Taking off the Masks- Understanding the Concepts Behind the Controversial Zelda Game
By DesignerBradR

PART 1: A Religious Inexperience

Are you a glass half-full kind of person or do you see the glass half-empty? Personally, I used to be a glass half-empty guy, probably because I would fill up on milk at the dinner table. Or sometimes after taking a hefty few gulps, I’d notice a little leftover crusty stuff that the dishwasher just couldn’t dislodge from the edge of the glass. So, I’d stop drinking and leave the glass at the sink for someone else to wash again. But nowadays, I’m a bona fide optimist, rooted in somewhat lowered expectations and positive thinking. That glass is half-full, alright. And if it’s half-full of some nasty, old drink, you just toss it out, wash the glass, and fill ‘er up with a beverage to your liking.

That’s the attitude I now have. And to a certain point, that attitude has been reinforced by a game so deep, its themes and ideas are simply lost among the myriad of other cosmetic obstacles in a player’s way. Of course that game I’m referring to is The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. Did you expect anything different?

So how does this game, which is regarded as the saddest, most emotional and darkest Zelda to date, spur optimism in my life? Read on to find out. But know that your perceptions of this game are probably somewhat skewed. MM isn’t just a game with a gimmick – some “annoying” time limit thingy. It’s not about collecting cool masks. It’s not about finally getting the chance to play as a Deku, Goron, or Zora. It’s not even about defeating Skullkid, stopping The Moon, and saving Termina. It’s much more than that. Much more. It’s an extended metaphor, an allegory, a microcosm – all those “stupid” literary terms you thought you’d never have to know outside the classroom.

How MM expresses its themes is quite subtle, even unnoticeable. Well, “un-notice” no more, because an epiphany is right around the corner. And it’s yours for the taking. Drink up, why don’t ya? Your glass is about to be refilled.

Again... and Again...

So you wake up one morning. You sublimely go through the motions. After all, it’s just another inconsequential day. And when evening comes, you go to sleep knowing that tomorrow is another day – another ‘X’ on the calendar… Except it’s not. In fact, tomorrow is the same day as yesterday, and the day after that is the same as before. The days are all the same. There’s no movement forward – just the same sameness. Everyone in your life is repeating the exact routine over and over, day after day, and yet you are the only one to realize this.

This is the simple premise of the movie “Groundhog Day,” directed by Harold “Egon” Ramis and starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. If you haven’t seen the movie already, I highly recommend doing so. It’s a light-hearted comedy from 1993 put on Roger Ebert’s list of Great Movies in January of this year.

The movie is about a pessimistic, narcissistic, egocentric weatherman named Phil Connors (Murray), who travels to a remote town in Pennsylvania to do his mundane annual story on Punxsutawney Phil, the famous groundhog. He is accompanied by his sweet, good-natured producer (MacDowell) and his faithful cameraman (Chris Elliott). After Phil reluctantly does the story, he hurls some insults at townsfolk and at his crew, continuing the day with a sour attitude. He figures it’s just one more day he can forget about tomorrow. But not so fast. In an amazing twist, Phil wakes up the next morning to the same Sonny and Cher song playing on his alarm clock as yesterday. Eventually getting the hints as he goes about his day, he realizes he is repeating the same day – Groundhog Day. And it seems there will be no end to the repetitiveness or the day.

I bring this movie up as a reference for several reasons of which I will detail. First and foremost, this movie is widely believed to have been the inspiration for MM. I’m not sure whether this has been confirmed by Aunoma, himself, but the parallels are undeniable. Understanding these parallels will help you better understand the argument I will put forth. So let’s start with the basics, the most apparent similarity. This is the time loop.

The Curse of the Time Loop

A time loop is a phenomenon where time runs only for a set period (days or hours). When the period is over, time cycles back to the beginning of that period and continues in this veritable loop of infinity. Think of it as playing a CD on continuous. I call this a phenomenon because there are no recorded incidences of this happening to anyone, but the possibility is still there. As we learn more and more about wormholes and space-time travel, fictitious ideas like the time loop might not be so far-fetched. After all, practically everyone experiences déjà vu. Déjà vu is the feeling that you have seen or experienced something before. Maybe déjà vu is not an illusion, as some psychologists claim, but instead you were just caught in a time loop. Anything’s possible, right?

Using a time loop is an interesting way to throw familiar characters into an unfamiliar situation, especially in the sci-fi genre. TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation, Stargate: SG-1, and Dr. Who have used this plot device, as well as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The X-Files. Groundhog Day is one of few films to realize the time loop, and MM is the only video game to bring the idea to complete fruition in an interactive experience.

The effects of a time loop are somewhat similar in all its appearances. Usually only one or a few main characters realizes that the time loop exists. Once the time loop resets, all of the characters not privy to the knowledge lose their memories. The remaining character(s) is left to re-experience the time, while retaining all his/her prior knowledge. So it can consequently be a curse for those in the know.

The curse of such a plight can best be explained by the Greek mythological story of King Sisyphus. It’s not exactly clear where the idea for the time loop originated, but a good indication could be this story. King Sisyphus was said to be the craftiest of men, said to have outwitted even Death. When Thanatos (Greek mythology’s version of the Grim Reaper) came to take Sisyphus to Hades (underworld), Sisyphus chained up Thanatos. This effectively shut down the flow of people into Hades until Ares (god of war) freed Thanatos and delivered Sisyphus into rightful hands.

But that was not all. Before he died, Sisyphus told his wife not to offer the usual sacrifice to the dead when he passed. She complied, and in the underworld, Sisyphus complained to Hades (god of the underworld) that his wife was neglecting her duty to him. He slyly convinced Hades to allow him to go back to the upper world to chastise her. Of course when he got back to his home of Corinth, he positively refused to return to Hades, until he was forcibly carried away.

When Zeus found out about all of Sisyphus’ misdeeds, he cursed Sisyphus to an eternal punishment. Sisyphus was made to roll a large boulder up a steep hill. But just before it reached the top, the stone rolled back down and Sisyphus would have to start all over again. Talk about a real purgatory, eh!

This time loop of pushing the boulder up the hill, only to have it roll back down again, perfectly illustrates the negative aspects of such a situation. Though you make progress towards a goal, time resets, and you’re back to square one with the knowledge that you were so close before. After only a few repetitions, one is certain to get angry, go insane, or both.

And this is just what happens in Groundhog Day. Coming to the realization of his “eternal punishment,” Phil does everything from electrocuting himself, jumping off of a building, and walking in front of a semi, to taking the groundhog hostage and driving off a cliff. He’s so severely disturbed with his predicament, that suicide and violence become as inconsequential as brushing his teeth. I guarantee it’s this same curse that deters some would-be players from enjoying MM. It’s initially frustrating knowing that no matter what you do in three days time, most everything goes back to the way it was. You play your ocarina and just like that, you are back to morning of Day 1. The Moon is back to the highest part in the sky, slowly descending, and everyone else in Termina doesn’t know you. You are alone.

And this was just the case for me. Personally, I first hated Majora's Mask. Why on earth would you make a game where you have to start all over again and again and again? I felt very alone and alienated. Nobody really knew who I was. After the time loop cycled back, I was just some green-clothed stranger again. It made me feel indifferrent - no, worse than indifferent, i just didn't care about anything in the game. That's the real curse. It's not the time loop, but your subsequent feelings and attitude from it.

A God's Knowledge Is Power

There are still some positive aspects of the time loop. In Groundhog Day, Phil uses his extended, albeit repetitive time to learn how to the play piano, to speak French, and to get to know just about every single one of the townspeople. In fact, he knows when everything is going to happen and to whom. Because he retains his knowledge, Phil seems like some mysterious god to everyone around him. He knows precisely when a kid is going to fall from a tree. He knows when the waitress at the coffee joint is going to break a dish. He even starts to think, "Maybe God has just been around a long time and knows everything."

Now this really parallels MM. The handy Bomber's Notebook is the way you record the details of the day. But being able to travel back to the beginning to relive every aspect of three days in Termina breeds a great power. You can learn everything, and you have the time to do this at your leisure. It's funny how many can chastise the game for not having enough time, yet the time you have is infinite. I know I was one to feel that time crunch.

This leads to a second level of understanding similarly in Groundhog Day and MM. A deeper level. I have to say, I didn't quite realize until about halfway through the game. I don't remember at which point exactly, I just remember this sort of change of heart. For me it was a rebirth, an almost religious experience, where the spiritual "Aha" moment was as clear as day. And I hope when you're done, you'll see the light as well.

There is a time in the game when I realized I know everybody in and out of Termina. I know who they are, what their personalities are like, and what they will be doing at each minute of the name. So, what does one do with such power? If you knew something bad was going to happen, would you prevent it? If you had all the knowledge in the world, would you use it for good?

Phil Connors has a change of heart and does. He saves a child from a sever injury. He feeds a homeless man. He becomes the nice guy. This is one of the fundamental questions in the game as well. Brush aside the details of MM, and how you earn heart pieces and masks. Why do you help people in Termina? Is it because you care about them? Is it because you know their fate if you don't? Think about it in life. Why do you help anyone in real life? What's the reason? Are you a generous person? Or are your motives self-important? Answer these questions and you just may understand the following points

As I said before, MM is a deep game. Because underlying all of the masks, characters, and colors are the deep questions of real life. What would you do differently if you could relive one moment? Are things in life worth regretting? Questions like these can be answered if one lives in the time loop. Having the special knowledge of things to happen and things to come, you gain an appreciation for consequences. You know what's going to happen if you don't stop Sakon from robbing the old woman. You know what's going to happen if you don't stop the aliens at Romani, or the thieves on the road to Termina. You know what's going to happen if you don't listen to a troubled heart, or teach sisters to dance. There is a morality in the game which is brought about by this time loop. And if you learn from this morality and apply it to life in the same way, you will attain an optimism for life.

Optimism Revisited

So why does this moral realization in MM lead to optimism in life? Simple. You can see the difference a little kindness makes. You can be happy knowing that life sometimes puts you in difficult circumstances, and all you need is a little kindness and a moral standing to keep you afloat.

MM is about introspection. Look inside yourself and find that moral compass. It’s about value and worth. See the consequences of goodness in life. It’s about meaning – a truly “religious experience.”

This game is about realization. Realize that the small things in life do matter. You can be a “hero” without being The Hero. You don’t need to save the world to make a difference in it. Just be a friend to the friendless. Listen to grandpa’s or grandma’s stories. Live your days as Groundhog Days. I mean, you most likely will never be caught in a time loop outside MM. You only get one chance to get things right. So take whatever lessons are in game and apply them to your life. Do whatever is the righteous thing. I promise the message in MM is good, and at least "half-full" of an altogether positive outlook. At least that's the way I see it now.

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