#Who else has a skull mask Phantom Ganon

[gensnix]

Hey zelda fandom 

do any of you have headcanons that only you seem to have? I’d love to here them 

One of my favorite headcanons that i have is that Skull kid was born a gerudo male along side Ganondorf unfortunately for Skull kid the gerudo chose Ganondork instead of him since they were afraid of the strange anomaly that was 2 gerudo men being born at the same time and thought it would bring tragedy to them 

[lunarsilkscreen]

Z64, Skulltula, Bosses, the truth of Dark Link

The Golden Skulltulas are never elaborated upon. They're a curse given to a family in Kakariko Town, and unless 100 Golden Skulltulas are defeated, the entire family themselves will also become Skulltula.

Is this the same curse Ganon inflicted on the tribes Hyrule? Did his dark influence turn people--into monsters?

To truly understand this, we need to review the bosses of Z64. To start, lettuce take a look at King Dodongo. He has the face of a Goron, rolls around like a Goron, and eats rock... Like a Goron.

Remember the Skulltulas? Who look and act like humans, but also... Like spiders? This seems too familiar...

But who are the other bosses?

Well Queen Gohma, The game suggests she's related to the mad Deku scrubs somehow... But with how they, the Kokiri, and the Skull Kids are connected but not... It's hard to really nail down.

Barinade seems to literally be a Giant Heart. Jabu Jabu's heart, specifically.

But what if the adult timeline bosses?

Phantom Gannon seems to be a Skull Kid specifically... In fact, the entire dungeon seems to be foreshadowing of the ordeals Link must face.

[Bandit Games] did a video on this idea that the Sister Poe's, were *actually* the sister sages. And part of that video inspired this.

I, on the other hand, think that the poe sisters are ACTUALLY just the Kokiri. And Phantom Gannon, either Skull Kid, or Mido.

Who is Fado? The question always asked about Zelda. It's Meg. But look closer at Meg's face, the spider-y skulltula-y evil-looking smile.

Referring back to the Bandit Games video, if the sisters aren't the sages, then who or what are they depicting? Well... The return to the forest is essentially "returning to your roots". And, knowing Link would possibly return, they set up this first temple, who Saria is the boss of.

Or imprisoned. Or. Phantom Gannon.

There are six sages, the first of which Raru has already met. And in the forest temple are 5 Poe's. The 4 sisters, and P.G. this says two things, one, Link must defeat 5 Temples.

Defeating the boss at the end releases the Sage.

But at the very end, after defeating *all* the shades(phantoms, or sages), you'll need to defeat Gannon.

We see this repeated again with Nabooru, who was imprisoned as an iron knuckle. And then you also need to defeat Twinrova. Or, Elder Gerudo. Potentially also Ganondorf's lesbian Mothers.

The video pointed out one thing I had not considered before. Dark Link is created from Link himself. Meaning; that this boss is indeed Link. Unlike the other Sages however; Link defeats his own shade instead of succumbing.

Speaking of evil children. Morpha, which looks like a Super Metroid power suit upgrade, also looks like something else. A tainted Zora egg. Without the glowy red enemy indicator, it looks exactly like the eggs that Link collects in Majora's Mask.

What is this then?

Gohma:spider-mom, Twinrova:Mother of Demise, Morpha: Ruto Egg.

That leaves two: Impa, and Daruna.

4 sisters and a Brother.

But here's the thing; Gorons all look like males to Hylians and call each other brother and use male pronouns for each other. But Daruna had a child that he named Link

5 sisters.

So that leaves the mini-bosses heretofore uncovered: Lizolfos, Big Octo, Flare Dancer, White Wolfos, Dead Hand, And 4 other Iron Knuckles.

Big Octo was probably what was actually causing Jabu Jabu's indigestion.

Flare Dancer can be only one person: The Scarecrow. He does not appear in the future at all. And, looks like a scarecrow on fire.

Hmm ... What else does this look like? Enemies from the dark world ala A link to the Past. Does that mean the "Dark World" is actually a Dark Future corrupted by Ganon and Demise? Or is it the power of the dark realm sleeping through, and warping people like what happened in Twilight Princess?

What is really upsetting to me however... Is Dead Hand's appearance... Doesn't he look like a salesman of sorts...? An... Unhappy... Mask Salesman?

This is the duality of Link:

Skulltula Slayer, and Skulltula Curse Breaker.

[artisticzaati]

Ravii’s Transformation.

Written in a tumblr form for those interested. 

Amadeus is written by @akkalatechlabs and Ravii’s written by me. 

-- 

Summary: The drawing I did is pretty much how Ravii turned into Phantom Ganon. All thanks to a corrupted Sheikah.

--

Grinning, Amadeus walks over to the Glacian. Whistling at him to get his attention.  

“So, a little birdie told me that you wish to, what was it?” He snaps his fingers beside his head, trying to find the correct words to say that would catch his attention quick, “... Resurrect Ganondorf, was it? If you believe a scientist like me, I may have a clue on how to do that.”  

Crossing his arms his grin only grows wider. “... you have the last remaining things he owned, correct? Bring those with you and meet me back here. I will show you something mind blowing... extraordinary!” Amadeus claps his hands together, staring at Ravii.  

“So, what do you say? You have nothing else to lose, anyways. Lost your only friend and all that, correct? Nothing more to lose! 

   ... Let's test it out.”

The Glacian turns away at the Sheikah until he mentioned his name - eyes widening he slowly turns his head back at the grinning man.  

“How did he know? Unless someone... No. There is no one who would know of my plan like this.” Ravii thought quietly, staring at the corrupted Sheikah.

"... You. How did you know?" Ravii glares down, grabbing him by the jacket.  

"...You better not be playing a game here, Techie. I have lost my patience with this Hyrule and everyone in it. If you jest with me, I will not hesitate to kill you." Ravii shoves him away, his hand shaking. If there was a chance, even a little chance what he said was true... He should try. This man was right - he did lose everything. All the allies he made... Friends, family.  

   ...He had nothing.  

"...Meet you here you say?" Ravii glances away for a moment, thinking of all his options.  

"... I'll be back, then." Ravii spins around and storms back to his home to gather the outfit and mask he held so dear to him.  

  “Oh Din...” Ravii thought to himself, “Please do not be a trick.”

Dusting off his shoulder, Amadeus watches the other walk away. Cackling, he whistles over a guardian and rests against it in the meantime.  

“Test subject number 2.0 is interesting, isn't he?” Amadeus chuckled, patting the guardian he was leaning on, his focus was back on Ravii who was far away now. Just a mere spec disappearing in the distance.  

“He isn't from this place so I wonder how he will react, hm?

   ... Guess we will find out!”

--

As promised, even if it took some time - Ravii was back. Walking to the other he hid the clothes and mask behind his cape.  

"So... you are still here." Ravii glances up at the guardian, swallowing nervously a bit. His gaze trails back down to the ex-Sheikah.  

"I brought them." Ravii revealed the outfit he found; it was Ganondorf's of the Era of Time's. Along with a skull mask with horns on the top and sides. A gift from long ago from him.  

"Now how do we save him from the Realm he is lost in? We must not delay any longer!" Ravii's eagerness cracked through, screaming at Amadeus.  

"Show me!"  

“Patience, patience! Just a little longer!” Amadeus rolls his eyes and backs away from the guardian. Immediately the guardian stands back up ready to follow wherever he went. Amadeus waves his hand to Ravii to follow him as he walked further to the left of them.  

The more they traveled, the more the grass looked like it was dying. The trees were decaying more and more as they walked to wherever the destination was. Finally, Amadeus stops in front of a large mass of malice oozing from a pit that was left over from the last war on the Calamity that happened awhile back. Since test subject 1.0 was a failure and a mistake on his part, he needed someone who wasn't important to him instead.  

  This man was the perfect subject.

“Here we are! Have you ever seen malice before, your Majesty?” Amadeus bites his cheek, holding in a cackle, “This here is what will bring him back.”

Ravii felt... uneasy here. Looking at all the death around them. This did not seem right. Even in his standards. However, if this was the only way... He had no choice.  

"... No. I do not know what that is." Ravii looks at the malice, his glance trailing back elsewhere, "How will this bring him back? All I see around here is everything dying, you idiot. I do not want that muck on his clothes. Especially the cape since it means more to... Ah, never mind!" Ravii grumbles, glaring at Amadeus. "This better bring him back. If these get ruined for a joke, I will kill you on spot."

“Malice is... well..." Amadeus ticks his head a bit, thinking to himself.

“Apart of Ganon himself. So, this will bring him back! You'll see! I am never wrong! My calculations are on point. I know what I am doing.” The ex-Sheikah bows and points his hands at the malice.  

“Just throw them in and watch closely. You'll see your King come back to life before your eyes! …” Amadeus grins, 

     “You can save him, Ravii!”

The Glacian's eyes widened. 

   He could... save him?  

"I..." Ravii was left speechless for once. This is what he was dreaming about for years - this moment. Bringing his father back to life. Showing everyone he was capable. That he could do something right for once.  

"Alright... I will do it then. If you are tricking me, I swear to Din..." Ravii shook his head and walked to the pit, looking down and swallows nervously.  

 “Just do it.  

    Throw them in.” Ravii tells himself.  

It was so easy yet... he held onto the outfit and mask tightly.

... He was nervous. What could he say to him when he returned?  

'Sorry it took so long? Sorry I couldn't save you back then?'  

  So many thoughts rushed in Ravii’s head.

"..." Ravii takes a deep, shaky breath and looks at Amadeus for a moment.

"So, I just... throw them in? That's it? No magic? No spells...?" Ravii asked cautiously. It seemed too easy...  

Amadeus rubs his chin, looking down at the pit and back at Ravii.  

“Yeah. That is it! It is said in the old texts back in that blasted castle library I found, ‘To resurrect the dark one’..." Amadeus leans towards Ravii, placing his hand by his mouth, grinning, “That being Ganondorf! ‘One must bring the last remaining possessions of him to where the world decays’...”  

Looking around at all the dead flowers, grass and trees around him, Amadeus shrugs, "Pretty sure this is the spot. Since this is the only place in Hyrule like this.  

   Trust me. I did the research.” Amadeus stands beside Ravii, glancing at the mask for a moment and back up at the Glacian.

“Need a moment to think?”

"...I see." Ravii glances at him for a moment, listening to what apparently this text had to say. Ravii glances back down to the last possessions of Ganondorf in his arms.  

"... I lost everything. My kingdom, my family, everyone who put their trust in me..."

Ravii bit his lip thinking back. Flashes of different faces appearing in his mind of those he failed time and time again.

"...I'll fix what I did wrong. I can save everyone after this. I can put this mission to rest when father is back..." Another deep breath from Ravii, 

    "...For Glacia."  

Ravii smiles to himself and throws the outfit, cape and mask in the pit.  

Watching them sink into the malice.  

Amadeus covers his mouth covering the biggest grin he had. Walking over to the pit he watches them sink deeper, more quickly than the bucket did in his last experiment. They must have some energy in it or perhaps it was because they were indeed, of Ganon’s of another timeline. 

   Many questions ticked in his head.  

But! But, but, but... this wasn't about these stupid clothes or that mask that was the subject here.  

      It was...

“Oh? What the blasting beakers is THAT? Come closer! I see something happening!” Amadeus gasps, waving Ravii closer to the edge.  

“Hurry! Hurry!”

Ravii immediately runs over beside Amadeus, closer to the edge and looks around.  

"Where...? I see nothing, Techie." Glaring at Amadeus for a moment he looks back down. Everything he threw in there was gone. He suddenly felt his heart drop.  

   They were gone.

He just threw them in there without even thinking for a moment of how ridiculous this was!  

"You lied to me... you lied to me, didn’t you?!" Ravii turns to the other, "That is all I had left of him!" Warm tears began to run down the Glacian's cheek as he turned away to look down again.

"Maybe everyone was right... Senka was right... Octavo was right... Alaric..." He clenches his fists, shaking as he looked down at the pit.  

"...I am on the wrong side...I've wasted so many years. I am... lost."

Ravii covers his face with his hands, peeking through his fingers as more tears ran down. He didn't know what to do anymore.

"...Father...everyone... someone help me."

“... Hm. Looks like you missed it. I did indeed saw something there!” Amadeus chuckles at Ravii's breakdown and walks over with his hands behind his back, humming to himself.  

“Well...

   That's a shame...” Amadeus glances at the pit once again and back at Ravii.  

“Oh, wait... I forgot one more itty-bitty thing.  

   He needed a host.” Amadeus kicks Ravii into the pit and kneels down, watching him fall in.  

“Now it's complete!” Amadeus grins.

Ravii gasps and turns around quickly as he was pushed, watching Amadeus's expression change.  

"What!?" Ravii falls back first into the malice, feeling something grab him, pulling him in. From panic he takes off his cape and tries to stand, trying to crawl out and climb back up. The more he tried to crawl out the more the malice came back almost... alive, grabbing his ankles and legs, dragging him back in.  

"Techie! Techie! Please!" Ravii cried out from complete fear, "Help me! Please!" Ravii looks back at his legs sinking deeper and deeper with each second passing.  

Ravii looks back up, the most frightened he has ever looked in his entire life and Amadeus was up above, watching him. Not doing a damn thing to help him.  

“Get someone! They...They will save me! Anything! Anyone...! Please..." Ravii chokes on a sob as he slams his fists against the wall.  

"...I don't want to die..." Ravii's head and shoulders dropped as he cries, sinking deeper into the malice. It was up to his waist now.  

“But you have no one who can save you or would even want to! Plus...” Amadeus sits at the edge, dangling his feet down as he cackles, "I've never seen the malice so... attracted to another like you before! It's so attached to you!  

  ... It's fascinating!”

Amadeus takes out his slate, tapping away at it.

“Subject 2.0... when in contact with malice it becomes almost infatuated with the subject... perhaps the subject's closeness with Ganon himself is the cause. Or perhaps there is something more that I do not realize?” Grinning he looks back down, cupping his hands by his mouth and yells, “Let it happen! It'll hurt less!”

Ravii swallows nervously.  

He was right. No one would save him.  

   No one.  

The malice dragged him in further in quickly, despite struggling to get out. He was scared, he wanted to go back.  

Struggling.  

  Struggling...  

He grew tired and held his breath as the malice dragged him in. His head was already in and his hand slowly sunk into it. Leaving Amadeus's view now completely.  

Everything was dark. He couldn't hold his breath anymore and choked. His first instinct was to scream again for help yet why bother?  

This was it for him. His eyes burned. He couldn't move. This was absolute hell. Never in his life has he felt so hurt. Betrayed. Lost. Everything all at once manifests in him.  

Anger.  

 Hatred.  

He couldn't die here.  

   He had to live... live... l i v e...  

"..."

《 What a worthless creation you are ... 》  

Ravii's eyes snap open. He knew that voice!  

  "...help..." Ravii managed to whisper as malice drowned him out. 

 Amadeus watched as Ravii was completely in the malice. Waiting for... another reaction. At least SOMETHING to happen.  

“... Hm. Well, that was underwhelming.” Shaking his head, he stands back up and notices Ravii's sword. Must have dropped when he pushed him in...  

“Well, at least I get a free sword!” Amadeus cackles and picks it up, looking at it closely.  

“I could use this for my own creati-…" His eyes widen and moves the sword a little, staring at the reflection. Tilting it a little to the side, he notices a hand slamming on the ground from the pit and he turns around immediately as his skin crawls at the sight.

Ravii slowly crawls out of the malice pit, covered in malice from head to toe. As the malice drops to the ground it reveals Ravii, wearing the outfit he threw in. Cape and all. Coughing and wheezing, he raises his gaze at Amadeus wearing the mask he threw in.  

His skin was tainted. His eyes a hollow black. His gaze on Amadeus was intense.  

"..." Crawling closer to Amadeus he slowly stumbles to his feet and pointed at him.  

Finally, he spoke in a low tone, a voice that was no longer his.  

  " ... my sword."

“. . .  

  ... Fascinating.” Amadeus hands the sword to him, his eyes still wide with curiosity and fear. If he played this right, he could perhaps live to see another day.

“Ravii... are you in there?” The corrupted scientist walks around him, this was the clothes Ravii threw in alright... What a reaction. This was very different from his own transformation for sure when he was in contact with the malice. Was it because he was from a different timeline? Different effects? Oh, he HAD to bring him in for more studies! This experiment was DEFINITELY as success!  

“... Majesty?” Amadeus spoke as he glanced up at the almost lifeless man in front of him.

Ravii stood there quietly. Holding the sword down in his hand. Head held down as he wheezed and coughed. Looking down the sword he held it in front of him as it began to warp and twist into a trident, malice like substance swirling in the middle of it. Ravii wheezes again dropping his head down.  

He wanted to speak but his lungs and throat felt as if malice was drowning it out. Causing him to be silenced. Ravii stood there, struggling quietly. Standing in front of Amadeus waiting for something.  

  Anything.  

Amadeus watches quietly. He was in absolute awe of what he was seeing. What was this? Malice? No, this was something else. He needed to bring him back to the lab.

“... Hey Ravii?” Finally snapping out the thought, Amadeus snaps his fingers in front of Ravii's face. Hoping for a reaction.  

  Nothing.  

He looked almost.  

     ... Dead.  

"Let's head to my lab. I have a lot of research to do and you need supervision.” Slowly Amadeus takes out his slate, making sure Ravii doesn't suddenly attack. His presence made him... actually nervous.  

Ravii tried to speak once more. Malice gurgling from his mouth he tilted his head. Falling silent again. Letting Amadeus do what he wished.  

He would follow. Without any fighting or disagreements.  

     ... Perhaps he could help him.

[aion-rsa]

15 Best Legend of Zelda Boss Fights Ever

https://ift.tt/3ine4lg

Boss fights have been one of the pillars of The Legend of Zelda series since its inception. Link enters a dungeon, finds a new weapon, and often uses it to take out the big baddie that’s established residence there. It’s a solid formula that’s worked for over three decades now. 

Not all Zelda bosses are created equally, though. Many are easily forgotten. Others, like Ocarina of Time’s Water Temple guardian Morpha…well, we just wish we could forget them. Of course, we’re here to celebrate the bosses that often defined the games they were in and helped establish The Legend of Zelda as one of the greatest series in gaming history.

You might also notice that some of the better Zelda games, namely Breath of the Wild and Link’s Awakening, aren’t represented on this list, while some of the more maligned games in the series do show up. The bosses on this list don’t necessarily hail from the best Legend of Zelda games, but they are among the most unique and creative in the history of this in the storied franchise. 

15. Crayk – The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

With its low overall difficulty level and emphasis on using the DS’s touch screen controls, Phantom Hourglass isn’t well regarded by many Zelda fans. Still, it’s hard not to be impressed with the ways Nintendo intelligently used the handheld’s two screens as the basis for one of the series’ most unforgettable boss fights.

Crayk turns invisible on the bottom screen, but on the top screen, you can see the room from his point of view. You have to use the top screen to figure out exactly where Crayk is so you can shoot an arrow at his eye and turn him visible before going in for big damage. 

14. Helmasaur King – The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

The Zelda series started in 2D, and while those early games are all-time classics, most of the bosses from that era honestly haven’t aged that well. However, Helmasaur King, the first boss in A Link to the Past’s Dark World, is still a standout all these years later.

First, Link has to use bombs or arrows to remove the giant lizard’s mask. It’s only then that you can expose this boss’ weak point and finally go in for the kill. It may sound simple, but that combination of action and puzzle-solving became the template for most future boss fights in the series.

13. Vaati – The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

The Minish Cap is an oddball Zelda game for a few reasons. Capcom handled development instead of Nintendo, it’s the final fully 2D “classic” Zelda game to date, and it’s one of the few games in the series that doesn’t even mention Ganondorf.

The evil sorcerer Vaati may not get as much love as Ganondorf, but he is the star of this epic multi-stage final boss fight. This battle requires Link to use all of the abilities he’s acquired during his adventure just to survive. That means dividing himself with the Four Sword to take out Vaati’s four eyes simultaneously before shrinking himself to enter the mage’s arms and deal damage from the inside out.

12. Gohma – The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Gohma is far from the toughest Zelda boss (he’s actually the very first dungeon boss in Wind Waker), but he makes up for a lack of difficulty with his imposing design and the fact he’s just so much fun to beat up. Gohma may be an absolutely massive, armored, fire-breathing bug unit, but it turns out that armor doesn’t help him much when Link shows up.

The key to defeating Gohma is to hookshot the tail of Valoo (the dragon you’re there to rescue). That will make Valoo drop rubble on Gohma’s head, giving Link the opening he needs to hookshot Gohma’s eye and go in with his sword. This fight is just a fantastic combination of mechanics, environment, and execution.

11. Goht – The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

With its 72-hour time loop and complete absence of series mainstay Ganondorf, Majora’s Mask was the first title in the series to break away from a lot of The Legend of Zelda’s conventions and redefine what a Zelda game could be. Some gamers dislike it for that. Personally, I’m a big fan.

While most of the temples and bosses in Majora’s Mask don’t stray from Ocarina of Time too much, Goht is the appropriately giant exception. This massive bull creature charges around a circular arena throughout the battle and the only way to stop it is to change into Link’s Goron form and ram him at full speed. It’s a boss fight mixed with a destruction derby, and it’s a truly unique encounter for this franchise.

10. King Bulbin – The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess 

Most of the better boss fights in Zelda history focus on creative uses of the various items Link finds. King Bulbin isn’t one of those fights. Actually, the first phase is just a mad dash through Hyrule Field as Link, on horseback, tries to hack away at Bulbin while being swarmed by even more riders.

What really elevates this battle, though, is the iconic duel on the Bridge of Eldin. You only have to hit the king with your sword twice to defeat him, but without any guard rails, it’s easy to fall to your death. There’s a reason why this moment has been immortalized as a Super Smash Bros. stage. It’s one of the most memorable scenes in franchise history.

9. Dark Link – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Dark Link is technically a sub-boss, but this encounter is too cool to leave off the list. You meet Dark Link near the end of Ocarina of Time’s much-maligned Water Temple in what at first seems to be an unusually calm room. It’s only when Link’s reflection in the water goes missing that it becomes apparent that something is amiss.

No matter how you attack Dark Link with the Master Sword, he will counter your moves perfectly. It’s that premise, and the way it forces you to find new ways to deal with such a powerful foe, combined with the set-up that makes this one of the most creative bosses in any Zelda game.

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8. Argorok – The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Throughout its many installments, the Zelda series has actually been really good about coming up with unique enemy designs. So if a somewhat generic dragon shows up, he better put up one hell of a fight. Thankfully, Argorok delivers.

Argorok starts the fight in the air but can creatively be brought to the ground by latching on to him with your double clawshot and then equipping your iron boots to bring him crashing down. That takes care of the dragon’s armor, but it’s not the end of the fight, as Link spends the rest of the battle using his clawshot to zip around while targeting the weak spot on Argorok’s back. 

7. Twinrova – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Ocarina of Time is full of memorable boss battles, but Twinrova stands out as the best temple guardian boss in the game.

The first phase of the battle requires Link to absorb this pair’s elemental attacks (fire and ice) with his newly obtained mirror shield before reflecting them back at the sister who controls the opposite element. That’s not the end of the battle, though, as the sisters combine into one entity for the final showdown. This time, Link has to absorb each element three consecutive times before firing back at Twinrova and finishing the job with some truly satisfying sword strikes.

6. Stalblind – The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

A Link Between Worlds really doesn’t get enough recognition for being an excellent spiritual sequel to the beloved A Link to the Past as well as one of the better showcases of stereoscopic 3D on the 3DS. That technology is used to power Link’s best new skill in this game: the ability to turn himself into a flat piece of art and do his best sidescroller impression.

That ability is essential for a lot of the game’s puzzles, but one of its best uses is found in the fight against Stalblind. This massive boss uses a shield to block Link’s attacks, but Link can turn himself flat onto Stalblind’s shield, which confuses the enemy and forces him to put the shield on his back. That’s the only opening Link needs in this simple, yet brilliant, boss fight.

5. Puppet Ganon – The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker 

While many Wind Waker fans think the final battle with Ganondorf is the best in the game (and one of the best in the series), it’s ultimately a fairly simple fight, even if the setting is quite dramatic. Puppet Ganon is just a much more strategic encounter, and I’d argue that the setting is even better.

First, this is a really cool incarnation of Ganon unlike anything else in the franchise. It probably wouldn’t even work in another game, but here, Wind Waker’s cartoony style gives the puppet boss an especially creepy vibe. It’s really rather haunting watching this entity’s limbs dangle limply as it moves around the room before morphing into its even freakier spider and worm forms. It’s also ingenious how each of the forms requires you to use skills gained throughout the game to put this puppet away forever. 

4. Stallord – The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

The fight against Stallord doesn’t even feel like a traditional Zelda boss fight, but that actually works to its advantage.

Stallord is certainly one of the cooler-looking bosses in the series (it’s a giant demonic fossil protruding from the sand), but the creature is no match for Link’s trusty Spinner: a top that kind of acts like a skateboard. Even Nintendo couldn’t resist cashing in on Tony Hawk. The Spinner is mostly used to ride rails, but in the first phase of the Stallord battle, Link uses it to dodge enemies and crash into the resurrected fossil. The second phase is even better, with Link riding the spinner up a pillar to take down Stallord’s floating, fireball spewing skull. 

3. Koloktos – The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Though it was well-reviewed at launch, a lot of gamers have turned sour on Skyward Sword over the last decade for a simple reason: its motion controls were unreliable. Still, there’s a solid Zelda game under the frustration, and when the controls do work, they really enhance the game. So far as that goes, Koloktos is the prime example of Skyward Sword at its very best.

To defeat this six-armed automaton, Link first has to use his newly acquired whip to remove the arms Koloktos uses to guard his weak point. Deal enough damage, and Koloktos then grabs six swords for each of its hands. You’ll again have to use the whip to remove his arms, but this time, you have to pick up one of the swords it drops to slash at the weak spot for massive damage. It’s an oddly visceral and satisfying boss fight that stands out even when compared to the best encounters in the series.

2. Majora’s Mask – The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

Between the magical masks, 72-hour time loop, and the ever-looming threat of the moon crashing into everything, Majora’s Mask is one trippy game. It’s fitting, then, that the final battle against the titular villain is truly psychedelic. After stopping the apocalypse and entering the moon, Link finally comes face-to-face with Majora’s Mask. The first phase just sees the mask floating around a hallucinatory room, but for the next two phases, the creature sprouts legs and, finally, tentacles.

There are actually two ways to defeat Majora’s Mask: the strategic way or the badass way. The first method requires switching masks and strategies and quickly moving around the room while carefully avoiding attacks. The second method, which is arguably more fun, is to obtain all 23 masks in the game and collect the all-powerful Fierce Deity Mask for your efforts. That mask allows a nearly invincible Link to just beat the hell out of Majora’s Mask in a couple of minutes. No other Zelda game ends quite like that, but then again, there’s no other Zelda game quite like Majora’s Mask. 

1. Ganondorf/Ganon – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

There might be some bias here for those of us who grew up playing Ocarina of Time, but more than two decades later, this boss fight still holds up remarkably well.

First, there’s the atmosphere and sense of foreboding. After several dozen hours adventuring through Hyrule, gathering the seven sages, and breaching Ganondorf’s castle, you finally confront the face of all evil in the land…and he’s eerily playing his theme on the organ. Admittedly, the first phase of this fight is kind of silly (it’s basically a game of tennis as Link and Ganondorf exchange a ball of energy back and forth), but where this boss fight truly stands out is in its second phase. It’s there that you confront Ganon: a towering pig beast wielding two massive swords in an arena surrounded by a ring of fire. The strategy here is pretty simple (just get behind him and strike his tail repeatedly until Link can land the killing blow) but it’s such a cinematic moment and satisfying conclusion to a classic game that it’s hard not to consider it the best boss fight in franchise history.

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MAJORA | GOLDEN GODDESS

Throughout the Zelda series, the three GOLDEN GODDESSES who created the world of HYRULE and the TRIFORCE (DIN, NAYRU, and FARORE) are repeatedly mentioned and are shown to be both real and extremely powerful, albeit usually hands-off concerning their creations. That said, there are a few other entities in the Zelda canon that are comparable, at least in terms of raw power or significance. Examples include Oshus from Phantom Hourglass and DEMISE of Skyward Sword fame, but this theory will be focusing on the big players in TERMINA.

The FOUR GIANTS of Termina seem to have a role parallel to that of the three Golden Goddesses. Though they are never explicitly said to forge the world of Termina from scratch, Locals say they were responsible for creating the four distinct areas surrounding Clock Town, which make up a majority of the game’s world. The fact that four of them working together can stop a flying celestial object shot at the world by a vengeful deity also speaks volumes about their power.

In fact, three of the Four Giants’ regions can be seen as reflections of Din, Nayru, and Farore.

Din, whose essence is in the TRIFORCE OF POWER, is also associated with fire and theGORON people, who tend to eat rocks and live around volcanos. SNOWHEAD in northern Termina is where the region’s Gorons live, the local Temple rewards Link withFire Arrows, and the Temple also requires Link to use his physical Power in his Goron form to break obstacles to complete the temple.

Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom, is also associated with Water, Magic, and the ZORApeople. The GREAT BAY in Western Termina is home to the region’s Zora population, has obvious associations with water, rewards Link with Ice Arrows (Ice and Water overlap sometimes in Zelda) in its Dungeon, and contains a Research Laboratory. The Lab’s location and its being associated with Wisdom could be a stretch, but note that LAKE HYLIA, a location in Ocarina of Time associated with Nayru and the Zora, also has a Lakeside Laboratory. Plus, the GREAT FAIRY of Great Bay Temple grants Link a Defense upgrade, similar to the Spirit of Wisdom in Phantom Hourglass.

Farore, the Goddess of Courage, is the relative oddball of the trio, being associated with Wind, Life (especially Woods and Plants in Particular), Green, and races such as theKOKIRI and DEKU.family of creatures. The SOUTHERN SWAMP in Termina is dominated by the DEKU SCRUBS, who are not only plants but also capable of limited flight, using Deku Flowers to launch into the air. The basic bow and arrows that are unlocked in Woodfall Temple have no special magical characteristics, but note that even basic arrows are just flying pieces of wood.

This leaves one giant’s location, IKANA CANYON, unaccounted for. Ikana Canyon’s recurring motifs are the presence of death and the contrast between light and darkness. Death examples are easy to come by, such as the graveyard and presence of undead GIBDOS andREDEADS. Though this is the only region without a corresponding transformation mask, the Song of Healing can be used to obtain the GIBDO MASK, which tricks the undead into thinking Link is one of them. The infamous Elegy of Emptiness (elegies are laments for the dead) creates husks of Link’s current form that are necessary for completing Stone Tower Temple. TWINMOLD, the big boss fight in this area, resembles a worm or maggot, animals typically associated with death and decay. As for Light and Darkness, the Mirror Shield is obtained here, and STONE TEMPLE TOWER features the Light Arrows. Also note that the Tower itself is light-based despite being surrounded by darkness and death, and actually doesn’t include the Gibdos and Redeads found elsewhere.

So, why do three of the Four Giants match one of the three Golden Goddesses so easily, leaving only one exception? Maybe there is something else in Hyrule that corresponds to the last Giant, associated with the themes of Death of Light. For the sake of both the canon timeline and real life release dates, let’s mostly focus on Ocarina of Time’s incarnation of Hyrule.

Ocarina of Time largely focuses on other motifs until later in the game, using settings such as trees, caves, and really big fish for its dungeons. The two last regular dungeons in the game though (excluding Ganon’s Tower of DOOM) are almost exact matches. Also note that either one can be completed first and that both require more time traveling than any other dungeon.

The SHADOW TEMPLE (plus the Well) near KAKARIKO VILLAGE is based around the themes of Death, Darkness, and Deceit. They are packed with undead enemies, including the same variety of Redeads and Gibdos that haunt Ikana Canyon, STALFOS, DEAD HAND,BONGO BONGO, and those flying magic skull things (you know the ones… with the things).

The most useful treasure found here is the Lens of Truth, which sees through illusions. The temple is also loaded with various references to death and darkness, my personal favorite being the boat that is a “ferry to the other side,” almost certainly an allusion to Charon the ferryman from Greek Legend.

The SPIRIT TEMPLE, which is on the exact opposite side of the world, focuses mostly onLight. This temple requires playing as both a child and adult. Child Link needs to collect theSilver Gauntlets and Requiem of Spirit to complete the temple as an adult. Note the oddity of a Requiem (prayer for departing souls) being used to reach the Light Dungeon. As an adult, Link collects a Mirror Shield to solve Light-based puzzles. He also fights three IRON KNUCKLE enemies, which are also found in Ikana Canyon in Termina.

If we look for connections between Ikana Canyon and the fourth entity in Hyrule, we can guess that they were likely associated with either the GERUDO or SHEIKAH, much like how other races were associated with other goddesses. Their color of choice is likely purple, based on the purple color of the Shadow Medallion. Purple is another recurring color in Zelda, ranging from Player 4’s color in the Four Swords games, the Element of Earth in Minish Cap, and MAJORA from Majora’s Mask.

Yes, we finally got to Majora.

Let’s review what we know about Majora and its Mask. A long time ago (“ancient tribe” is a bit ambiguous), this mask was used by a now extinct group for magical rituals, but any more details in-universe are largely guesswork. Even the HAPPY MASK SALESMAN doesn’t seem to know that much about it, other than hinting that the mask was the home of a dangerous spirit rather than being an evil costume piece. Majora is also unbelievably powerful, seemingly far more so than Ganon ever was at any point in the series. Even the likes of Demise probably couldn’t destroy the world in a three-day weekend while still technically being bound within the mask.

And although the mask is too alien to easily empathize with or rationalize, it is obviously a conscious being, based on some of the game’s latter scenes and dialogue. It is also aware of what’s happening around it, as seen with the four children wearing boss-based masks on the moon indicate.

One thing that’s often overlooked, however, is that Majora likely came from Hyrule. That’s where the SKULL KID and Mask Salesman were found in Ocarina of Time, a short while before Majora’s Mask took place. The Mask Salesman also seems to have had Majora’s Mask for a while, but he can easily be found in CASTLE TOWN throughout Ocarina of Time, suggesting that he at least had it with him in Hyrule for a while. The game actually begins in Hyrule, when Link is ambushed looking for his lost friend. And even though Skull Kid and Majora curse a bunch of people, these all happen a relatively short time before Majora’s Mask begins, suggesting that Skull Kid only started using the mask very recently.

Last, let’s see what Majora itself had to say, both in person and via the Moon and moon children.

I wonder, if you do the right thing, does it really make everyone happy?

Your friends… What kind of… people are they? I wonder… Do these people… think of you… as a friend?

When a body is used by another, it can be called nothing but a puppet.

OK, let’s play good guys and bad guys… I’ll be the good guy, and you be the bad guy, and when you’re the bad guy, you just run.

Everyone has gone away, haven’t they?

That’s surprisingly insecure for a destroyer of worlds. And considering how Skull Kid has been left behind by the end of the game, it seems that this can not all be the thoughts of the Skull Kid still echoing in Majora. It’s as if Majora itself has some deep-seated issues involving trust. It questions the morality of its actions, worries about being used by others, and seems very concerned with how others view it.

THE THEORY IS THIS:

The Golden Goddesses once included four members: Din, Nayru, Farore, and Majora. Each played a valuable role in its creation and complemented another member of the four. Din and Nayru balanced one another, with Fire meeting Water, Power meeting Wisdom, and Creation meeting Order. Likewise, Farore and Majora balanced each other out. Farore would bring Wind, Life, and Courage while Majora would offer Earth, Death, and Peace (themes seen in Ikana Canyon).

The four of them created the world of Hyrule and its many peoples. Perhaps Majora’s favorite people were the predecessors of HYLIANS. Though a variety of humans exist in the Zelda universe, it should be noted that the ones with pointed ears (Hylians, Sheikah, and Gerudo) are most closely associated with many of Majora’s favorite points, as seen in OoT’s Spirit and Shadow Temples.

It is also likely that the four goddesses spent a while living in the world they made, much like the Giants of Termina. This would be a bit of a weird dynamic for common people, especially concerning Majora. Gods associated with accepting one’s fate and returning to the Earth are not always going to be popular.

The thing is, if there’s one thing the Zelda series is consistent about, it’s powerful beings able to be defeated by much weaker ones. Link defeating Ganon a bunch is the most obvious example, but even benevolent deities like the WIND FISH and Four Giants are shown to be vulnerable to something they should be able to take on. So it’s possible that the peoples of early Hyrule could defeat Majora with a well thought out plan and the element of surprise. This plan: trapping her in a mask, which would only be used for exploiting her power.

The remaining trio could react in a number of ways. they would almost certainly be upset, both because of personal safety concerns and the outrage at Majora being imprisoned by the world she helped create. Rescuing Majora would be a high priority, but being very powerful doesn’t necessarily grant omniscience. A mask is very easy to hide, and they wouldn’t even necessarily know to look for a mask in the first place. That said, it would be an utter waste to destroy the peoples they created. Not all of them were necessarily guilty. Nevertheless, Hyrule was no longer safe for its creators.

So the Golden Trio departed from the world, leaving only a portion of their powers behind to create the Triforce.

Thing is, without the Golden Goddesses, the world would soon be attacked by outside threats like Demise. This was bad enough, but worse was the fact that Majora could not contribute her efforts into maintaining the world’s balance. Thus, the nature of Hyrule changed forever. Without an entity that could manage death and ultimate peace, undead creatures would begin to plague the world. Worse, monsters like Ganon were literally unstoppable, since they were powerful enough to overcome any force that would make them face a proper death or ending.

And so, by trapping the Goddess associated with Death, the people of Hyrule allowed the greatest killer in their history to go largely unopposed. After all, even when a hero rises, he can not always stop Ganon immediately. The Downfall timeline is based on the good guys simply failing.

Majora didn’t see most of this. She was in a mask most of the time, wondering why her three sisters had not saved her. Did they know about this? Had they taken part? Why would they betray her?

So ages later, when little Skull Kid allowed Majora to see her surroundings for the first time in at least a few centuries, likely much longer, she was neither entirely rational or calm. When she saw Termina, she saw something resembling what the world she made might look like after X many years. So bringing the moon down? That was revenge.

Theory by u/salnax