Why Termina is Termina?

[Mr.Verto]

As we know well the land in MM is called Termina, that means she ended in spanish. Do you believe maybe Terminas name means earth ended (earth is a female) likke if it is a frontier in the world or dimension,galaxy,universe..whatever

 

[NorthApple]

I can see what you're saying, and possibly you're right... but I just presumed Nintendo were going for some general foreshadowing with the name (since various variations of the Latin root word "Terminus" (the end) appear in a lot of european languages, e.g. Terminar (spanish), Terminal (english), Terminal(e) (french), Terminal(e) (Italian) etc ) rather than being as specific as you're suggesting... but I don't dispute it certainly fits though, if it refered to the fact the earth/world is ending as you say... world being both physical and metaphorical, since Termina does seem to be at the forefront of technology, etc.

Also, someone on ZeldaWiki posted another theory, that maybe "Its name may also derive from the phrase "world terminus" used to describe places where one can access many other areas (e.g. a hub area, such as Hyrule field) and may also refer to Termina's compass-like geography." -ZeldaWiki
...That makes me think of the part at the very start as you travel to clocktown down that twisted passageway... I think it's suggesting maybe Termina's the place that joins other lands together (and if that ended, that would be like the end of the world etc)

But I don't know... I still lean towards the fact it's probably just some general foreshadowing at the fact it's fated to be destroyed unless you do something about it XDD Interesting idea though~

 

[initialDable]

Strange "Termine" in german means appointments I think...???

I think it goes with the latin "Terminus" end because the owl in the swamp said that the land was destined to fade away (or terminate), but Link changed the destiny of Termina

 

[Toon_Link]

I think I get what you're saying, but I'd have to agree initialDable it makes more sense since there's in game proof on it. You're theory makes sense since Termina does mean end in several different languages.

 

[PhantomTriforce]

I never really thought about it, but it's just a name, so I don't think one should too much thought into it.
On the other hand, it does symbolize the to-be destiny of the land, so the goddesses, knowing the possible fate of the land could have named it so.

 

[DeletedUser9]

I'm afraid there's not really basis for that, Zeldafan. We have some indication of what Termina is already, and that's an alternate dimension. We can pretty much get it that it's a traditional sort of alternate dimension from the fact that it contains alternate versions of many people. So I don't think there's much reasons to think it's anything deeper. That would be interesting, but alas it seems to be something much simpler.

Also, someone on ZeldaWiki posted another theory, that maybe "Its name may also derive from the phrase "world terminus" used to describe places where one can access many other areas (e.g. a hub area, such as Hyrule field) and may also refer to Termina's compass-like geography." -ZeldaWiki
...That makes me think of the part at the very start as you travel to clocktown down that twisted passageway... I think it's suggesting maybe Termina's the place that joins other lands together (and if that ended, that would be like the end of the world etc)

But I don't know... I still lean towards the fact it's probably just some general foreshadowing at the fact it's fated to be destroyed unless you do something about it XDD Interesting idea though~

Yeah, thank you for bringing up the other meaning of the term, because I had forgot what it was. >.<

I basically support this theory. Consider it this way, yeah Termina was under threat of complete destruction, but that never actually ended up happening. Also consider that the entire game plays on the compass directions and world terminus kind of concept. The entire game is built strictly on that idea. It's very solid in there.

The foreshadowing idea is interesting, and I'll admit it as possible. But it seems kind of an odd choice since the world does not end up being destroyed and because there are plenty of stories with the threat of the end of the world, where the world isn't named after something apocalyptic. I think it's just no where near as solidly grounded as the world terminus theory.

 

[Flagpole]

I do talk spanish here in my country, and, of course, I do know what the verb 'Termina' means, but I don't really think it is connected with the spanish language: it is more likely to me that it is connected with latin.

 

[DuckNoises]

I agree with NorthApple; I think it is an allusion to the word "terminate"/terminus, which is the "termination" of the world; since Majora's Mask features a doomsday scenario in which the moon crashes into the earth (a "termination"), you get Termina, which is derived from similar Latin roots.
Whether or not the moon actually crashes into the earth is more ambiguous, given the nature of the time travel and whether the fabric of reality is maintained, etc. The fact that the doomsday scenario is implied throughout most of the story to be an eventuality is decent evidence to assume that this could be the origin of the name "Termina."

 

[Master]

See , these are the types of Threads i love . It actually makes you "think out of the box "

 

[DeletedUser9]

Whether or not the moon actually crashes into the earth is more ambiguous, given the nature of the time travel and whether the fabric of reality is maintained, etc. The fact that the doomsday scenario is implied throughout most of the story to be an eventuality is decent evidence to assume that this could be the origin of the name "Termina."

It's not ambiguous at all really if you pay close enough attention. It's clear, actually. Link plays the Song of Time to "return" to the 1st day. Now that doesn't make much sense until you realize a few things. Not only are there not several Links running around and events being solved around you without you physically doing them (because of your previous intervention), but you LOSE YOUR ITEMS. Why would you lose them if you were traveling THROUGH time? You wouldn't. It's clear that MM has a rewind, rather than time travel. There's really no other theory that holds water.

 

[bradley]

It's not ambiguous at all really if you pay close enough attention. It's clear, actually. Link plays the Song of Time to "return" to the 1st day. Now that doesn't make much sense until you realize a few things. Not only are there not several Links running around and events being solved around you without you physically doing them (because of your previous intervention), but you LOSE YOUR ITEMS. Why would you lose them if you were traveling THROUGH time? You wouldn't. It's clear that MM has a rewind, rather than time travel. There's really no other theory that holds water.

Actually, there are a couple issues I have with this theory.
*If time just rewinds, then how does Link have his memory of the events that happened in the future?
*Why don't the remains of the bosses and the permanent items and masks go away once he travels back in time?
That being said, I partly agree with your theory. I think the Song of Time rewinds time and keeps Link and everything important with him in their current states. That's why you don't find the same permanent items or masks/remains twice in a row. I think the disposable items were either not important enough to go back in time with Link, thus they were lost in time, or simply went away for gameplay purposes.

To answer the original question, I believe that Termina is simply a neighboring country near the land of Hyrule, not an alternate dimension.

 

[Satsy]

Well it wouldn't be much of a game if Link rewound, had no memory of the things that changed, and ended up doing it again.

Link's keeping of his memory could be attributed to his having the Ocarina of Time, or it could be part of a product of not being a Termina local. Why other things (like masks) remain changed could be a product of Majora's magic. Much like most of the curses in this game, by picking at that curse it will unravel. Each little curse that Majora and the Skull Kid wove throughout Termina can be unbound, before you get to the bigger, more threatening curses (like the moon). Once unbound, that curse won't return. Though this could mean possibly that the Skull Kid/Majora are, throughout the game, not tied by time either.

Having not touched the game in a very long time, I must ask, on that subject: When you start the game you're already on the 3rd day. I can't remember if we see the Skull Kid run up the Clock Tower, and if we do, whether or not you'll see this every time you reach that point in that day. From what I recall, you don't, but some clarification would probably be good.

 

[Steve]

*If time just rewinds, then how does Link have his memory of the events that happened in the future?

Link is the one who played the song on the ocarina, so it only makes sense that he would be unaffected by a rewind.

*Why don't the remains of the bosses and the permanent items and masks go away once he travels back in time?

Because then you would have to beat all the temples in one sitting, which would only make things more difficult for the player.

To answer the original question, I believe that Termina is simply a neighboring country near the land of Hyrule, not an alternate dimension.

http://zeldadungeon.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=298&pid=10281#top_display_media

That theory is not possible since it was already confirmed that it is indeed a parallel dimension.

Anyway, it seems the name derives from the word terminate, which makes a lot of sense since the land is doomed to destruction, after all.

 

[Majora's Cat]

Not only does Termina mean terminate in the English language, it has to do with the word "end" in many major languages. As for the details of Link rewinding in time, I don't believe it makes sense that your rupees can remain with the banker, yet the rest of your items like arrows and bombs disappear. Plus, how does Link even keep the major items? When these ideas are tossed around, it will not make sense in reality. That being said, Majora's Mask is not reality, is it?

 

[DuckNoises]

It's not ambiguous at all really if you pay close enough attention. It's clear, actually. Link plays the Song of Time to "return" to the 1st day. Now that doesn't make much sense until you realize a few things. Not only are there not several Links running around and events being solved around you without you physically doing them (because of your previous intervention), but you LOSE YOUR ITEMS. Why would you lose them if you were traveling THROUGH time? You wouldn't. It's clear that MM has a rewind, rather than time travel. There's really no other theory that holds water.

I agree that he's rewinding time, but that doesn't necessarily mean that that reality doesn't continue on without him. I never said anything about multiple links, either; in fact, I largely agreed with you on a thread that dealt specifically with time travel in MM. The first sentence in this reply is about the only disagreement between us that I can recall. I just don't think they continue on with the story of that reality because it would seem irrelevant; the notion of inevitability in Termina's destruction is much darker, and would have Link just leave that specific 3-day time span behind to its fate every time he fails to save it. Whether time continues after Link goes back to the first day can't be proven or disproven, nor is it particularly relevant to the argument; I just find it fits the tone better to have Termina end every time he does not stop the moon from falling.