Splatoon

Big fan of Splatoon as a franchise but never got around to actually playing it due to a lack of console until splatoon 3 because I got a switch right about that time.

I’ve just been big on the story, worldbuilding, and gameplay of Splatoon. Very fond of it for a long time.

So, what is Splatoon?

It's a nintendo bottled lightning game of a 3rd person shooter that's about squids who are kids who ink turf and fight battles! it's something I think a lot of people take for granted but I remember at the time being super into the game and being high-key worried it wasn't going to take off because it was released at least somewhat late into the WiiU's lifespan and it was a hard sell for people compared to the other longstanding IP's. It's mostly multiplayer-centric but does have decent single player hero modes.

What's My deal with it?

As mentioned earlier, I've been a big fan from the start but for reasons I did not have the means to actually play the games until splatoon 3. The first game released in 2015, the 2nd game coming two years later in 2017, and then the current game Splatoon 3 being released in 2022, five years after Splatton 2 (and 7 years after the Original Game).

My writing / Splatoon headcanon stuff

Worldbuilding / setting differences in my Semi-AU interpretation of Splatoon

  • They're more xeno-inkling/octoling tilted in that they're an uplift by humanity but it wasn't intentional and while they do run rather similar to humans they're not quite one to one. Notable anatomical differences include
    • They got tails. This is just a fun thing I see in fanart that distinguishes them from just being humans with squid hair tacked on and I think it's cute and fun
    • They got larger eyes than humans do
    • They are in fact venemous but also have worked out treatments for that kind of thing where humans did not.
    • While they are a lot more social than our real life squids and octopus, the solitary nature hasn't completely gone from them and they need outlets for needing to be solitary at times. This used to be gang violence among the kids before turf wars and such modern ink-related sports became popular.
    • They don't instantly melt in water. They're pseudo-amphibians which allows for them to breathe ink and do swim form stuff but they can in fact be in water if acclimated. Granted, Ink is the only safe thing they can swap shapes in, and if they were to try it in the water they'd disintigrate. This also means they're way more sensitive to water-based issues like the amphibians of our time.
    • You can clone / lab grow octolings from tentacle cuttings. This isn't common outside of Octarian contexts due to the stated lore there and need for non-octoling troups but this is is possible to do. Takes some resources though.
      • In theory you can also do this with inkling tentacles but that takes more work and resources than seen with octoling tentacle cuttings

 

  • Salmonids have a variety of rich and interesting cultures that can be more or less combat oriented. Unfortunately despite being uplifted to being a sapient sophont species, they never dropped the R-selection to K-selection like most sapient sea life has. Prior to Mr. Grizz and Salmon run, salmonids tended towards PVP and self-culling populations to try to not hit overpopulation issues.
  • They do ascribe to the whole thing that's goin on in-lore re: the glory of being eaten and the circle of life. To that extent cannibalism is a major taboo and even during the times prior where they would splat each other as a means of population control, they would not eat each other.
  • Salmonids are also hardier than the mollusc-lings and their ink is oil-based rather than water based, and as a result can handle water really well.

 

  • The Beta Bunnies do Exist and they live on the Moon and they’re the ones who are sending the faxes from on high. They love the inkling’s and octoling’s ink sports and while they have their own circuit on the moon, they always tend to run their splatfests to the inklings / octolings to be the final say (also so they can watch earth-style splatfests).
  • Yes I know there is in fact an explanation from the developers where the faxes are actually coming from but I like this idea better despite it kind of declawing the whole thing about Mr. Grizz’s lament for the lack of Mammals on Earth

My Splatoon OC's

General (or at least generally true about the agents)

  • And they were Room mates
  • They all were living together up until real recently
  • The catalyst was agent 4 going off on a big job for grizzco that would have set them up for not having student debt to deal with
  • Captain 3 and 8 are a thing (it’s slow burn though, happens by the time splatoon 3 is around but like it’s not instant relationship)
  • They do take in neo 3 as a roommate / older chaperones to help Neo 3 not get forcibly placed somewhere else by the system
  • Turns out the New Squidbeak splatoon is just super close to each other, like a funny found family with no parent figures. Just a band of kids of varying ages looking out for each other
  • Once agent 4 comes back, they do have to actually find a decent sized place / relocate mildly to accommodate a 4 roomate situation without being so cramped
  • Maybe it’s just a “hey I [the author] don’t really identify with gender at times / is some sort of [Non-binary / genderfluid / gender non-conforming]” but like, most of my takes on the agents wind up with the end goal of “hey gender is just a style here” and wind up varying flavors of non-cis-ness

 

Captain 3

Pronouns : any, usually they / them but has no hard preferences

  • But did use the girl inkling model / style if that’s any indication
  • Not a frequent talker but also is the wittiest when they do talk

During splatoon 1

  • Came from Interesting background
  • Kind of was lowkey kicked out as soon as they could turf
    • It’s generally 60 / 40 whether or not most inklings can start handling themselves independently
    • but cap’ 3 was not in fact ready for this
    • This practice is something hotly debated about where to draw the line between learning independence / okay you’re just throwing kids out
  • Super Leaned into agent work while being adrift, also decent at turf stuff and between the two was at least somewhat okay at being able to live on their own for some time
  • Long stretch of just kind of being homeless / not having stable places to stay
    • This did give them kind of a rep in octo valley / canyon for not keeping up with hygiene unfortunately
  • Main was either the hero-shot weapon or generally a splattershot of some sort. Loves shooters

During Splatoon 2

  • Leaned in agent work super hard
  • Then all of the Octo expansion DLC happened
  • All of that really did make them re-evaluate a bunch of stuff with regards to octolings / octarians.
  • Did tentatively agree to let both 8 and 4 room with them
  • Very impressed by Agents 4 & 8
  • Does go through a whole arc with trying to fix what the Tartar ooze did to them and the mild to moderate chronic pain that brings them post splatoon 2 but prior to splatoon 3.

During Splatoon 3 / Post Splatoon 3

  • Still kind of has a discolored patch from the sanitization
  • Is in fact really chill all things considered
  • Still really good at turf war / combat but is more specialized for heroshot / splattershot
  • The pendulum of being level headed and a genuinely good fit for captain while also being incredibly impulsive and driven by the Rule of Cool
Agent 4

Pronouns: She / Her but I’m pretty sure winds up some kind of nonbinary later and uses She / her / they / them

  • Biggest Ham
  • Genuinely nice and sweet
  • Seemingly extroverted but can be quiet at times
    • Secretly SUPER STRESSED OUT
  • Is actually pretty intelligent, nearly the smartest of the group
  • Like the games, she’s also sometimes just really sheltered at times and while her parents aren’t lowkey kicking her out like with captain 3’s parents, they are gently trying to encourage her to become more independent and world-smart.
  • Definitely was doing turf / agent work / salmon run on the side
  • Main gig was going to school for boring but pays-well type work
  • Got into salmon run to pay off school debt
  • Attains a LOT of school related debt despite 3 side gigs to pay off said debt
    • This is why She is stressed out because she does not come from money and has decided to tell NOBODY about her financial struggles despite the real possibility that they could in fact help alleviate that. It’s a weird pride issue and the Only thing she ever gets stubborn on.
  • Somehow the most broke person in the splatoon
  • Dualies Main / was also pretty good with a splattershot

POST Splatoon 2

  • Let Marina get battle and turf data to train security on
  • Head of security
    • Took it seriously actually
  • Or at least until they got captured by Salmonids
  • Is experiencing Salmonid Mad Max Fury Road
    • Pretty much Mr Grizz got somewhat concerned that they were climbing ranks too fast and would figure out the whole thing, and his plan was to offer 4 a deal
    • Mr Grizz would pay out all their debt for them to do some “recon work”
    • Recon work in theory should have kept them busy and it was until the start of the splat 3 story mode
  • Only gets back to the rest of the gang after the main story and DLC story modes get done
    • Wants the world’s largest power nap
    • Only mildly offended about the whole “who even IS this person” type treatment.
    • No agent 4 turns evil arc at this point in time despite the fact that it seems like popular fanon at this point that 4 is abandoned and this kicks off a bad spiral that leads them to a turning evil arc
    • Mostly is bummed out about not getting paid, but is pleasantly surprised that the Bear was in fact true to his word and did clear all the debt once they were gone as an incentive to make them stay out of his hair.
  • Despite everything, somehow still the most broke of the splatoon. They are debt free though, which is a lot of weight on her shoulders.
Agent 8 / Eight

Is probably some kind of genderfluid but also tends to ID with whatever gender is the most convenient for them at the time. Uses any pronouns. Often ID’s as a lady with she her but sometimes they spice it up with Identifying as something else.

During / prior to Octo-Expansion

  • Memories of the past makes it hard for them to really recollect who they were prior to the deepsea metro. They definitely know they were Octarian and was definitely a participant in the fighting and stuff and not just a civilian looking for a way out.
    • Jury is still out at this point if I want them to have been a lab-grown octoling or not.
  • Secretly partially sanitized in that they did get like all of their memories turned into memcakes but did not go through the rest of it and turn teal / blue / green like the others. How one manages to do this in such short time between the ambush and then Craig finding them is still a mystery.
  • While they did collect a lot of memcakes, who’s to say all of them were necessarily their memories and not someone else’s
  • Still has memory problems
  • Would be considered the all-rounder, uses octoshot but like the deepsea metro moulded them and as a result they are functionally the all-rounder.
  • Super stubborn about completing tasks without any help. Like super stubborn about that. In contrast to 4 this can extend to a LOT of things rather than 4 who’s only like that about money issues. Does not like to give up and does not give up very easily.
  • Does have trauma to unpack but isn’t keen on confronting that yet.

 

Post Octo-expansion / Side order

  • Finally begins to encounter overwhelming situations that make her back out of things / give up. Granted they are few and far between.
  • She is not Happy to be In the situations again, but is keeping it to herself because she is in fact friends with Marina / Pearl and wouldn’t want to be mean.
  • Absolutely loves the challenge and kind of being the “tester” of the efficiency of the whole Side Order thing for helping Sanitized Octolings
    • Though does suggest to Marina that perhaps create something that’s more puzzle / obstacle course oriented for those who aren’t battle-oriented.
Agent Neo 3

Definitely genderfluid, goes by any pronouns

  • ???? situation re: biological parents
  • Neo 3 does have a classic tell that they are in fact lab grown but don't have any kind of "facility tag" to track down where exactly they got grown out of. Backstory is genuinely a mystery as to the "why did they make you / dump you in the middle of the desert" 
  • In and out of various orphanages and foster care; the rogue orphan.
  • Most successful stint was being raised by a nomadic band of Salmonids, but got separated several times by well-meaning adults concerned about the “consequences” of letting peaceful salmonids raise an Octoling
  • Lil buddy and them got separated from the main band and that’s where we find them at the start of Splatoon 3
  • They took up lots of odd gigs like 4, but mostly to be able to live on their own
  • One consequence of living with nomadic salmonids is that they’re super capable of living on their own at a young age
    • Interesting foil there between 3 and them as a kid lowkey kicked out and not ready for starting to become independent just yet vs a kid abandoned / not having a fun time in the system who flourishes with being independent
  • Of the agents, absolutely the most agile, kind of ridiculous after beating the after alterna stage (something that I doubt the other agents except possibly 8 being able to do).
  • Not always the best at combat but between combat vs turfing, they’re better with turfing
  • An Aerospray main
  • Post hero mode they still do a lot of odd jobs with hero work / salmon run on the side
    • They do in fact like doing salmon run despite being raised by Salmonids because of the unflinching salmonid love of just having a good ol’ brawl.

The Names of My agents and stuff

I like sticking to the given Canon names so their names are in line with the promotional inklings unless stated otherwise (like with Eight)

  1. Kaori - Agent 3 / Captain 3
  2. Surume - Agent 4
  3. Eight - Agent 8
  4. Veronika / Hiro - Agent Neo 3

Granted in my writing and OC stuff the names are kind of the same at least until Neo 3

My Neo 3's name is Marceline or Marcy for short. This is an inklization of the salmonid name "Rare Morsel of the Drenched Flood plains" as she was raised by a Run of salmonids in the region called the Drenched flood plains. She and several of her salmonid siblings went to splatsville because similarly to how casually inkling and octoling parents just let their kids loose at like age 12-14, salmonids encourage their young to go exploring and figure out themselves from a certain age.

The Splatsville Salmonid band (name pending) is (and this is salmonid name - localized inkling / octoling names)

  • Glimmer - Glim
  • Rare-Morsel - Marcy
  • Lil Buddy - Lil Buddy
  • Ceaseless-Hunger - Munch (only slightly older than lil buddy)
  • Woe-of-your-foes - Woe
  • Blight-upon-all - Blight
  • Glint-of-Riches - Glint

all from the original drenched floodplains run with the exception of Lil buddy, who was split up / abandoned by their own band and went along with what they thought was another run.

Marcy was technically kicked out to go be with other Inklings and octolings by well meaning salmonid parents who think it'd be better for them. Glimmer, who wanted to go do splatland inksports decided to leave with them and Munch (who was technically too young but tagged along anyways), and then Woe, Blight and Glint went along because they want to go viral on the internet. So far nobody has made much of a stink about an inkling and several salmonids cohabing in Splatsville.

This all gets into the weird tangent of salmonid naming convention and how they all share the same Run name (and Run here is being used to denote a group of salmonids this is distinct from salmon run the game mode).