Majora's Mask (Object)

Majora's Mask (Pronounced, ) is a mask and the primary antagonist in the game of the same name, once used by a nameless tribe as a form of hexing and torture. This mask is primarily seen being worn over the face of the game's supposed antagonist, Skull Kid, who uses its dark magic to wreak havoc across Termina.

Role in the Game
The mask is first introduced after the Happy Mask Salesman removes the curse that was placed on Link by Skull Kid. The salesman explains that the mask is an ancient artifact that was used by an ancient tribe for its bewitching rituals, but the mask's wicked power became so great that it was sealed away to prevent a great catastrophe. However, since the ancient tribe vanished, no one accurately knows the true nature of its power. The salesman fears the great devastation that could befall Termina if the mask is not taken back from the Skull Kid.

For a majority of the game, the mask is worn by Skull Kid on the Clock Tower, drawing the Moon to Termina. Although the Skull Kid is unaware, Majora's Mask is gradually beginning to take complete control of his mind. His once harmless pranks become malicious acts of evil. Prior to the game's events, Skull Kid used the power of the mask to prank and curse others around him, such as Kafei.

On the Clock Tower after the Four Giants are called, the Mask abandons Skull Kid and enters the moon so that it can push it through the Giants' blockade and complete its destructive path. It is there that Link follows Majora's Mask into the moon to fight the evil menace behind all of this. After the young hero and Tatl defeat the malevolent mask, they return to the land of Termina where the Happy Mask Salesman informs them that the evil inside Majora's Mask has disappeared once and for all. The mask is last seen as the salesman departs with it in his hands.

Strategy
Majora's Mask has three different forms: the mask itself, Majora's Incarnation, and Majora's Wrath.

Majora's Mask
Majora's Mask comes to life and grows hairlike tentacles as well as growing significantly larger. To defeat the Mask, Link must stun it with some projectile weapon to make it collapse to the ground, allowing him to strike it with his sword. However, it must be a strike to the back to stun it. An easy way to do this is to transform into Zora Link. When Z-targeting the Mask, the Boomerang fins fly around behind it and strike it in the back, stunning it. Additionally, there are flower designs on the ground. Deku Link can burrow into these flower designs, making him temporarily impossible to hit and allowing him to hit the Mask as it flies over him. After the Mask has taken enough damage, it shoots a fire beam at Link and the four Boss Remains Masks begin to attack Link as well, though little effort is taken to kill them. The beam can be deflected with Link's Mirror Shield to reflect it back at the mask. Majora's Mask has tentacles in this form and can use a whirling attack. This attack cannot be blocked, but it can be countered with a well-timed spin attack, which causes the mask to become stunned and vulnerable to Link's sword.

Majora's Incarnation
After the Mask form is defeated, it loses its tendrils and grows a set of spindly arms and legs, as well as a tiny, one-eyed head with horns. This form of Majora will run madly around the room, pausing every now and then to perform a variety of dances—moonwalking, pirouettes, jumping jacks, and even the Kozachok—or to make taunting gestures at Link. Its only attack is a rapid-fire barrage of energy bolts it fires from its hands. Though not used often, this attack is difficult to anticipate and can be deadly if Link isn't fast enough. To defeat Majora's Incarnation, Link must hit it with either his sword or arrows when it stops to dance. When this happens, it will fall on its face and flail about, and after being struck a few times with the sword, it will get up again. During the entire battle, Majora's Incarnation makes mad clucking and whooping noises, and emits a high-pitched screech whenever struck. Though seemingly weaker than its other forms, its speed and constant gibbering can be grating for many players.

Majora's Wrath
After the final scream from the Incarnation is heard, it stands up to assume its final form. Its muscles begin to throb and inflate into a more humanoid shape, whip-like tendrils shoot out from its hands, and a new head bursts forth from its neck, becoming Majora's Wrath. To defeat Majora's Wrath, Link must use a projectile weapon to stun it while it is paused, then strike it with a Light Arrow or his sword. This process must be repeated until it is defeated. The individual attacks of Majora's Wrath are not particularly damaging, however, its immense reach allows it to attack numerous times very quickly. It often jumps from one side of the arena to the other. Its attacks are fast-hitting, but slow to wind up, giving Link a window of opportunity to attack. Majora's Wrath attacks by whipping its tendrils three times, leaping across the room, throwing giant spinning tops lined with spikes, grabbing Link and tossing him clear across the room, and using a furious whipping attack that is only announced by a horrifying shriek briefly before it uses the attack.

Killing Majora's Wrath causes the monster to disintegrate into ashes, finally eliminating the threat to Termina.

Fierce Deity and the Moon Dungeons


Majora's Mask is encountered when Link talks to the lonely child under the tree inside the Moon. Using the Fierce Deity's Mask, Majora's Mask can easily be defeated; however, some fans think this takes some of the fun out of the battle.

To obtain the Fierce Deity's Mask, Link must obtain all twenty-three other masks and use them to enter the four moon dungeons. While on the moon, the young hero will notice five children, four of which are running around wearing each of the Boss Remains. Each will allow Link entrance to their dungeon, for a specific fee of masks. If he gives a total of twenty masks to the four children, (excluding the three transformation masks) at the entrance and exit of each dungeon, the child wearing Majora's Mask will give him the Fierce Deity's Mask for a game of "Good vs. Bad", although this has no effect on the boss battle.

Majora's Mask Creation
In an extra chapter of the Majora's Mask manga, the story explains that before the time setting of Majora's Mask, there lived an evil creature which fed on the desires of the countless numbers of humans who had come before it to try and claim its armor and be granted their wishes. A traveler then comes forward to the place where the monster lived. The traveler starts talking with the man-eating creature, where he finds that the monster itself wanted to die, being so miserable. The man proceeded pulled out his bongo and started playing. The monster went into a trance and started dancing. The traveler played for three days straight. On the third day, the beast dropped dead from dancing his heart out. The hero took its magical armor, but instead of wishing upon it, he carved it into a mask in an attempt to seal the beast's power inside the mask forever. The mask was named Majora after the beast. The mask had a spirit because Majora's evil power lingered on inside the mask seeking a host, not resting until its wish was granted.

Super Smash Bros. Melee
In Super Smash Bros. Melee, Majora's Mask itself serves as a stage for the Event 47, "Trophy Tussle 3". If all three opponents are defeated within three minutes and without losing the 2 lives granted, the player is rewarded with the Majora's Mask trophy.

Ikana
The Ikana Kingdom is populated by an ancient tribe whose history is said to be "stained with a history of darkness" and "drenched in blood", so they would certainly be a match for the "ancient and evil tribe" who created the Mask. Furthermore, they are not only definitively from the same universe as the Mask, but they also appear in the same game, making them a very strong contender for the role.

The Twili
The Twili tribe, which was introduced in Twilight Princess, could be the "ancient and evil tribe" that created Majora's Mask. Majora's Mask has similarities to the Fused Shadow, a relic created by the Twili, as they share similar powers and have some aesthetic similarities, especially around the eyes. The Twili's fighting style, as portrayed by Zant, is also very similar to that of Majora's Wrath. As such, Majora's Mask could be the Terminan version of the Fused Shadow.

Trivia

 * During the battle with Majora, if Link listens to what Tatl has to say, her hints sound like the ones given in previous boss fights, but in reverse order and excluding Gyorg. During the battle with the first form, Tatl says to strike it from behind, similar to the weakness of Twinmold. When it transforms into the Incarnation, she tells Link to hit it with his own body, similar to how Goht is defeated, although it is unnecessary to do so. Finally while battling Majora's Wrath, Tatl says to strike it while it is distracted, almost exactly like how Odolwa is fought.
 * The sound Majora's Mask makes in its first form during its spinning attack were recycled as sounds Floormaster's make in.