"As a sign of our gratitude, we Deku have prepared something that we think may assist you. I will lead you to it. From here, the pathways are dark and can be quite treacherous... Please follow closely and do not get separated from me." — Deku Butler

The Deku Butler is a character from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. A very dignified and old Deku, he is the butler and caretaker of the Deku Royal Family, who rule the region of Woodfall from their traditional seat, the Deku Palace.

Biography

Spoiler warning : Plot or ending details follow.

Prior to the events of the game, the Deku Butler had an unnamed son. However, at one point, his son vanished without a trace, and the Deku Butler never saw him again.

When Link arrives in the Deku Palace, the Deku Butler comments on the Deku King's rash decision to take a monkey captive and pin the blame of the recent disappearance of his daughter, the Deku Princess, on the monkey. After Link rescues the Deku Princess, the Deku Butler promises Link a reward for aiding the Deku Kingdom. He asks Link to meet him in the Deku Shrine east of the palace gates. Inside, he challenges Link to a race through a huge labyrinthine complex. With the Deku Butler using a candle to light the way, Link must quickly follow him in order to avoid doors closing and trapping him inside. When Link successfully completes the maze, the Deku Butler apologizes for the trouble and gifts Link with the Mask of Scents. He remarks that Link reminds him of his long-lost son then summons a portal leading to the entrance of the Deku Shrine.

During the end credits, the Deku Butler can be seen crying next to what appears to be a lifeless Deku-like tree in the tunnels beneath Clock Town.

Spoiler warning: Spoilers end here.

Deku Butler's Son

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.

There are some theories pertaining to what happened to the Deku Butler's son. It is implied, though not confirmed, that the sad twisted tree beneath Clock Town is his long-lost son, as the Deku Butler is seen crying next to it during the credits. A common belief is that the Deku Butler's Son ran into the Skull Kid, who had then rendered him lifeless to gain the ability to transform Link into his Deku Scrub form.

Link is transformed into a Deku in the same tunnel complex near the twisted tree shape. Therefore it is also believed that the Deku Mask may hold the stolen soul of the Deku Butler's son, as the other transformation masks, the Goron and Zora Masks, contains the spirits of the dead Darmani and Mikau. Since the Goron and Zora masks transform Link into people of importance who are also deceased (Darmani and Mikau), the Deku Mask has been thought to transform Link into the shape of the Deku butler's son.

Before Link leaves the Deku Shrine after having led Link to the end, the Deku Butler apologizes for moving too fast; he mentions that when he looks at Link, he is reminded of his son, whom he used to race, and that he therefore forgot to lower his pace. It is possible he is referring to Link's Deku form which he saw previously, as this is the most likely form to remind him of a Deku Scrub, though at the time he makes this statement Link may or may not be using that shape. This theory is further supported by the Deku Scrub statue created by playing the "Elegy of Emptiness", which looks notably similar to the twisted tree and different from Link's Deku form; it has three leaves on the top instead of hair for example. The statues of Link's other forms, in two cases, resemble the physical forms of the spirits sealed inside the transformation masks, rather than resembling Link's forms when using the masks.