Spoiler Connection Between Fused Shadows and Majora's Mask?

[Master Sword13]

Hello! For those of you who somewhat know who I am, thanks for paying attention! (For those of you who don't, I started the discussion that Majora may or may not appear in SS, so check it out if you want to.)

I will warn you now, there is somewhat of a spoiler in Twilight Princess, so if you don't want to be spoiled, enter the Gerudo Dessert to be safe from all spoilers.

This time I think I chose the right place to put my theory, and I want to talk about the relationships and differences between the Fused Shadows and Majora's Mask.
Summed up legend of Fused Shadows: Used by dark interlopers (someone who comes into a situation where they are not wanted or do not belong) to find and take control of the Triforce. However the interlopers failed and the Fused Shadows were sealed away by the Spirits of Light and the Goddesses.
Summed up legend of Majora's Mask: A dark mask that was used for hexing rituals by a dark tribe. The mask was later sealed away because the mask would eventually corrupt the wearer of it.

This could mean a lot based on who listens to the legends, however there are some minor relationships that I want to point out. First, both the Fused Shadows and Majora's Mask were used by 'dark' people. (Dark Tribe, dark interlopers.) However for different reasons. Fused Shadows were used in an attempt to get the Triforce. Majora's Mask was used to hex or curse individuals. However, both the Fused Shadows and Majora's Mask present a large amount of power to the person who has them. (Midna becomes the twilight spider thingy, and the wearer of Majora's Mask just is basically unstoppable. Kinda.)

Another thing that i want to point out is that both of these evil items are masks. Technically. Fused Shadows make a helmet, but it seems like somewhat of a mask to me, and Majora's Mask is as the name says, a mask. Not much else to be said about that, but all this will add up, at least in my mind.

Finally, the dark interlopers got involved in the Triforce obsession war thing, and the dark tribe just used Majora's Mask to curse people. My theory that could be possible is that the dark tribe's ancestors traveled from Termina upon hearing of the Triforce, and instead of using Majora's Mask (because Link destroyed it so long ago) they created and used a new hexing tool known as the Fused Shadows. They created the Fused Shadows to gain more power and not be possessed by them. (As they were with Majora's Mask.) Now when Zant steals the Fused Shadows, he says "Did you honestly mean to take an ancient and withered power like this and turn it against me?" After Midna defies against Zant, he says "How dare you?! Are you implying that my power is... our old magic? Now THAT is a joke!" This proves that the Fused Shadows are old, ancient and powerful, however as it appears, not as powerful as Zant's power. Later he is proved wrong when Midna is able to kill Zant with the Fused Shadows. Whether or not this has anything to do with Link beating him up or not I don't know, but I think Zant's second quote is interesting. Midna believes that the power Zant uses is their 'old magic' and Midna knows Zant is powerful. This would imply that Midna believes Zant is using an ancient power from their ancestors of the dark interlopers.

So my theory, Fused Shadows were the replacements of Majora's Mask, and they were created by the same tribe, the dark tribe. What do you think?

 

[Locke]

Nice argument! A wonderful surprise for someone expecting another FS=MM theory.

My theory that could be possible is that the dark tribe's ancestors traveled from Termina upon hearing of the Triforce, and instead of using Majora's Mask (because Link destroyed it so long ago) they created and used a new hexing tool known as the Fused Shadows.

little discrepency here. The Fused Shadow was created well before OoT. MM still existed after OoT. MM was also never destroyed. It was given back to the HMS at the end of MM, after which we know nothing of its fate.

Now when Zant steals the Fused Shadows, he says "Did you honestly mean to take an ancient and withered power like this and turn it against me?" After Midna defies against Zant, he says "How dare you?! Are you implying that my power is... our old magic? Now THAT is a joke!" This proves that the Fused Shadows are old, ancient and powerful, however as it appears, not as powerful as Zant's power.

I'm not sure if this is what you meant by this, but in case anyone else doesn't understand those quotes properly, the "ancient and withered power" and "our old magic" is that of the fused shadow, while Zant's power is that of Ganondorf and his ToP.

 

[Tony]

I have heard a lot of debate on this and my opinion. It is just a fun little reference nintendo did. I really don't think it's plausable that the fused shadows and majora's mask have a connection.

 

[DuckNoises]

I'm not sure if this is what you meant by this, but in case anyone else doesn't understand those quotes properly, the "ancient and withered power" and "our old magic" is that of the fused shadow, while Zant's power is that of Ganondorf and his ToP.

I'm going to have to agree with this one. Zant was virtually powerless (figuratively and literally) before usurping the throne, having been a servant, if I recall correctly. He was ambitious and easily tempted by Ganondorf's promise of power, and Ganondorf used him as a puppet. That's where Zant got the power to usurp the throne and exile Midna.

There isn't any proven relationship between Majora's Mask and the Fused Shadows, merely that they are of similar origin. It's unlikely that they are connected, because Termina seems like it is an isolated reality, whereas the Twilight Realm has been traveled to and from, multiple times. As far as we know, the only people from Hyrule to visit Termina have been the Hero of Time and the Happy Mask Salesman; from what we know, Majora's Mask itself (and the group associated with it) existed exclusively within Termina. If the Twilight Realm and Termina were more closely connected, I imagine that there would be more references to events in Termina within Twilight Princess. It may be a hint at timeline placement on behalf of Twilight Princess, creating a sense of adjacency merely by a common theme. However, for the time being, it's just either a coincidence or a lack of originality on Nintendo's part.

 

[Master Sword13]

What I meant is that Midna figures that because she knows Zant is powerful, and the Fused Shadows are powerful, she suspects that Zant is using a power from their ancestors, the dark interlopers, and the Fused Shadows were what he was after, so she needed to get them first. However when their encounter happens, she is told he gained his power from his 'god.'

As of destroying Majora's Mask, I haven't fully completed the game yet, but if it is given back to the Happy Mask Salesman than I would suspect that he attempted to destroy it or seal it away again. It could also mean that he was hoping to use Majora's Mask against Ganondorf, because he knew Ganondorf would return. (Look at the legend of WW.) It seems to me that the Happy Mask Salesman knows a lot, don't you?

What I meant is that Midna figures that because she knows Zant is powerful, and the Fused Shadows are powerful, she suspects that Zant is using a power from their ancestors, the dark interlopers, and the Fused Shadows were what he was after, so she needed to get them first. However when their encounter happens, she is told he gained his power from his 'god.'

As of destroying Majora's Mask, I haven't fully completed the game yet, but if it is given back to the Happy Mask Salesman than I would suspect that he attempted to destroy it or seal it away again. It could also mean that he was hoping to use Majora's Mask against Ganondorf, because he knew Ganondorf would return. (Look at the legend of WW.) It seems to me that the Happy Mask Salesman knows a lot, don't you?