A Fan Investigates What ReDeads Actually Are

Many of us played Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask as kids and now have vivid memories of creepy environments or monsters that struck us with fear. One of the most infamously scary creatures is the ReDead, a monster so terrifying that Link, the bearer of the Triforce of Courage, becomes frozen with fear as it approaches with a shrill scream, grabs hold of him, and saps his strength in one of the most horrifying game mechanics of the series. While most of us assume that ReDeads, given their name and features, are animated corpses, some of Nintendo’s statement have actually indicated the contrary.

Youtuber Swankybox investigates this conundrum in his video regarding what ReDeads are – whether corpse or clay. At first, the idea ReDeads are composed of clay might seem like an absurd supposition considering their zombie-like behavior and appearance, but Swankybox points out some of Nintendo’s official statements about the ReDeads and other features including their faces and aversion to sunlight that might point to a clay composition.

After viewing the video, I believe ReDeads were originally intended to be zombies but that Nintendo later claimed they were made of clay to ret-con a more family-friendly explanation for their existence. In my view, it wouldn’t be the first time NIntendo has done such a thing – and that, to me, makes ReDeads actually corpses, no matter if Nintendo pretends otherwise. But what do you think? Are ReDeads zombies? Clay monsters? Some other kind of unworldly being? Furthermore, what do you make of the mask their appear to wear? And what experiences have you personally had from childhood with these harrowing creatures?