Skull Kid


 * Note: This article is about the Skull Kid race. You may be looking for the one known as the imp.

The Skull Kids are what becomes of children getting lost in the Lost Woods and appear in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and Twilight Princess. They first interact with Link in Ocarina of Time, and later a Skull Kid plays a major role in Majora's Mask. Skull Kids dress in a red cloak and hat covering an underlayer of clothing comprised of a straw-like material, and play a flute, which they can also use as a weapon to shoot projectiles.

Ocarina of Time
In Ocarina of Time, a Skull Kid can be found in the Lost Woods, in the area directly to the left of the entrance room. Whenever Link approaches, the Skull Kid will disappear from the area. To circumvent this, Link can befriend the Skull Kid by playing Saria's Song while standing on top of the stump across from the Skull Kid's position, and he will receive a Piece of Heart as a gift. Another two Skull Kids can be found in the area directly to the right of the entrance, where there is a mini-game in which Link repeats a sequence of notes on his ocarina to win a Piece of Heart. It is not known whether these are apparitions of the Skull Kid in the area on the left of the entrance, or separate Skull Kids entirely.

While Z-Targeting, Navi mentions that the Skull Kid seems unhappy to have no face. Some of the Kokiri remember hearing him complaining about his face, as well. Upon first seeing Link wearing the Skull Mask, the Skull Kid comments that he would like it to make him appear a little tougher. Link is able to sell him the mask as part of the Mask Trading Sequence, but the Skull Kid pays just ten rupees when the wholesale price is twenty, leaving Link to cover the difference.

It is said that non-Kokiri who enter the woods become Stalfos upon getting lost. However, there is speculation about whether or not Kokiri or Hylian children turn into Skull Kids. It is more plausible that the Kokiri turn into Skull Kids, due to the fact that they stay children for their whole lives, but also because Stalfos never appear within the Lost Woods, as well as that there already exist Stalchildren.

If Link encounters one of Skull Kid as an adult, he will be attacked with poison needles shot from the Skull Kid's flute. Navi says that he is attacking because he does not like adults. If Link kills one, the Skull Kid will collapse and disappear, leaving behind an orange Rupee.

Majora's Mask
In Majora's Mask, a Skull Kid, who is known as the imp, plays the role of the main antagonist of the game, who was influenced by Majora's Mask's powers.

Twilight Princess
In Twilight Princess, the Skull Kid appears as the owner of the Sacred Grove.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
The Skull Kid appears as two stickers in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Trivia

 * Skull Kids share many chracteristics with the Flute Boy from A Link to the Past: both are kids who play music with a flute in the woods and both disappear when Link approaches them. The Flute Boy may have served as a prototype or concept for the Skull Kids.
 * In most versions of Ocarina of Time and the Japanese version of Majora's Mask (and official artwork), Skull Kids have plain black faces. In Ocarina of Time 3D and International versions of Majora's Mask, however, their heads have wooden texture.