Not all video game NPCs are created equal. Some are run-of-the mill villagers that exist to show that the world is a living breathing thing, to make sure that players don’t feel like they’re walking through ghost towns. Most of these characters are forgettable, needing nothing from you in particular, just repeating the same few lines of dialogue over and over.

And then there’s this:

No one knows what it does, where it came from, or what it’ll set out to do after you’ve rid the world of the evil that plagues whatever land Link is saving. Whatever it is is facing a crisis that everyone has endured at some point or another. It. Has. No. Toilet. Paper.

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Making its first appearance in Majora’s Mask, the hand emerges from the hotel toilet if Link happens to wander past after midnight, begging for some paper. Link helps out, without really helping, providing stationary instead of the good two-ply stuff, but beggars can’t be choosers.

Link is then rewarded with a piece of heart for his assistance, which is pretty run-of-the-mill for a Zelda game, but why Link would actually accept this one in particular is somewhat questionable.

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The next appearance in Oracle of Ages is a different story. Link finds this poor soul tucked away in what appears to be an outhouse (there’s just the hole and a pot next to that hole in the ground when you walk in), asking for some assistance in getting out of the same unfortunate situation. If Link manages to secure some parchment, he can trade for a “stink bag.” Think about that for a second. This mysterious hand gives Link a “smelly bag” immediately after receiving paper to clean up. It’s obvious what’s in there, and as far as I know, this is the only time I’ve ever traded anything for a bag of poop, in real life or otherwise.

What does Link then do with said “stink bag?” He obviously finds a lizard person (Tokay) with a stuffy nose, waves the smelly stuff in its face, and clears its congestion using the power of stank. Yeah.

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The Skyward Sword reincarnation isn’t actually a physical hand. It’s a ghost, and if you speak to certain Skyloft citizens, they’ll reveal that a woman’s voice can be heard at night, saying, “I need paper…”

That, as it turns out, is way creepier than it would seem on the surface. Japanese urban legends and ghost stories revolving around haunted restrooms and toilets aren’t exactly rare, and two of the better known bathroom ghosts are Hanako-san and Aka Manto. According to her wiki-page, Hanako-san appears to be similar to what we know in the West as Bloody Mary, a girl who appears when summoned by calling her name. Aka Manto’s page paints him as a more malicious figure than Hanako-san, giving the person on the toilet the choice between red and blue paper.

If you answer red paper, you will be sliced apart until your clothes are stained red. If you choose blue paper, you will be strangled until your face turns blue. Any attempt to outsmart Aka Manto by asking for a different color will result in you being dragged to the Netherworld. The only correct answer is to say no paper and he will leave you alone.

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Is that the inspiration behind this character? Could that hand be dragging unsuspecting victims into the bowels of hell with Link’s help, or is Link actually saving people by soothing a murderous ghost’s soul? You’d think the Hero of Time would be more aware of the unholy company he keeps. After all, the hand first appeared in Majora’s Mask, one of the most subtly terrifying games ever, and it’s very apparent from the start that Link certainly isn’t the only one who has met with a terrible fate.

Corey can be reached on Twitter @FiascoKnows