Inkling adults? (Spoilers)

[Mrwhatzitooya]

Hi guys! I've been really into Splatoon's single player as of late, not just because it's pretty fun, but because of it's story (i'm a real lore fan xD ).

I've been totally obsessed with finding each Sunken Sea scroll, and i've become more interested with each one's discovery. (Final spoiler warning)

What intrigued me most was the old "photographs" of the Squidbeak Splatoon, as the inklings and the Cap'n looked practically human (apart from the tentacles). Even Sheldon's grandpappy was very human-like!

That got me thinking, why doesn't the game have any adult inklings? Do they become more cartoony in appearance with age, like the Cap'n?

What do you guys think? Any ideas as to why they only included the adults in photographs? I know Splatoon is a "kid's game", but it would still have adults then, right?

 

[Crucifigo]

My assumption is that central Inkopolis is dominated by kid Inkling culture, and the shops cater directly towards them. There's nothing there for adult Inklings, they're not hip and fresh like the kids. The weapons are designed for kid Inklings, the clothes are small, the Squid Sisters are teenage idols, etc.

Adult Inklings probably do look like they do in the scrolls, excluding the creepy squid eyes and tentacles. Just add in a bit more stylistic editing. Cap'n is old and frail, people lose height and muscle mass when they hit 100+. Inklings don't actually have bones according to the Octarian scroll, so that's also probably partially artistic liberty going there.

 

[Mrwhatzitooya]

My assumption is that central Inkopolis is dominated by kid Inkling culture, and the shops cater directly towards them. There's nothing there for adult Inklings, they're not hip and fresh like the kids. The weapons are designed for kid Inklings, the clothes are small, the Squid Sisters are teenage idols, etc.

Adult Inklings probably do look like they do in the scrolls, excluding the creepy squid eyes and tentacles. Just add in a bit more stylistic editing. Cap'n is old and frail, people lose height and muscle mass when they hit 100+. Inklings don't actually have bones according to the Octarian scroll, so that's also probably partially artistic liberty going there.

That does make sense. I can hardly see an adult squid running around shooting an ink gun and screaming "Whooooooo!" xD

Come to think of it, in all the photograph scrolls, the adults' eyes are hidden by shadow. We don't actually know what their whole face looks like, so they could have some pretty wacky looking eyes going on.

As for the Cap'n, that certainly sounds about right, though it is a little weird how they revert back from realistic looking humanoids to cartoony old people.

 

[Meloetta]

I'd imagine if one were to show up in game, they would just be more adult looking versions of current inklings. Taller, more defined features. But the art style ingame is cartoony, so they would be designed as such too.
Especially with Cuttlefish being an example of an aged inkling. I imagine they'd be a bit taller than him.

 

[redfeatherraven]

As for the Cap'n, that certainly sounds about right, though it is a little weird how they revert back from realistic looking humanoids to cartoony old people.

That could come back to the scroll mentioning no bone structure that @Crucifigo mentioned.

I don't recall if that scroll actually mentions what it's replaced with, but it might operate more like muscle or fluid-filled bladders than bone. Maybe Cap'n is just at the age where those have deteriorated to the point where he can't keep his shape anymore, and what we're seeing is everything he can hold together.

 

[Crucifigo]

That could come back to the scroll mentioning no bone structure that @Crucifigo mentioned.

I don't recall if that scroll actually mentions what it's replaced with, but it might operate more like muscle or fluid-filled bladders than bone. Maybe Cap'n is just at the age where those have deteriorated to the point where he can't keep his shape anymore, and what we're seeing is everything he can hold together.

lol poor guy's falling apart at the seams

Since Inklings are well, made of ink, I'd assume hydraulics like a spider. The liquid in the spiders body allows it to extend its legs, which is why they curl up when they die. A high pressure core running through the body would also make them pretty firm and contribute to their wacky jumping capabilities.

and now i can't stop seeing those scroll inklings with bug eyes like cap'n oh god why

 

[Glottis]

I just took the scrolls to be artistic interpretations of what they actually looked like.
To make them look more heroic and legendary. Never thought of the pictures as photographs.
Especially since in that particular picture, you can see Judd. And in it, he looks almost like a real cat. Which he obviously does not do in the actual game.

I'd imagine if there where to be adult Inklings in the game, they'd look a lot more closer to how the kid Inklings look in the game.
Just taller and with adult facial features. Though still cartoony, as that is the style of the franchise.
They probably shouldn't be called Inklings either, since that brings to mind something that's small or young.
Perhaps Inklers? Inklords? Inklads and Inkladies?

 

[Meloetta]

Inkarians!
Though the game actually refers to them as Inklings in that same Sunken Scroll.

 

[Lyn]

I thought it was very interesting. It makes me pretty sad to know they were friends with Octolings at one point, then water drove them apart. :(

 

[Mrwhatzitooya]

lol poor guy's falling apart at the seams

Since Inklings are well, made of ink, I'd assume hydraulics like a spider. The liquid in the spiders body allows it to extend its legs, which is why they curl up when they die. A high pressure core running through the body would also make them pretty firm and contribute to their wacky jumping capabilities.

and now i can't stop seeing those scroll inklings with bug eyes like cap'n oh god why

That might also explain why inklings burst upon being splattered?

Haha xD Maybe that's why they shadowed the scroll inklings' eyes? No one could take them seriously otherwise!

I thought it was very interesting. It makes me pretty sad to know they were friends with Octolings at one point, then water drove them apart. :(

I know right? And apart from the actions of a certain Octoling, they really were just looking a source of power this time around for their underground complex.

To be honest, the whole lore is kind of sad. Not only the war between the Octolings and Inklings , but the events of the past and Judd's origins. Quite a dark story under all the colourful ink, eh?

 

[missingno]

I figured Callie and Marie were adults. How old are they supposed to be?

 

[Mrwhatzitooya]

I figured Callie and Marie were adults. How old are they supposed to be?

I think they're roughly a similar age to the regular inklings.

 

[Stormowl]

I figured Callie and Marie were adults. How old are they supposed to be?

That's what I thought too.

 

[Crucifigo]

I'm pretty sure Callie and Marie are supposed to be teenagers. Gnarly squid kids and their super fresh teenage idols.

 

[Trieste Sp]

Hmm.. I theorize the adults are outside the boundaries of Inkopolis.