Suduiko, A. (2014, December 7). Mister Owl, how many timelines does it take to get to the center of free will and determinism? With A Terrible Fate. https://withaterriblefate.com/2014/12/07/mister-owl-how-many-timelines-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-free-will-and-determinism/

Summary

The ninth entry in Suduiko's "A Comprehensive Theory of Majora's Mask" ([[Comprehensive Theory Majora's Mask]]).

Notes

Kaepora Gaebora, the owl first introduced in Ocarina of Time ([[Ocarina of Time]]) serves a different purpose in Majora's Mask ([[Majora's Mask]]). While both game's characters help orient the player toward a discussion of free will and determinism, the orientation is different in each game.

Ocarina is very fate driven. Link is fated to be the one that defeats Ganondorf, and Kaepora Gaebora's language reflects this theme. Link is a “child of fate,” “chosen by fate” to possess the Triforce of Courage, traverse time, and defeat Ganondorf.

The way he speaks in Majora, however, is such that he includes conditionals in his speech. “If you have the courage and determination to proceed in the face of destiny,” he says to Link, “then I shall teach you something useful... I have placed [[202008251813 Conditional questing in BotW|Owl Statues] throughout the land to aid one with the power to change the destiny of this land... Wherever he may appear.”

Link is not necessarily the one to save Termina. He could be the one, but it's not guaranteed.

Additionally, we see that Kaepora Gaebora is external to Termina. The way he can save the game temporarily through owl statues is different than any other mechanic present in Majora - and as discussed in an earlier post, is not musically based. This implies that the owl's commentary on fate can be trusted because he is metaphysically greater than the fabric of Termina.

Using the temporal afterimage ([[Legend of Whom]]) theory in conjunction with the previous post ([[My sorrows are melting away into the song]]) showing that Link is not the Hero of Time from Ocarina, we can deduce that every singe time Link resets time, he creates a new timeline pre-populated with a brand new Link that is only connected to the previous chronological Link via a temporal afterimage.

If that's the case, then we can finally ask our question about fate. Is Link in Majora's Mask [driven by fate][6]? The answer is no, and yes, simultaneously. There are two layers of determinism present in Majora - inter-timeline and intra-timeline.

• Inter-timeline: This is the perspective that we the players see - all timelines strung together one after another to make a complete set. This set of timelines composes the entirety of the game starting from the first timeline (Link is a Deku Scrub and must obtain his Hylian body) to the final timeline (Link obtains the Fierce Deity mask). In between the bookend timelines, Link must obtain the four giant masks in a specific order. So, as a whole, inter-timeline Link is driven by fate with very little wiggle room for agency.

  Could be modeled with [[Petri Nets]]

• Intra-timeline: As we established previously, with each new timeline, we are in control of a new Link who is just as removed from the previous Terminian Link as the original Link is from the Hero of Time. Each timeline can be whiled away in any way the player sees fit.

  This is very similar to Suduiko's "Link Automaton" theory #zt

  Echoing the sentiments of Kaepora Gaebora, if Link proceeds to face destiny then progress will be made in the arc. But this is not necessarily the case. Kaepora Gaebora - whom we have previously established as a metaphysically external, and therefore metaphysically trusted, actor - is aware of Link's disconnected nature. Thus intra-timeline Link is not bound by determinism.

"Video games are uniquely poised to not only acknowledge the agency of the person who engages with them, but to make the meaning of the story intrinsically related to that agency, and “Majora’s Mask” serves as the template for how to achieve this on a deeply metaphysical level."

Citations

• [6]: Link's Awakening theory of fate

#zt