Octoling

Octoling
A typical Octoling under the Octarian Forces.
Species Origin	Human / Octarian
Ability/ies	Octopus transformation
Weapon(s)	Octoshot
Vulnerable To	Ink (opponents variations)
First Appearance	Splatoon (2015)
Inkling
Marina Agent 8 Agent 10

Octolings are the elite troopers of the Octarian army that appear in the game Splatoon. Octolings were first shown in the single player campaign trailer of Splatoon. They are the Octarian counterparts to the squid-like Inklings and have very similar abilities. They can transform into an octopus to swim in their own ink, and wield ink-shooting weapons known as Octoshots which shoot ink.

Octolings first became playable with a DLC pack to Splatoon 2 called the Octo Expansion, which had a new story centering around Agent 8, a Octoling with no memories. When the player completes this story mode, they will be able to play as a Octoling in multiplayer. Noticeably, these controllable Octolings do not have glasses on.

In Splatoon 3, Octolings are playable by default.

Description

The Octolings are fairly competitive, as they are known for their large ink battles that have them covering the terrain with their colours. Little else about their personalities are known, though it is suspected that they are quite playful when in their octopus forms.

In one of the Sunken Scrolls, it is revealed that only female Octarians can transform into Octolings, unlike the non-gender specific Inkling. However Splatoon 2 and 3 blatantly contradict this by way of the playable Octoling character. Indeed, one of the Sunken Scrolls of Splatoon 1 shows what appears to be a humanoid form male Octarian with Cap'n Cuttlefish. Judging by the hat and the plant under the Octarian's arm, it could be a humanoid DJ Octavio.

There are three varieties of Octolings, all of which are female: the regular red haired Octolings, the commanding black haired Elite Octolings, and a mysterious blue haired type that shoots out blue paint that was revealed in the Octo Expansion. More details will hopefully float up to the surface about the last type.

Fanon appearances

Crimson Squads

A Octoling appears as a playable character in Crimson Squads. They have three abilities to use, making big focus of their paint mechanic:

• Paint Sink - The Octoling can transform into a octo form to travel through their own paint. They can also climb up walls with this ability. They are much weaker in this form and have no method to attack.
• Octoshot - The Octoling fires off with their Octoshot, covering the area and opponent in paint. While it doesn't really deal a ton of damage, it has a lot of use to the Paint Sink ability and the Octoling's general movement.
• Splat Bombs - The Octoling releases a pyramid shaped bomb filled with paint that covers and damages the area around it.

N-Stars

Octolings appear as enemies in N-Stars, with a similar strategy used to their fighting style from their game of origin, able to shoot paint and sneak around steathily with said paint in octopus form.

St. Clair Publications

• Octolings were added to Super Smash Stadium in Season 47, as Echo Fighters to Inklings, who debuted two seasons prior.
• Similarly, in Mario Kart: Ancient Circuit, Octolings are alternate costumes for the Inkling character.
• While Octolings don't appear in Tropes vs. Women in Pokémon Training outright, a Trainer on the Battle Turnpike named "Rapper Marina" blatantly references Marina of Off the Hook via her physical appearance, as well as a custom battle theme that's blatantly based on Acid Hues. Oddly enough, her team doesn't make a reference aside from her "main", a Grapploct.

Gallery

Enemy Octolings

An Octoling

An Octoling without its visor

Octoling by Exotoro

An Octoling depicted in the single-player campaign promotional artwork

Octolings as they appear in Splatoon 2.

Octoling Spirit

Elite Octoling

Render of a Octoling

3D model of an Octoling Octopus

A possible look for a male Octoling by KirLudwig ^(t∣b∣c)

A possible look for a male Octoling with Octarian clothes by KirLudwig ^(t∣b∣c)

A possible look for a male Octoling by User:Computerboy64

A possible look for a male Octoling by User:Computerboy64

A possible look for an elite male Octoling by User:Computerboy64

A male octoling with a sniper by User:Computerboy64

A male Octoling with an Octobrush by User:Computerboy64

Playable Octolings

Octoling Girl by Joe T.E.

Octoling Boy by Joe T.E.

Render of the Octoling in Octopus form

Agent 8, an Octoling that lost their memory

Agent 8 in both female and male form

Inklings, Octolings and a Jellyfish, ready for Splatoween

A team of Inklings and Octolings

An octoling with a Grim Range Blaster

An octoling with an N-ZAP '83

An octoling with a Heavy Splatling remix

An octoling with Clear Dapple Dualies

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	タコゾネス Takozones	From tako (octopus) and amazones (amazons, strong athletic women).
Spanish (NOA)	Octoling	Same as English name.
Spanish (NOE)	Octoamazona	From Octariano (octarian) and amazonas (amazons, strong athletic women).
French	Octaling	Octoling
Italian	Octoling	Same as English name.

Trivia

• Through hacking, you can play as an Octoling in the original Splatoon, although you're kind of a jerk if you do so as the hub area for the other players will crash as Octolings can't be in the hub area.
  • Octolings use the same skeleton and animation as player characters, which led to speculation that they would be playable in the original Splatoon, although this did not come to fruition.
  • In Splatoon 2, these rumors continued and finally it came true with the announcement of Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion, a paid DLC focusing on a new story centered around a Octoling protagonist. The reward for completing the story mode is to play as a Octoling in online multiplayer.
• Octolings may be able to wield weapons other than the Octoshot, as certain weapons in Splatoon have the 'Octo' prefix (i.e. Octobrush)
• Marina is an Octoling, being the first notable character to be confirmed as this species. Interestingly, she appears as the newscaster/idol, which is a odd role for a Octoling considering the events of the prior game.