-SPOILER- Is it just me, or are the Octoling's backstories pretty sad?

[KrakenFishBish]

As far as I know, they're made in test tubes and brutally forced to participate in the tests that we play. As we can hear in some of the boss fight areas, there's literal screaming down below us if it gets quiet enough. Not only that, but they have a literal bomb strapped to their back 24/7 as they play in these tests. Not only that, but if they manage to survive, they get thrown into a blender. Seriously saddens me, but it's a nice change of mood for a game that seems super happy-go-lucky.

 

[Cephalobro]

We don't know that Octolings are made in test tubes, they could just be preserved instead of grown in it. Plus, I'm pretty sure that the green liquid scene was just a metaphor of Agent 8 forgetting their memories and not remembering who they were at first. Octo Expansion as a whole is about escaping the troubled past despite the difficulties that lay ahead, this is why everything regarding the Deep Sea Metro is related to the 80's. But the final thing that should be noted is Agent 8 conquering the troubled past that keeps them down, not only did Tartar used an old-timey phone to trick everyone, Agent 8 had to fight their inner demon (aka Inner Agent 3) in order to truly let go of the past, that's why the battle is tough, because it is typically tough to let go of the past.

However, I do agree that the Octarians as a whole are sad because DJ Octavio simply won't let them go.

 

[HighColorSunset]

The "screams" may actually be screeching from a train or another machine. Considering the Deep-Sea Metro, that's what I think at least.