Summary
- The aliens encountered in Majora's Mask, known as Them, are based on a real-life encounter with the Flatwoods Monster in West Virginia.
- The design decision to include aliens in Majora's Mask was inspired by a UFO boom in Japan at the time of development.
- The Them encounter at Romani Ranch is one of the most memorable moments in Majora's Mask, and the monsters are among the most mysterious enemies in The Legend of Zelda.
There are a wide variety of enemies in Zelda monsters are extremely creepy, or even genuinely scary, with overall impressions varying depending on the tone of a given game.
It is worth noting that in most cases, there are not many details given to how monsters are born or made in The Legend of Zelda. Of course, Ganondorf can be seen directly creating monsters in Tears of the Kingdom from concentrated Gloom, but in older titles, they can seem to appear from nowhere, or even simply exist as a part of Hyrule even without the influence of a greater evil like Ganon. Interestingly, despite being more well-known as a friendly race in recent titles, the Zora have also been recurring enemies for Link, with the violent River Zora having evolved into a more monstrous form to reflect this.
Majora’s Mask’s Aliens Are Based On A Real Encounter
While the origins of monsters are often unexplained, it is usually reasonable to conclude they are simply either created through magic or simply exist as part of the world. One exception to this is Them, the alien-like entities that appear out of nowhere and attack Romani Ranch in Majora’s Mask. Sometimes described as ghosts, similar to The Legend of Zelda’s Poes, They arrive in a ball of light and, if successful, can abduct Romani Ranch’s cows and Romani herself via a tractor beam, leaving the girl visibly traumatized. But while They have no clear home, the real-life roots of Them are much clearer: an alien known as the Flatwoods Monster.
The Flatwoods Monster Is A Unique Source Of Inspiration For The Legend of Zelda
The Flatwoods Monster, sighted after a light streaked across the night sky and reportedly crashed in West Virginia in 1952, was described as a tall creature with clawed hands and a rounded face surrounded by a hood or pointed head. According to those who saw it, it hissed at them before gliding down towards them. In more recent years, it has been suggested that the Flatwoods Monster was an owl seen after a meteorite impact, mistaken in the poor lighting conditions. Nevertheless, it is clear that the floating, clawed figures of Them are based on this description, with the enemies clearly sporting the Flatwoods Monster’s distinctive pointed hood.
The Flatwoods Monster Museum in Sutton, West Virginia is dedicated to the legend of the Flatwoods Monster.
In an interview with Gamespot, Legend of Zelda Directer Eiji Aonuma revealed that this sequence was included in Majora’s Mask because, at the time of development, “Japan was experiencing something of a UFO boom.” It seems that with Aonuma being inspired by this trend, the appearance of the Flatwoods Monster was chosen to be the basis for Them and the otherworldly encounter at Romani Ranch. The impact of this design decision has proven to be highly effective, and as a consequence, the Romani Ranch battle is now easily one of Majora’s Mask’s most memorable moments.
The aliens encountered on Romani Ranch are a unique group of enemies who never appear again, leaving as many questions in their wake as real-life stories of extraterrestrial encounters can. Drawing on the image of the Flatwoods Monster, They are strange beings who fit the creepy atmosphere of Majora’s Mask while also standing out among the game’s events for how they affect Romani. These monsters are perhaps the most mysterious of The Legend of Zelda’s many enemies, and just like the Flatwoods Monster, they have never been seen again.
Sources: Nintendo of America/YouTube, Gamespot
