#except sheikahs are the “good” ones that accepted their role and played it well

[rawliverandgoronspice]

something something sheikah 🤝gerudos: being regularly fetishized and slowly consumed as a sub-flavor of hylians (yet still subjugated and lesser), and if they reject that assigned social role they're bad evil guys forever :(

[strawberry-science]

Lab Inspection

Of course Rhoam didn’t even look at him.

To a king so used to the world working in his favor as the Mother Goddess intended, there wasn’t much of a difference between the little ancient device on the table and the scientist explaining it to him, except one of them could talk. Which, if what Robbie had heard from Impa and the court poet, was an unfortunate necessity as Rhoam preferred his goddess-given servants to be quiet and submissive, but he rarely bothered to retain any information that didn’t directly pertain to his royal authority and the control he held over his kingdom.

And so it fell on Robbie to explain the most basic functions of his work to the king over and over again, silently apologizing to the machines for Rhoam’s ignorance, for them being little more than embellishments for the king’s meaningless displays of power, subject to his whims in much the same way toys were to a particularly careless child.

And the king cared just as little what he broke in the process.

Robbie suspected he didn’t understand half of what he was told, even when the machines he had him built were insultingly simple distortions of what Ancient Sheikah tech was capable of. And worst of all, it was better this way. Who knew what a man like Rhoam, who saw a threat to his authority when his daughter so much as looked at an ancient screw, would do with knowledge of the very things his ancestors feared so much they broke the sacred bond with their fated protectors, and condemned them to a life of hiding and misery for millenia to come?

Over time, most Sheikah had come to accept the outcome of the royal family’s betrayal, and while Rhoam certainly wasn’t happy that they evaded his control, the servitude of the few who left their villages had placated him enough to no longer see them as a real threat. So much of their culture was lost to time and the refusal of those in charge to keep their true traditions alive, they simply couldn’t do anything but accept their role as the king’s tools.

Or so he thought.

Robbie watched as Rhoam turned to inspect a device with the same feigned interest he showed Zelda when she talked about anything other than her training, and Robbie felt a sudden wave of anger washing over him. His usual cheerful smile dropped the instant the king’s attention was fully on the machine, but true to his Sheikah nature, he showed no other signs of his true feelings.

The boldness with which Rhoam demonstrated his control over the Sheikah was infuriating. So convinced was he that he was untouchable, he didn’t even bring his guards with him. And why would he? Robbie was nothing but a lowly slave to him, after all. He was likely unaware that the Sheikah still practiced their fighting skills in secret. Perhaps it didn’t even occur to him that a Sheikah could be a scientist and know how to kill someone.

Robbie knew he was fast enough. It would be child’s play to cross the distance between them, draw one of his trusty knives, and slit the king's throat before he could turn around in that silly cloak of his. Any actual child with even the most basic training could point out all the ways he left himself open to attack.

But of course he knew what this would mean for his people. One wrong move could undo centuries of staying unnoticed, and convince the king the Sheikah were as dangerous as the legends and rumors said they were. And Robbie was well aware of the stories he heard back in his home village, about the atrocities done to their ancestors for the unforgivable crime of advanced technology. The lives of countless people hinged on Robbie playing the king’s good little servant.

If it was just between the two, the bastard would be bleeding out on the lab floor by now.

Oblivious to the scientist’s thoughts, Rhoam turned back to him and tasked him with writing a detailed reports on his latest project, and Robbie simply smiled and assured him it would be finished the next morning.

[umbracado-blog]

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