The Stone Tower Temple is one of the more philosophical dungeons in the Zelda franchise. The temple, from top to bottom, appears as Link’s final trial before he faces off against Majora in the Moon. He must first scale the enclosed structure, which in itself serves as a proving ground for those who seek to enter the temple. And once at the top, he — and the player — is instantly hit with a cautious sense of wonder when faced with the literal open mouth of Stone Tower Temple, made more intense by Ikana Canyon’s creepy vibe as a land where vengeful spirits roam.
Once inside the temple though, Link is greeted by a large, outdoor area, and the dungeon’s music is somewhat relaxing and grounded. Is this really his final test? The puzzles in the temple are only slightly challenging, but one could say that the meat of the temple lies waiting until after Link acquires the Light Arrows. To do so, Link must climb his way to the top of the tower and fight Master Garo.
It is during this fight in which certain philosophical themes start becoming more obvious, as Master Garo explains to “the one who does not fear the dead” that the heavens must be born on the earth, and the earth must be born in the heavens. Once Link leaves the temple and strikes the ruby outside with a Light Arrow, the world of Stone Tower flips upside down.
The flipping of the temple brings about a symbol of ascension for Link. He has literally overcome the earth by falling into the sky, and, one could argue that his fight with Master Garo enlightened him to more than just the physical nature of the temple. Even the music supports this theme of ascension, as the player hears a light, airy song upon entering the temple in its flipped state.
To reach the final boss of Stone Tower, Link must prove his courage over death itself by facing Ikana’s version of the Grim Reaper — Gomez. Link literally overcomes death with the Light Arrows, the tool representing his power of enlightenment and journey toward ascension.
Stone Tower Temple also presents an interesting mechanic by asking the player to backtrack through the dungeon. When the structure is flipped, the layout seems somewhat familiar, but the environment and puzzles are different enough that the temple almost seems to present a second version of itself. To me, this mechanic not only adds to the layers of challenge that this temple presents, but it reveals a structural and thematic balance to the temple as well.
