General Classic The Ever Mysterious Skull Kid

[Mask-Salesman]

Currently I am busy with my second playthrough of Twilight Princess. Things are going smooth and I'm at the City in the Sky temple as we speak. It was a long time ago I played this game however, and during this second play through I got even more facinated by the Skull Kid. As you may have noticed, I am a big Majora's Mask fan, not in the least because of the awesome arch-nemesis you had in this game; the Skull Kid. Maybe this is the start of my fascination for this mysterious character. In my opinion, it might be the most mysterious character of all.

The Skull Kid appeared for the first time in OoT, where it could be found in the Lost Woods. When you find him as a kid, he appears friendly. Meet him as an adult and he attacks you. For me this adds to his childish, playfull character. He likes kids but he hates adults.

Second appearance is offcourse Majora's Mask. This is the first and only time you really get to interact with the (or an?) Skull Kid. At first he seems like a force of major evil, but later you learn that he himself was just a victim. He and Link even become friends in the end. This theme of redemption was one of the reasons MM was so awesome in my opinion.

Third appearance was in Twilight Princess, in the Sacred Grove. You face him twice, one time when you have to retrieve the Master Sword and once when you try to reach the Temple of Time. To me this is by far the most mysterious version. He only laughs childishly at you, blowing his pipes and sending his puppets. The freaky part is when he gets angry and stomps the ground with massive force. Then you see he isn't a kid but an extremely powerfull entity. Loved the design on this one as well.

I was just wondering what the connection between these forms or incarnations was? Is it all the same Skull Kid, only in different times? And how do you feel about this character? Would you like to see it again in future games? What's up with his love for masks (Majora's Mask and Skull Mask)? Which one is your favourite form?

I'd love to hear your opinions!

 

[PalaeoJoe]

A lot of people always seem to think that the skull kid in Twilight Princes is the same one we see in Majora's Mask, but although this could very well could be true there is not really any evidence for or against this. When I played the game for the first time I was exited just to see a skull kid because they are just such cool creatures. I would like to see them again in future games as a race not as a single character.

 

[Random Person]

I wouldn' say skull kid being a powerful entity eliminates him from being a kid. He may just have eternal youth. After all, MM says that he existed before the giants separated. Because the carnival is celebrating this moment and the Gorman Troup Leader says things that prove the carnival has been going on for years, that means skull kid had stayed a kid all that long time.
Living for so long in the magical world of hyrule, particularly in the lost woods where magic is abundant, it isn't farfetched to believe he became more powerful over time or found some object, like a magic horn, that would give him powers.

 

[Dimooshky]

The Skull Kid is one of my favourite characters in all gaming, let alone Zelda. I really don't know where the TP Skull Kid fits in, but what I do find interesting is how he carries a lamp very similar to the lamp held by the game's Imp Poes. Also I love how the pipe he plays in the sacred grove bares a resemblance both visually and audibly to the Deku pipes from MM.

 

[SkullKitty]

I would like to see more of Skull Kid (which might happen if MM is remade). :3 There isn't evidence to support that the Skull Kid from TP is the same one from MM but he could be. Actually, I think it would interesting to see the Skull Kids' relationship with the Kokiri or other denizens of the forest. How would they react to each other? I can see Skull Kids playing with Deku.. haha :3

 

[Mask-Salesman]

@ Dimoosky

You have a point with the pipes resembling the Deku Scrub Piper in a way. They could be related in some way.

 

[Zurriel]

I always thought the skull kid in TP was the same one, mainly because he know Saria's song, which she only taught to her friends. I always figured that since Link befriended him in both OoT and MM that he got Saria to teach the skull kid at some point and time.. I don't have any evidence but I didn't see any reason why not.

 

[ApeironLight]

I always thought the skull kid in TP was the same one, mainly because he know Saria's song, which she only taught to her friends. I always figured that since Link befriended him in both OoT and MM that he got Saria to teach the skull kid at some point and time.. I don't have any evidence but I didn't see any reason why not.

Pretty sure you teach Saria's Song to Skull Kid in OoT.

 

[Zurriel]

Pretty sure you teach Saria's Song to Skull Kid in OoT.

Ohh....I should have known that... But it is still valid!

 

[Mask-Salesman]

I always thought the skull kid in TP was the same one, mainly because he know Saria's song, which she only taught to her friends. I always figured that since Link befriended him in both OoT and MM that he got Saria to teach the skull kid at some point and time.. I don't have any evidence but I didn't see any reason why not.

Yeah, but how come his appearance changes so much then? In OoT and MM they don't differ extremely much but in TP it's like a whole new Skull Kid.
I dunnow what the order of these three Zelda's is, timeline wise?

 

[Zurriel]

Yeah, but how come his appearance changes so much then? In OoT and MM they don't differ extremely much but in TP it's like a whole new Skull Kid.
I dunnow what the order of these three Zelda's is, timeline wise?

The order is OoT, MM and then Twilight Princess happens a really long time after MM. Skull Kidis the exact same in OoT and MM, the main difference is that he wears the skull mask in OoT.The only in game connection I have is that the Skull Kid in TP know Saria's song and now that ApeironLight has enlightened me, this is the song that the Link in OoT teaches him. So unless Saria taught a diffrent Skull Kid, I believe it must be the same one. (Isn't she also the monkey in TP??)

We already know from MM and OoT that the Skull Kid is long lived or immortal

Spoiler

Given that Skull Kid recognizes Link from before Majora's Mask,[41][15] and that he has the same fondness for intimidating masks as the Skull Kid of Ocarina of Time, it can be inferred that these two Skull Kids are one and the same. Thus, the Skull Kid was present early in Terminian history before the world was split into four, then appeared in Hyrule during Ocarina of Time, and some time after returned to Termina for Majora's Mask. This Skull Kid must therefore possess the ability to travel back and forth between Termina and Hyrule at will. In Anju's Grandmother's story, it is said that the Skull Kid was ordered to depart from Termina and "return to the heavens" after provoking the Four Giants' wrath.[21][22] The "heavens" Skull Kid returns to could possibly be Hyrule.
Depending on how long ago the sundering of Termina took place—which is never specified—Skull Kid could have aged centuries or even millenia by the time of Majora's Mask, and even more by Twilight Princess if it is the same individual. Hence, Skull Kid is immortal or at least very long-lived.

(From the Wiki, not a Spoiler, just avoiding clutter)
Other things to consider.
His Horn seems to be the thing that gives him power, so maybe the Skull Kid found it after the events of MM. Dimooshky said that his horn plays very similar to the Deku Pipes (I heard that has a flute, but I've never seen one like that)
He still likes to play games and tricks.
When ever he summons puppets to attack you only 4 appear at a time, this could be related to MM.
He appears to be the Guardian of Sacred Grove, so how exactly did get this position? Could the Horn be related?
Does anyone else think it's strange that the Skull Kid in TP doesn't wear a mask of any kind?

 

[Spiritual Mask Salesman]

Skull kid is the same person in both OoT and MM.

 

[Wolf Sage]

I originally thought that it was common knowledge by now that the Skull Kid in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask are one and the same; Hyrule Historia even cements this fact, but alas, not everyone is a seasoned veteran of the series.... Anyway, Link teaches the Skull Kid Saria's Song in OoT, and also gives it a Skull Mask during the trading sequence; the Skull Kid mentions the former at the end of MM. It isn't too farfetched to think that the Skull Kid in Twilight Princess is one and the same as well, as that is what Nintendo appears to have been going for, though that alone is uncertain. Its design is not good indicator, either, as with each new game on a new, improved console comes new, improved designs and graphics—the Skull Kid being one of 'em. What we do know, however, is that it knows Saria's Song, inhabits the woods once known as Lost Woods, and it (in some ways) draws visual similarities to its past spiritual incarnations, including a face that some claim to resemble the Moon from MM. If anything, TP's Skull Kid is probably just the lingering spirit of the original Skull Kid who decided to help out an old friend (Link) on his mission, all the while being its playful and imp-like self.

Nintendo needs to do more stuff like this with its characters.

---

Also, the Skull Kid is slated to appear in Super Smash Bros. Wii U... as an assist trophy.

 

[Spiritual Mask Salesman]

Yeah I get what you mean, that's what I said, not only that but at the end of majora's mask skull kid tells link he remembers him.

 

[Mask-Salesman]

I originally thought that it was common knowledge by now that the Skull Kid in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask are one and the same; Hyrule Historia even cements this fact, but alas, not everyone is a seasoned veteran of the series....

I didn't know that indeed. But isn't it so that there were multiple Skull Kids in OoT? I looked it up and found this image.

So there is at least 2 Skull Kids in OoT. So how do you know for certain the one in MM is the one you sell your mask too in OoT. The love for masks makes it very plausible, but you don't know for sure, right?