8 most surprising moments in Majora’s Mask

From rabbit holes to mischievous Skull Kids to magical masks, Majora’s Mask is a game that is chock full of its own surprises. The odd parallel environment Link is thrust into becomes a breeding ground for the unexpected and unexplained. Let’s look back at some of the best surprising moments players have encountered in their wacky adventures through Termina. 

8. A princess in a bottle

While Link saving princesses is not surprising in the least, Termina’s bizarre physics make the process a bit unorthodox. Instead of escorting the Deku heiress to safety the traditional way, Link unceremoniously stuffs her into a bottle! How does she fit in there? Is it even comfortable? Who cares. At least she’s safe, right? 

7. The Not-So-Happy Mask Salesman

Like many characters in Majora’s Mask, the Happy Mask Salesman is an obvious recycled asset from Ocarina of Time. But this time around, he is much more prominent and is one of the first characters to appear in the game. For the most part, his demeanor seems calm and collected. But when Link admits to him that he failed to recover the stolen Majora’s Mask, the salesman’s countenance doesn’t simply change. He outright snaps. 

He even shakes the poor hero in astonishment and anger. The surprise is so memorable, it actually started a cutscene trend in the franchise. While the salesman’s reaction is presented in a goofy comical fashion, it no doubt opens the door to questioning what he was about to do with this powerful mask, to begin with. 

6. Mysterious creatures at Romani Ranch

Meanwhile, there’s something weird back at Romani Ranch, and the cows are definitely not coming home. Not all of them anyway. According to the ranch’s young namesake, they seem to be disappearing one by one overnight because of mysterious beings from the sky. Romani’s obsession with them drives Link to help her get to the bottom of it. They wait until nightfall to confront the culprits. When Link finally does, it appears the strange beings aren’t Terminian, or even Hyrulean. They’re extraterrestrial!

Even stranger, these beings do not have a name. No explanation is given about what they are, where they came from, or even why they’re motivated to abduct the dairy cows. What are they even doing here? We don’t get an answer. Link drives the “aliens” off by sunrise, and that’s that. The Romani Ranch abduction remains to be one of the greatest mysteries in the Zelda franchise today.

5. Link grieves over Mikau

When Link visits the Great Bay, he rescues a Zora washed up on the beach. The gravely injured fellow identifies himself as Mikau and tells Link his story of plight. But even though Link rescues Mikau from the waters, he is unable to save him from his injuries. At that moment, players get a rare glimpse of the Hero of Time’s vulnerable side: his expression of grief. 

It’s brief, but the scene reveals a hidden soft spot behind the Hero of Time’s stoic exterior: his internal struggle that he can’t save everyone from dying. Mikau’s likeness to Link in appearance, voice, and age through the Zora Mask further drives this touching point home. 

4. Sharp’s devious turn at Ikana Canyon

In Ocarina of Time, Sharp is one of the royal family’s Composer Brothers who valiantly died protecting valuable intel from Ganondorf’s followers. You might remember his confrontation with Link at the Kakariko Graveyard, unaware of who the Hero was. But in Majora’s Mask, his reprise role becomes quite sinister. As soon as Link sets foot in the Spring Water Cave at the haunted Ikana Canyon, an evil Sharp ambushes him with a horrible life-draining song! If Link doesn’t play the Song of Storms in time, he is doomed to a swift swan song fate. 

3. Link busts a move

Yes, that’s right. Apparently, the Hero of Time has a new trick up his sleeve. He can dance the night away — with a mask on, of course. That mask happens to be Kamaro’s Mask, a peculiar item that houses the spirit of a dance teacher. And when Link puts that baby on, wow! He can put on quite a good show. 

The scene where Link teaches the Rosa sisters an exotic dance makes no sense, but it’s simply amazing to watch, especially in the original Nintendo 64 version. Back then, the developers discovered new ways to push the system’s boundaries to convey deeper emotional expression with character avatars for the first time. 

2. The tale of two sisters

Out of all the weird surprises one finds in the parallel world of Termina, Link’s encounter (or reunion?) with Twinrova in the Southern Swamp is one of the most mind-boggling. The last time Link faced these two sisters, they were the second-to-last boss in Ocarina of Time! They had attempted to defeat him and even present him as a sacrifice to Ganondorf, but Link sent them packing. Even stranger, neither Koume nor Kotake seem to remember when they encountered him last, and Link even saves one of them in the swamp. Oh well. It’s probably for the best anyway. 

1. Giving someone a hand

Link’s random encounter with a hand coming out of the loo is so infamously bizarre, it would be a crime not to put it on top of this list. Even stranger, the player is laughably rewarded with a Piece of Heart when the hand-person’s pleas for paper are answered! The surprising moment is so memorable, it has lived on to achieve golden internet meme status.