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Theory on Kafei

TatlTails

WANTS HER VMS BACK
Joined
Jan 14, 2013
Location
Ente Isla
OK so I'm writing this on no sleep but I think this could be plausible.

Zelda fans have been debating since Majora's Mask came out about who was supposed to be Link's counterpart in Termina. The Deku Butler's Son, Tingle, even Skull Kid himself were options discussed.

But I actually think it's Kafei.

Not only is he the only other playable character in the game, redesigned from Link's model, and sporting some impressive 90's bangs, but his situation mirrors Link's so perfectly.

Think about it. In OoT, Link is an unpopular orphan child, who is forced into an adult body by powers above his own, depends on his closest companion throughout his quest, and ends up losing her when he gets his true form back for good.

Kafei is the mayor's son, with loving parents and a town that loves him. He is forced into a child's body by a power above his own, doesn't dare face his closest companion until his own 'quest' has been completed, and when he gets his true form back he gets to marry her.

They're both apt heroes in their own way, Link with childish bravery and immediate action while Kafei uses more mature cunning and spywork. They're perfect foils for each other if you look closely enough, and now I wish Kafei would have been able to be a bigger character than he was.

Long story short, I really think this is plausible. If you take a close enough look at the two, Kafei and Link are more closely tied together than one would think.
 

Link Floyd

ᵒⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ʳᵘⁿ
Joined
Sep 23, 2014
Nice theory. ^^

I don't think there's anyway to disprove this theory...but I always though it was more plausible that the Fierce Diety was Link's counterpart in Termina. It seems more likely because he resembles Link more closely and they both have abilities to defeat evil. As far as we know, Kafei doesn't have that.

I like your theory a lot, and there are many similarities between Link and Kafei, but I just don't think they're in anyway related in that way. Also, Termina counterparts typically look exactly like their counterparts in Hyrule.

Unless...Kafei was originally blond and grew his hair out and dyed it purple.
 

Spiritual Mask Salesman

CHIMer Dragonborn
Staff member
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I've seen this theory before, it's actually subjected to alot of scrutinizing. Unfortunately it always leads to a dead end.

In order for there to be a counterpart to Link in Termina there must also be clearly defined counterparts to both Zelda and Ganondorf.

In order to find a counterpart to Zelda we must look for a thriving equivalent to the Hylian Royal Family in Termina. The Ikana Royal Family would work, but the game indicates it had already declined long before Link entered Termina. There is the Deku Royal Family, but it's rather small, secluded, and the Deku seem to keep to themselves. If we assume the Deku Princess is a counterpart to Zelda that basically debunks the Kafei theory. We can try saying that Anju is Zelda's counterpart, but that theory is unlikely because it's commonplace for most theorist to believe she's simply the counterpart in Termina to Hyrule's Cucco Girl in Kakariko village. Plus if we go by your theory she'd be more of a counterpart to Navi.

As for Ganondorf, the closest thing to the Gerudo are the Great Bay pirates although there is nothing that suggests the pirates have a male amoungst them, a counterpart to Ganondorf cannot be found there. The fact that the Twin Witches, Koume and Kotake (who in Hyrule are Ganondorf's surrogate mothers) in Termina have no association with the pirates also leads to the fact that a counterpart to Ganondorf in Termina simply doesn't exist.

One cannot exist without the other two, and anyway it can be pieced together it never works, which is why even if Kafei is a counterpart to Link it'd be very problematic.

The simple answer is that there is no counterpart to Link, Ganondorf, or Zelda in Termina. See if you think about it the land is not unified, there is no monarchy to unify it, if there was a Triforce it no longer exists, there is no Master Sword, there is no evil, and likewise, no Hero to fight evil. That is the whole reason Link's presence was needed, Termina had no true heroes because in the past they didn't have any evil threats. The evil that was brought upon them by Majora's Mask was something new which caught them off guard, that is why there wasn't anyone who could take on Skull Kid (who was possessed by the mask) besides Link. Majora's Mask can't even be deemed native to Termina due to the fact that the Happy Mask Salesman was attacked by Skull Kid in the Lost Woods, which is in Hyrule. From there Skull Kid brought the mask into Termina.

It isn't like Lorule were there is a Triforce, a Master Sword, and counterparts to Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf (Ravio, Hilda, and Yugu), Termina is a mirrored image of what Hyrule could be if it didn't have those elements, it'd be peaceful unless the peace becomes disrupted by something not native to the land.
 
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Lord_Cathaseigh

Like a sir.
Joined
Apr 21, 2012
I think some people may be taking the whole counterpart thing too seriously. Kafei to me definitely embodies a lot of the virtues that Link does, and has a lot of characteristics that seem to be based on him. There doesn't neccesarily have to be a Terminian counterpart for every character included in the Hylian canon; nor does there need to be a counterpart for Zelda and Ganondorf.

I take each iteration of a character's doppelganger in Termina as being a way to further flesh out that character, to further flesh out stories we didn't get the chance to have illustrated to us before because of their original character's being stuck within in their original canon. The beauty of Termina,to me, is it's "what-ifs". What if Link was born to a well-to-family instead of as an orphan forced to grow up in the woods? What if the witches from OoT were given a fleshed out character of their own, instead of just being old manipulative hags?

That really, to me, is what we're defining here as Link's counter-part. Kafei is, game-playwise at least ,the biggest collection of "what-ifs" of them all.

As in, "what-if Link had developed romantic feelings for someone?"
or "what if Link was a little bit more of a developed character, and had access to all these skills like this and this and this". He's Link's medium for all things "what-if", and I think he really plays the part.
 
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