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"Could this mask's dark powers be as bad as Majora?" — In-game description

Fierce Deity (鬼神, Kishin?) is the presumed name of a character from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. He is the spirit that is assumed to inhabit the Fierce Deity's Mask. There are very few facts truly known about the Fierce Deity.

When Link dons the Goron Mask, Zora Mask, or Deku Mask, he transforms into a form similar to Darmani, Mikau, or what is presumed to be the Deku Butler's Son, respectively. Due to this, it is believed that the spirit inhabiting the Fierce Deity’s Mask is that of a great god. When Link uses any particular transformation mask, he takes the shape of what the spirit inhabiting the mask looked like during its lifetime, with a few characteristics altered to look more like Link. Using this knowledge, it can be surmised that the Fierce Deity was a tall warrior god, who wielded a sword which was capable of shooting Sword Beams. Like with the other transformation masks, his exact appearance may be different from the one seen when Link assumes his shape.

It is possible, given that the other transformation masks are named for the race they represent and not the person, that "Fierce Deity" is the name of a race as opposed to an individual, but unlike the other transformation masks, the mask is called the Fierce Deity's Mask (using the possessive of Deity), which may indicate that the mask once belonged to a character known as the Fierce Deity. This may actually be because this Mask is a parallel to Majora's Mask, which is possessed by a spirit hence its name. Though apparently a divine entity, the Fierce Deity's Mask possesses a dark power implied to be greater than Majora's, though the true alignment of the Fierce Deity is never revealed as Link is not corrupted by the mask as he retains his normal heroic personality while transformed. However its dark nature doesn't necessarily mean the Fierce Deity is evil as its dark nature could be due its apparent ferocity. Like Link, the Fierce Deity is implied to be a legendary warrior, though it is unclear if the Fierce Deity originated from Termina, Hyrule, or a higher plane of existence located outside these physical realms.

In addition to the Fierce Deity appearing as a transformation of Young Link's in Majora's Mask and the Hyrule Warriors spin-off series, the Fierce Deity is referenced in other titles such as The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

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Background and references

The Fierce Deity was apparently an ancient hero and deity from the world of Termina. The Fierce Deity's Mask has the power to empower Link with the power of the Fierce Deity. As Fierce Deity Link, Link wears the deity's armor and wields the deity's signature greatsword the Fierce Deity Sword which can fire magical Sword Beams. However Link can only use the mask's power in Boss Rooms of Odolwa, Goht, Gyorg, Twinmold, and Majora.

Oddly, the Lunar Child wearing Majora's Mask gives Link the mask before he fights Majora itself. The Lunar Child and/or Majora's motive for doing so is left unexplained. It is also unclear what happened to the Fierce Deity's Mask after Link defeated Majora and returned to Hyrule after bringing peace back to Termina.

Main article: Fierce Deity Armor

In Tri Force Heroes, the Fierce Deity Armor is an Outfit acquired by completing the Den of Trials. When worn, gains the Fierce Deity Sword increasing Link's attack power and allows Link to fire four Sword Beams. Additionally these beams can be fired when Link performs a Spin Attack regardless of his current health and prevents Link from getting knocked back by enemies.

A Fierce Deity equipment set can be obtained in Breath of the Wild using the amiibo Rune with the Link Majora's Mask amiibo. These include his iconic clothing and sword. The lore provided by the set's descriptions claims this set was the armor of a hero from another world who obtained godlike powers. This is either a reference to young Link who actually was not from Termina, or the ancient hero the mask and gear represents. Each armor piece grants the Attack Up bonus and once upgraded to Level 2 or higher it grants the Charge Atk. Stamina Up set bonus which reduces the amount of stamina consumption for Charged Attacks. Additionally the eyes of the mask also emit a white glow causing them to glow brightly in the dark and at night though the glow is always present just more notable in the dark and at night. The Fierce Deity's iconic Greatsword also appears as its own separate item for the first time in the series and receives its official name Fierce Deity Sword. Unlike the Fierce Deity Armor Set, the sword will only start spawning randomly when the amiibo is used until after Link frees at least one of the Divine Beasts (they can be completed in any order). When it breaks, Link can use it again to acquire another Fierce Deity Sword. The Fierce Deity Sword is a two-handed greatsword though it lacks the ability to fire Sword Beams presumably due to Link's lack of magic power in Breath of the Wild. The Armor set pieces can be acquired as soon as Link acquires any Rune on the Great Plateau and activates the Amiibo Rune function though they spawn randomly and only one piece can be obtain per day (however Link can reload a previous save to use the amiibo again until the armor drops as the game only prevents amiibo from being used if the game has saved the data of its use and the same trick applies to the sword once it is unlocked to randomly drop by freeing any Divine Beast). The armor set can be upgraded by Great Fairies though it cannot be dyed due to the fabric it is made from. The Mask requires Dinraal's Dragon Parts for each upgrade, the Armor requires Naydra's parts, and the Boots require Farosh's parts. Hinox monster parts are required for the first two upgrades while Lynel monster parts are required for the third and final upgrades. Thus it requires Link to defeat powerful enemies and complete the Shrine Quests related to each dragon spirit, which fittingly involves the Goddess Hylia and the divine Dragon Spirits which are all deities much like the Fierce Deity indicating the sacred power of the Dragons contained in their parts is used to upgrade the set pieces. Hinox and Lynels are fierce beasts thus their parts being used may symbolize the fierceness of the Fierce Deity as well as the dark power of the Fierce Deity's Mask. Like all amiibo exclusive armor, the armor set cannot be dyed at the Kochi Dye Shop due to the fabric it is made of according to Sayge. Interestingly, its stats, bonus, and set bonus are the same as the Barbarian armor set though the Fierce Deity set is easier to upgrade as it requires less Lynel monster parts and can be acquired early during "The Isolated Plateau". This equipment includes four pieces:

Head Armor (Mask) "Legends say this mask was once worn by a hero from a world in which the moon threatened to fall. It looks scary, but wearing it offers fierce, godlike power." — Fierce Deity Mask description Body Armor (Armor) "Legend has it this armor once belonged to the hero of a world in which the moon threatened to fall. When you wear it, you feel a fierce, godlike power flow through you." — Fierce Deity Armor description Leg Armor (Boots) "According to legend, these boots were once worn by a hero from a world in which the moon threatened to fall. Wearing them offers godlike power." — Fierce Deity Boots description Weapon (Greatsword) "A peculiar greatsword allegedly used by a hero from a world in which the moon threatened to fall. It slashes wildly in battle as if possessed by a fierce deity." — Fierce Deity Sword description

Fierce Deity Equipment Set

Theories

Theory warning: This section contains theoretical information based on the research of one or several other users. It has not been officially verified by Nintendo and its factual accuracy is disputed.

Though the history of Fierce Deity is never elaborated upon in the game, it is implied, through what is said by the likes of Tatl, and the fact that Majora itself gives Link the god's mask, that the Fierce Deity's Mask was created by a Deity far stronger than Majora, and that Majora could possibly have given the mask to Link in an effort to destroy them both. Fierce Deity's powers may be even darker than that which resides in Majora's Mask, as Majora calls him "the true bad guy", though this may just be a lie or exaggeration on the part of Majora, and that Majora considers itself a hero. This statement is only present in the localized version however, and not the original Japanese version. Additionally Majora's sanity is questionable as it engages in insane actions such as trying to destroy Termina with the Moon, so giving Link the mask may be another example of its insanity.

Another theory is that the Fierce Deity is Link's Terminan counterpart, due to the resemblance between him and Link, as no definite counterpart to Link is seen in-game. Though Link's other alternate forms retain some aspects of his appearance, the transformation masks themselves do not. However, the Fierce Deity's Mask itself shares Link's hat and some of his facial features even when not in use, and while in use, Fierce Deity Link's voice is the same as that of Adult Link from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The description of the mask as being filled with dark power does not affect this theory, since morality is not always consistent between Terminan and Hyrulean counterparts, as seen by the differences between the two incarnations of Koume and Kotake. The Fierce Deity's status as a god would seem to indicate that it is not Link's equivalent, though its power could also be interpreted as a more direct embodiment of Link's defining characteristic of being destined to accomplish legendary feats. In fact the fighting ability of the Skyward Sword incarnation of Link is stated to rival that of any demon or god that the god-like Demon King Demise had ever encountered by Demise himself, so it would be rather fitting that Link's Terminan counterpart would be some kind of powerful deity with dark powers rivaling Majora's much like the Hero of the Sky's fighting ability rivaled Demise.

Though there is little evidence to support this theory, it has been suggested by some that when Majora realizes Link is a threat, it seals its spirit into the Fierce Deity's Mask instead of Majora's Mask in order to survive. If Link chooses to wear the mask, he succumbs to a great power, defeating Majora easily. If he chooses not to, he must face a far more difficult battle, but has not given into the possible trickery of Majora. This theory presents the Fierce Deity's Mask as a moral choice to the player; whether or not to use the possibly evil powers of "the true bad guy" to defeat a final boss. Moral choices are rarely present in the Legend of Zelda series, but it would make sense that one of this magnitude would be present in Majora's Mask, a game known for its intricate plot. This would explain why such a powerful weapon is simply gifted to Link, and would maybe reveal a darker, unseen ending to Majora's Mask. By wearing the Fierce Deity's Mask, Link sells his soul much in the same way that the Skull Kid had done with Majora's Mask. Therefore, when Link returns the emptied Majora's Mask to the Happy Mask Salesman, Majora has tricked both the Happy Mask Salesman and the player, and could survive on in the Fierce Deity's Mask. It could also explain why the final boss battle appears to feature incarnations of Majora and may never show the entity's true form. This theory does not explain how Majora would continue to act through Majora's Mask while inhabiting the Fierce Deity's Mask, if it would even be possible for the entity to leave Majora's Mask, and why Majora would give Link such awesome power rather than wield it itself. According to the Hyrule Historia however, the Hero of Time lived long enough to have at least one child which leads to his descendant, the Link in Twilight Princess whom he assisted as the Hero's Shade, showing that he wasn't controlled by any evil entities whatsoever. Of course it is possible that he could have freed himself from its influence at some point following the events of Majora's Mask.

Another possibility is that the mask simply allows mortal beings to access the Fierce Deity's form and power, which could be dangerous as mortals can be corrupted by such power which may have lead to people misusing its power in the past causing the mask to gain a "dark" reputation by the time Majora acquired it. However as Link is the Hero of Time he simply uses its divine power to rid Termina of the evil Majora and is left uncorrupted by its power due to his courageous heart. Also given his status as an incarnation of the Hyrulean gods' chosen hero, the Hero of Time may have been protected (either through hero status and/or his possession of the Triforce of Courage) from being corrupted by the mask's power or from being completely possessed by the Fierce Deity, as he is the Hylian hero chosen by divinity. It is also possible that the Goddess of Time spoken of by Zelda may have used her divine power to protect Link from being possessed by the Fierce Deity when he wore the mask, similar to how it is implied that she is responsible for Link's ability to manipulate time in Termina via the Song of Time.

Though most assume the Fierce Deity is Terminan like Majora its dimension of origin is never confirmed in-game. Its possible that the Fierce Deity could have originated from another dimension connected to the Light World/Hyrule or even Hytopia. Alternatively as a being of divinity the Fierce Deity may have originated in a place outside the mortal realm such as the Distant Nebula. Though Breath of the Wild implies the Fierce Deity was a divine Terminan hero, the lore pertaining to the Fierce Deity may have become merged with legends of the Hero of Time's Fierce Deity form and the conflict with Majora as an unknown amount of time and at least ten thousand years have passed since the Hero of Time's lifetime.

Theory warning: Theories end here.

Other appearances

Subseries warning : This article or section contains information on a subseries within the Legend of Zelda series and should be considered part of its own separate canon.

The Fierce Deity's mask appears as bronze and gold badges "Fierce Deity's Mask I" and "Fierce Deity's Mask II" which increases a character's Special Attack gauge by one bar.

In the Majora's Mask DLC Pack, the Fierce Deity appears in certain parts of Young Link's Mask moveset such as his weak point attack and his special attack. Young Link also transforms into the Fierce Deity when using Focus Spirit and Focus Spirit Attack. During his Focus Spirit attack the Fierce Deity uses his sword to slice the Moon, summoned by Majora/Skull Kid, in two. The Fierce Deity also appears in Young Link's victory cutscene. The Fierce Deity also appears as an unlockable costume for Link.

In Hyrule Warriors Legends, the Fierce Deity returns as a transformation for Young Link and as an unlockable costume for Link. There is also a Fairy Clothing option for Companion Fairies called "Fierce Deity Facepaint".

Subseries warning: Subseries information ends here.

Non-canonical appearances

Non-canon warning: This article or section contains non-canonical information that is not considered to be an official part of the Legend of Zelda series and should not be considered part of the overall storyline.

It is explained that Majora's Mask is carved from the armor of a powerful dragon, Majora. Majora guarded an empty land that was neither moving nor dead. This dragon's armor was sought after, as it was believed that the armor could grant wishes and give power. Many came hoping to claim the armor for their own reason, be them good or evil, but Majora killed them all. One day, a mysterious man visited Majora. This man played music for the dragon, who danced for three days and three nights before dying, supposedly allowing time to move forward. The man then carved a mask from the creature's hide, hoping to seal its power.

Interestingly, the traveler bears a strong resemblance to Fierce Deity, who has darker-than-average skin, and silver hair, and it is hinted in the story that the stranger is in fact a god, although why this being chose to approach and ultimately slay the beast is never explained, other than when he says, "I was drawn to this land by a strange force". Some further evidence pointing to this being the true identity of Fierce Deity, a point is made that the stranger is the first being that is able to overcome the beast of Majora, and that it does so with music that controls the flow of time.

In the Manga, he was referred to as the "Ogre Deity", a too-literal translation of the Japanese name of the mask. Oni usually means ogre or demon, but the use of the 鬼 (oni) character in the compound 鬼神 (kishin, fierce deity) is intended to ascribe the wrathful aspect of oni to the deity (神) thus described.

Fierce Deity Link is featured as a sticker. Its sticker gives a +21 bonus to slash attacks, and can only be applied to Link, Toon Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf.

Fierce Deity Link is featured as an alternate costume for Link. However the costume only alters Link's face into that of the Fierce Deity Mask and the color of his tunic, Hylian Shield, and Master Sword. The Fierce Deity's signature sword is also not present.

Non-canon warning: Non-canonical information ends here.

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