History Characters / SplatoonPlayableCharacters

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Any Inkling or Octoling partaking in Salmon Run job shifts [[spoiler:have been unwittingly helping Mr. Grizz create a planet's worth of Fuzz Ooze supply, and Mr. Grizz intends to use that Fuzzy Ooze to end the world as they know it in a Hairmageddon event. Bonus point if they also happen to be Agent 4, Agent 8, or new Agent 3.]]

* HeroicMime: Your player character never talks in story campaigns, a fact that is lampshades by Cap'n Cuttlefish and Marie, who take your silence as yes.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Any Inkling or Octoling partaking in Salmon Run job shifts [[spoiler:have been unwittingly helping Mr. Grizz create a planet's worth of Fuzz Ooze supply, and Mr. Grizz intends to use that Fuzzy Ooze to end the world as they know it in a hairmegedon event. Bonus point if they also happen to be Agent 4, Agent 8, or new Agent 3.]]

* ActionPet: Smallfry accompanies New Agent 3 into battle, and can be thrown like a bomb into enemies and obstacles, as well as clean up the hazardous Fuzzy Ooze. [[spoiler: In the final battle, they even transform into a giant Salmonid monster to battle Mr. Grizz]].

* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: [[spoiler: While New Agent 3 needs a helmet during the final battle in orbit, Smallfry is totally fine without.]]

* SuperMode: [[spoiler: The Calamari Inkantation empowers them with marine life energy, causing them to grow into a massive Salmonid able to fight Mr. Grizz one-on-one.]]

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[[WMG:[[center:''Franchise/{{Splatoon}}'' [-'''[[Characters/{{Splatoon}} Main Character Page]]'''\\

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'''Playable Characters''' | [[Characters/SplatoonIdolGroups Idol Groups]] | [[Characters/SplatoonInkopolisAndSplatsville Inkopolis and Splatsville]] | [[Characters/SplatoonOctarians Octarians]] | [[Characters/SplatoonSalmonids Salmonids]] | [[Characters/SplatoonDeepseaMetro Deepsea Metro]] | [[Characters/SplatoonMangaCharacters Manga Characters]]-]]]

* BigEater: When boosted by power eggs, Smallfry can gulp down blobs of fuzzy ooze many times their size. [[spoiler:They can also guzzle down fuzzy ooze on Mr. Grizz's rocket when fed a few Golden Eggs.]]

* MorphicResonance: Octolings have round ears that correspond to the fins of a dumbo octopus. They also have hair tentacles that correspond to the tentacles of an octopus, but they can also have an afro that is shaped like an octopus' mantle.

[[folder:Agent 3/The Captain]]

* BigEater: When boosted by power eggs, Smallfry can gulp down blobs of fuzzy ooze many times their size.

The Inklings and Octolings are the main playable races as throughout the franchise. Originating from...well, evolution from certain things that happened in their world ever since the last days of humanity, these creatures grew into human-like beings who live on Earth as the new dominant species after humans. The player can control one of them and modify their looks before heading off to play friendly turf battles, or go on secret missions.

* EightiesHair: Unlike enemy Octolings, the playable Octoling girls' is actually a bit ''less'' huge so that it cooperates with hats better, but the trope's still in play despite that. ''3'' runs with it a bit further, with there being several variations of the "long voluminous glam tenta-hair" available for Octolings.

* DelinquentHair: The default hairstyle for Octoling boys is a ''mohawk''... or at least as close as you can get with tentacles, anyway. ''3'' adds [[FiftiesHair pompadour]] on top of this.

* BagOfSharing: Once ''Octo Expansion'''s story is complete, the Inkling and Octoling characters share a multiplayer inventory, rank progress, and Grizzco pay grade. Interestingly, though, the smartphone companion app does keep track of how much turf you've inked as an Octoling separately from Inkling turf.

* SharePhrase: "Booyah!" is the phrase that all Inklings and Octolings use to shout in happiness. It's part of the mall's name (Booyah Base) at Inkopolis Plaza, and it's the means to power up the Special Weapon appropriately called [[SpiritBomb Booyah Bomb]]. It is also what the sound "Woomy/Ngyes/Veemo/Oomi" refers to, in case you're wondering. Octoling newcomers, however, would sometimes mispronounce it as "Boo-yes!"

* HeroicMime: In both games, with Cap'n Cuttlefish and Marie both taking the player character's silence as an affirmative to join the New Squidbeak Splatoon. Lampshaded throughout ''Splatoon 2'', with Marie being a little unnerved about how Agent 4 generally doesn't say a word and just does things, though it is possible to talk with her enough to the point where she gets annoyed by how "needy" you are and refuses to respond.

* HyperspaceArsenal: Inklings are capable of throwing bombs, Sprinklers, Splat Walls, planting Squid Beakons and Ink Mines, and pulling Inkstrike missiles, Inkzookas, and Killer Wails out of seemingly nowhere, and many of these things are bigger than they are. The weapon switching scene in single-player mode by Sheldon Requests suggests their weapons are stored in ink.

* SecondarySexualCharacteristics: Inkling girls have smaller eyebrows and [[ImpossibleHourglassFigure curvier bodies]] than boys.

->Unless noted, playable Octolings generally share tropes with Inklings.\\

* SecondarySexualCharacteristics: Like Inkling ones, Octoling girls have smaller eyebrows and [[ImpossibleHourglassFigure curvier bodies]] than boys'.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_s3_art_3d_teams_yellow_vs_blue.png]]

* GenderedOutfit: In ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'', Inkling (and Octoling) girls have skirt over black shorts, capri denim pants, and loose gym shorts, while boys have yoga pants under shorts, cargo pants with pulled-up leg hems, and knee-length denim shorts. The only new legwear shared between them is yoga pants with ink-colored stripe on the sides. {{Averted}} in ''VideoGame/Splatoon3'' where legwears are no longer restricted between genders.

* GenderedOutfit: In ''VideoGame/Splatoon1'', both Inkling girls and boys wear a pair of black shorts with ink-colored stripe on the sides, with the girls' being shorter than boys'.
** Some clothing even different looks when they're worn by girls (or boys), such as "[[Manga/SquidGirl SQUID GIRL]] Tunic" and some amiibo gears.

* GlassCannon: Despite having access to strong weaponry, Inklings (and Octolings) will go down fairly quickly to a well-placed attack, taking between two to five hits with the series's most powerful weapons before they're splatted. Many other tools are capable of [[OneHitKill one-shotting]] an Inkling (or Octoling) outright.

* InASingleBound: Inklings (and Octolings) can jump really high to land onto one of their teammates, a Squid Beakon, or their own spawn point as a means of transportation.
* LittleBitBeastly: Inklings are among the most human-looking lifeforms out of all the marine animal denizens, with only the Octolings rivalling that status.
* LittleMissBadass: Female Inklings, obviously. They're young, cute, and strong.

* OxymoronicBeing: They are squid made out of ink, meaning they can't swim in water (and according to Marina, water in general is lethal to creatures made of ink). This doesn't really stop them from having seaworthy boats, swim suits, swimming pools and even water bottles (though at least the swimming pools seem to actually be meant for ''other'' species to use, like jellyfish).

* PurelyAestheticGender: Males and females perform exactly alike in battle, so there's no clear advantage to either gender.
* RubberHoseLimbs: Completely boneless appropriately enough. The [[GrapplingHookPistol Zipcaster]] in ''3'' seems to capitalize on this, allowing Inklings (and Octolings) to use their arms like incredibly stretchy grappling hooks to propel them through the air.

* SharePhrase: "Booyah!" is the phrase that all Inklings use to shout in happiness. It's part of the mall's name (Booyah Base) at Inkopolis Plaza, and it's the means to power up the Special Weapon appropriately called [[SpiritBomb Booyah Bomb]]. It is also what the sound "Woomy/Ngyes" refers to, in case you're wondering.

* SlimeGirl: Along with Slime Boys, since their bodies seem to be partially comprised of their own ink.

* SuperDrowningSkills: Ironically for beings based on aquatic lifeforms ([[JustifiedTrope but not ones composed of ink]]) they completely dissociate in water. Exactly ''why'' and to what extent this applies, however, is quite vague.

* TentacleHair: They have tentacles as hair in their human forms. They can even be cut just like normal human hair, and don't translate into their squid forms, which is why it's more obvious with characters with longer hair (like most females) than characters with shorter hair (like most males and Marie).

* UpliftedAnimal: [[spoiler:According to the Alterna logs, Inklings, Octolings, and most other land-dwelling aquatic life have humanity to thank for their sapience. The liquid crystal used by the Alterna civilization alongside the residual feelings of humanity were the trigger that spurred Squids and Octopi to evolve into humanlike beings who would develop their own civilizations. It's also implied that parts of human DNA were also mixed in during the disaster that ended the Alterna civilization, creating a polluted primordial soup which allowed each of those creatures to eventually develop the ability to breath air and walk on land.]]

* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Can shift at will between squid form and humanoid form. Downplayed with their retention of squid's general color changing abilities playing into CharacterCustomization.

* BadassAdorable: They're just as cute, and just as tough, as the Inklings.

* LittleBitBeastly: Octolings are among the most human-like lifeforms out of all the marine animal denizens, with only the Inklings rivaling that status.

* SharePhrase: Octolings share the same "Booyah" shout as Inklings.
* SuperDrowningSkills: They swim just as well, which is to say they dissolve in water just as easily, as Inklings.

* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Like Inklings, the Octolings can transform from humanoids to octopuses and back at will.

The Inklings and Octolings one play as throughout the franchise. Originating from...well, evolution from certain things that happened in their world ever since the last days of humanity, these creatures grew into human-like beings who live on Earth as the new dominant species after humans. The player can control one of them and modify their looks before heading off to play friendly turf battles, or go on secret missions.
----

!!In General

[[folder:The Inklings]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/inklings.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Inklings from the first game (left) and the second (right)]]
->'''Voiced by:''' Yuki Tsuji
The main race of the games, Inklings are hyper-evolved squid who have the ability to transform between humanoid and cephalopod forms at will, produce gallons of colorful ink, and swim in said ink. Teenage Inklings, in particular, enjoy engaging in friendly turf wars as a hobby and retrieving Golden Eggs from the Salmonids as a freelance part-time job. As the player character is part of this species, you can also add "saving their land from the Octarian army in their spare time" to that list. In the first game, you play as an Inkling with the [[NomDeGuerre callsign]] "Agent 3", while the second game has you as a different Inkling referred to as "Agent 4".

->Some tropes listed here (mostly gameplay-related) apply to playable Octolings as well.

* ActionFashionista: Inklings inevitably collect an impressive amount of fresh outfits to battle in.
* BadassAdorable: Cute humanoids who can shapeshift into cute squids, who can take on an entire army single-handedly.
* BagOfSharing: Once ''Octo Expansion'''s story is complete, the Inkling and Octoling characters share a multiplayer inventory, rank progress, and Grizzco pay grade. (Interestingly, though, the smartphone companion app does keep track of how much turf you've inked as an Octoling separately from Inkling turf.)
* BloodKnight: They mainly care about two things; fashion and ink-based warfare.
* BookDumb: Not the brightest cephalopod species to walk on land. Most of them have less-than-adequate mathematic skills, don't venture beyond places they already know, and believe that Octolings are just Inklings with exotic hairstyles. Doesn't mean they aren't good at what they do best; battling and looking fashionably fresh.
* BoyishShortHair: The "hippie" hairstyle (the only one available in ''1'' for girls) is this with huge tentacle sidetails. Also, there's the "haircut" hairstyle, which is introduced in ''2'', sported by the boxart Inkling girl of that game.
* CanonName: At least for the amiibo. The [[https://youtu.be/kQsZPYB0vMw?t=28m44s Splatoon Direct]] showed the name for the orange Inkling Girl as Inky, the blue Inkling Boy as Inked, and the green Inkling Squid as Slippy.
* CharacterCustomization: The player selects their Inkling's gender (style in ''3''), skin tone, and eye color. The sequel added customization options for hairstyle and legwear. The main things available for the player to spend their hard-earned money on are weapons and new outfits.
* CharacterizationMarchesOn: A variant. Some round loss animations (with exceptions) from the first game showed Inklings [[SoreLoser throwing mild tantrums in rage]]. In the sequel, most if not all of these were changed into signs of dissatisfaction and disappointment, and are more calm and tame overall than the first game's lose animations.
* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: During the Inkling Boy amiibo's version of the FinalBoss, you can bat back Octavio's {{Rocket Punch}}es and missiles with the roller. Justified because it's all but stated that it's the ink that sends them back.
* ChildSoldiers: Played fairly straight in Hero mode, where a young Inkling undertakes serious missions against the Octarians [[OneManArmy singlehandedly]]. {{Downplayed|Trope}} in multiplayer, where the turf "wars" they fight are really more like sporting events and are just a cause for a good time. Though they're based on the apparently pretty serious ''actual'' turf war fought with the Octarians a century ago.
* CompressedHair: The male Inkling's high ponytail and spiked hairstyles and the female Inkling's topknot hairstyle are hidden under hats.
* ConjoinedEyes: In squid form, their eyes are connected. Octolings don't have this.
* CuteLittleFangs: All Inklings have two top fangs and one bottom fang down the middle that are meant to represent an actual squid's beak. Many fans have agreed that these beaks make them more adorable and impressionable.
* DoesNotLikeShoes: The Friendship Bracelet gear allows Inklings to go barefoot into matches (despite its name, it's worn around the ankle).

* ElementalHairComposition: Inklings are part-squid, part-ink humanoids. When one's [[LimitBreak special meter]] fills up, their hair starts to bubble and waver.
* ElementalShapeshifter: Their squid forms can completely merge with their ink, and flow through grates. Rarely for this trope it's an entirely passive ability that needs external implementation to weaponize. It primarily serves as a means of getting around as it's much quicker and more agile than their human form (save for using an Inkbrush).

** In ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'', in addition to the above, Inkling (and Octoling) girls have skirt over black shorts, capri denim pants, and loose gym shorts, while boys have yoga pants under shorts, cargo pants with pulled-up leg hems, and knee-length denim shorts. The only new legwear shared between them is yoga pants with ink-colored stripe on the sides.
** Some clothing have different looks when they're worn by girls (or boys), such as "[[Manga/SquidGirl SQUID GIRL]] Tunic" and some amiibo gears.
** {{Averted}} in ''VideoGame/Splatoon3'' where legwears are no longer restricted between genders.

* ActionPet: Smallfry accompanies New Agent 3 into battle, and can be thrown like a bomb into enemies and obstacles. and clean cleaning up the hazardous Fuzzy Ooze. [[spoiler: In the final battle, they even transform into a giant Salmonid monster to battle Mr. Grizz]].

* ADogNamedDog: Simply called Smallfry by Callie, Marie and Cuttlefish, although the game itself calls them "little buddy".

A small Salmonid companion that follows New Agent 3 on their journey through Alterna.

* BatmanCanBreathInSpace: [[spoiler: While New Agent 3 needs a helmet during the final battle in orbit, Smallfry is totally fine without.

* ActionPet: A Smallfry accompanies them, cleaning up the hazardous Fuzzy Ooze, attacking Octarian enemies, [[spoiler:and transforming into a giant Salmonid monster to battle Mr. Grizz]].

* HelloInsertNameHere: The Inkling under your control will always use the name of your current "active" Mii (in ''Splatoon 1'') or the name of your Nintendo Account (in ''Splatoon 2'') for all multiplayer functionality. In single-player, however, the player Inkling is always called Agent 3 or Agent 4. Otherwise Inklings [[NoNameGiven have no canon names]], with one possible exception; [[https://www.reddit.com/r/splatoon/comments/igg0ni/the_cover_inklings_name_is_alice/ according to some linked information]], the name of the female Inkling on ''Splatoon 2'''s cover may be Alice.

* IconicOutfit: The Inklings have a wide variety of clothing that they can wear, but the box art, promotional materials and Amiibo clearly favor certain pieces of clothing.

* SapientEatSapient: Nogami implies in an interview that the salmon fillet sold at Mako Mart might come from Salmonids, who are sapient beings, as the relationship between squid and salmon (In which they predate one another when given the chance) hasn't changed in the world of ''Splatoon''.

For tropes relating to enemy Octolings, see Octoling (Enemies) tab under Octarians.

* BizarreSexualDimorphism: Downplayed. While the lower-ranked walking-tentacle-type Octarians can come in both genders (as shown in a picture in the single player trailer), Octolings are only depicted as female in the Inkling-focused single player campaigns in ''Splatoon 1'' and ''2''. ''2'''s ''Octo Expansion'', however, introduces male Octolings that are just as humanoid as females, and one Sunken Scroll in the first game hinted at this as it showed [[spoiler:a younger Captain Cuttlefish and someone who appeared to be a humanoid DJ Octavio.]] Curiously, though, ''enemy'' Octolings remain all-female even in ''Octo Expansion''.

* YouNoTakeCandle: The Octoling amiibos have their dialogue written a broken fashion, fitting as Octolings have a completely different language, and the playable Octolings are currently attempting to integrate into Inkling society and are still learning their language.

[[folder:Original Agent 3]]

* BonusBoss: [[spoiler:Once all the Mem Cakes in ''Octo Expansion'' are collected, Agent 8's locker opens to reveal the Golden Toothpick headgear. Examining it reminds Agent 8 of when they fought before they both ended up in the Deepsea Metro.]]

* DramaPreservingHandicap: [[spoiler:They end up breaking their leg at the climax of ''3'', forcing them to sit out the final battle.]]
* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: Mixed with a CallBack. When you get to [[CharacterCustomization define Agent 3's appearance]] in ''Octo Expansion'', it's limited to what's available in [[VideoGame/Splatoon1 the original game]], namely the lack of alternate hairstyles and only 7 eye colors instead of 14.
* GameplayAndStorySegregation: [[spoiler:Despite the BonusBoss fight seemingly taking place during the Calamari Inkantation "concert" at the time of the first game, Agent 3 still only uses specials from ''2'' (alongside Autobombs), even though a Sunken Scroll indicates that the new specials wouldn't exist until after that day since they were made after all previous specials were hit with a factory recall. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] however in that said fight is a BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind for Agent 8.]]

* HeroicMime: They don't get any dialogue but do get a few close ups that give them some personality aside from the player.

* ThePigPen: When talking to Marie in the second game, she'll mention that Agent 3 didn't have the best hygiene. However, this is only in the west, where as in the original, Marie complimented Agent 4 for having similarly good looks as Agent 3.

* SingleTear: [[spoiler:In ''Splatoon 3'', they shed one upon seeing the dehydrated Cap'n Cuttlefish...[[SwissArmyTears which, fortunately, are enough to revive him]].]]
* SNKBoss: A non-fighting game example. [[spoiler:The brainwashed Agent 3 removed the limiter on their weapon, becoming capable of using multiple Specials at a time, charging them up much faster than you can in multiplayer, and in the final phase of the fight, using three Splashdowns in quick succession. They can also dodge-roll despite using a shooter and have an virtually unlimited supply of ink due to their frequent use of specials. They continue using multiple Specials in their BonusBoss fight, but this time it's set in Agent 8's mind/memories, where they have even better AI, access to Autobombs to keep you on your toes, and even deadlier specials.]]
* {{Superboss}}: [[spoiler:In a manner of speaking, as Inner Agent 3, Agent 8's perception of them, serves as the final boss for the entire ''Octo Expansion''.]]

* UnsportsmanlikeGloating: ''Octo Expansion'': [[spoiler:as a boss, Agent 3 will occasionally squidbag you.]]

* HeroicMime: Like Agent 3, Agent 4 this is even lampshaded by Marie who finds it creepy that they never say anything.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: The official relationship chart showed Agent 4 did work for Mr. Grizz and [[spoiler:unwittingly contributed to the creation of the Fuzzy Ooze and the near exintction of the fish life on the Earth in ''Splatoon 3''.]]

* PopCulturalOsmosisFailure: Despite the fact the Squid Sisters were a big deal two years ago, Agent 4 has never heard of them; not even Marie doing her iconic "Stay Fresh" pose rings a bell. Marie is rather disappointed, saying that Agent 4 not "very cultured." The official relationship chart confirms this from Agent 4's point of view.

** The developers added more grim undertones to the game by stating that Agent 8 was at a real risk of dying during the escape portions of the Octo Expansion, and that if the player had failed at any point what happens is that the player goes back in time to reverse said death.
* EarnYourHappyEnding: Agent 8 was raised in a militaristic environment filled with Octarian propaganda and was raised as a child soldier like other Octolings. Not only that but after defecting they were attacked by Agent 3 and suddenly taken to the Underground Metro where they lost their memories and ended up having to undergo difficult trials just to survive. From their regained memories Agent 8 had longed for a better life on the surface after hearing "Calamari Inkantion", which was still a difficult decision as they had some loyalty to their old friends and DJ Octavio. Despite everything going on Agent 8 was still determined to save the world for both Inklings and the Octarians by stopping the NILS Statue. After everything they have been through Agent 8 managed to finally enter Inkopolis and enjoy the life they had always wanted alongside fellow Octolings who also wanted the same thing.

* MsFanservice: Or Mr. Fanservice in the case of the male Agent 8. When ''Octo Expansion'' prompts the player to choose Agent 8's gender, hair and eye color, and hair style, both genders are nude with only their arms and green goo keeping them from being exposed. Also, like Marina and enemy Octolings, they wear tight leather outfits for much of the expansion.

* BadassAdorable: Like the other agents, they're an adorable Inkling/Octoling who [[spoiler:ends up saving the entire planet from being destroyed by the fuzzy ooze.]]