Masks

Vega was the only combatant in Street Fighter II who had the foresight to protect his face. Ironically, he needed the least protection since he was the only one who had a weapon. Nobody was trying to attack his face with a metal claw! In any regard, the reason why Vega takes extra measures to protect himself is because he’s obsessed with his appearance and doesn’t want anyone damaging his beautiful face. The mask serves as a constant reminder of his vanity and narcissism. He has an inflated sense of self-worth and shows disdain to anyone he considers ugly. It’s too bad he can’t do anything about his ugly personality. The mask is relatively simple in design and it doesn’t have any supernatural properties, but it deserves a mention on this list because it’s a perfect reflection of Vega’s arrogance.

There are many dragon priest masks to obtain in the mystical land of Skyrim, but Konahrik stands out for several reasons. It’s one of the only masks in the game that has a unique design, it has the highest armor rating, and it can only be acquired if all of the previous dragon priest masks have been obtained. The mask also has unique healing properties, and it can save its wearer from the brink of death. If things get tough, the mask even has the potential to summon a spectral ally to aide in battle. The standard dragon priest masks are pretty cool in their own right, but the distinctive tusks make Konahrik look all-the-more imposing. Konahrik would likely have been considered for this list based on its design alone, but the decision to include it was also informed by its practicality and exclusivity.

Handsome Jack is the kind of guy who lives by his own rules. He took over the Hyperion corporation by strangling his boss, he tries to bring order to the planet of Pandora by wiping out all undesirables, and he has a history of hurting others for his own amusement. He won’t let societal norms dictate his behavior, but this doesn’t mean he doesn’t care about how he’s perceived. Incidentally, he wears an lifelike mask to hide his deformed face. At a glance, you might not even realize he’s wearing a mask at all, but the metal clips and discolored skin become apparent upon further inspection. It’s probably not surprising that a guy named Handsome Jack would be concerned about his appearance. His actual face was pretty messed up and his scars were anything but superficial, but the mask is still symbolic of his narcissism.

One of the few characters who has appeared in every Crash Bandicoot game, Aku Aku is a witch doctor who was reincarnated as a floating wooden mask. His wisdom makes him a perfect sidekick for the naive Crash Bandicoot, and he becomes a father figure to him during his adventures. Although he’s a peaceful being, Aku Aku acts as the guardian of the Wumpa Islands and stands up to great evils when they emerge. He does this by offering guidance, providing magical services, and by protecting brainless bandicoots from danger. When the full power of his spirit is released, the tribal mask will affix itself to Crash’s face and render him invincible for a period of time. Aku Aku scatters copies of himself all around the islands, so Crash never has to jump through too many hoops in order to summon him.

There are two characters in the Tekken series that have been known as King. Both of them are luchadors from Mexico, and both fought under the guise of a jaguar mask. The first King grew up as an orphan and spent most of his days brawling in the streets. After he realized the error of his ways, he opened up an orphanage with the prize money he earned from fighting. After King was senselessly murdered, one of the children he had mentored took it upon himself to keep the orphanage running. He took King’s mask, imitated his wrestling style, and spent years training with King’s former rival, Armor King. (Incidentally, Armor King also wore a jaguar mask. I guess they must have been really popular in the region.) The events of the Tekken series span several decades, but King’s iconic mask transcends generations.

Masks are of great importance in the world of lucha libre, and Guacamelee! builds on the idea that masks can transform wrestlers into something more than who they are. Juan Aguacate was a humble a agave farmer by trade, but he dreamed of being a luchador from a young age. When an evil charro skeleton attacked his village and kidnapped el presidente’s daughter, Juan was killed in the scuffle. After he found himself in the land of the dead, he met a mysterious woman named Tostada who gave him a mystical mask and a second chance at life. The mask allowed Juan to return to the land of the living, and it also transformed him into a powerful luchador in the process. The mask didn’t just make him faster and stronger, but it also gave him the swagger of a pro wrestler and helped him earn respect.

Mortal Kombat is filled to the brim with palette-swapped ninjas in colorful masks. Most of them are probably just following fashion trends, but others – like Reptile and Scorpion – have something to hide. In that light, Mileena’s mask leads everyone to believe that she’s a knockout beauty like her “sister” Kitana. Mileena is a partial clone of Kitana, but she was infused with Tarkatan DNA. Although she was blessed with an amazing body, her Tarkatan physiology beset her with a grotesque mouth lined with razor-sharp teeth. Mileena is excessively jealous of her sister, so she overcompensates for her Tarkatan features by wearing slutty clothing. She’s a textbook example of a butterface, and her mask is basically a glorified paper bag. As long as she keeps her mouth veiled, we can at least pretend that she’s hot.

Sith Lords and cool masks go hand in hand, and Darth Nihilus is no exception to the rule. Before turning to the Dark Side, he lost everything he had during a galaxy-wide conflict. Although it was not his intent, he discovered he could quell his emptiness by feeding on the energy of other survivors. This created a disturbance in the Force and caught the attention of a Sith Lord. After accepting an offer of apprenticeship, he became known as Darth Nihilus. He eventually became powerful enough to overthrow his master, but his body was painfully ravaged by his hunger for Force energy. Nihilus was only able to stay alive because he used the Dark Side of the Force to encase his spirit within a mask and armor. The mask makes him look like a total badass, and he can probably write it off as a medical expense!

The Terror Mask is an ancient relic that is possessed by an immortal being from another dimension. After the mask attached itself to a mortally wounded man named Rick, it transformed his body and granted him unspeakable power. Rick awoke with superhuman strength and stamina, and the mask also had unique regenerative properties. The power of the mask became more pronounced as it absorbed the blood from Rick’s enemies. It could even transform Rick into an over-muscled monster if enough blood was spilled. The origins and motives of the mask are unknown to Rick, but the artifact was supposedly responsible for the extinction of past civilizations. The mask constantly speaks to Rick and provides guidance, but it also manipulates his actions. Rick may wear the mask, but the mask inhabits him.

It’s rare to see a Zelda game that doesn’t feature Ganon, but Majora’s Mask was an effective antagonist in his absense. The artifact was apparently used by an ancient tribe as a form of hexing and torture. When it became difficult to control its wicked power, the mask was sealed away to prevent a catastrophe. Long after the ancient tribe vanished, the mask found its way into the hands of a traveling salesman. Unfortunately, the mischievous Skull Kid stole the mask without understanding its power. Naturally, the mask corrupted Skull Kid’s mind, and the harmless pranks he used to pull gave way to malicious acts of evil. Not only did he use dark magic to curse others around him, but he went so far as to call on the moon to destroy the land of Termina. You know a mask is evil when it starts giving orders to the moon!