Majora’s Mask Moon Guide

The moon is possibly the most iconic image from The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. It takes center stage on the cover of the 3DS remake, and for a good reason! The moon will crash into Termina in three days and kill all in its wake. And as your clock ticks down, the moon lingers overhead, always visible, and never lets you forget it.

Majora’s Mask maintains such a delightfully ominous atmosphere, largely thanks to the moon and its ever-present threat. But there’s more to the moon than just set dressing. The moon is itself the stage for the final boss against the titular Majora’s Mask and is where you’ll find the final mask of the game: the Fierce Deity Mask.

There’s so much to the moon and the endgame of Majora’s Mask, so let’s not waste any more time as I tell you everything you need to know.

Before we go any further, a quick SPOILER WARNING. I will be extensively discussing the end of Majora’s Mask, so take caution if you want to avoid spoilers.

All right? Let’s dive in.

So, What’s on the Moon?

Majora’s Mask Moon
Image From Zelda Fandom

Related Quests: Main Storyline, Child’s Play
Obtainable Items: 4 Pieces of Heart, Fierce Deity Mask
Key Characters: Moon Children, Majora’s Mask, Skull Kid, the Four Giants

Inside the moon of Majora’s Mask is a vast, idyllic meadow of lush green and rolling blue skies, with a single tree standing in the center. Under this tree are the five moon children, each wearing a different mask. Four of them run around in the grass, each wearing a mask from the four dungeon bosses. The fifth, wearing the Majora’s Mask, sits and watches. There is also a save point. So yeah, a little different from what you might have expected. (Except for the save point. That’s pretty standard.)

The four moon children wearing the boss masks will each engage you in a game of hide-and-seek, and talking to the child wearing the Majora’s Mask will take you to the final battle. If you have collected every other mask in the game, playing hide-and-seek with the moon children will net you four pieces of heart and the Fierce Deity Mask. However, this mask isn’t necessary for finishing the game; nothing is stopping you from ignoring them and fighting the boss as soon as you arrive.

Before We Get There

Moon

As exciting as it is to reach the moon, the end of the game in sight, there’s more to the moon than just the boss fight and the Fierce Deity Mask. The moon affects you even while exploring Termina and freeing the Giants. You know, beyond the lingering stress it leaves you with as it watches you at all times.

If you’re a freak like me and engage with the story more than the gameplay, the most interesting thing about the moon is how it affects the people of Termina. You’re hardly the first to notice that it’s falling from the sky. Throughout the game, you learn that, while preparations for the Carnival of Time are underway, people have already started leaving Clock Town in fear of the moon.

If you pay a visit to the Mayor’s office, you’ll find the town guard fighting with the carnival committee over whether the entire town should evacuate because not everyone believes that the moon is a legitimate threat. As the days pass, NPCs leave as they evacuate to safety, and certain facilities close on the third day, like the Dog Racetrack. There are even NPCs who have deep inner conflicts over leaving the town or staying, such as Anju, who’s still waiting for her fiancé to return, Madame Aroma, who refuses to abandon her town, and the Postman, who doesn’t know whether he’s even allowed to leave.

These little details in the writing and how it interacts with the gameplay are the element of Majora’s Mask that elevate it to my favorite game in the series. But what about gameplay? I’m sure not everyone is here to discuss the writing of this game, masterful as it is. Well, the moon is also the source of a key item in the game: the Moon’s Tear.

The Moon’s Tear

Majora’s Mask Moon
Image From Zelda Fandom

Location: Astronomer’s Lab
Related Quests: Main Storyline, Business Scrub Scramble, Follow That Scrub!

The Moon’s Tear is a key item in Majora’s Mask. It’s a blue stone shaped like a teardrop that falls to the ground from the moon. You need to obtain this item to reach the top of the clock tower (which is also how you get the moon), and it must be collected to complete the first three days. You first have to reach the Astronomer’s Lab to get this item. The Astronomer’s Lab is at the other end of the sewers that The Bombers have claimed as their hideout. Once you’ve learned the password to the hideout, you can access the Lab at any time.

Once you reach the lab, if you approach the Astronomer, he will offer you a chance to look through his telescope. Do this and zoom in on the top of the clock tower. Skull Kid will be dancing around before you look up to see something fall from the moon’s eye and crash into the fenced garden outside the lab. That is the Moon’s Tear: a pretty piece of moon rock that some people in town value highly. Head on outside to pick it up.

Despite what the Astronomer tells you about many people valuing the Moon’s Tear, there’s only one use for it. That is trading it to the Deku Scrub in Central Clock Town in exchange for the Town Title Deed and access to the deku flower in front of the clock tower. This is necessary for reaching the top of the clock tower, but this also opens up two new quests.

Town Title Deed and Business Scrub Scramble

Acquiring the Town Title Deed is the first step on a long quest across the entirety of Termina. When he gives you the deed, the Deku Scrub will tell you that the deed is a hot commodity for scrubs outside of town, and he’s not wrong.

In each area surrounding Central Termina (excluding Milk Road), you will find Deku Scrubs looking for a new spot to set up their businesses. The scrub in Woodfall will want a place in clock town, the scrub on Snowhead will want a place in Woodfall, etc. Swapping each deed will net you the next deed and access to a Piece of Heart for five in total. Plus, upon exchanging the final deed, you will receive 200 rupees.

Follow That Scrub!

After giving the Deku Scrub the Moon’s Tear, return to the Astronomer’s Lab. If you look through the telescope again, you’ll see the Deku Scrub flying out of Clock Town and into a hole in Termina Field.

Follow the scrub into the hole, and he’ll offer to sell you a Heart Container to keep mum about his storage cave. If you decline the first offer he makes, he’ll offer it to you for even cheaper! But don’t push him, or he’ll drop the deal entirely, and you’ll have to come back on another cycle.

How to Reach the Moon

How to Reach the Moon zelda

The moon is the location of the final boss, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to hear that you have to finish the rest of the game to reach it. But this doesn’t mean you have to complete the game to get to the moon, just the storyline.

After defeating Odolwa and completing the Woodfall Temple, you are taught the ‘Oath to Order.’ Playing this song on top of the Clock Tower in Clock Town will summon the Giants who sleep at the four compass points of Termina to try and stop the moon. If you play this song before finishing all four dungeons and freeing all of the giants, the Oath to Order will fail. The Giants you have released will come, but their strength won’t be enough. Therefore, you must first clear all four temples to reach the moon.

Once you have, you need to reach the top of the clock tower. By now, you will have done this at least once, as it’s how you reclaimed your Ocarina during the first three days. If you’re anything like me, though, with a brain like a sieve, here’s a quick reminder:

  1. Get the Moon’s Tear. See the earlier section for instructions on how.
  2. Head back to central clock town and trade the moon’s tear to the Deku Scrub for the Town Title Deed and the deku flower outside the clock tower.
  3. Wait until after midnight on the final day when the clock tower opens and use the deku flower to reach the entrance.

Somehow, I always forget to trade the moon’s tear for the Town Title Deed when I do this. I use the song of double time to reach midnight on the final day, only to then start a mad dash for the Astronomer’s lab, bunny hood in hand. Don’t repeat my mistakes!

You’ll see a cutscene with Skull Kid and the fairies when you reach the top. Once you regain control, play the Oath to Order and summon the four giants. They will be able to stop the moon from crashing into Termina. Hooray! Once, I went up the clock tower and forgot to change back from Deku Link to regular Link. You’re stuck as Deku Link if you do this until you reach the moon itself. Luckily, you can still play the Oath to Order as Deku Link.

However, it is then revealed that the Skull Kid was just a puppet to the real enemy, the Majora’s Mask itself. The mask taunts you before ascending to the moon. Needless to say, you (and a reluctant Tatl) are hot on its heels.

What Should You Bring?

Moon

This is the boss fight, so you should bring some healing items: red potions and fairies are a must. I’d also recommend either completing the ‘A Sharper Sword’ questline for the Gilded Sword or getting your hands on the Great Fairy Sword by getting all stray fairies in the Stone Tower Temple. If you’re dealing more damage with each hit, the fight will go faster.

Finally, if you can, drink some Chateau Romani beforehand. You can buy this for 200 rupees in the Latte Milk Bar, and it will give you infinite magic for a three-day cycle. This will be a godsend during the boss if you’re like me and pelt it with light arrows. It’s also helpful in completing the Child’s Play questline. Of course, it isn’t necessary, but if you can’t get any, I’d recommend bringing at least one green or blue potion. You are now prepared to face the greatest threat this game has to offer.

The Moon Children and the Fierce Deity Mask

Now that you’ve reached the moon, you have the option of completing the ‘Child’s Play’ questline by playing hide-and-seek with the moon children. To do this, you must have collected all other masks in the game as you need to trade them to each child as you go. Excluding the Deku, Goron, and Zora masks, there are 20 masks to collect.

Here’s an alphabetical list of them if you’re missing a few:

  1. All-Night Mask
  2. Blast Mask
  3. Bremen Mask
  4. Bunny Hood
  5. Captain’s Hat
  6. Circus/Troupe Leader’s Mask
  7. Couple’s Mask
  8. Don Gero’s Mask
  9. Garo’s Mask
  10. Giant’s Mask
  11. Gibdo Mask
  12. Great Fairy’s Mask
  13. Kafei’s Mask
  14. Kamaro’s Mask
  15. Keaton Mask
  16. Mask of Scents
  17. Mask of Truth
  18. Postman’s Hat
  19. Romani’s Mask
  20. Stone Mask

Each child will ask you to give them a few masks to initiate their games and an equal number to close them out. When you do, each one will take you to a different area with a different puzzle or challenge to overcome. Each puzzle focuses on the dungeon the boss mask comes from; for example, the Goht Mask child’s puzzle revolves around the Goron Mask.

If you are missing some of the masks, don’t worry. All four challenge/puzzle areas have gossip stones that tell you where to find each mask using the Mask of Truth. Handy! Just be sure not to give the children your Mask of Truth by accident.

The Fierce Deity Mask

Fierce Deity Mask
Image From Zelda Fandom

To complete the Child’s Play questline, you talk to the fifth child wearing the Majora’s Mask. Speaking to the last child will start the boss fight, but the child will notice if you handed over all of your masks. Since you don’t have any masks, it will give you one so that you can play together. This mask is the Fierce Deity Mask.

Wearing the Fierce Deity Mask will transform Link into Fierce Deity Link: a powerful god that deals enormous damage and has a cool design to boot. There’s a lot to be learned about the Fierce Deity Mask and the Child’s Play questline. If you want to find out how to pass each stage and obtain the Fierce Deity Mask, check out our guide all about it!

The Final Boss

Majora’s Mask Moon
Image From Zelda Fandom

Fierce Deity Mask or not, it’s time for us to dig into the final boss fight. I think this is a terrific boss fight: challenging if you tackle it with basic equipment but satisfying to complete. This boss fight has three stages, so let’s start with the first one.

Majora’s Mask

Majora’s Mask Moon
Image From Zelda Fandom

The Majora’s Mask sprouts a mass of tentacles and begins whizzing around the room. It’ll float for a while before spinning like a saw and flying along the ground at you. You’ll need to knock it down and attack while it’s vulnerable. There are a couple of ways to do this. The best are to shoot its underside (the back of the mask) with light arrows or to hit it with a spin attack. If you try to hit the face of the mask, the attacks will bounce off, so make sure you hit a weak spot.

At the beginning of the fight, the remains of the previous four bosses will attach themselves to the arena’s walls. Halfway through this section, they will fly off and start bothering you by shooting at you. Majora’s Mask will also begin to fire lasers at you.

You can shield against the smaller shots from the other bosses, but it’s best to get rid of them quickly. If you let them linger, they’ll stay there until the end of the fight, and you really don’t need the distraction. Luckily, the laser that Majora’s Mask fires can be reflected with the mirror shield. Use this to take out the four other masks and then aim it back at the main boss. You’ll need to stop z-targeting to aim.

You could also use arrows if you want, or if you can’t get the hang of aiming the laser, but it’s wise to conserve arrows. When you hit the boss with its laser for long enough, it will fall to the ground, but it doesn’t stay there for long. I often found that it got up before I could land a hit, but the bunny hood helped here. Keep this up, and you’ll trigger the next stage of the fight.

Majora’s Incarnation

Majora's Incarnation
Image From Zelda Fandom

The mask will now grow arms and legs and start to dance around the arena at top speed. Pirouettes and all. It’ll stop now and then to shoot at you. These attacks are electrified (at least that’s what the particle effect looks like) and will leave you vulnerable for a little while afterward.

Like before, you’ll need to knock the boss prone so you can attack it and deflect its attacks with the shield. Just hit the thing with arrows when it stops (or hit it with your sword if it’s close enough) and then whack at it when it’s down. Easy-peasy. Unfortunately, the next part isn’t quite as forgiving.

Majora’s Wrath

Majora's Wrath
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The boss’ third and final form. It bulks up and regains its tentacles as whip-like appendages, which are very annoying. It’ll bounce about the room attacking you with whips. These whips can usually be deflected with the shield, but Majora’s Wrath will sometimes grab you and send you flying for half a heart. Also, halfway through the fight, it’ll spit out a spiked spinning top which will either hit you or collapse and blow up like a bomb.

My best tactic was to pelt it with light arrows and run up with the Bunny Hood to get in some swipes. The spinning top wasn’t difficult to avoid if I wasn’t charging head-on, so try not to be so meatheaded as I can prove to be during boss fights, and you’ll be golden. Deal enough damage, and you’ll beat the final boss.

Fighting with Fierce Deity Link

Fighting with Fierce Deity Link
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If you go to the trouble of trading in all of your masks and earning the Fierce Deity Mask, you can use it during this boss battle. This battle is laughably easy when you use Fierce Deity Link and a lot of fun! For details on how to fight with Fierce Deity Link, both in this game and his appearance in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, check out this article!

While some might criticize the game for having an item that renders the final boss battle a piece of cake, I love it. The fight is fun and rewarding if you do it without, but it’s a reward for collecting all 24 masks. And I don’t know about you, but I think a huge powerup that makes me feel like an unbeatable god is an excellent reward for all the time and effort I put into the game.

The End

Majora's Mask

Once you’ve defeated Majora’s Mask, the moon will crumble away, and the world will be saved. Skull Kid is reminded that his friends still care about him and asks to be friends with you too. The Happy Mask Salesman finds his mask sitting in the grass, powerless and devoid of evil. Majora’s Mask is now nothing but a piece of decorative wood. He comments on how happy all of your masks are and that you’ve done a lot of good for the world before walking off, mysterious as always.

The fun doesn’t stop there, though. The end credits will roll, and you’ll get to see a special cutscene for a bunch of the masks you collected. If you’re missing a mask, the screen will remain blank, and the mask you have yet to find will show onscreen. Seeing the resolution to everyone’s stories and all the people you helped throughout the game finally get their happy endings is lovely. Trust this game to make even the end credits a delight to sit through.

The game closes out with a drawing of you, Skull Kid, the fairies, and the Giants holding hands and happy.

Congratulations! You just beat The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask!

One Small Step for Link…

It really is no wonder that the moon has become such an iconic image within The Legend of Zelda franchise. Threatening and omnipresent, the moon influences your game from start to finish and is even the stage for the final battle between good and evil. You have to put in a lot of time to reach the moon in Majora’s Mask. Thankfully, the moon holds many fun challenges to close the game out on, not to mention a brilliant boss fight and a satisfying reward for seeing all the game has to offer. So, I’m glad to say that it’s worth the work to get there.

If you haven’t finished this fantastic game, then what are you waiting for? Armed with all this knowledge, you’re better prepared to face the moon and Majora than anyone. Now, get out there and save the world before the moon crashes into it.

FAQ’s

Question: Why is the Moon Scary in Majora’s Mask?

Answer: Fear is, of course, entirely subjective. However, the Moon in Majora’s Mask is an ominous presence throughout the game with an uncanny, unblinking smile. Not only this, but you can see the moon from anywhere in the game as long as you are standing outside. This, coupled with the constant time limit, adds an element of stress and atmosphere to the moon, which for many translates into fear.

Question: How do I get to the Moon in Majora’s Mask?

Answer: The moon area can only be accessed after completing all four temples: Woodland, Snowhead, Great Bay, and Stone Tower. After midnight on the final day, use the deku flower in Central Clock Town to reach the top of the clock tower. At the top, play the ‘Oath to Order.’ This will trigger a cutscene that takes you to the moon.

Question: What do you do with the Moon Tear?

Answer: The moon tear can be exchanged with the Deku Scrub in Central Clock Town for the Town Title Deed. This gives the player access to the deku flower in Central Clock Town and kickstarts the quests ‘Business Scrub Scramble’ and ‘Follow That Scrub!’

Question: What Happens if you let the Moon Fall in Majora’s Mask?

Answer: At the end of the final day, the moon will crash into Termina. A cutscene of the moon crushing the clock tower and Link being blown away by the impact will play. A short text will scroll saying that you lose all your items from the last three days and that if you want to start from a previous save, you will need to reload the game.
Then, the text box ‘You’ve met with a terrible fate, haven’t you?’ will pop up, and you’ll return to the first morning where you’re talking with the Happy Mask Salesman.

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