially on the 3 transformation ones: The deku mask comes probably from the dead son / brother / whatever of the deku butler as we see him on the end credits grieving on the deku tree we see at the beginning. It tells how despite him being dead, his memory lives for ever in the form of that small tree. The goron mask, this one is my personal favorite. Darmani's ghost appears to you as he is suffering because of his death, he cannot rest in peace knowing that all of his friends and family in snowhead will probably die because of the blizzard and the monster in the dungeon, so when you play him the song of healing at last he accepts his death and trusts that you will help him protect his village, it's his selflessness and care about people other than himself that really gets me. The zora mask with Mikau the guitarist, he is also very frustrated because of the stolen eggs so he also finally rests in peace knowing link will help him. So in conclusion, the game is about helping others but also about letting go of the past, by accepting death and letting those feelings go you become stronger (in the form of new powers of the transformation masks)

[@objectjon9015]

The oddly perfect juxtaposition of themes in Majora’s Mask is one of the things about the game I love most and it’s one of my absolute favorites because of that

[@backflipsimmons]

The quote about subtleties rewatching a movie immediately had me thinking about a Kojima productions Zelda.

[@alfin5818]

I just wanna say that I really appreciate the effort that goes into the videos on this channel. I can't even make a proper 600 word essay let alone a 30+ min video essays. Cheers!

[@Mrbingles9]

This is my favorite Zelda. It is mysterious and emotional.

[@TheLittleCrowCrafts]

Thank you for this video! You captured all the reasons why Majora's Mask is such an enchanting game. Also, thank you for reminding all of us to be kind and for donating to the red pandas.

[@andrewschley6047]

Wow. What a wonderful video. This really captures so much about my favorite video game of all time.

[@nifftbatuff676]

"It needs a remake for the Switch" meme? Nobody?

[@imranicanovic1154]

It's a meme when you bully the Persona 5 fandom over it. Not when it's Majoras Mask a game that more people deserve to play.

[@luluthe7401]

@@imranicanovic1154 but.. we had the remake already..

[@imranicanovic1154]

@@luluthe7401 Yes, the remake exists. I just don't think it has a switch port. The 3ds version isn't bad tho. I still don't get why so many people dislike it. Also, I never mentioned there not being a remake?

[@eatcrispycornflakes2608]

@@imranicanovic1154 it's bad

[@imranicanovic1154]

@@eatcrispycornflakes2608 I still don't understand how. Can you tell me your personal reasons please?

[@jasonjarrell1858]

I don’t even hold majoras mask as a Zelda game. The tone, mechanics, stories, and even aspects of the gameplay are all so different from any other Zelda. It doesn’t even show Zelda for more than a few seconds, yet it still keeps the name. It’s such a unique game that I go back to not just for childhood memories, but even to alleviate personal stress and conflicts. It’s such a special game that I always 100% it, because not doing so would feel like I didn’t play the game. A playthrough without the carriage ride with Cremia, Anju and Kafei’s reunion, or even just going to the bar to preform and get the crying mask makes me feel weird, like I didn’t do enough. I just started to reorder everything for a friend to play it for the first time and I’m unbelievably excited to see his reactions!

[@Michela]

Thank you for this video. Majora's Mask is a game that has stayed with me for decades and one of those that I'll always cherish the most. I love how you weaved the themes with aspects of Buddhism and spoke to how acts of kindness are what change the world in Termina.

[@MuseOfTheMoose]

watching an analysis of a game i've never played, gotta love it

[@fifilulu5999]

On another note, the title "Majora's Mask is a Timeless Masterpiece" is a pretty cool pun considering how integral time, as a mechanic and a theme, is to this game. Nice work, Ragnar!

[@thierrys85]

The fact that you can finish the game, complete all quests and help everyone, everywhere, but won't ever be able to do so within a single 3-day cycle, thus having all your efforts and good deeds wiped away whenever you go back in time, is the saddest part of the entire game. You can't save everyone.

[@4valongaming388]

This video is a masterpiece and I'm so happy there are people like you. I hope a lot of people will see this video. I hope a lot of us will learn things.

[@burtwonk]

Just wanted to compliment your writing and editing. You really captured the strange magic of this game.

[@Metal7771]

This was a great video, and thank you for using the N64 game footage, that is the MM that I love and remember.

[@journeyto100channel2]

This Zelda game changed my life

[@ArniesTech]

The Romani story shattered me into tears 😭😭😭