The Wisdom of Lee Squidly
is a Splatoon 2 fanfic written by WonderManaging, with the prologue and finale's comic art drawn by Flame Eliwood. It takes place early in the game's Hero Mode's events.
Upon notice that his childhood friend, Squid Sister Callie, has gone missing, Lee Squidly sets off into Octo Canyon at fellow Squid Sister Marie's request to help in the search. During Lee's latest quest, he uses his bond with Callie, as well as hers with others, to his aid.
This fic provides examples of:
- Actual Pacifist: Even with his .96 Gal given to him by Marie, Lee most often refuses to fight back when menaced by Octarians.
- Affectionate Nickname: In the prologue, Callie refers to Lee as "Cutie".
- Alien Blood: Lee's blood, like that of real-life cephalopods, is blue, showcased when Callie brutalizes him under the Hypnoshades' influence.
- Big Damn Heroes: Just as Lee finds himself on the ropes, he is saved by the Squidbeak Splatoon twice: once by Mr. Blueshift, and once by Jonn Inkra.
- Bittersweet Ending: Lee miserably fails to return Callie to Inkopolis, and his mother decides that the two need to spend time apart to heal from their trauma. Fortunately, Lee takes Callie's past advice and begins to take his fun and friendship into his own hands once more.
- Celebrity Is Overrated: While Marie is much more beloved and idolized as a Squidbeak Splatoon agent than Callie is, and people's standards for her are immensely greater than theirs for Lee, she admits to Lee that she secretly resents her popularity and wants to spend time alone with her cousin, whom she feels can understand her better than anyone.
- Dramatic Ammo Depletion: The one time Lee tries to fight back against the Octo Samurai, his weapon clicks futilely due to it having no ink.
- Forced to Watch: Played with. Hypnotized Callie gleefully forces the Squidbeak Splatoon and all of Octo Valley to listen to her beating Lee to the ground and rebuking his attempts to reach Callie's normal self.
- Foreshadowing: Shortly before leaving Octo Canyon, Lee overhears news of the Octarians' latest Hypnoshades, ringing a bell to what already happened to Callie.
- Inelegant Blubbering: When Lee returns to Marie, the latter breaks down crying upon admitting how much she misses her cousin, Callie.
- Insult to Rocks: Hypnotized Callie backpedals on calling Lee dirt, calling him lower than that and what he technically is: a squid.
- My God, What Have I Done?:
- Upon hearing her hypnotized cousin beat up Lee, Marie sobs out of remorse for sending Lee to her.
- Once Callie splats Lee, she breaks from her hypnosis, drops her roller in anguish, and runs off.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Blindsided by the hypnosis of Callie and lacking any means of self-defense, Lee is violently beaten and given no chance to oppose Callie.
- Off with His Head!: Hypnotized Callie begins her assault on Lee by tearing the head off his Robot Buddy, Mooky.
- Platonic Declaration of Love: Immediately before he's splatted by a hypnotized Callie, Lee tells his old friend that he loves her.
- Security Cling: Two members of the Squidbeak Splatoon hug each other over hearing hypnotized Callie attack Lee.
- Stealth Insult: Downplayed. When Lee returns to Marie, the latter states that Lee is one of the few obsessed fans Callie is fortunate to have met. While Marie is sincerely happy for her cousin, she does find Lee's affections to be somewhat troubling.
- To Serve Man: The Octotroopers that chase Lee happily converse about eating him.
- We Used to Be Friends: Lee and Callie recently drifted apart over the latter's desire for the two to live more independently.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Lee angrily rebukes Marie once he learns how many people she sent to the dangerous Octo Canyon in search of her cousin.
