Zelda: Ocarina of Time is full of mysterious characters and unresolved plot lines. Most Zelda games are, largely due to its very confusing timeline. Ocarina of Time is no exception here. With everything from the Fairy Ocarina's disappearance, to what caused Dampe to die, these 10 queries have been tripping up fans since the game's release over 20 years ago. There are plenty of fan theories about what may have happened, but Nintendo never confirms anything for sure.
With nothing to go on besides pure speculation, these mysterious are fun to toy around with. Was the Fairy Ocarina stolen after its abandonment? What happened to certain important characters? Here are some fun questions with potential answers and speculations.
10 What Happened To The Fairy Ocarina?
Well, everyone assumes that Link trashed this sweet gift when the Ocarina of Time came along. There's no official proof of this, though. While the game's inventory replaces the Fairy Ocarina with the Ocarina of Time, the game doesn't outright say that Link threw it away.
Like most sentimental gifts, Link probably wants to keep this gem safe by not using it at all since he doesn't necessarily need it. However, it's also possible that he passed it down to someone else, like the Skull Kid or something since he loves Saria so much. On the other hand, the Ocarina of Time manga suggests that Ganondorf stole it, mistakenly assuming it's the Ocarina of Time.
9 The Happy Mask Salesman: Did He Always Have Majora's Mask?
This is an interesting question. Fans have several theories regarding this fella, but the most important one lies in his potential early Majora's Mask possession. That's right. Some suggest that the Happy Mask Salesman has had this magic mask since Ocarina of Time.
This is largely because he states in Majora's Mask that he's a traveling salesman who has possessed Majora's Mask for a very long time. It's important to note that the Happy Mask Salesman isn't present for Adult Link's era, and that Majora's Mask takes place shortly after Child Link's departure from Hyrule. In short, this shows where the salesman during those 7 years: he went to Termina.
It's likely that the Happy Mask Salesman was protecting Majora's Mask from Ganon's reach, then unfortunately came into contact with the Skull Kid. It was a nice attempt, but a mask with that much power is difficult to keep safe.
8 How Did Dampe Die?
As Child Link, a kind gravedigger named Dampe walks the Kakariko Village graveyard. However, it's a different story for Adult Link. After pulling back one of the headstones, Link goes into a hole and finds Dampe's ghost. He wants to race, and if Link wins, he gets a prize.
The main question here is, how did Dampe die? Additionally, why is his ghost still hanging around underground? Fans don't have a whole lot to say about this, and Dampe's diary doesn't confirm anything either.
It's possible that the graveyard kid who buys the Spooky Mask wanted to be Dampe so badly that he went to the great lengths of murdering him to take his place. Or, more realistically, Dampe just died of old age or illness, like most people do. It's a pretty open-ended guess. At least Dampe's ghost is still around to play.
7 Where Does Navi Go in the End?
At Majora Mask's beginning, Link leaves Hyrule in search of his fairy friend, Navi. All fans know is that at the end of Ocarina of Time, Navi floats up to the window in the Temple of Time, never to be seen again. Players speculate many possibilities, one of which states that fairies disappear once serving their purpose. So, since Navi helped Link save Hyrule, her time in that world is no more.
Other fans believe that because of her bravery, Navi gets an upgrade and becomes a fountain fairy with magic. While many fans find her annoying, Navi is a helpful, legendary character in the Zelda series, and fans deserve to know exactly what happened to her.
6 Lake Hylia's Tree Scratch: Who Left It?
This one is complex. The tree on the island in Lake Hylia has a giant claw scratch on it in the original Nintendo 64/Gamecube versions. Some fans claim that a Wolfos did it, but even they seem to lack this much power. However, a YouTuber by the name of MaskedNintendoBandit thinks differently.
His theory suggests that the Lightening Dragon Farosh from Breath of the Wild has something to do with this. He goes on to say that Breath of the Wild occurs years upon years after Ocarina of Time does, and that this Lake Hylia dragon very well could have lived at Lake Hylia during Ocarina of Time. He further suggests that the scratch came from a younger, smaller Farosh, during his battle with Morpha, the evil boss in the Water Temple.
This is nothing but pure speculation of course, but the story does make sense, and it's a lot more entertaining than the Wolfos theory. Why this scratch isn't present in the 3Ds version remains unknown.
5 Why is There a Shark in the Lakeside Laboratory?
When Link dives down in the scientist's diving hole in the Lakeside Laboratory, he is met with a large, seemingly preserved shark. Lake Hylia appears to be a freshwater lake, so where the heck did this come from?
The shark appears to be a Great White shark, which yes, comes from the ocean. Someone must have transported the shark here. Some fans believe the shark is alive and that it's the scientist's pet. This doesn't really make sense, given that the shark keeps the same open-mouthed pose the entire time, and never moves. It looks like the scientist brought a dead shark here to study. Why it's still underwater remains a mystery.
4 How Do the Cows Get Underground?
Unfortunately for Lon Lon Ranchers and farmers across Hyrule, some cows never come home. That's apparently due to them falling into holes scattered throughout the land. Okay, but seriously, how in the world do these cows end up underground?
Nothing ever properly answers this question. As funny as it is to think that they may have just fallen down there accidentally, the cows technically shouldn't fit through this tiny holes that Link can barely fit into. There's no logic behind this placement, but it is pretty darn funny nonetheless.
3 Who Decorated Hyrule Castle with Mario Character Paintings and Why?
Sure, on the surface it's obvious that these paintings are a Nintendo cameo. However, it does raise questions about interconnectivity between Hyrule and the Mushroom Kingdom. Link does appear in games with Mario, such as Mario Kart, Smash Bros., and more.
But why keep photos of these characters hanging inside the castle? Does Princess Zelda look to Peach and other characters as influences in leadership? That really doesn't explain the Bowser photo though, unless she just likes to remind herself of what could happen if she fails.
2 Where Did Zelda Stay During Her Escape?
Everyone knows that Child Zelda escapes the castle with Impa, and later appears as Sheik when Link is an adult, but what about the rest of the time? Where could she possibly hide that's safe from Ganon?
No one really knows for sure. The game does confirm that Impa trains Zelda as a Sheikah warrior, but there's no indication about where this all occurs.
1 Where Did Jabu-Jabu Disappear To?
Remember that time when Link cosplayed as Jonah and entered a giant fish's belly? Great times. However, despite Link's attempts, Jabu-Jabu disappears in the end nonetheless. This guardian is no longer present when Link is an adult. So, where did he go?
No one knows for sure. As dark as Adult Link's, AKA: The Hero of Time's world is, it's possible that this guardian is now deceased. Or, he might have gotten lucky and escaped before things got drastically worse. Most fans hope for the latter.