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{{Infobox|enemy
{{Infobox|character
|name    = Skull Kid
| image = [[File:Skull Kid OoT Offical.png|215px]]
|image   = [[File:SkullKid.png|200px|center]]
| caption = Key art from ''[[Ocarina of Time]]''
|caption = Skull Kid from ''Twilight Princess''
| game = ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask|Majora's Mask]]''<br/>''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]''
|game     = ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]''<br>''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask|Majora's Mask]]''<br>''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]''
| location = [[Lost Woods]]<br/>[[Clock Tower]]<br/>[[Sacred Grove]]
|location = [[Lost Woods]]<br>[[Moon|The Moon]]<br>[[Termina]]<br>[[Sacred Grove]]
| attack = '''''Ocarina of Time'''''<br/>{{H|.5}} Shooting projectiles via flute
|weapon  = [[Sword]]<br>Bubbles<br>[[Bow]]
}}
}}


The '''Skull Kid''' is a character who has appeared in a few ''[[The Legend of Zelda (Series)|Zelda]]'' games. His first appearance was in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]'', and has also appeared in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask|Majora's Mask]]'' as the main antagonist of the game. He's also in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]'' where he appeared as a background character.
'''Skull Kids''' are recurring characters in [[The Legend of Zelda (Series)|''The Legend of Zelda'' series]] that first appeared in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]''. It is believed that children whom become stranded in the [[Lost Woods]] are transformed into Skull Kids, and it is this area that they are primarily known to habitate.{{Ref|OoT|678|[[Navi]]}} They are typically very childish in nature, similar to the [[Kokiri]], and are often friendly with those of an equal naivete. Skull Kids are very distrustful towards most adults, however, and are known for playing tricks on those that they encounter.{{Ref|OoT|669|[[Navi]]}} They are small in stature and wear pointy hats along with what seems to be makeshift clothing. Their face's complexion and texture varies between portrayals, as does whether or not they sport large beaks in place of mouths.


==Appearances==
''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask|Majora's Mask]]'' features the most notable of all Skull Kids, as he assumes the role of main antagonist. He is possessed by the titular [[Majora's Mask]], granting him immense power, but also warping his mind and judgement. The Skull Kid's actions plunge all of [[Termina]] into a state of chaos, and, additionally, incurs the land's destruction by way of setting the [[Moon]] on course to collide into it.


===Ocarina of Time===
==''Ocarina of Time''==
[[File:Skull Kid OoT Offical.png|100px|left]]
Skull Kids debuted in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]'', in which there are three individuals, and can be encountered in the [[Lost Woods]]. They are playful creatures that each possess a penchant for playing the flute, and [[Link (Ocarina of Time)|Link]] is able to befriend them if he is in his child form. The Skull Kid residing nearest to the forest's entrance will offer to buy the [[Skull Mask]] from Link, and, moreover, will award him a [[Piece of Heart]] if Link performs [[Saria's Song]]. Further into the forest, a pair of Skull Kids will award Link a second Piece of Heart if he successfully memorizes their song and plays it back to them. Though random, this song always consists of eight notes.
In ''Ocarina of Time'', three Skull Kids can be found within the [[Lost Woods]]. The first can be found through the first left-hand tunnel as Link enters the forest. If Young [[Link]] stands on the tree stump and pulls out his [[Ocarina]] to play [[Saria's Song]], the Skull Kid will give Link a [[Piece of Heart]] and befriend him. After this, the Skull Kid will buy the [[Skull Mask]] from Link, but only for 10 [[Rupee]]s, half of what it costs.


The two other Skull Kids will offer to play a sing-along game, the Skull Kids will play a tune and Link will have to play back the same tune from memory; every time Link is successful the Skull Kids will add an additional note to the tune, reaching eight notes total. When Link recalls all eight notes from memory the Skull Kids will reward him with a Piece of Heart.
If Link happens upon Skull Kids when he is an adult, they will be hostile. They attack with their flutes by way of spitting projectiles towards Link, and are immune to all weaponry aside from his sword of choice. Skull Kids are tricky opponents in that they are able to instantly transpose themselves into different positions around Link's vicinity, making them very unpredictable. When defeated, they yield an [[Orange Rupee]], holding a valuation of two-hundred, the same as the Huge Rupee. Skull Kids are the only means of obtaining Orange Rupees in ''Ocarina of Time''.


Skull Kids do not trust adults; when Link returns to the forest seven years later, the Skull Kids react negatively and will attack him, if Link manages to defeat a Skull Kid he will be rewarded with 50 Rupees.
==''Majora's Mask''==
[[File:Skull Kid Artwork (Majora's Mask).png|thumb|140px|right|The Skull Kid wearing [[Majora's Mask]].]]
''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask|Majora's Mask]]'' prominently features an individual simply known as "Skull Kid." He is implied to have met [[Link (Ocarina of Time)|Link]] during his quest in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]'', the very same Skull Kid who had requested a performance of [[Saria's Song]] from him.{{Ref|MM|3921|Skull Kid}} The Skull Kid steals [[Majora's Mask]] from the [[Happy Mask Salesman]] and is promptly corrupted by its power. Some time after, he ambushes Link in the [[Lost Woods]] with his fairy friends, [[Tatl]] and [[Tael]], intending to steal his things. Link pursues him and soon finds himself in [[Termina]].


===Majora's Mask===
The Skull Kid begins to act very erratically once Link meets him again in Termina, atop the [[Clock Tower]]. He treats Tatl and Tael very harshly, estranging the both of them.{{Ref|MM|4079|[[Tatl]]}} Traveling around Termina, it is apparent that the Skull Kid is the causation of many of the land's troubles. Various characters make mention of the Skull Kid's mischief, and it is through him that Majora's Mask provokes the [[Moon]]'s swift oncoming toward Termina.{{Ref|MM|5076|[[Kafei]]}}{{Ref|MM|880|[[Great Fairy]]}}{{Ref|MM|1445|[[Koume]]}} After Link dispatches the evil within Termina's four temples, he confronts the Skull Kid again and plays [[Oath to Order]], summoning the [[Four Giants]], whom delay the Moon's collision with the land. Majora's Mask then separates itself from Skull Kid, confirming it to have had a life of its own all along, and the Skull Kid merely a convenient puppet.
The Skull Kid in ''Majora's Mask'' is known to be the same Skull Kid for who Link played Saria's Song in ''Ocarina of Time'', this is implied at the end of the game when the Skull Kid says that Link has the same smell as the fairy child that taught him a song in the woods.


Skull Kid had become friends with the [[Four Giants]] that created the four lands of [[Termina]]: swamp to the south, mountains to the north, oceans to the west, and canyons to the east. When they finished, they started to leave, but the Skull Kid tried to stop them. After they left, he started causing trouble with two fairies: [[Tatl]] and his sister [[Tael]]. The Skull Kid desired power, so stole [[Majora's Mask]] from the [[Happy Mask Salesman]]. Skull Kid became possessed by Majora's Mask's becoming its puppet, he wreaked havoc among the natives of Termina and attempted to bring the Moon crashing onto the land destroying and killing every living thing. Link managed to stop his plans by calling the Four Giants, at which point Majora released the Skull Kid from his grasp. After defeating Majora's Mask, Link and the Skull Kid became friends.
After Majora is defeated, the Skull Kid is seen to have reverted to his normal disposition. He expresses his guilt to the Four Giants, whom he was close with long ago, and is shocked to find that they still consider him a friend. It appears that Tatl and Tael have forgiven him, and he shows gratitude toward Link for rescuing him from the clutches of the mask. He asks to be Link's friend, and a scene following the credits depicts a carving on a tree stump of the two smiling together.


===Twilight Princess===
===Friendship with the Four Giants===
The Skull Kid first appears in ''Twilight Princess'' when Link enters the Lost Woods. The imp leads Link through the Lost Woods via a game of hide and seek. The game Skull Kid plays is fairly simple: there is always a clue as to where he is, as the orange glow from Skull Kid's lantern can often point Link in the direction he took off in. His horn, which resembles [[Deku Link|Deku Link's]] pipes in ''Majora's Mask'', will also guide Link to him. When Link gets near him, our hero will hear him playing the familiar Saria's Song, which sets the mood perfectly. During the game of hide and seek, Skull Kid will repeatedly summon for [[Puppet]]s to attack Link as he chases him, while Skull Kid will never attack Link directly.
The Skull Kid's relationship with the [[Four Giants]] is briefly witnessed after Link's triumph over Majora, but is further elaborated upon if Link chooses to listen to [[Anju's Grandmother]]'s stories. By equipping the [[All-Night Mask]] and requesting the story of the Four Giants, it is divulged that they are the creators of Termina and had been close friends with an imp, whom can be assumed is the Skull Kid. The Skull Kid is devastated by the Four Giants' sworn guardianship of the land, as they must leave him to do so. He disperses his anger throughout all of Termina, much akin to his actions during Link's adventure. He is quelled when the Four Giants threaten to harm him, thereby banishing him "to the heavens."


When Link returns later in the game Skull Kid will once again help Link navigate the [[Sacred Grove]], although this time he shall lead Link to the entrance of the [[Temple of Time]]. This time around, his hiding place will be harder to find. Two things give away his location: the light of his lantern and the sound of his instrument playing Saria's Song. Again, the Skull Kid never physically attacks Link, though he will summon Puppets to do the job. Every time he is hit in battle, he will summon more Puppets, but he can be beaten quickly with the bow and arrows. After defeating him the second time he will tell Link that it was fun and disappear.
==''Twilight Princess''==
[[File:SkullKid.png|thumb|150px|right|<center>The Skull Kid from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]'']]
''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]'' features one Skull Kid. It is encountered within the [[Sacred Grove]] where it leads [[Link (Twilight Princess)|Link]] through the forest via a game of hide-and-seek. The direction in which the Skull Kid's lantern glows as well as the faint sounds of its instrument are of great use to Link during his search. However, the Skull Kid is able to endlessly summon hordes of [[Puppet]]s in order to complicate Link's progress. It will begin playing [[Saria's Song]] once Link is in close proximity, and striking it with a weapon or as a [[Wolf]] will cause the Skull Kid to change location. After Link strikes the Skull Kid three times, it will initiate combat with him, during which he must strike it three times more. The Skull Kid never attacks Link directly and instead relies on its summoned Puppets.


== Gallery ==
While the Skull Kid may initially seem to be an adversary of Link's, it is possible that it is attempting to aid him in his quest, albeit amusing itself while doing so. On Link's first foray into the Sacred Grove, the Skull Kid's antics lead him to the resting place of the [[Master Sword]], a weapon essential in Link's fateful slaying of [[Ganondorf (Twilight Princess)|Ganondorf]]. As a result of their second encounter, Link finds himself at the entrance to the [[Temple of Time (Twilight Princess)|Temple of Time]].


==Non-Canon Appearances==
{{Non-Canon|section}}
===''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U''===
The Skull Kid seen in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask|Majora's Mask]]'' makes an appearance in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U]]'' as an Assist Trophy. When summoned, the Skull Kid can inflict various confusing effects onto the battlefield. He may flip the game's perspective upside-down or mirror it, reverse players' directional inputs, or cause all fighters to become transparent.
===''Hyrule Warriors''===
{{HW-Stub|section}}
{{quote|This mysterious imp draws his power from his stolen mask and wields an ocarina on the battlefield to protect his treasured friends.|Skull Kid's ''[[Hyrule Warriors]]'' [https://www.zelda.com/hyrule-warriors/character-detail/#!Skull-Kid Official Website description]}}
{{clear}}
The Skull Kid that appeared in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask|Majora's Mask]]'' is a playable character in ''[[Hyrule Warriors]]''. He is accessible via the Legends Character Pack DLC on [[Wii U]], ''[[Hyrule Warriors Legends]]'' on [[3DS]], or ''[[Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition]]'' on [[Nintendo Switch]].
===''Cadence of Hyrule''===
In ''[[Cadence of Hyrule]]'', the Skull Kid serves as the protagonist of [[Symphony of the Mask]]. Not opting to use typical weapons, he wields an arsenal of masks with varying abilities. His quest leads him into battle against [[King Dobongo]], [[Synthrova]], and eventually [[Ganon]], who steals the [[Skull Mask (Cadence of Hyrule)|Skull Mask]] in his pursuit of power.
{{clear}}
==Gallery==
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:Skull Kid Artwork (Majora's Mask).png|Skull Kid Artwork from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask|Majora's Mask]]''
File:Skull-Kid.png|A Skull Kid from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]''
File:SkullKidBox.png|In-game snapshot of the Skull Kid from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]''
File:SkullKid_OoT.gif|A Skull Kid wearing the [[Skull Mask]] from ''Ocarina of Time''
File:Skull-Kid-Model.png|Skull Kid game model.
File:Skull-Kid-Mask.png|Artwork of a Skull Kid wearing the Skull Mask from ''Ocarina of Time''
File:Skull-Kid-Model.png|The Skull Kid from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask|Majora's Mask]]''
File:MM3D-Skull-Kid.png|Artwork from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D|Majora's Mask 3D]]''
File:SkullKidBox.png|The Skull Kid in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess|Twilight Princess]]''
File:Hyrule Warriors Artwork Skull Kid.png|Key art of the Skull Kid from ''[[Hyrule Warriors]]''
File:Hyrule Warriors Artwork Skull Kid Ocarina.png|Artwork of the Skull Kid holding the [[Ocarina (Hyrule Warriors)|Ocarina]] weapon from ''Hyrule Warriors''
File:CoH Skull Kid No Mask.png|The Skull Kid's sprite from ''[[Cadence of Hyrule]]''
File:Coh-skull-kid.png|Key art of the Skull Kid from ''Cadence of Hyrule''
File:Skull Kid - SSB3DS Trophy with EU-AUS text.png|Trophy from ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U|Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]''
File:Skull Kid - SSBWiiU Trophy with EU-AUS text.png|Trophy from ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U|Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]''
</gallery>
</gallery>


{{References}}
{{Listbox|Ocarina of Time Characters}}
{{Listbox|Majora's Mask Characters}}
{{Listbox|Twilight Princess Characters}}
{{Listbox|Twilight Princess Bosses}}
{{Listbox|Hyrule Warriors Characters}}


{{Cat|Ocarina of Time Characters}}
{{Cat|Ocarina of Time Characters}}
{{Cat|Majora's Mask Characters}}
{{Cat|Majora's Mask Characters}}
{{Cat|Twilight Princess Characters}}
{{Cat|Twilight Princess Characters}}
{{Cat|Twilight Princess Mini-Bosses}}
{{Cat|Twilight Princess Enemies}}
{{Cat|Twilight Princess Enemies}}
{{Cat|Hyrule Warriors Characters}}
{{cat|Cadence of Hyrule Characters}}
{{cat|Super Smash Bros. Series}}

Latest revision as of 10:49, October 8, 2024

Skull Kid
Skull Kid OoT Offical.png
Key art from Ocarina of Time

Games

Location

Attacks

Ocarina of Time
1-2 Heart.png Shooting projectiles via flute

Skull Kids are recurring characters in The Legend of Zelda series that first appeared in Ocarina of Time. It is believed that children whom become stranded in the Lost Woods are transformed into Skull Kids, and it is this area that they are primarily known to habitate.[1] They are typically very childish in nature, similar to the Kokiri, and are often friendly with those of an equal naivete. Skull Kids are very distrustful towards most adults, however, and are known for playing tricks on those that they encounter.[2] They are small in stature and wear pointy hats along with what seems to be makeshift clothing. Their face's complexion and texture varies between portrayals, as does whether or not they sport large beaks in place of mouths.

Majora's Mask features the most notable of all Skull Kids, as he assumes the role of main antagonist. He is possessed by the titular Majora's Mask, granting him immense power, but also warping his mind and judgement. The Skull Kid's actions plunge all of Termina into a state of chaos, and, additionally, incurs the land's destruction by way of setting the Moon on course to collide into it.

Ocarina of Time

Skull Kids debuted in Ocarina of Time, in which there are three individuals, and can be encountered in the Lost Woods. They are playful creatures that each possess a penchant for playing the flute, and Link is able to befriend them if he is in his child form. The Skull Kid residing nearest to the forest's entrance will offer to buy the Skull Mask from Link, and, moreover, will award him a Piece of Heart if Link performs Saria's Song. Further into the forest, a pair of Skull Kids will award Link a second Piece of Heart if he successfully memorizes their song and plays it back to them. Though random, this song always consists of eight notes.

If Link happens upon Skull Kids when he is an adult, they will be hostile. They attack with their flutes by way of spitting projectiles towards Link, and are immune to all weaponry aside from his sword of choice. Skull Kids are tricky opponents in that they are able to instantly transpose themselves into different positions around Link's vicinity, making them very unpredictable. When defeated, they yield an Orange Rupee, holding a valuation of two-hundred, the same as the Huge Rupee. Skull Kids are the only means of obtaining Orange Rupees in Ocarina of Time.

Majora's Mask

The Skull Kid wearing Majora's Mask.

Majora's Mask prominently features an individual simply known as "Skull Kid." He is implied to have met Link during his quest in Ocarina of Time, the very same Skull Kid who had requested a performance of Saria's Song from him.[3] The Skull Kid steals Majora's Mask from the Happy Mask Salesman and is promptly corrupted by its power. Some time after, he ambushes Link in the Lost Woods with his fairy friends, Tatl and Tael, intending to steal his things. Link pursues him and soon finds himself in Termina.

The Skull Kid begins to act very erratically once Link meets him again in Termina, atop the Clock Tower. He treats Tatl and Tael very harshly, estranging the both of them.[4] Traveling around Termina, it is apparent that the Skull Kid is the causation of many of the land's troubles. Various characters make mention of the Skull Kid's mischief, and it is through him that Majora's Mask provokes the Moon's swift oncoming toward Termina.[5][6][7] After Link dispatches the evil within Termina's four temples, he confronts the Skull Kid again and plays Oath to Order, summoning the Four Giants, whom delay the Moon's collision with the land. Majora's Mask then separates itself from Skull Kid, confirming it to have had a life of its own all along, and the Skull Kid merely a convenient puppet.

After Majora is defeated, the Skull Kid is seen to have reverted to his normal disposition. He expresses his guilt to the Four Giants, whom he was close with long ago, and is shocked to find that they still consider him a friend. It appears that Tatl and Tael have forgiven him, and he shows gratitude toward Link for rescuing him from the clutches of the mask. He asks to be Link's friend, and a scene following the credits depicts a carving on a tree stump of the two smiling together.

Friendship with the Four Giants

The Skull Kid's relationship with the Four Giants is briefly witnessed after Link's triumph over Majora, but is further elaborated upon if Link chooses to listen to Anju's Grandmother's stories. By equipping the All-Night Mask and requesting the story of the Four Giants, it is divulged that they are the creators of Termina and had been close friends with an imp, whom can be assumed is the Skull Kid. The Skull Kid is devastated by the Four Giants' sworn guardianship of the land, as they must leave him to do so. He disperses his anger throughout all of Termina, much akin to his actions during Link's adventure. He is quelled when the Four Giants threaten to harm him, thereby banishing him "to the heavens."

Twilight Princess

The Skull Kid from Twilight Princess

Twilight Princess features one Skull Kid. It is encountered within the Sacred Grove where it leads Link through the forest via a game of hide-and-seek. The direction in which the Skull Kid's lantern glows as well as the faint sounds of its instrument are of great use to Link during his search. However, the Skull Kid is able to endlessly summon hordes of Puppets in order to complicate Link's progress. It will begin playing Saria's Song once Link is in close proximity, and striking it with a weapon or as a Wolf will cause the Skull Kid to change location. After Link strikes the Skull Kid three times, it will initiate combat with him, during which he must strike it three times more. The Skull Kid never attacks Link directly and instead relies on its summoned Puppets.

While the Skull Kid may initially seem to be an adversary of Link's, it is possible that it is attempting to aid him in his quest, albeit amusing itself while doing so. On Link's first foray into the Sacred Grove, the Skull Kid's antics lead him to the resting place of the Master Sword, a weapon essential in Link's fateful slaying of Ganondorf. As a result of their second encounter, Link finds himself at the entrance to the Temple of Time.

Non-Canon Appearances

This section describes a subject that is or may be outside the core Zelda canon.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U

The Skull Kid seen in Majora's Mask makes an appearance in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U as an Assist Trophy. When summoned, the Skull Kid can inflict various confusing effects onto the battlefield. He may flip the game's perspective upside-down or mirror it, reverse players' directional inputs, or cause all fighters to become transparent.

Hyrule Warriors

HW Link's Scarf.png
This Hyrule Warriors section is a stub. You can help the Zelda Dungeon Wiki by expanding it.

"This mysterious imp draws his power from his stolen mask and wields an ocarina on the battlefield to protect his treasured friends."

The Skull Kid that appeared in Majora's Mask is a playable character in Hyrule Warriors. He is accessible via the Legends Character Pack DLC on Wii U, Hyrule Warriors Legends on 3DS, or Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch.

Cadence of Hyrule

In Cadence of Hyrule, the Skull Kid serves as the protagonist of Symphony of the Mask. Not opting to use typical weapons, he wields an arsenal of masks with varying abilities. His quest leads him into battle against King Dobongo, Synthrova, and eventually Ganon, who steals the Skull Mask in his pursuit of power.

Gallery

References

  1. "Skull Kid Is this what happens to kids who get lost in the forest? He might be our friend if we do something..." — Navi, Ocarina of Time.
  2. "Skull Kid Is this what happens to kids who wander into the forest? It looks like he doesn't like grownups." — Navi, Ocarina of Time.
  3. "Eh-hee-hee...You have the same smell as the fairy kid who taught me that song in the woods..." — Skull Kid, Majora's Mask.
  4. "Skull Kid, do you still think you're our friend after that?!!?" — Tatl, Majora's Mask.
  5. "I was turned into this by a strange imp wearing a mask..." — Kafei, Majora's Mask.
  6. "Young one! Please hear my plea! I have been broken and shattered to pieces by the masked Skull Kid." — Great Fairy, Majora's Mask.
  7. "I was just busy minding my own business, picking mushrooms, when... BAM! I got hit from behind! That pesky Skull Kid! Did he think an old hag wouldn't recognize him if he hid his face?" — Koume, Majora's Mask.