Okay, so, if you read my first post, the introductory post, you will have seen that I enjoy Action-Adventure games, and right out beside that, you'll notice I found it worthwhile to present boxart for a game that was neither the first, nor most iconic in its series (to most). Well that's because I have a bit of an obsession with that game, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. The reason? I'm not quite sure, I just really enjoyed a lot about the game, even compared to Ocarina of Time, and to this day I enjoy it (as I recently acquired a copy of it at the local Replays).
But there's a little glitch basically everyone who has looked the game up knows about: the fourth day glitch.
TITLE: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
PREMISE:
After the events of Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Link (Young Link from the First Timeline) sets out on a quest to find a friend (presumably Navi?). On his journey he is intercepted by the troublesome Skull Kid who steals his magic ocarina. Now Link has three days to obtain the Ocarina to restore his natural form in a strange world. Oh, did I mention he's been turned into a Deku Scrub? Also, Skull Kid has this mask made of Phlebotinum used by ancient aliens on the moon or something that he's using to destroy the world in three days.
The game functions on a resetting world, wherein Link can retain any magical items (mainly masks) when he travels back in time, the time travel feature serves both as a core mechanic to making the game world feasible, and the only way to save your game!
THEORY:
The fourth day is the true ending to Majora's Mask, the "good ending" or whatever.
For clarity, the game follows a three day cycle: go to clock town, adventure for three days, before the end of the third day reset time with the Song of Time. It is possible to access a New Day (introduced as Dawn of a New Day) in which most of Clocktown's citizens have left, the moon that was going to crash into Termina is now gone (or rather, very far away like it should be), and time is no longer limited (every dusk is unmarked and every dawn is the Dawn of a New Day). This is done by going to the observatory (a necessary feature in your first three days), peering through the telescope, and remaining in telescope view until just before the moon crashes into Termina, at which point you back out and the new day begins.
BASIS:
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is about Link coping with the grief of death, potentially his own death, go ahead, google it, I'll give you a moment...
Back? Cool, maybe that's not the official story, but there's so much information to support it, why not assume that's right?
The final phase of the grieving process is acceptance. Now, don't get me wrong, there's already some degree of acceptance that goes on during the process of the game, but maybe Link is supposed to accept something, maybe there's a reason Navi (if that is who he is seeking) is gone. What's the reason? He's already the hero. He's done his job and restored peace to the land. There's nothing else he, as the Hero of Time, is supposed to do. Yet he insists on seeking out his dispersed aid (Navi), denying that he's fulfilled his purpose. Is...that the first phase? Awesome. Now, here's how the rest of the idea plays out:
Link Denies his role as hero is complete.
Link Angrily seeks out a new adventure (never mind that he seems so sad at first, he gets angry).
Link Bargains with the Mask Salesman so he can go on one more adventure.
Link becomes Depressed, and this is where we start the 'glitch,' in the process of looking up at the Skull Kid on that clock tower, he realizes he may never see Navi again, he may never start another grand adventure.
Link Accepts that his role is played out...and at the last second, right before the moon crashes down into Clocktown, he looks away.
That's when the 'glitch' happens, Link accepts that he's not responsible for those people in Clocktown. He's not responsible for saving yet another world from fate. He accepts that you can't constantly fight, and some things have to happen. Granted, it's not the most heroic story, but maybe it is his story. Link lives out the rest of his life in the abandoned Clocktown, not as a hero, performing quests and vanquishing monsters, but as the boy who had been the Hero of Time. This may even potentially be Link's afterlife, and the 'bad ending' is when he completes the quest and finds himself unable to rest, but the 'good ending' is when he remains in Clocktown, eternally young, enjoying himself.
Is that, too far-fetched? Maybe so, none the less, it's a possibility, and I rather like the idea! It's not more fun than actually playing through the game, but it does create a reason for such a strange glitch to exist.
No comments:
Post a Comment