Origins of Majora and the Fierce Deity (Zelda Theory)

[@secret3828]

“Who was this Dark Tribe?” Statefarm Ad plays Coincidence? I think not!

[@rotomfan63]

HELLO JAKE FROM STATEFARM.

[@ChaosCat942]

Ads are right up there with the cuccos

[@MrRoyVega]

Peperidge farm

[@nicholasplays7688]

Yes Jake from state farm is the leader

[@karnivre6176]

I KNEW THOSE KHAKIS SEEMED A BIT TOO INNOCENT!!!

[@voidvisual]

20 years later and this games mysteries and secrets have kept it alive in such a unique way. This game is criminally underrated and under appreciated and I'm sad we will never see another game with this much thought and intrigue.

[@Zeldom]

Agreed. Majora's mask needs more love. I can't believe it was the lowest selling 3D Zelda game (not including the 3DS remake)

[@YungJedi100]

@@Zeldom it was too scary and the time limit to do the game made it feel like you couldn’t explore freely because the moon would kill you if you took too long

[@Fermin-hw5pd]

I don't think it is underrated at all xd

[@kingnamor777]

@@Zeldom It's possible that children were scared of the game box cover art? Or found the game too difficult with the three days timer.

[@CLxJames]

It suffered from post-FF7 syndrome. Everyone hated FF8 when it came out because they loved FF7 so much and were mad it wasn’t basically the same thing Majora’s Mask came out after OoT and suffered the same fate

[@zapunknown]

I’m 99% sure skull kids can live forever because it’s the child equivalent to stalfos without being stalchildren and stalfos can live forever because their skeletons

[@Zeldom]

You're right, it's a huge oversight I made. I even knew that they were transformed Kokiri/children who got lost in the woods, but totally neglected that. I put this entire theory together in an afternoon so it's not my strongest one, but it was fun to make.

[@zapunknown]

@@Zeldom other than that it was a great video and I love that you liked making this video keep up the good work

[@BenjaminBlueforever]

I'm pretty sure the same skull kid is in Twilight Princess in the Sacred Grove.

[@littlezork]

@@BenjaminBlueforever It's hinted that it is the same one, and he leads Link to the sword in the grove. In a roundabout way, of course. I like to think he chose to stay there and wait for Link's next incarnation, because he obviously didn't forget.

[@kreiskhaos8516]

Glad I'm not the only one who caught that haha

[@Gakusangi]

Skull Kid is not a literal child, he is a spirit, therefore it's perfectly reasonable that he's immortal. We already had a race of child-like spirits that lived forever with the Kokiri, and they later became the child-like Koroks. So I dunno what the hang-up on the Skull Kid living forever would be.

[@AngryNerdBird]

The kokiri weren't immortal, they just never showed their age and always looked young until they died.

[@sandyjourneys]

Fun fact the skull kid from twilight princess a game where link grows old and dies is the same skull kid meaning he probably lived near 100+years.

[@aran.m977]

For real. I always thought that Skull Kids are immortal anyways since they are children who got lost in the lost woods and became these magical Skull Kids cause they sorta died. The undead Stalfos are also people who got lost in the Lost Woods but they were adults and not kids so they don't become Skull Kids. So yea I find this assumption to be really weird and not grounded at all.

[@FF8Irvine_Fan]

He's the SAME Skull Kid, too. The giants themselves confirm this. Majora was a Demon of ridiculous power. The Fierce Deity is the one that killed him. Majora's Mask was carved out of an bone plate from Majora. We don't know what they did with the rest of the body. There's a good chance that they were used in making things like the Fused Shadows, though.

[@nicholaskling2425]

@@AngryNerdBirdas evidenced by Makar being described as Fado’s descendent in Wind Waker

[@elleenoel512]

I love your theory about Majora's origin. It actually meshes pretty well with my own theories. However, I think Fierce Deity was an actual person. All of the other transformation masks were people, specifically heroes who parallel to different parts of Link's identity. The Deku child is a child who left home and got caught up in something complicated. Darmani is a warrior who protected his home. Mikau is a hero/musician who is trying to protect his love. Fierce Deity is a super powerful hero tasked with guarding his entire world from an evil entity.

[@Zeldom]

It makes sense and honestly I'm not satisfied with my own theory. I think that concept is much more likely, but we have so little info to go off of any theory we make is based on some sort of axioms

[@patrickburke2187]

I don’t think Fierce Deity is someone tasked with fighting an evil entity. I think Majora represents absolute individualism. It represents absolute, uninhibited freedom, but also selfishness. It represents what we become when the bonds that connect us are severed. Fierce Deity is the opposite. Fierce deity represents the cumulative will of the collective. In order to acquire it you trade away all the masks (all of which represent the individual wishes and dreams of the Denizens of termina) and are granted the Feirce Deity Mask. It grants the user the power to do what is necessary to save the collective. It represents what we become, or what we are capable of becoming, when the individual is wholly consumed by the will of the collective. It is merciless, unfeeling. It’s a force of vengeance, of wrath and anger. It isn’t “good”. But Majora isn’t “Bad”. Majora and the Feirce Deity are two necessary forces, the interaction of which establish balance. When you arrive in termina, everyone is miserable. Not because the moon threatens to kill everyone, but because the machine-like nature of their society has forced every individual person to live a life of quiet, subdued desperation. Majora, by forcing people to confront their mortality, also forces them to consider what’s important in their lives. For some, it’s family. For others, it’s freedom. For still others, it’s duty. The largest side quest of all is centered upon love. Majora might threaten to destroy the world, but only if the world is so beyond saving that it’s incapable of healing. And Link is the agent of healing. If he manages to heal the world completely, he inherits the “illness” of the world; it’s machine like, inconsiderate, unfeeling nature. The Fierce Deity Skull kid is the perfect example of a person who has no place in the world. In a world where everyone needs to fit into the machinery, everyone needs to be a cog in the machine of the “clock town”, skull kid and his love of freedom and fun has no home. Fierce deity does nothing to remedy that. Fierce deity is the punitive wrath of the people, the wrath which destroys or kills the “monster”. The monster that the people created.

[@Rahnonymous]

If Majora's Mask (the game) was all just a nightmare of Link's (kinda like Link's Awakening,) then it would make a lot of sense for Majora's Mask (the actual item) to be the embodiment of Link's fear of failure to protect everyone.

[@96ace96]

The theory I've heard the most and I think is coolest is probably that the Fierce Deity mask is... Link. It's the Hero's undying soul, reborn again and again to fight Demise/Ganon/Ganondorf. At some point the Hero's soul outgrew its mortal shell and became a true Deity of its own, a Deity that took the form of a mask. Link is the Fierce Deity, and the Fierce Deity is Link. They're two parts of a whole.

[@simplysupreme1030]

@@AlexG32777 Thxs for the info

[@lordecramox7394]

When I find a Zelda theory in my recommended, I usually expect it to be one of the big guys, like NMB, NBC, or Zeltik. A new one that's also pretty good? Almost unheard of (to me at least)

[@Zeldom]

Wow it's cool to hear I'm showing up on the homepages. Those are the channels I enjoy watching too, though lately Ive watched less to try to come up with my own original ideas for videos. Zeltik beat me to the AoC villian theory from the trailer which is very similar to what I was thinking so I'm going to wait for the full game to come out before making a video about the game

[@lordecramox7394]

@Fluffynator I really thought I wrote Monster Maze there, not sure how I missed him.

[@morpheoss]

@@Zeldom its the same for me i found you on my home page i normally watch zeltik

[@Zeldom]

@@morpheoss yeah now about 80% of my views come from YT's recommendations on the home page. Ig I'm officially a Ztuber now :)

[@Fermin-hw5pd]

NMB? Nasked Mintendo Bandit?

[@MarshallTheArtist]

Definitely the Zonai. Everything is definitely the Zonai.

[@Zeldom]

Ooh that's an interesting thought. Just because the Zonai aren't seen in any games other than botw doesn't mean that can't be the case. After all the Zonia are ancient in botw, so maybe theyre mega-ancient predating oot/mm by a long shot. Very interesting idea

[@ShalidKidow]

@@Zeldom could be they each generation developed there tech with different means every Generation

[@JadeJuno]

@@Zeldom _I hope you're joking_

[@xxlucia_is_callingxx6155]

@@JadeJuno :p

[@fartjokez3258]

The zonai are just ancient people that we dont understand yet.

[@remem95]

This is a damn good theory. Used information from within the games canon and only a bit of speculation. I'm never happy when people drag "proof" for majoras identity from the other end of the timeline. From the part about Majora, I'd have suspected the moonchild stating "you'll be the bad guy" when handing over Fierce Deity might indicate that it wishes for trouble to be caused by someone else, so that it can fight alongside the giants. To me that's the only reason why it would ever hand over something as powerful as Majora itself. Tho, that doesn't have any impact on the Masks origins, so hello new headcanon.

[@Zeldom]

I appreciate it! My theory was already running long and why Majora gave Link the Fierce Deity mask could be a topic on it's own. Another thread I was considering suggesting was that since the inside of the moon is more than likely made by Majora that the Fierce Deity may also be a construct of Majora, but supporting that would have added at least 10 more minutes to the video which would be too much. Perhaps later I'll come back to this topic in another vid

[@sennyside]

It could also be that the Fierce Deity mask is even more corrupt and evil than Majora, and rather than Majora, perhaps the Fierce Deity is the true villain of Majora's Mask. I have no evidence for it, but it's cool to think about.

[@charleshall1168]

@@sennyside It could also be in the mind of majoria who has the mind of a child due to skull kid that to him fierce deity is the villain due to stopping him from ending termina.

[@Insertia_Nameia]

@@charleshall1168 well of it is the culmination of the terminan denizens, then to majora (based on this theory,) it could be seen that they are the "bad guys". To someone as child like as them, it could easily be twisted to then blaming the people as the reason why the giants left in the first place (also likely why they attacked and harmed the people.) This would mean that in their mind, if the giants didn't have to worry about protecting the people, then they never would've had to leave.

[@nautilume7114]

When the kid said "You're the bad guy, and bad guys always run" it could be a reference to him viewing all the friends that leave him as the bad guys.

[@KevinGarrisonVA]

I'd like to point out that the part of the "imp" mentioned in the legend is indeed the skull kid. Skull kid talks to the giants and talks about how after all he's done, they still considered him a friend. The rest of the theory could be plausible.

[@keabonhall2436]

I’m under the belief they both understand the pain of your friends growing away from you alone due to central principles

[@Bighomie39]

I think the Fierce Deity is some sort of protector of happiness. At the end of the game, the Happy Mask Salesman says that the masks you have are filled with happiness. So, the mask you get for trading away every other mask would only make sense to be a mask filled with Termina's happiness. But why is the Fierce Deity, well, fierce? It's because of Majora's Mask bringing so much desolation and despair to Termina. Due to this, the once carefree protector of happiness was made into a strong warrior striving to guard what hope people have left. It parallels Link, in a way. Interestingly, the Happy Mask Salesman specifies that it is the masks you specifically have that are filled with happiness. For Majora's Mask, it is not filled with happiness. Majora, the imp, had no happiness, no hope left in him by then. Because of this, Majora's Mask became the mask not filled with happiness, the antithesis of the Fierce Diety. As for the "dark power" of the Fierce Diety, it is only considered to have dark power because of how much wrath it has against those who take happiness from others, especially Majora.

[@FF8Irvine_Fan]

The Fierce Deity is the dude that killed Majora. That's all. A literal deity came to kill a deity level threat.

[@Insert_Bland_Name_Here]

Nah, the Fierce Deity is just a reference to Buddhism, just like Majora's Mask as a whole. In Buddhism, there are 5 Fierce Deities. 4 guarding each of the cardinal directions (represented by the Four Giants in Majora's Mask), and one in the center (represented by the mask Link receives). The duty of these Fierce Deities, also known as "Wrathful Deities", is to lend their aid to those seeking enlightenment and to escape the cycle of Samsara, by smiting that which stands in their way. In Majora's Mask, this shows by the Fierce Deity Mask granting Link the ultimate power, allowing him to destroy Majora and free the land of Termina from its 3-day cycle of rebirth and destruction. There's a whole video on KZbin diving deep into the Buddhist symbolism behind Majora's Mask, that's worth watching.

[@Bighomie39]

@@Insert_Bland_Name_Here yeah it's probably also Buddhist stuff, although the Buddhist references across Asian media tend to get ignored here in the West

[@CircusFoxxo]

The Fierce Deity is a combination of everyone's hopes and wishes in Termina. It is also based on a fierce protector spirit in Buddhist mythology, a creature like Asura.

[@Zeldom]

*NOTICE* As many of you have pointed out, I admit I made a mistake in claiming that the Skull Kid isn't immortal. That is a MAJOR oversight on my part, because I even knew that they were an afterlife of children who got lost in the lost woods before I made this, but somehow neglected. Also this theory does have a major flaw since the end of the game does heavily imply that the imp was Skull Kid since he asks the giants if they still thought of him as a friend. When I showed the the warp point during the time I said there are many depictions of Majora's Mask in the Stone Tower Temple, I'm aware that those appear in every dungeon. When I was gathering some footage I forgot to get some of the blocks while ascending the stone tower and I was too lazy to go back an rerecord since I was in a rush while editing this. Ultimately this theory was made for fun and I knew wouldn't be the strongest one out there, but like I said it was food for thought.

[@cthulhluftagn3812]

I think that the imp and Majora are actually two separate beings, the imp is skull kid, a mostly harmless if bitter prankster. Majora was born from the moon and eventually sealed I to a mask by the song of healing, he was created or channeled by the builders of the stone tower in a attempt to seize power from the goddesses, as you can see from the square blocks in the tower who have a learning male figure squating atop a triforce. The imp and Majora have a common history, as Majora was abandoned by the four guardian bosses and became full of hate.

[@Gman24237]

I was sure that the skull kid was immortal but at the same time i thought that i might have been wrong but your theory still works, just seperate Majora and the imp where maybe the giants could have did the song of healing after Majora did some crazy stuff (out of anger or what have you) which could have made the Fierce Deity Mask but plot twist it also made Majora into a mask amd then the Garo and all that, in conclusion pretty good theory I never thought anout thye Fierce Deity containing multiple spirts before which is pretty neat, like a idealized deity was made as opposed to it being some crazy strong guy way back when.

[@fiercedeityoftermina7833]

Rasanak made a theory that majora might be gharhim from skyward sword here the link to his video kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHaYkHh3eNiee5I

[@flopitylopity]

Nice theory it leaves a lot to think about even if there are flaws its still valid, keep up the great work 👍

[@kuroshinryu]

That would mean the woods have a LONG history.

[@protoplasm-1]

“I TURNED MYSELF INTO A MASK, 4 GIANTS! I’M MAJORA’S MAAAAAAAASK!”

[@Zeldom]

New theory! He turned himself into a mask. A harmless little mask. Then as a mask he put himself as a mask into a box, and put that box into another box, and that box into another box. Mailed it to himself, and when it arrived SMASHED IT WITH A HAMMER! (always have to use an emperor's new groove reference when I can)

[@gdtemmie6956]

Oh yes

[@TheStripeTailedFiend]

I kid you not link, he turned himself into a mask link, funniest shit I've ever seen.

[@josephcruz916]

I’m I the only one who read this as Rick Sanchez?

[@ChaosCat942]

Logic? Yeah why use that.

[@assistanttotheregionalsith8531]

MM is most likely canon, there’s a statue carved into the mountains of Goron village in botw of darumani the bada** himself. Edit: also thank you a ton for the awesome discussions in the reply section of this..... reply? Any way it’s really cool to see fans expressing their opinions and love for a franchise as awesome as Zelda, thanks again! -Assistant to the Regional Sith Lord

[@Zeldom]

I think it is canon too. And yes, The Goron "Mount Rushmore" does show Daruk, but also has easter eggs of Darunia from OoT, Darmani lll from MM, and I believe the small goron child is supposed to be Link the Goron, Darunia's son

[@xavier_isaaccastro4263]

I didnt know

[@assistanttotheregionalsith8531]

@@Zeldom possibly, possibly

[@assistanttotheregionalsith8531]

@@seanbean6801 well I mean canon to the child timeline, like it was a real locale

[@amandamcdanell1580]

Now I going to goron city in botw!

[@michaelsuk6440]

The Fierce Diety mask is more powerful and more dark than Majora. The people that were affected by Majora were likely saddened and extremely angry. This was all put into one mask, and it was probably unstable. When link put the mask on, it made him nearly invincible against Majora. It was the accumulation of all of the other masks, and represented Termina as a whole. They hated Majora, and the mask didn’t disappoint.

[@mackenziebeeney3764]

And what happens when the Fierce Deity’s enemy- Majora- is defeated? Where will it turn for its next challenger?

[@Lu_lu_2]

​@@mackenziebeeney3764 i had always assumed the Fierce Deity mask would either vanish or lose power once Majora was defeated, it's rage placated with the defeat of the demonic mask

[@john-gregorysierra8875]

​@@Lu_lu_2I have always thought of the FD mask as a mask that will only allow a worthy wielder to use its power to face a being that FD thinks will give him a challenge.

[@Lu_lu_2]

@@john-gregorysierra8875 that is a fair way to look at it

[@IWantToWatchLNK]

YOURE WRONG! Well maybe you’re right.. well there’s only one way to decide, MATPAT!!!! I HAVE A THEORY!!!!

[@iSouleyx]

It makes a lot of sense that the Fierce Deity's Mask contains the will of all citizens of Termina as Aonuma suggested, since it requires the player to obtain all optional masks within in the game, and in like 99% of those quests you're required to fix the problems of the people subtly hinting that all those masks are perhaps synthesized to power the fierce deity's mask. For some reason this has never clicked in my head until watching this video haha great video.

[@tomdekler9280]

But this video says it's the power of deceased people in Termina from a story of eons ago. So how does that connect?

[@darkdagger5237]

if you take the masks to the happy mask salesman he says that they contain emotions and then describes which emotions are in which masks

[@Lord_Nagafen]

This is definitely something. I always had that suspicion about the Garo tribe being behind the Mask's first awakening, and your theories confirmed my own. And being able to see the FD's Mask as a sort of avatar of the previous inhabitants of Termina's consciousness makes me further appreciate its real power even more. Great work on this video! And using the final countdown to the moon song adds that nostalgic touch so again, nice work! Keep it up!

[@Zeldom]

Thank you so much! While I'm editing and trying to pick out the soundtrack I sometimes have nostalgic overloads too

[@drwily]

Interesting...

[@Zeldom]

It's cool to see you here Dr. :)

[@GreenLink500]

Do you play Megaman?!?! I LOVE MAGAMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUT I LOVE ZELDA GAMES MAYBE EVEN MORE I THINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Zeldom]

@@GreenLink500 I do not. Lately I haven't had as much time for games since I started this channel, so when I do game it's almost exclusively Zelda or Overwatch. However I was I big fan of the Paper Mario series back when it was good (64, Thousand Year Door was the BEST GAME EVER, and Super paper mario was pretty good too)

[@alyxxpratt678]

@@Zeldom I just got my hands on Thousand Year Door. I got it for relatively cheap too. I cannot wait to play it. That game was my entire childhood. Also, just started watching your channel and I love your content!

[@mythoughtsandme5413]

@@Zeldom guess youre an official youtuber now

[@sharksbean]

Personally I think since Termina is a parallel world to Hyrule then Majora is their version of Ganon just as the goddess of time is their Hylia. Which makes the fierce deity mask the third part of that trinity of good and evil.

[@Zeldom]

I actually believe that Hylia is the Goddess of Time, but I can make a whole video on that instead of writing a long ass proof why, which I probably will ;)

[@evdestroy5304]

I never understood this point of view, as many people in the game reference Hyrule as an existing place in Majora's Mask. One mention that comes to mind is when you give the rock sirloin to the Gordon with Don geros mask and he specifically says the sirloin is some of the best from Dodongo's Cavern. Plus you can apparently travel back and forth fairly easily as Skull Kid does just that and so does Link at the end of the game

[@wildfire9280]

@@evdestroy5304 Yet there was no evacuation effort.

[@jabreo]

@@wildfire9280 The people of Termina are weird. While arguing, they point out that tourist have stopped coming because of the moon, they realize it suddenly has a face and do nothing, half the population leaves but only a couple go to the ranch, yet when you beat the game they're suddenly back in time for the carnival. So they kinda accept things as is yet still run after it's too late yet some still just stay

[@yourmum69_420]

@@jabreo Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance. They are in denial at the start and don't try to run until it's too late. Also they might think nowhere is safe / the whole world could be destroyed.

[@sootythunder3111]

Majoras mask was always something special to me, it was this weird thing. It was pure and fantastical but it was also twisted but not in a way that’s typical, it felt closer to a nightmare of a child then what would be considered a “dark” story that would be done by other games at its time

[@MrGodsChaos]

My theory is that Majoras Mask was the spirit of an ancient enemy. The Link from that time helped defeat Majora by helping getting Majora sealed. That Link grew very powerful that no one could stop him due to him being a deity. Being very powerful, he was betrayed by those who sealed Majora in the mask and sealed him too creating the “fierce deity” mask. People were scared thinking that if Link were to ever go evil, no one would be able to stop him.

[@NickyJWho]

Great theory man, everyone else goes through so many hoops but its dope that you used info from the game, it feels like a really viable theory to be honest. Subscribed and looking forward to more

[@Zeldom]

Thanks you. I do my best to put as much evidence into my theories as possible while only using speculation as a filler, not "proof". I do have some theory ideas that I'm pretty sure wouldn't work out ultimately, but I think I might make some just for fun with disclaimers and acknowledging some flaws as well.

[@saraross8396]

Interesting theory, but the game itself debunks it. The imp in the grandmother's story is Skull Kid and not Majora as you have suggested. After the final battle, Skull Kid says the following: "You guys... You hadn't forgotten about me? You still thought of me as a friend?" This is said to the Four Giants after being freed from the influence of the mask.

[@Zeldom]

One of the fatal flaws of this theory. I thought about this while making the video and I've had many people point this out to me and also call me out on the skull kid's immortality. I said since he isn't a deity he probably isn't immortal, but since it's technically an "afterlife" to become a skull kid they are ageless.

[@victornecromancer]

Haven't skull kid said this to Tatl and Tael?

[@broskimoski9775]

@@Zeldom every theory has its flaws. The important thing is it was fun to make and it’s fun for others to watch. At the end of the day theories are created to help others form new ones, and it keeps even old games fresh and exciting! I’m looking forward to seeing more content from you

[@isabelamontgomery9182]

@@Zeldom I wonder if the reason why majora was able to take over skull kid was because they both had similar experiences and pain. Isn’t it possible that they both became friends and were abandoned by the giants? Maybe it’s a stretch.. but it makes more sense to me (along with your theory) than skull kid being the imp from long ago. If skull kid was the imp in the story wouldn’t he be dead? The story literally says the giants send him to heaven. Also, that story seemed to suggest that long ago the imp did things so horrible the giants had to come stop him, so it must’ve been pretty bad. But the skull kid is nothing more than an innocent prankster at least before the mask takes hold. I don’t see any evidence of him being a violent or harmful person until he gets taken over so that just doesn’t fit the imp from the story either. 🤔 does that make sense? Lol I’m rambling 🤭😬

[@Nanitamochi]

And also the Garos did not disappear

[@namedrop721]

I think there’s something else with the Fierce Deity mask. It looks like Link, Link the archetype. Link has heard and seen and participated in all of the sorrows of the people. He has solved them and no one has solved his. Link is also alone and not only carries the burdens of both Hyrule and Termina, but effectively doesn’t exist for the people he saves. He’s the equal opposite to Majora causing enormous cosmic damage. The game is asking you to understand how hurt people hurt people. The moon is connected to karma in Japanese folktales, and the tree and field is giving me major Rumi vibes.

[@ashawnapeoples3101]

I think you're right with the garro being the tribe who did the rituals and that they are from another dimension thats within the stone tower. But watching this made me realize majora's face in like the final part of the boss fight (majora's wrath) is a complete match to the stone tower face.

[@thecreepythecozy8891]

This was the first Majora’s Mask theory I ever watched. I still love this video.

[@dredgenshade7137]

Haven't noticed the Majora design inside Stone Tower. But I did notice it OUTSIDE. Once you turn the tower, Majora's Mask watches you approach, as it is the temple itself.

[@Zeldom]

See I was the other way around. I noticed the big statue, but not the small symbolism while climbing the tower for the first time

[@TacoBabysJR]

My own small theory: I think the doorway ( 5:42 ) looks more like Majora's normal face than the mask. I think the Garo tribe got to see Majora's true form and witnessed the mask entrapment.

[@jakenymeyer7208]

A very interesting theory! It would also explain Termina’s fascination with masks. If eons ago many of the townspeople were transformed into the fierce deity mask, it could have created a culture when once a year at the festival everyone wears masks to remember their ancestors. They give masks as gifts throughout the year or as keepsakes. The exchanging of masks became a main part of their marriage rituals. All because of the events between the giants and Majora!

[@Zeldom]

Ikr! I think it would also connect well with the tradition of the Carnival of Time which is given a deeper background also by Anju's grandmother

[@H2SO4pyro]

Now that i got that Majora is the imp from the legends, it seems obvious that the four other kids are the giants (at least an image of them created by the mask). Since their masks represents the bos,es of the game, i guess Majora created those alike his former friends to fill the void of his loneliness Edit: Just a thought, i feel like the hole Majora's mask imagery points to termina being born from imagination with Majora's mask power (i think the salesman says he found the mask outside of Termina). That would make total sense of the five childs in the moon, those are the hylian kids that imagined this world (hence the Termina's inhabitants looking alike Hyrule's), the world getting life from a powerful item they were playing with (the mask). When the childs grew up they stopped playing with the mask, and all that they imagined is now fading away (termina is dying). The entity inside the mask is now feeling lonely, missing the children's games and asking link to play with in the end of the game. Since the mask salesman looks very similar to the kids i think he is one of them (likely the one wearing the mask). Additionally, wearing masks is usually not meaningless as it represents a layer of fantasy made to hide from an ugly truth that i'd like to see linked to the fierce deity, so there is still more to be theorized upon. By the way i like a lot that this idea of mine does not contradict anything said in the video, assuming that the mask is way older than Termina's legends (i wrote this as soon as thinking about it, I wouldnt be surprised if other people had this idea waaay before me). That being said i'm on my way to watch the rest of this channel

[@Zeldom]

That's a really cool continuation. Thanks for pointing that out, and I agree it does coincide. One issue with my theory that I didn't really address is that the children resemble the happy mask salesman, but that's an entirely different theory on its own so that's why I didn't go much into it.

[@Chris-cf2kp]

It's weird how the character you see wearing majoras mask inherently, has the same hair as the travelling mask salesman. The mask salesman is certainly an enigmatic fellow. The fact that these ancient spirits like Majora all have masks, and that he carries them around could mean he's some sort of descendant or spirit that is similar to them in nature.

[@daemonvanmeir9697]

i noticed it too! i thought it was pretty interesting

[@HaveButOneLife]

Majora seems to be a childlike spirit. What other means for a child other than to toy with another child who has been disrupting their fun? By turning what he knows against him. Painting the HMS as a malicious embodiment. Or... My theory: The Moon isn't us being inside Link's head, it's to symbolize Termina. The Lunar Children and their masks represent the four locations living together frolicking, and sitting in the middle is a tree (Clock Town), the root of it all surrounded by luscious vivid grasslands, with Majora in the center, looming (The Moon). The four children not only symbolize the bosses, but the Four Giants (the four lands) being possessed by them. You complete your trials, and the Four Children (Giants) fade away. Everyone has left him. Skull Kid, or Majora? Now he must play.

[@DarkLightGaming117]

Thanks for your theory. The only thing that I find a bit weak on it is skull kid does seem to be the imp. He drew himself and the giants on a tree together. Also the giants took time to basically look directly at him and seemingly sort of chastise and forgive him. Skull Kid expresses regret for what he did to his friends and the realm. And I don't personally think Majoras Mask came from Termina. There isn't evidence for the Mask Salesman having been there before. And while I like the stone temple parallels my thinking there is Majoras Mask reshaped it when going through there and corrupting that area like he did to the other lands. But that is a compelling argument and the whole ikana area seems super ancient and fascinating to me.

[@eleanorv3754]

Although I won't regard this theory as my head-cannon, you did a really good job and I'm going to check your other videos out.

[@Zeldom]

Thank you! Honestly it's not my head canon either. It was just an idea I wanted to explore

[@ameirgrant6116]

@@Zeldom what is your headcanon?

[@strappymasksalesman2819]

this theory is amazing, very well done

[@Zeldom]

Thank you very much!

[@cykes5609]

This was great I really liked how well structured and believable everything is. It did leave me wondering something, if the Happy Mask Salesman simply happened to find the mask. Who told him of the legend? Also, how did he learn the Song of Healing?

[@Zeldom]

Both very good questions, to which I have to say I have no idea :) If I tried to explain that it would be almost entirely speculation which I try to avoid. When I make a theory I only make it if it's based on actual evidence (even if it's just one line that gives me an interesting idea) and only using speculation as a filler. I could keep going onto other questions with this video so I had to cut it off at some point. I'm definitely going to make more Majora's Mask theories in the future and continue on with some of these ideas.

[@thenitpickchannel9993]

Well, I mean he would've had to have known the song if he was going to sell the masks. Gotta get your hands dirty sometimes. And he would've needed to make sure that his customers weren't a Deku all the time. However how and where he learned the song and/or Majora's history is also a mystery. It's possible he found it in some ruin of the tribe and found the mask there and figured it all out. I mean, you gotta know what you're selling. All this is just an inference of mine so agree or not.

[@ykky5765]

Maybe the happy mask salesman is the last garo, cursed with immortality and self appointed to keep the majora's mask from falling into the wrong hands. He's ancient enough to know / remember the song of healing and to have learned about interdimensional travel, hence his presence in hyrule. And when he rants about being attacked by the imp, it could have a dual meaning implying it was the mask itself and the majora's mask. As for fierce deity mask, I'm gonna really reach here and suggest that's adult link's death mask from the oot timeline split where ganondorf defeats link. Just thinking out loud.

[@Foxy_LamaLama]

My theory is that he bought the mask to a random dude and that dude told him about the legend and taught him the song. It was like a thing that was told among the generations

[@BriarTheShark]

Just FYI, this is the legend if majora's mask's creation. I don't remember all the details, but canonically, majora's mask was created from a dragon who's scales shone in all colors like a rainbow, and could grant any wish. There was a traveler that resembled Link that came across the dragon. When he found the dragon, he wanted a wish, but the dragon cast him away. The next day, he came back, and made an offer. He would play a song, and that was it. So the dragon accepted to hear his song. When the adventurer started, the dragon stood up, something it had not done in a long time, and started to dance. And dance it did, for days and days, until finally the song was done. The dragon then dropped down, exhausted, and exhaled his last breath and closed his eyes peacefully. The traveler took one of his scales, carved into Majora's mask, and went on his way. Majora's mask has its power because it is made of wish granting dragon scales.

[@samuraicy2956]

I remember reading about this in Majoras masks manga. Short story near the end.

[@BriarTheShark]

@@samuraicy2956 yep, that's the one

[@katatonikbliss]

pretty sure that isn't canon, though?

[@ostrogothiccyoutube8118]

@@katatonikbliss its not canon but still cool

[@赤青白]

That's manga canon, not game canon.

[@patrickburke2187]

If they ever make a sequel to Majora’s mask, I would love to see it told from the perspective of a world where Feirce Deity is the bad guy.

[@HeroOfTime64Link]

I mean- Majora's Mask is already a sequel to OoT so..- I don't think that would happen, plus it's been about 20 years so-

[@qwirkt]

@@HeroOfTime64Linkconsidering how every type of entertainment/media is dominated by cheap nostalgia baiting right now, it totally could happen. Only reason why it’s unlikely is that BotW/TotK completely changed the Zelda formula in a way that was commercially very successful, so they’ll be afraid to try to go back on that…

[@DarknessIsThePath]

I want a game where you are Ganondorf and you beat Link and Zelda in the downfall timeline 😏

[@mackenziebeeney3764]

@@qwirktI can see a few ways they could, but yeah they probably won’t.

[@thegreatgonzales6813]

Eiji Aonuma has gone on record saying that he doesn't much care for how Majora's Mask turned out and wishes fans would just forget about the game. MM is the last Zelda game he wants to approach.

[@whirl3690]

On one hand, it's refreshing to see a theory that doesn't believe the Interlopers created Majora's Mask, but I just really don't like the idea of the story not referring to Skull Kid.

[@Zeldom]

I thought it was an interesting thought, but it's one of the biggest flaws with the theory. There's just too many things suggesting it is the skull kid, but it was still a fun video to make

[@SerenEirian]

Maybe it was a Skull Kid, just not _the_ Skull Kid.

[@whirl3690]

@@SerenEirian That wouldn't really change my perspective, it would still leave the Skull Kid's motivations a mystery when they would otherwise be known.

[@panos_0179]

The statue in the stone temple looks like the majora's head in his third stage

[@ChloeDazzle]

Im hooked on zelda theories right now and I've listened to all the big ones (zeltic, nintendoblackcrisis, etc) hundreds of times, im so excited to explore this new channel!! Subbed!! Cant wait to support another Zelda fan :)

[@Zeldom]

Welcome and thanks for the sub! I used to watch the same channels constantly too back in January and February and I take huge inspiration from Zeltik, but I try to not watch as many other theories these days to try to stay original.

[@CryWolf0651]

You seem to ignore that Link found the portal to Termina in the Lost Woods. It is also believed that the Kokiri who leave the Kokiri forest turn into the Skullkids, as they are never to leave the forest cuz they'll die. Kokiri also don't age, and if the Skullkids are dead Kokiri, then it's reasonable to assume that the Skullkid in MM would be old enough to be the imp of the legend.

[@tomdekler9280]

Nowhere does it state the intro to Majora's Mask took place in the Lost Woods.

[@vidviewer92]

I just played through this game again and was thinking about Majora’s ties to all the thing in Ikana and the Stone Temple. This all made sense! Great video.

[@marcandruu]

Ngl i didn’t expect a theory like this good job I didn’t even know about the quote from Aonuma which I think helps make sense of a lot of the lore in the game

[@Zeldom]

Glad to hear I exceeded expectations

[@mohammedhannan2263]

A new Zelda conspiracy channel? Epic man.

[@Zeldom]

I'm Zelda crazy dude

[@felixputz1284]

so true, INSTANT SUBSCRIBE

[@xxlucia_is_callingxx6155]

@@Zeldom Hell yeah.

[@alixsprallix]

Yep instant subscribe

[@eggwaffle]

I don’t think you know what the word conspiracy means

[@isaacgame7304]

Yo, I never thought about Majora and Fierce Deity's identity, cool video! Definitely hope you continue making more as the theory was great, it was informative and well edited. My recommended is usually NintendoBlackCrises, Zeltik, Commonwealth Realm, getting this in my recommended was a great one, 100% subbed to add to my Zelda theory creator list lol

[@Zeldom]

Thank you so much for the support and there is definitely more to come!

[@pineappleking5306]

I like how the theme of losing a friend and dealing with that loss seems to play a major role in this game. The skull kid lost his 4 friends and link lost his friend the fairy known as navi .-. beautiful game :0

[@BlazeSh0t]

Wow dude. I had no idea how complex all the lore of these games are even tho I’ve played them all countless times. It’s Super cool.

[@ShinkuGouki]

I've played and passed both Majoras Mask and Ocarina of Time within a year of their release. I never read that deep into their backstory but it is very interesting. I like the struggle and tragic loss Link goes through to save Hyrule and Termina. He is their hero and most don't even know it. There's this sad feeling I can't explain when you finish these two stories. Like when the kid (or Majora) asks if everyone is gone,you almost want to sympathize with Majoras loneliness. In Ocarina of Time,its sad that after all the hard work Link did,time is rewinded and he basically saved everyone from a terrible future and they didn't even know it. It would be nice if Nintendo released an official canon of the stories behind these iconic games. Some game developers enjoy the mystery they create and allow the fans to interpret their work any way they choose. I would like to see a story of the mask salesman and the gyy that teaches Link the Song of Storms.

[@Zeldom]

Me too. There are the mangas. I'm not a fan of manga (mainly since I'm not an avid reader and I have a hard time reading the backwards format of manga) but there are some cool stories in them. They aren't canon and some even contradict info from the games, but they're still good stories

[@krASHExxx]

The mask salesman would be a good one. The story of the hero of time is not suppose to be a good one. That's why he ended up as a stalfos and forever lives with grief. Poor guy.

[@adamshawn77]

Glad I got recommended your stuff man good work!

[@Zeldom]

Thank you. I'm still in shock by how many people my content is reaching. I was at less than 50 subs 2 weeks ago...

[@hotonmarriuki4908]

And majora's mask have ability to do the moon walk

[@Zeldom]

I'm jealous of Majora's skillz

[@majorasmask3daysago257]

@@Zeldom Thanks.

[@alwaystired2452]

@@majorasmask3daysago257 Majora you should see a therapist

[@majorasmask3daysago257]

@@alwaystired2452 why

[@TnT_F0X]

My theory has always been they're an incarnation of Ganon (or some other evil) and the Hero from a era we never played. Ganon has blue skin and horns a lot of the time, the mask has blue skin and spikes. The fierce Deity is pretty much just adult Link with a powerful sword... but Majora could be Ganon or Vaati sealed into a mask, and the battle corrupted and damaged link, meaning he had to be healed into a mask too. Has to be a pre-OoT evil

[@DaBroski100]

This was pointed out in other comments, but it definitely can still make sense that the imp from the story is the Skull Kid, since they're the undead spirits of children who got lost in the woods. The part about him "returning to the heavens" also probably refers to him going back to the Lost Woods since you get to Termina by falling down a giant hole from there. I think Majora was just channeling the hurt, anger, and jealousy Skull Kid felt toward Termina and the giants, and fed into them while also feeding off his energy. Everything we see him do in the game are Skull Kid's own actions, he's just being egged on by Majora and corrupted by its power. I think this is also why the inside of the moon has those kids playing in it. It's a representation of what Skull Kid was feeling since these were the emotions that were fueling Majora's power, and the part of Skull Kid's soul Majora was leeching off of.

[@rudrohasashi8210]

Here's my sub. You made sum quality content despite being at the start. I first thought this channel has a lot of subs. None the less. Keep it up.

[@Zeldom]

Thanks for the sub and support! I'm trying to upload more frequently, but currently its bimonthly

[@matteopoldrugo9535]

My guy skull kid LITERALLY talks to the giants and starts crying because they still remember him and aren’t mad at him. Zelda’s a magical world and the children of the forest from Ocarina are ageless children, so it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to say they live a really long time even in imp form.

[@Zeldom]

Lol I've gotten this same comment alot now. I definitely made a mistake. I think I was right in claiming he's not a deity, but you guys are right in that it doesn't mean he's not "immortal." Since the Skull Kids are basically the afterlife of kokiri who get lost in the lost woods so they would not age

[@captain_unhinged4372]

It could still make sense if the story depicts “Skullkid and the 4 Giants” as well as “Majora and the 4 giants (Termina Bosses)”. In fact after you said that Majora was the imp i thought you were also going to say that the 4 giants in the story were the bosses in the 4 regions. I mean they were literally running around having fun playing tag while Majora is just their lonely by the tree uninvited.

[@jakenymeyer7208]

I actually don’t think The skull kid was talking to the giants. I think he was talking to tatl and tael when he said this. The giants also told tatl and tael earlier to “forgive your friend”. This is probably because the skull kid reminds them of majors and they don’t want the fairies to forsake him as they had to do with majora.

[@matteopoldrugo9535]

@@jakenymeyer7208 in the final cutscene the fairies are right beside like while skullkid looks directly AT the giants while they look at him. He says “you still haven’t forgotten about me?” THE CAMERA POINTS AT THE GIANTS WHO MAKE A SOUND IN RESPONSE BEFORE GOING BACK TO A SHOT OF SKULL KID CRYING! You can argue in favor of your interpretation but please understand that your interpretation of events DIRECTLY CONTRADICT WHAT IS VISIBLY SHOWN IN GAME.

[@giantenemycrab1192]

@@matteopoldrugo9535 what if he inherited some of majoras memories from wearing the mask?

[@MelMario]

Wonderful! I like this a lot. Can you address Skull Kid’s comments at the end, where he seemingly cries and says to the Giants, “You still thought of me as a friend?” For me, that shapes the game to be presenting SK as the imp who wronged the Giants. But I definitely like this theory.

[@daltonaguiar5322]

Man, and I'm here watching this video exactly one day after queen Elizabeth's death, and see the joke on her being as old as the ancient ones...

[@Andys_Auto]

Man with how confusing and full of small detail the zelda stories can be as well as the fact that they don't just straight up give you all the information I'm glad people like you are able to decode this complicated series of stories for the rest of us. I just beat the game and watched this right after. Great video man!

[@clayxros576]

Honestly this is the theory for Majora and the Fierce Diety that makes the most sense.

[@kylacrystal1824]

bro super excited that KZbin recommended me your channel!!

[@Zeldom]

I'm just as excited as you are mate. Glad my content is being enjoyed :)

[@ast.4049]

I always enjoy a good fierce deity theory 🙏🏼

[@Zeldom]

Thank you. To be honest I kinda of had to come up with a shorter explanation for the the Fierce Deity since the video was already running long and what I planned would have taken so much more time. I think in the future I'll make an extension to this video for another Deity theory

[@ast.4049]

@@Zeldom pls do so! Ur effort is appreciated 🙏🏼

[@cobaltprime9467]

The Imp IS the Skull Kid. The path to Termina is in the lost woods. Skull Kids are immortal, born from the wayward children who get lost in the LW. It’s further proven in the ending when they all reconcile (ish).

[@JoseQuintanilla88]

This is the only video that brings up the Song of Healing. This piece certainly cemented its purpose and use to give us the story. Well done.

[@rangedweevil6150]

From what I remember, in Ocarina of Time, it is told that Skull Children are the spirits of children who got lost in the forest, while adults who get lost become Stalfos. Also, in Twilight Princess, the Skull Kid that guides Link through the Sacred Grove is heavily implied to be the same from Majora's Mask (the skull Kid from TP plays Saria's sing on his horn and has his face painted similar to the moon, and the Skull Kid from MM says that Link has the same smell as the fairy kid who taught him "that song" (implied to be Saria's song since playing it to the dancing Skull Kid in the Lost Woods in OoT will reward Link with a heart container because he too is a friend of Saria's). In any case, it's possible that Skull Kids live much longer than one would anticipate possibly because they are already spirits.

[@Zeldom]

When the skull mid says he reminds him of the kid who taught him sarias song he is actuallu referencing saria, since Link didnt teach it too him. When link plays the song for him in oot the skull kid says "you know saria? We should be friends" meaning he already knew of sarias song. I do agree about the stalfos thing and skull kids are a form of afterlife so I was wrong about that. I pinned a comment about that a while back

[@NH-le6pf]

As much as I love this theory I’m going to have to contradict you on some things. 1. In termina there are depiction of the moon having a face such as in the mayors office but the face looks much happier so I think that majors corrupted the moon but it always had a face 2. The scull kid is some kind of deity or they have expanded live spans because the very same scull kid is seen in Twilight Princess and you can tell because he is playing a distorted version of saris song 3. The scull kid in majoras mask is the same one you see in the forest in oot so I believe in the grandmas story when it says that he returned to the heavens I believe it was saying he returned to hyrule 4. I love seeing a new Zelda channel comeing around and with the amount of subs you had I wasn’t expecting the Quality of content you had keep up the good work!

[@Zeldom]

Out of curiosity I looked up the depiction of the moon in the mayor's office. I always interpreted that as a sort of mask, but I can see how it can be interpreted as the moon. I still don't think that it proves the moon had a face before, since the juggler twins and I think even the astronomer mention something about the moon not having a face or looking different but I'd have to look at the direct quotes since I'm rely on my first impressions from playing the game. You're totally right on points 2 and 3. I was aware of the fact that the skull kid says at the end of the game that he was friends with the giants which heavily implies he actually was that imp, and I totally messed up with the whole skull kid immortality thing. I was right that he's not a deity, but they are ageless since they are the afterlives of kokiri who got lost in the woods. OoT and MM were the last of the 6 3D Zeldas I played (Ik, plz don't shun) so unforuntately they aren't my expertise even though they play a huge role in the timeline. Thanks so much for the support and I'm glad to have knowledgeable viewers to teach me as well :)

[@FlyingShadow11]

scull kid lol

[@ShelbyAQD]

I'm glad you pointed out the Garo as the likely ancient tribe. So many theories try to fit the tribe into Hyrule's history instead of Termina's, which can be fun, but also very frustrating. And here's an idea to expand your theory: what if Skull Kid is Majora? See, I don't think it's accurate to say that the Song of Healing turns spirits into masks, since that wouldn't really be healing them at all. Rather, I think it separates them from their darker emotions and associated memories, sealing the troubled parts of the spirit away. Consider the man in Ikana who was turned into a Gibdo. The Song of Healing frees him from this curse, and leaves him dazed and confused about his time as a monster. If Majora's Mask was born from the Song of Healing as you suggest, then the imp from the legend would likely have been left in a similarly befuddled state. He then flees to Hyrule for an unknown amount of time before bumping into the Salesman and stealing the ancient mask that rekindles his memories and pain. Or something like that. Also, perhaps the reason the Fierce Deity looks like Link is because it's a composite of innumerable fragmented spirits, and thus lacks a cohesive form of its own. So, it takes on a form mirroring it's wearer, but greatly empowered.

[@Zeldom]

Well the Happy Mask Salesman does say the song of healing "heals evil magic and troubled spirits, turning them into masks" and that's what is shown in game. But I agree with that concept for Pamela's father in Ikana Canyon. I think he was possessed or corrupted somehow in his research, and when Link played the song of healing since he wasn't dead the song sealed the evil magic or spirit possessing the man into the Gibdo mask and the man returned to normal. I actually really like that idea of the Fierce Deity taking on a vague form of the wearer but with great empowerment. That's a really cool idea. I wish I included that in the video

[@thatonechick1318]

I LOVE this theory about the Fierce Deity! It makes so much sense!

[@warlix9234]

The origin of majora's mask can be found in the book. At the end of the book there's a little story, I don't remember exactly, so sorry if there are some mistakes. A long time ago, there was a beast that was one of the most powerful thing in the world, one day a soldier beat it by making the beast dance to make it tired. After he sculpted the mask in the shell of the beast. And I think that's end.

[@LittleAl016]

2:04, I feel like it should be pointed out here that the original Japanese text of this exact moment in the same game outright states that the tribe that had used Majora's Mask in its hexing rituals was destroyed by the destruction it once wrought. And that the people who sealed the mask itself away in the darkness to prevent any further misuse of the mask itself is referred to by the Mask Salesman as "our ancestors."

[@vapidspecter9065]

7:33 “Who looks so old she could have lived during the time period of the legend, just like the queen!” Welp, that hits different.

[@ivandavis7936]

Skull kid is immortal because in Ocarina of time the korocks are immortal, and when the korocks get lost in the forest the turn into skull kid

[@mikealpha4169]

I thought Skull Kids were made from regular human children

[@ivandavis7936]

@@mikealpha4169 Hhmm i think there's two different ways bc in the comic he was a kid but in the game it was a korock its strange isn't it

[@NeoDragoon159]

That and I'm pretty sure Skull kid is in Twilight Princess. also I don't think Majora's Mask can be a dream, because Link get's the Hero's Bow in Twilight Princess and Wind Waker which comes from Termina.

[@philiplang9772]

One of my favorite video games of all time. Such a cool story and theory that literally makes me fall in love with this franchise all over again. Great video dude. Makes so much sense

[@YugiSupersaiyan]

It's worth pointing out that Skull Kids are supernatural beings, being what becomes of children who get lost in the Lost Woods. Similar to how Stalfos are adults who get lost in the Lost Woods (Or at least that adults who get lost in the Lost Woods become Stalfos), it's very possible that Skull Kids are undead creatures that do not age.

[@haithius3450]

Man I think it would've been so cool if somehow the fierce deity mask was somehow linked to an old version of link who had passed on and his spirit was sealed within the mask and when current link and the old link fuse by putting on the mask the power between the two is combined which then led to the version of fierce deity link

[@Zeldom]

There's so many theories out there for the fierce deity, and many of them can't be fully debunked since there's so little canonical information known about the mask. I'm not entirely satisfied with my explanation for the fierce deity, so I think that would be pretty cool too. I don't think it would fit with my theory for Majora, but then again that one isn't solid either.

[@yourmum69_420]

@@Zeldom My own theory was this: Majora and Fierce Diety were powerful demons like Malladus and Demise, and that all 4 of these were involved in the war against Hylia and other good dieties. The Fierce Deity was a courageous warrior and eventually turned good, like Byrne/Staven did in Spirit Tracks, making him an anti-hero. Then he got mortally wounded in battle and gave up his god-like powers, in exchange for being re-incarnated as a mortal forever, exactly like Hylia>Zelda and Demise>Ganondorf. This would be the origin of Link. However, before he became human he split his good and evil sides in two, creating Link and Dark Link. This would explain both the existence of Dark Link, as well as the fact that Link is so pure of heart. Or some variation along these lines. This theory explains why SK said FD is worse than him, as perhaps FD was a stronger warrior and killed thousands when he was a demon. It would also explain why he looks exactly like Link. But I think I like yours better now lol

[@ncrranger8449]

@@yourmum69_420I actually think this theory would be great if it wasn’t that spirits are Needed for masks

[@sonokawaray]

Since plenty of folks have mentioned how it's totally possible for Majora and Skull Kid to be the same person (with the game further pointing in that direction in the ending), I wonder if there's still a way to tweak this theory to make it work: what if, instead of putting Majora's spirit in its entirety into the mask, it only extracted part of his essence? The impression I got from the Song of Healing wasn't that it was jamming people's souls into masks, so much as removing the negativity causing their suffering (Darmani and Mikau's regret and sorrow for not being able to save their people and loved ones, the ghost dancer's regret at not being able to pass on his moves to someone, etc) and creating a mask from that. If that's how the song works, maybe when the giants sang it, what it really did to stop Majora was remove the sorrow and anger in him caused by his feelings of abandonment. Now at peace, but feeling guilt over his actions, he chose to leave Termina behind, at least for a time. If the giants will no longer be his friend, he thought, maybe he can go find new ones, somewhere. Meanwhile, though Majora was now gone, his deeds would have left a permanent shadow over Termina; the chaos and destruction he sowed was something the land may never recover from on its own. Recognizing this, the giants also sang the song for the people, bringing them the same peace and allowing them the opportunity to put the past behind them and rebuild their lives. The end result of giants' efforts was a restored Termina, and two masks: Majora's and the Fierce Deity, dual representations of Termina's darkest moment and the feelings that led to it.

[@Zeldom]

I think thats a cool alternative to this theory

[@Tiana_atr]

Perhaps the Garo/Ikanan people were the Terminian counterparts to the Interlopers. Similar, but slightly different much like the other residents and locations of Termina. Where the interlopers favored dull colors and hard lines, the Terminian interlopers liked their bright colors, curves and spikes, but still kept some similarities such as the design of the eyes. Where the Hylian interlopers were banished by the light spirits for the use of their evil masks, perhaps the giants at one point banished the Terminian interlopers which is why the tribe vanished so suddenly. Perhaps the giants were angered that they'd use the mask of their old friend for such evil purposes edit: alternative, more speculative theory The ancient tribe and interlopers *are* one and the same, but a large time period apart. What if the interlopers weren't even Hylian? What if the ancient tribe of termina, on using Majora's mask to cast hexes caught the eyes giants who were angered at the use of their friend's mask for evil. At the same time they realize they're losing control of the mask itself. Realizing that if they did not do something they would be either be destroyed by the mask or by the giants and so quickly worked to seal the mask away and find a way to leave termina. Eventually they found the path that skull kid would later use to move between the worlds and entered into ancient Hyrule. There they continued working with magical masks refining their technique, trying to create a mask just as powerful as Majora's, but that they wouldn't lose control. Eventually they succeeded in creating the fused shadow. However, much like in Termina, their evil caught the eyes of the Light Spirits and this time they were unable to flee and their mask was not powerful enough to fight against the light spirits and they were banished to a realm where their evil could harm no one. In fact if this alternative theory holds water, and you're right and Major's mask was actually a creation of the giants singing the song of healing and *not* the ancient tribe, this could explain the design differences between it and the fused shadow. The fused shadow is the tribe's personal style based on the powerful mask they found, but could not control.

[@Zeldom]

That's a pretty good connection. I might dedicate a future video for the garo. The Garo spirits Link encounters in Ikana Canyon are desbribed as hollow shells of what they used to be according to Pamelas Father. The terminology in game is almost identical to the elegy of emptiness so I think there may be a connection there too

[@JamborHill]

This video is what got me into Zelda lore timelines and characters

[@cl219]

My theory is Link either ate some magic mushrooms in the Lost Woods and was just trippin hard in there including the skull kid stealing the horse, or the skull kid used some sort of poison that had hallucination effects. He made the whole thing up in his head, which is why the psychedelic intro sequence, the dopplegangers, all the new music, giant talking turtle island, changing into different things/using masks for abilities like Link can't dance unless he wears his special dancey boy mask, etc.

[@noahhathaway5065]

Only 5 minutes in and I'm hooked! Subscribed with notifications on.

[@Zeldom]

The highest honor a youtuber may receive from a viewer :)

[@alyssiataylor546]

Any Zelda theorist: There's only one ancient tribe that could have done this Me: *Gasp* The Zonai... Theorists: No

[@Zeldom]

I'm a maybe on that. I still need to do some research on the Zonai and make a video on them, but I want to wait for botw2 to use the new info

[@basil5435]

I’m glad I found this vid in my recommended! it’s a really good theory overall and I could see where you were going with this about halfway through. I think it’s interesting and would also make sense that majora would be the imp from the legends, but I think skullkid is also immortal in a way? since it’s heavily implied that the skullkid we see in twilight princess is the same skullkid we see in ocarina of time and majora’s mask. that said, the only issue I have with this theory is how at the end of the game, the four giants speak to skullkid and tell him that they never abandoned him and were always thinking of him (if memory serves). I could be remembering wrong, it’s been a while since I’ve played majora’s mask. but what do you think? maybe at some point, skullkid could have befriended the four giants, or maybe he still remembered majora’s anguish at having been abandoned. either way, I’d like to hear your thoughts about this! definitely subscribing :)

[@Zeldom]

You are completely correct in that aspect. At the end of the game the giants say something that we can't interpret then the skull kid says "you still thought of me as a friend?" This is probably this biggest vice for my theory. Off the top of my head I can't think of any evidence to explain this that would also support the theory. Perhaps there is one that coincides with the theory, but that would probably be more based on speculation than actual facts. To be honest I drew this theory out far more than I thought I would. It was initially supposed to be an 8-10 minute video, but I got into it :)

[@ketamine-zx8nd]

Just a thought on Majora's Mask: The children inside the moon all resemble the HMS, I think the 4 children wearing boss masks and one sitting alone wearing Majora's mask is a representation of Majora's mask attempting to surround itself with "new friends" after it lost its original ones, the giants. I also think that Majora's mask itself isn't one individual, but one part of a whole. The HMS and Majora's mask WERE the Imp (Majora) from the tale with the giants. At some point Majora, either being forced to or willingly, broke off the part of him that housed all his anger and rage to form the Mask (perhaps with the help of the ancients) while the other half remained as the HMS. This would also explain the HMS's brief fits of anger as maybe that process of separation wasn't perfect and he still shares some things in common with his other half. At the end of the game when the HMS recognizes that the evil is gone from the mask it seems like he knows that evil on a more intimate level. If the little good that was left inside Majora remained as the HMS it would make sense why he would go around trying to spread happiness to make up for the harm that was caused. TLDR; what if the HMS is Majora. Love seeing everyone's thoughts on the matter. The Zelda series truly has some underrated mysteries.

[@papachains]

What a masterpiece of a game. Legit still one of my favorite games to this day and I always revisit it when I can. This game had a sorrow in it that was masked behind an innocent game with lovable characters. It was really a game about people coming to terms with their deaths and Link being able fulfill their purpose by carrying on their missions. It had such dark undertones

[@a.j.butierez7649]

Man, I watched this the day Queen Elizabeth died, and when you made that joke about her, I was like “oh nooooo 😩🤣”

[@Blazetwoe]

Ever noticed that the kid on the moon wearing the majora’s mask looks like the Happy Mask Salesman?

[@Zeldom]

Oh yeah, that's a whole other rabbit hole

[@Nanitamochi]

They all do not only the kid wearing majora's maks

[@mikelapine1]

Something that always bothered me about the idea that the skull child was the imp talked about in the legend is that without Majora’s Mask there was a limited amount of trouble that it could cause through it’s mischief. I have always had doubts that it’s pranks would be severe enough to require the strength of four gods to address.

[@Donshades4404]

EXPECIALLY since the people remember the trouble as being so bad that the giants would threaten to rip their own friend to pieces as punishment. It’s likely not what the giants said, but for this version of events to become the accepted version in the minds of generations of terminians, the crimes at hand must be very severe. Simple pranks don’t result in friends tearing friends apart. But widespread death and mayhem with millions dead probably would. In other words, people remember Majora’s crimes as having a death count comparable to entire wars.

[@Spartanoffaith]

Majora's mask wasn't a dream. Nintendo themselves came out to announce these are split timelines. It split with Ocarina of Time.

[@nicolebarfuss3067]

ancient tribes in this game love to leave behind powerful relics and just mysteriously disappear.

[@completebuffoon]

I will be watching your career with great interest

[@Zeldom]

May the Triforce be with you

[@lostpockets2227]

You're the first of videos when I search "who is majora?" so all this information is brand new to me and it all makes a ton of sense

[@Zeldom]

Awesome! This is more of a what-if than an actual theory so please don't consider it lore, but it was a fun theory to make.

[@Missing-Ace]

Majora: *was lonely after his friends left* Fierce deity: so you have chosen death

[@Zeldom]

FD is a jerk

[@Missing-Ace]

@@Zeldom majora did bad things as well

[@GOHdannysprite]

@@Missing-Ace FD is a jerk

[@rdcp935]

I think your theory is one of the best theories I have ever heard about Majora. It really makes sense and I allways felt that each game contains his own backstory, although there are some canon, and u point exactly that. We dont need to go to twilight princess to explain Majora. Awesome video, keep up. Cheers from another Zelda fan.

[@Zeldom]

Glad you enjoyed 😁

[@renegade7357]

This could be my favourite Majora's Mask theory video EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@araquay]

Fierce deity is link mastered ultra instinct 💯% fax

[@Zeldom]

Lol the mask is just topical steroids

[@Tonyvld]

To clear up one thing, Skull Kids are Kokiri children that got lost in the lost woods. Some turn into Stalfos, others into Skull Kids. Hence why skull kids in general are able to get along with, and befriend fairies rather easy. This skull kid being the one from the stories, isn't improbable or impossible. He even at the end called the giants his friends. So, it's not too far fetched to say that when the giants went their own ways, that skull kid just went back to the lost woods, being alone, remember, he was a Kokiri child, and Kokiri children never age so long as they remain in the lost woods. This skull kid even remembers the hero Link, by his scent, which means he did in fact go back to the lost woods in Hyrule at some point after the giants left him alone. Now, far as the mask itself goes, some say that a female used to pretty much rule over everything, until one day, Link's ancestor sealed her and all her powers away in a mask, hence why the mask's voice sounds feminine, and that Link's ancestor sealed himself away in a mask of his own making, should someone ever stumble across Majora's Mask, they would stand a better chance. Then, there's another, more dark theory, stating that Majora used to be a massive dragon, with magical scales for armor, and that these scales could grant a wish. It's said that Link's ancestor went to fight this dragon, who scoffs at him, saying they've devoured plenty of others who tried getting their scales. Link's ancestor then begins to play some music on their ocarina which caused Majora to dance uncontrollably for 3 days and 3 nights, and on the 4th morning, died of exhaustion, Then, one scale was used to craft armor and a sword for Link's ancestor that would endow him with great power, another scale was used to create 2 masks, one to seal away Majora forever, and the other to seal himself away, so he could take Majora down, should they ever arise to power once more.

[@darkychao]

"there's even unmistakable images of Majora's mask throughout the Stone Tower Temple." >shows the boss warp pad I don't think that really counts, that's something that shows up at the entrance of every temple and it's uncertain whether it's something that's actually supposed to be there or if it's something that appeared when the temple became corrupted.

[@Zeldom]

Yeah it doesn't. I've had others say the same thing. There is other images of the mask especially while ascending the tower, but when I was recording I forgot to get footage of that and I was too lazy to go back and record so I just used the ZorZelda gameplay footage I already had. Sorry for any confusion that may have caused.

[@merox8311]

Subbed. I mean there is so much more to this theory. But it was fun to watch and i can tell you care about the videos you make. Look forward to more bro. Hope ya hit that 1 mill subs one day!

[@archangelshiro]

6:15 yeah, there's signs of the mask in the temple, but there's signs of majora's mask in every temple I think. theres definitely some i saw in woodfall, my wife was playing the game recently and i saw it on a platform at the very first room in the dungeon

[@User-lg6dr]

They need to revisit Termina, I’d love to see that as a massive open world like BotW or TotK

[@Samual9278747]

Bro that's was a great theory really spot on

[@Zeldom]

Thanks dude!

[@elswordevecodecute2554]

Amazing. Similar to some others I thought this was a big channel just from the quality alone.

[@Zeldom]

Hoping to get there eventually. Thanks for the compliment

[@Joe_334]

I felt so bad on later playthroughs. I really thought the Skull Kid was the evil one. The mask was just ampilfying off the emotions of losing his Giant friends. The whole experience is just fascinating because Link didn't have to end up there, yet we get to see majora maybe knowingly, or unwillingly mocking how link was to Zelda in the last game. Edit: Instead of Ganon the usual bad of the triforce being there, Majora Sees Link as the bad guy instead as he heavily resembles the Fierce Deity. Think of Zelda, Link, and Ganon as the triforce, then in this game it is the complete opposite. Majora has the skull kid under her influence, while pointing at link as the bad. guy. It's just amazing how the plot of this game reflected OoT in some way.

[@asc3nded397]

Wow that was really good! I love Majoras mask and I’ve watched a lot of theory videos about it, but this is one of the most complete and interesting one I’ve heard so far. It really explains a lot in a logical way and comes to a conclusion that I’ve haven’t seen before.

[@Zeldom]

Glad to hear it!