Honestly, I have no idea where the fandom's fear of the "terrible fate" line from Majora's Mask came from. I've seen people use this line to convey eeriness or unsettlement, but it doesn't make much sense to me because, genuinely, what tender words.
Think about it. Playing Majora's Mask, after Link has had his encounter with Skullkid, losing Epona, being transformed into a Deku scrub and trapped in a body that isnt his, the Happy Mask Salesman finds our Hero of Time in a state of desperation, and the first thing he says when he approaches is:
"You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?"
Like, how poetic of a line for him to say upon finding how things have ended up for Link. Those words were a fresh breath of sympathy for me as the player. How terrible of a situation for you to be in. Yes, I have met with a terrible fate, and it's nice to know that someone can see that.