When I first played Majora’s Mask, I intentionally avoided entering Sakon’s Hideout until the very end, since I wanted Anju and Kafei’s reunion to serve as my farewell to the game. I had formed a picture in my mind of what the thief’s hideout would look like, so when I finally entered the hideout, I was a little disappointed.
I’d expected something more like the backroom of the Curiosity Shop, a storage space full of clutter and curios. Or at the very least, I thought it would resemble the Astral Observatory, colorful and decorated. Instead, when I snuck in the secret cave, I was met with a basic stone room, a few crates, and a standard dungeon door.
If I’d been paying more attention to Sakon’s character as I pursued him, I probably wouldn’t have been so surprised. After all, Sakon isn’t just a petty thief; he’s an organized businessman, albeit illegitimate. He’s calculated and focused, only holding on to his stock for a single night before selling it to the man who runs the Curiosity Shop. He could hit up Clock Town or the surrounding areas on a nightly basis if he wanted to, but he bides his time, watching local businesses and waiting for them to move worthy merchandise before he steals from them. And based on what we see during our three days in Termina, we can assume that Sakon doesn’t break into homes and shops; he only seems interested in mugging individuals and then immediately ridding himself of the spoils.
All of this is reflected in Sakon’s Hideout. It’s a mostly functional space; he hasn’t jazzed it up at all, hasn’t wasted time decorating it or making it into a museum dedicated to his own genius. It’s a cave where he stores things very briefly before selling them.
Of course, I’ve neglected to mention a major component to his hideout: the security system. In an effort to protect his most valuable items, Sakon installed a series of conveyor belts and switches, culminating in what is presumably a bottomless pit. Once again, he planned ahead. He suspected that he would eventually be caught, so he rigged this contraption to prevent people from stealing back from him.
Sakon’s Hideout answers the question of why the thief stole the Sun Mask from Kafei: it was simply because he could. Stealing is both a game and an art for him, and this was something he stole for pleasure rather than profit. And if he can’t have it, nobody can.
Except, well, Link and Kafei are smarter and quicker than him. So yes, they can save the mask from the bottom of a ravine.
Looking at this hideout, you might assume that Sakon is a pathetic thief who isn’t very good at his job. But in actuality, it demonstrates just how much he treats his criminal activity like a legitimate business. What comes across as a lack of flair and a lack of effort is actually an indication of how productive he is; he chooses to focus all his attention on the security system, the part of the hideout that truly matters to him.
Sakon’s an odd fellow, that’s for sure, but catching him out never ceases to be an enjoyable experience.
