Inkling/Octoling Biology- Splatoon 2 Edition

[Cephalobro]

I have noticed a very old thread in the Splatoon 1 section. Instead of necroing it, I decided to make a new one with all the updated lore that can be found in Splatoon 2 and Octo Expansion. Plus, the Inklings and the Octarians as a whole are still shrouded in mystery on how their biology work in general.

Now the basic thing that we know about both species is the fact that they don't have bones, in fact the only hard part of their body is the "teeth" or beak, not only that, but also the fact that they just can't swim in water. Moreover, it was revealed that Octarians cannot reproduce on their own as they start out as a cut-off tentacle from the host.

I originally had a lot more to talk about, but I prefer if others could try to solve the mystery about the Inkling and Octarian biology before I give out anymore details.

 

[JoyStar]

I remember Game Theory did a video a while back on discussing if the Inklings were more kid or squid, it had a good examination of their biology.

 

[Cephalobro]

That's very interesting, basically trying to figure out which one they are more of gave a new perspective. Now I'm going to share even more of my findings for the updated lore about the biology of Inklings and Octarians (mostly Octolings).

As seen in the Octo Expansion themed artbook (the one that has the cover of the Inkopolis magazine in the game) we see that at least some Octarians can develop into Octolings, however, not all of them can become Octolings. A Twintacle Octotrooper was shown being developed into an Octoling in that artbook, but as proven by Nintendo themselves just by a band cover art, that's not the only way an Octoling can start as. I made the comparison of both images and the 10 year old Octoling doesn't look anything like the Twintacle Octotrooper from that book, the only similarity are obviously the tentacles and shape of humanoid limbs, but even then that could just be because Octarian tentacles don't have a bulging end like Inkling tentacles do.

Here are side-by-side comparison between three images, one of which will be marked as spoilers so no one gets spoiled accidentally.

Spoiler: Octarian becoming an Octoling

View attachment 6733

As we can see, the SashiMori's Octoling has a much more resemblance to the developing Inkling rather than the Octarian in Artbook.

 

[seth_the_inkling]

interesting. i've been trying to think about their biology too (but more like what organs exist, and others i cant think at the time of writing).
sadly i havent had the time to discuss it :/

EDIT: more like fleshing out the above video :3

 

[Cephalobro]

That's okay, but we know that Inklings and presumably Octolings at least have hearts and an ink sac. As mentioned by Cap'n Cuttlefish mentioning his multiple hearts sometime during Octo Expansion and an Octotrooper scientist observing an Inkling's ink sac through x-ray in one of Splatoon 2's Sunken Scrolls.

Since Octolings were mentioned, I would like to bring up the fact that there are adult Octarians who don't become Octolings at all, I assume all tentacle-based Octarians in DJ Octavio's army are adults, heck the Octo Samurai seems to want to teach sumo to young Octarians according to rough translation of the Splatoon 2 Artbook, giving the assumption that he's an adult Octarian since any fighting style takes time to master. Another thing about the Octo Samurai is that he's a selective few of tentacle-based Octarians who became not only humanoid (roughly) but also have the ability to respawn once splatted, that's definitely a rarity of any Octarian that's not an Octoling.

 

[Robert Holmes]

It should be noted that, because of censorship in the manga, we know Inklings have genitals in their human forms. Do they reproduce in their human forms? Do they reproduce like squids? I always thought they were squids who turned into humanoids. But evidence seems to suggest they're more comfortable as humanoids.

 

[Cephalobro]

That's a good observation, seeing how Goggles loves to pull down the pants of others, based on the summary of the Octo Expansion arc of the manga, I'm assuming that Octolings also have genitals since Goggles pulled Hachi's pants down during Hachi's explanation to Commander Tartar about the coexistence of Inklings and Octarians being possible.

In the mention of reproduction, it seems like the playable Octolings were hatched from Octoling eggs, as the only way for genetic diversity to happen naturally is through sexual reproduction, sure, Octarians can develop into Octolings, but the final stage of the asexual reproductive method will have the offspring being technically a clone of the parent since the fusion of gametes doesn't take place in asexual reproduction, only in sexual reproduction. Seeing how playable Octolings have a variety of skin tone and eye colors, them being born from sexual reproduction is correct. Enemy Octolings on the other hand, can be assumed to be born from asexual reproduction, reason for that is because every single one of them have the same exact skin tone.

 

[Robert Holmes]

I can see where you're coming from. But I think that's more of a stylistic choice. They're basically goombas. If they had an enemy octoling that was a character, I think they would look distinct.
It should also be considered that the octarians might have cloning technology different from their normal reproduction.

 

[Cephalobro]

It could be possible that the Elite enemy Octolings are the original ones while the lesser enemy Octolings could be their clones. As mass producing clones could be how enemy Octolings are uncommon rather than rare. With the tentacle having the ability to grow into a new Octarian, it could be possible that they can cut off a tentacle and use it for cloning the host, since the tentacles regrow, it only becomes a temporary inconvenience for the host.

 

[Raphaël]

[...] Seeing how playable Octolings have a variety of skin tone and eye colors, them being born from sexual reproduction is correct. [...]

Well, then again, we're talking about creatures that are based off octopuses, which are very well known to be able to change their colour to camouflage themselves - So I guess it would also not be an issue for an Octoling to change their colour at will.
But I still agree with you, I mean, why not. It's way more convenient to reproduce in a humanoid body than in a cephalopod body - mating is pretty cruel between them after all as well as taking care of the eggs.

 

[Cephalobro]

Well, then again, we're talking about creatures that are based off octopuses, which are very well known to be able to change their colour to camouflage themselves - So I guess it would also not be an issue for an Octoling to change their colour at will.
But I still agree with you, I mean, why not. It's way more convenient to reproduce in a humanoid body than in a cephalopod body - mating is pretty cruel between them after all as well as taking care of the eggs.

We don't know that Inkling and Octoling parents die, Cap'n Cuttlefish as well as the mention of Marie's parents in the Squid Sister stories seem to suggest that their evolution left that negative trait behind. Seeing how the Squid Sisters are actually cousins, Cap'n Cuttlefish must have had at least two children before he has gotten old.

 

[seth_the_inkling]

That's okay, but we know that Inklings and presumably Octolings at least have hearts and an ink sac. As mentioned by Cap'n Cuttlefish mentioning his multiple hearts sometime during Octo Expansion and an Octotrooper scientist observing an Inkling's ink sac through x-ray in one of Splatoon 2's Sunken Scrolls.

Since Octolings were mentioned, I would like to bring up the fact that there are adult Octarians who don't become Octolings at all, I assume all tentacle-based Octarians in DJ Octavio's army are adults, heck the Octo Samurai seems to want to teach sumo to young Octarians according to rough translation of the Splatoon 2 Artbook, giving the assumption that he's an adult Octarian since any fighting style takes time to master. Another thing about the Octo Samurai is that he's a selective few of tentacle-based Octarians who became not only humanoid (roughly) but also have the ability to respawn once splatted, that's definitely a rarity of any Octarian that's not an Octoling.

wow. where did you get this? i would like to see it myself.

 

[Cephalobro]

Basically a Twitter post that Ansible showed of someone performing rough translations on the artbook, I'll edit in the link once I find it.

EDIT: Here is is.

 

[Raphaël]

We don't know that Inkling and Octoling parents die, Cap'n Cuttlefish as well as the mention of Marie's parents in the Squid Sister stories seem to suggest that their evolution left that negative trait behind. Seeing how the Squid Sisters are actually cousins, Cap'n Cuttlefish must have had at least two children before he has gotten old.

Well, by the time I can really believe they adapted to the human body more. Isn't it even stated in the sunken scrolls that the current population came to be after a lot of generations?
And seeing how fixated everything is on the squids' human form, like fashion and the whole weapon system, they sure are comfortable with their humanoid body in every single way.

 

[Cephalobro]

Well, by the time I can really believe they adapted to the human body more. Isn't it even stated in the sunken scrolls that the current population came to be after a lot of generations?
And seeing how fixated everything is on the squids' human form, like fashion and the whole weapon system, they sure are comfortable with their humanoid body in every single way.

It could be possible that the humanoid body has better resistance against many things as well as being the most suited to use objects effectively, although, limiting the number of limbs they can use in the humanoid form, which could be why DJ Octavio prefers to stay in his octopus form, as he has enough limbs to use 4 turntables at the same time instead of 2 that he could only use if he stayed in his humanoid form.

 

[Raphaël]

It could be possible that the humanoid body has better resistance against many things as well as being the most suited to use objects effectively, although, limiting the number of limbs they can use in the humanoid form, which could be why DJ Octavio prefers to stay in his octopus form, as he has enough limbs to use 4 turntables at the same time instead of 2 that he could only use if he stayed in his humanoid form.

Well, for actual squids it's actually not too much of a difference, as by default, they can only use two limbs - The two long arms. All the others are mainly for swimming and maybe holding prey while eating, after it was caught by the two main arms.
That could also explain why the Octarians developed a humanoid form rather late, since octopuses can use all their limbs to the same extend. And well, why would you bother in that case then, right?
The only reason I could see for the humanoid form in Octarians; well, rather Octolings, is to be more like the rivaling species. You may only be able to do only one thing, but you have way more agility on land. And well, as we see it now, they can also infiltrate the society, as they are seen as part of it.

 

[Cephalobro]

Well, for actual squids it's actually not too much of a difference, as by default, they can only use two limbs - The two long arms. All the others are mainly for swimming and maybe holding prey while eating, after it was caught by the two main arms.
That could also explain why the Octarians developed a humanoid form rather late, since octopuses can use all their limbs to the same extend. And well, why would you bother in that case then, right?
The only reason I could see for the humanoid form in Octarians; well, rather Octolings, is to be more like the rivaling species. You may only be able to do only one thing, but you have way more agility on land. And well, as we see it now, they can also infiltrate the society, as they are seen as part of it.

And they seem to do a great job at it, as Inklings just seem to think that Octolings are just Inklings with a different kind of hair. However, Octarians with less tentacles seem to be less intelligent than those with more tentacles, which is why having an Octoling is a lot more beneficial for the species since they are the most intelligent out of all of them, plus with the Octoling being possibly the only source of the rest of the species, they are sort of needed to keep the species going. It makes sense on an evolutionary level that the one keeping the species alive is one that has the most chance at surviving a lot of situations.

 

[seth_the_inkling]

And they seem to do a great job at it, as Inklings just seem to think that Octolings are just Inklings with a different kind of hair. However, Octarians with less tentacles seem to be less intelligent than those with more tentacles, which is why having an Octoling is a lot more beneficial for the species since they are the most intelligent out of all of them, plus with the Octoling being possibly the only source of the rest of the species, they are sort of needed to keep the species going. It makes sense on an evolutionary level that the one keeping the species alive is one that has the most chance at surviving a lot of situations.

now that makes me wonder, octopi are actually very intelegent in reality. now i dont understand why the inklings with the smaller/less tenticles have less intelligence (unless they are mutated beings coming from a nuclear wasteland IE : fallout) it just makes no sence or am i compairing actual evolution to a game :/ i may just be helpful to compairing evolution possibilities even though i have no education XD

EDIT : crap i really am late, arent i?

 

[Cephalobro]

now that makes me wonder, octopi are actually very intelegent in reality. now i dont understand why the inklings with the smaller/less tenticles have less intelligence (unless they are mutated beings coming from a nuclear wasteland IE : fallout) it just makes no sence or am i compairing actual evolution to a game :/ i may just be helpful to compairing evolution possibilities even though i have no education XD

EDIT : crap i really am late, arent i?

Well, it's hard to say, most Inkling hairstyles have 6 tentacles in total, even the combed hairstyle for the boy having three very small ones on one part. You could argue that the banged girl, bowl cut boy, frilly girl, mohawk boy and buzz cut boy hairstyles could just be there for show and it doesn't affect their intelligence, maybe it only affects them if their tentacles are cut in their squid form. But even so, Inklings don't even know Octolings live among them. After all, they only thought that Marina had a cool hairstyle and basically nothing else, not even taking note of her eyes.

 

[Enperry]

I'm just posting to get notifications