Who are the MOON CHILDREN of Majora's Mask? (Zelda Theory) 

When I was a kid, the “your true face... what kind of face is it?” question really hit me because even then, I understood that on top of Link taking on the forms of people in the game who he really wasn’t (the three main transformation masks), he was also constantly wearing a mask himself that he could never take off: that of a child, when he was mentally an adult.

I must point out that how the kid wearing Majoras mask, is similar to how Link was at the beginning of his original journey. Link was alone without a fairy. All the other Kokiri played together, and had fairies. Majora sits at the tree, while the other kids with boss masks play together. This area may also be based not only on Skull Kid, and Majoras memory, but Links also. The tree on the moon is a surrogate for The Great Deku Tree.

"All the masks are happy" All night mask laughs

Ultimately, we'll never fully understand this game, and I think that may be one of its greatest strengths. It leaves just enough ambiguity while still resolving its various plotlines. Perhaps the question of you being a mask salesman too is a metaphor. MM was all about its sidequests, really, which are ultimately about making people happy. This whole game could be seen as an expansion of the mask selling sidequests in OoT, since the salesman's goal was to spread happiness. If you think about it like this, they're asking if you'll keep making people happy even after your quest is over.

4 children playing except Majora. I think it’s relating to how the Imp thought the Giants didn’t like him anymore, because the four kids are playing without Majora. They represent Majora and the four Giants. It is a memory or figment of imagination. Maybe it has memories of skull kid and the happy Mask salesman because they both got in contact with it.

I think the Masks, that the Moon Children asks for, aren't exactly meant as physical masks. But more like a psychological sense. Masks is a term used in psychology when discussing the persona theory; the theory of multiple personalities in different social contexts. With this in mind, and how the children "WANT'S" more "masks". It may be them wanting more personality (humanity traits). I think they are some sort of light, trapped inside Majora. And that light is trying to overcome the darkness. Also, they don't ask questions about "friends", until after they have gotten the rest of their wanted masks. I may be looking at it, with a more psychological perspective - but it's a theory.

The man in the observatory wasnt saying the moon has always looked like that, he literally says "But lately, there is something quite strange with the moon" meaning that it happened recently.

I have a small feeling they have something to do with the moon

Majora's Mask could very well be a metaphor for someone's toxic facade corrupting a person's original personality. The skull kid put on a facade of strength, of immeasurable power that is unaffected by suffering both of other and of himself. But that facade slowly made him cold to the pain others faced as a result of his actions and failed to address the pain within him and so he turned to pranking people or lashing out on his friends as a way to express and cope with his internal frustration all while wearing the face of a powerful, cold-hearted being. This grew worse and worse as time goes on, with his pranks becoming more and more severe until he's come to the point of threatening a large group of innocent lives. In a way his story very much reflects that of many criminals or mass murderers. The corruption in Majora's Mask is literal but it works very well as a metaphor too

*Yesterday is History* -Tomorrow- Moon Children are a Mystery

Do you ever plan on making a theory about the fierce deity? I think it would be a good topic.

one major point missed here is how the fierce deity mask contains the memories of all of terminas residence, so you got the protagonist with the memories of those he's helped and the antagonist with the memories of those its negatively influenced.

Wait. Giant eyeballs representing Majora's influence on them. Malice has giant blob eyes. Is the whole Zelda series corrupted by Majora's power?

Simple, the moon children just have the faces of the happy mask salesman Wait...

RanguGamer made a video talking about this a long time ago. It's very interesting. The kids talk about de sacrifice that Link does going back in time in ocarina, losing all his friends and relationships at the same time. Your friends... What kind of... people are they? I wonder... Do those people... think of you... as a friend? Because of going back in time no one remembers link. ou... What makes you... happy? I wonder... What makes you happy... Does it make... others happy, too? If Link were happy, not returning to the past, no one else could be, because ganondorf would attack Hyrule castle in the past. The right thing... What is it? I wonder... If you do the right thing... Does it really make... everybody... happy? Link isn't happy about the fact that anyone recognizes him. Your true face... What kind of... face is it? I wonder... The face under the mask... Is that... your true face? Link is psychologically an adult, because of the events of OoT, but it's trapped in a child's body. All the game is a psychological fight between Majora and Link, and in the end, Link wins, overcoming his depression of being forgotten by all his friends, like Darunia and Rutto. Sorry for the bad english ;)

In Japanese, Skull Kid is actually called Stalkid, is in Stalfos. Anyone who gets lost in the Lost Woods turns into a Stalfos. This is almost certainly what happened to Skull Kid

Just leaving this here, has anyone ever considered that Termina simply lies to the far West of Hyrule, across the Gerudo Desert? Hyrule in OoT = Gerudo Desert which no one has crossed to the West Termina = Ikana Desert to the East

7:50 They are both conveying the same emotion: loneliness *domino commercial plays*

I always liked to believe that the mask salesman is majora and the mask was actually a part of him that he lost. This would explain why the salesman is so strange with the way he speaks and moves. I would love for you to explore that possibility.

It has to be a cultural separation thing, but I always thought it was obvious what the grassy/barren field with the single during the final segment of Majora's Mask represents. Take a look at any Japanese media with such a scene: Xenoblade 2, Shadow Hearts: Covenant, Xenosaga 2, Persona... even N.G. Evangelion in a bizarre way. When the player character (or the viewer) is brought to a surrealistic landscape dominated by a single huge tree, that landscape is representing that you are within someone else's mind/soul. As this landscape "exists" on the Moon, then you are within the "mind" of the Moon. Or rather, Majora. The Mask of Majora has existed since ancient times, so we really don't need to worry about thinking that the mask created the Moon. Majora WAS the Moon. Remember: When Majora dies, the Moon is destroyed, and no new moon takes its place in the sky. Those blocks with the Moons' face was to remind you that yes, you ARE on/within the mind/soul of the Moon/Majora. The children of the moon resembling the Happy Mask Salesman was no coincidence or a means to cheap-out on character modeling, it was done intentionally. When the Skull Kid came across the Mask of Majora and put it on, his mind became melded with its mind. Majora's desires of malevolence was filtered through the life and history of the Skull Kid. It was only when he gained the mask that the various regions of Termina began to exhibit issues. Those "pranks" were based on the Skull Kid's memories of his long-lost friends. Memories that were echoed and twisted with Majora's, something made plain when Link entered the mind/soul space of Majora/Moon and we were able to speak with those personality/memory fragments. The Moon Children are a twisted & melded echo of both the Skull Kid's and Majora's memories. The malevolence of Majora, and the confusion of a little lost kid who thought himself abandoned by his friends. The Fierce Deity mask they give you is likely based on the memory from Majora of the being that had defeated it in ages past, while it was the aspect of the Skull Kid's mind of desiring both atonement and someone to play with that allowed him to grant Link the power to defeat his tormentor, Majora. Which leaves the Happy Mask Salesman, the man who is far more than a man given his ability to move about at random, his ability to know far too much than he should, and the ability to disappear at will long before the system draw distance came into effect. Yet while he acts deranged with Link, he also assists Link if only to get the mask back. If the Moon Children are a twisted combination of Majora's soul and Skull Kid's memories, then that leaves only one thing that the Happy Mask Salesman can possibly be, someone of extreme importance to Majora if it thinks of himself in the Happy Mask Salesman's form within its own mind. The Happy Mask Salesman is the living, "Hylian" embodiment of Majora itself. Something happened in the past that separated the power of Majora (and either made into the mask or was imbued into a previously-carved mask like the game hints at) from its body (the Moon), likely a battle between itself and the "Fierce Deity" (which also plays into why the Moon child stated that Link got to play the Bad Guy with the Fierce Deity Mask, as the Moon Child is an aspect of Majora and likely felt threatened by whatever entity the Fierce Deity Mask represents). The body was sealed by being made into a celestial body (Moon), while Majora's Mask is hidden away. The Happy Mask Salesman was created by whatever ambient power Majora could produce with one simple goal: Locate its lost power, its Mask, and reunite it with its body, the Moon. After finally doing so during the events of Ocarina of Time, the Happy Mask Salesman was in the Lost Woods to do just that. Bring the Mask to Termina and join them all together. Before he could do so, he was robbed by the Skull Kid... and accidentally did the exact same thing he was going to do anyway but with several pit stops on the way. Why would the Happy Mask Salesman help Link? Because he needed Majora's Mask back, it was his entire reason to exist. He had no idea of the Skull Kid would stick around in Termina or return to Hyrule - or even go elsewhere entirely. He had to get the Mask back but was powerless to do so himself. Which is also why he's so depressed about Majora's Mask losing its power once Majora itself was destroyed. And when he disappeared during the credits? That was the Happy Mask Salesman fading from existence as he, too, was just an aspect of Majora.

Him: Both conveying the same emotion... Ad: I’m gonna stop you right there

I think Kilton seems to be some kind of recent version of the masks salesman in BOTW since you can buy mask of the enemies to "Look like them".

The Children are all a part of Link and his doubts on himself being a hero. Your true face, Link hides his face with masks, but also hides his true self from this timeline. No one knows he's the Hero of Time. These friends do they think of you as a friend? = This clearly goes with Link meeting with a bunch of people in his past and becoming friends with them Darunia, Ruto, The Kokiri children, Saria. However, that was the adult timeline. Now Link only has a few and do they truly think of him as one? What makes you happy? I wonder...what makes you happy...does it make...others happy, too? = This depicts Link's duty as a Hero. But what if Link didn't want to be a hero? What if Link's true desire was to be a normal child again. But would that make everyone else happy too? Would being a Hero make Link happy? The right thing...what is it? I wonder...if you do the right thing...does it make...everybody...happy? = Link's choice of changing fate. What if Link does the right thing what consequences does he face since he controls the flow of time. Sure it can be for the greater good (Warning Zelda about Ganondorf's actions) However, even good intentions can lead to disastrous results (Twilight Princess) Your true face... What kind of... face is it? I wonder... The face under the mask... Is that... your true face?" = Link's true self. Everyone sees link as a kid. So Link hides that by wearing a mask that makes him look like a hero. However, is that truly who link is? Does he want to be regarded as a hero or does he just want to be a normal child and live a normal life again. Everyone has gone away, haven't they? = Link has always been alone. He's been alone in the beginning sending him into despair and loss of hope.

I always took it as an interpretation that the worst and scariest parts of human begins when we are at our most innocent. The skull kid was at heart good natured. But rejection taught the skull kid that the only way to be noticed by his pears was to be a nuisance. And when faced with rejection once again by those he trusted most he went back to doing what he new best but crossed the line in doing so.

The moon didn’t always have that face. In fact, the second clip showed that because the second brother specifically said “Or in this year’s case, once in a really, really scary, red-eyed moon.” I think the moon having that scary face and crashing into Termina is Skull Kid’s doing but the moon itself had existed before Skull Kid

The Moon children are mysterious. All 5 children must be special to the mask. One of them is Majora itself.

Yes a NBC video just as i was running out of things to watch!!!!!

I would've loved if the Happy Mask Salesman was somehow Majora. Maybe the mask is the physical manifestation of him trying to remove all of his evil.

I've never played the game but based on what I'd heard of it I always liked to think that the Masks Salesman was another entity forming a trio with Majora and the Fierce Deity, and that the moon children were made by him to insure that the Fierce Deity could return after somehow being split and trapped across all the masks, and Majora trapped them inside the moon and forced the masks onto them to stop this from happening.

The moon children could be a manifestation of Majora's memories of The Masked Salesman but I still think Termina itself is a land in an a parallel dimension and not just in some dream world like Link's Awakening.

5:47 I always thought of this question like this was the reason Navi left Link

As interesting as I find these theories, we've got to admit that we, the audience, have put so much more thought into this than the creators ever did. It's deliberately abstract, it doesn't really need to have a meaning.

Yes! Another Zelda Cartoons video. Those were hilarious. We also want to see another Zelink theory. As you said, the last video, probably wasn’t your last on the topic. Great video anyway. MM has the craziest theories.

Great video!

So before watching the video, in case it's ever brought up, I'd like to mention I always found that the moon children have a surprisingly similar appearance to the Happy Mask Salesman. Perhaps even uses the same model.

Vortexxy? Now that's a name I've not heard for a long time.

This is probably super unlikely and unrelated... but this is from the description of Majora on Zeldapedia: "A long time ago, a mysterious tribe used Majora's Mask in its hexing rituals. However, the troubles caused by the mask were so great that the ancient ones, fearing catastrophe, sealed the mask in shadow to prevent its misuse. The tribe has since vanished, but the mask was eventually tracked down and uncovered by the mysterious Happy Mask Salesman, a purported trader and collector of rare and powerful masks. " Zonai maybe?

Is zant a zonai? Look in the temple in twilight princes where you fight against zant, and look for the zonai spiral.

Love your vids, NBC! I think this one might not be a complete theory though. For me it didn't make the full circle that I hoped for. But keep up the great work!

Ooh! Another cartoon video! The first two were hilarious. Can't wait to see you do another!

"What does it mean to do the right thing? When you do the right thing... Does it make... Everybody... Happy?" Really reminds me of Link's Awakening

Yay! I'm so happy we get another Majora's Mask theory! I loved the last one! It was very well done.

I love that you're covering majoras mask. Its one I still haven't played. You definitely make me want too

I enjoy all of your theories, keep up the good work

A cool little side thought I had when you were speaking of the child that asks about your true face was that our literal face in the game is that of child link but since were the hero of time we technically have the experiences of our adult self and his ventures we are literally an adult mind in a child's body

I'm a simple man. I see NintendoBlackCrisis - I click, I thumbs up, then I watch the video.

I just had this thought that maybe before the event of majora's mask the moon didn't have eyes (a face and all but juste holes like asteroids holes) and was seen as a deity thing as you said in the video but it was corrupted

Hello Red Eyed Moon! How are you tonight? Oh the happy mask salesman is 4 children with boss masks? How cheery! Lost Woods? Hello Darkness my old friend!

I have a smash bros theory that I had to write down, what if when characters in their games entered a ‘dream world’ where smash bros takes place, and what if smash bros ultimate took place during the time when link was asleep which allowed link to train and keeps his knowledge of swordsmanship so that when he wakes up he is still a good swordsman. This makes more sense because there are no references to smash bros in the characters games, however smash bros references the characters games which may be the characters memory’s and thoughts. And when the characters wake up they don’t remember their dream but keep the strength that they got while training in this ‘dream world’

What are the buildings in the distance? When running to the tree in the moon. Do a theory of those buildings

I still cant believe Vortexxy died, yet her memory lives.

Dude...this...is the best explanation of the Moon Children I have ever seen. All the lights are coming on as I piece together everything and see how it's all clear now!

i just got the fierce deity's mask yesterday on Majora's Mask on the N64. I payed 70 bucks for the gold version of it because why not.

Oh man I miss Vortexxygaming :( her theories were legit

There’s more to the Mask Salesman than what he lets on I feel. I wanna know how he found out the knowledge of Majora’s Mask and how did he find the mask? If he got the mask himself, surely he just had Link probably strengthen himself for a reason. The entire game, I couldn’t help but feel his story seemed strange. He claimed he found it somehow but with Ikana Valley being the way it was, he probably is a demon from Ikana. Think of the Tower of Babel, the Stone Temple was probably wanting to get to the Sacred Realm while the Tower of Babel wanted to get to Heaven. But unlike the Tower of Babel being destroyed and the people were confused, the Stone Temple became incomplete and a portal was open in the sky upside down which is why the Stone Temple had the light arrows probably the hide this great evil, the great evil that probably and most likely housed Majora’s Mask.

Maybe they are from Area 51

Glad you made this video

I love your videos NBC! I know I say it a lot, but I still love your theories and playthroughs!

Man this game was a mindf*** as a kid. _A beautiful mindf***_

Even though majora's mask is a dark mysterious creepy looking mask with evil inside it if the one who wears it can control it everything changes since the skull kid felt betrayed by the giants and the mask took control of him because of his weak character , it almost took control of the happy mask salesman but he stood up and didn't wear it. Maybe if he wore it he could have controlled the mask ? If we think it like that then what majora's mask truly is is nothing , nothing but freedom Man i really want a sequel to this game

12:07 thanks for coming back...i didnt want it to end

In the 3d version it’s possible to use the new Nintendo 3ds XL c stick to freely use the camera. If u stand at the right spot next to a moon child u can clip the camera through the mask and totally view the full face of the moon child to confirm for sure who it is.

6:40 That Giant's Foot should have destroyed that Wall it clipped through.

The Moon children a stone Taluses! Stone Taluses came from the moon! They call me a madman! But I'll show them!

Good question

"Can't sleep! Moon is gonna eat me!" 🌚😱

Late, but thank you so much for speaking about Termina as it's own independent place instead of some dream world or being created by Skull Kid. That theory contradicts so much lore in the actual game, even if there are guidebooks and interviews "confirming" it.

Your videos are super interesting and I really love them keep up the good work👍

Super good theory! The Majora's Mask manga confirms a lot of your points. Good job!

Majora's Mask might be my favourite Zelda game and I enjoyed this video a lot.

Yesssssssss ive been waiting for you to do a majoras theory (my favorite zelda game)

8:51 I just look at the back of there heads and then said yeah happy mask sales men is moon child Also the deity mask was the happy mask sales mask Also the happy mask sales men said he went to great lengths to get the majora mask and the moon is a pretty huge length away from termina...so could it be that the happy mask sales men is actually not only a moon child but a traitor to the moon children so he got kicked out before he stole the mask. 🤔🤔🤔

This is a Zelda video Iv wanted fir quiet a long time! Thank you!

This game is terrifying at some points

Zelda has been known to feature aspects of shintoism, but I believe it includes biblical aspects as well. In the story of Genesis, Adam and Eve live in a garden and are immortal. After receiving a fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they are banished from the garden and become mortal. In OoT, Link also receives something from a tree (the spiritual stone from the Deku Tree) and leaves Kokiri Forest, accepting mortality (though he was already mortal, he didn't know it yet). The fruit Adam and Eve ate was said to make them become like God. Inside the moon in MM, Link receives something underneath a tree that indeed makes him become like God (the Fierce Deity's Mask). That field also seems to represent immortality again, because the 3 day cycle seems to stand still inside of it. But just like Link left Kokiri Forest to embrace mortality and adulthood, the moon children seem to do the same (they all ask deep questions about life before disappearing from the playground-like field, which seems to imply that they left their playground to become adults). The only one who doesn't leave is the kid with Majora's Mask, which I believe indicates a refusal to grow up and embrace adulthood. Even Majora as a boss seems to act like a spoiled child with a temper tantrum.

Nice theory’s! Keep up the good work 👍👌

I’ve been waiting so long to watch another one of your vids😂

I just found out that this zelda game exists NOW IM OBSESSED WITH IT

When you connect this theory to the theory of the origins of Majors itself it gives the child timeline an inmense layer of depth.

Majora is Malice confirmed.

GamingVortexxy one of the first Zelda channels I followed. Miss her its nice to hear her get a shoutout

Ok I know this has nothing to do with the moon children, but I just thought of something when the 4 guardians asks Link to "Forgive your friend." Why did the guardians think supposedely skull kid was his friend BEFORE skull asks Link to be his friend?? All skull kids were once not a skull kid, so what was this specific skull kid before he changed into one? Was that the friend Link was looking for throughout Majora's Mask? The skull kid even says to Link after defeating Majora something on the line of 'You seem familiar, let's be friends!.' Was that Skull kid the one whom Link was searching for all along? Or is it Navi? I hope some of that made sense.

Majora's mask is definately the strangest zelda I have ever seen. I was watching it today, and I totally don't even understand the couple's mask. How is this related to the lovers, or the sun and the moon? The mask has no real features to it. Its like the face is totally wiped off it and all you can see is a wierd symbol that seems to glow. I don't get it at all. But I do really like this game. Great video again! I have really enjoyed feasting on all your videos since I am new to the channel!

People will always say OOT is better than Majoras Mask but MM just has so many layers like this we still don’t understand. It’s got depth 👍

Awesome, I love Majora's Mask!

You're right. I can't look at the moon now without that final hours playing in my mind and that it supposed to have a face

I believe Majora is not an entity per se, I think there is no "Majora" inside the mask, but it is just a malicious object that copies its wearer and then corrupts their thoughts and memories, amplifying those dark feelings and giving magic powers in equal manner.

man....I can't wait to stream this game!

Am I bombareded with BOTW2 videos? Yes, but I'm still not bombarded enough! Keep them coming! As usual I love your style, looking forward to your next video

Im not sure if this was at all intentional but I have to think that the fact that the mask salesman's design is based on miyamoto and you're given a very short time to complete the game is a metaphor for, well, the devs completing the game. I know that the idea for a looping time was meant for another game but ended up being used for Majora but it's like, a perfect metaphor

Holy shit! A Majora's Mask theory? Let's go!

This is a really good one

I just noticed the Mask Salesman is still smiling despite being unconscious

i always wondered that happy masked salesman might be behind all of this. He had the majoras mask, he looked like the moonchildren (their face looked the same so i thought they might be same people which they were). Could it be that the masked salesman is some kind of fairy trying to help link to move on from navi by explaining him that whenever you meet someone a "parting is sure to follow"?

Wow beautiful ending luv the sun glasses link

I miss Vortexy.. good video!

Did anyone notice the Mario mask at 8:08? No? Hah just thought it was a cool waster egg. Nice video nonetheless

To me all the moon children’s quotes are about depression and anxiety so i have They face under the mask . Is that your true face ? ‘ on my wall because I had depression and the quote means a lot to me because majoras mask helped me get though it

Rest in Peace Vortexxy :(

When’s the next Zelda cartoons episode I’m still waiting.