Splatoon: Who Are Marina And Pearl?

Summary

• Music is essential to Splatoon's vibe, with idol groups providing the techno beats for ink-slinging fun.
• Pearl and Marina are iconic twosome successors to the Squid Sisters, making waves in the Splatoon series.
• Marina plays key roles in game lore, aiding Agent 8 in the Deepsea Metro and battling rogue AIs in the Memverse.

Music is a core part of Splatoon's identity. All that slinging of ink and gunning down of opponents wouldn't be nearly as fun without the thumping techno soundtrack. Splatoon 1 brought us Callie and Marie, the iconic Squid Sisters; while three features Deep Cut, a jammin' trio starring Shiver, Frye, and the slick manta ray Big Man.

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Arguably, the most popular twosome are Pearl and Marina, the members of Splatoon 2's Off The Hook. Their unique designs and offbeat personalities have secured them a place in the hearts of fans, to the point where they continue to recur in the games' campaigns.

This article will contain some major spoilers for the plots of Splatoon 2 and 3, as well as that of their DLC add-ons (Octo Expansion and Side Order, respectively).

Since the lore dumps are, by now, integral to the series' appeal, we advise you to splat with caution!

Who Is Marina?

What Role Does Marina Play In Splatoon 2?

Marina Ida (yes, she's been given a canon surname) debuted alongside her bandmate in Splatoon 2. You can instantly recognize her from her knee-length tentacle hair, leather crop top, and dark skin. Here, much like her predecessors Callie and Marie, she officiates the daily Turf Wars, announcing map changes and reading off any patch notes when the player boots the game. These talks are unskippable, and rather irritating – so it's a good thing Marina is a hilarious presence.

Laid-back and somewhat jaded, she's a counterpoint to Pearl's incessant energy. Of note is that, unlike the vast majority of Inkopolis' residents, Marina is an Octoling; a fact which, as we learn in the Octo Expansion DLC, earned her a certain amount of prejudice and discrimination, since Inklings and Octolings have long been sworn rivals.

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Also, in the Octo Expansion, Marina guides Agent 8 into the bowels of the Deepsea Metro to blow the lid off a subterranean conspiracy. When it transpires there's an ancient human AI lurking in the depths that plans to wipe cephalopod society off the map, she flies in, in person, to assist Agent 8 with taking it down for good.

What Role Does Marina Play In Splatoon 3?

Given that Off The Hook is supplanted by Deep Cut in Splatoon 3, Marina's role is diminished, but she nonetheless maintains a presence (the fans love her, after all.) The game's lore explains that she and Pearl are off playing backup for lesser-known band 'Damp Socks', consisting of a merry troupe of sea creatures.

This is the only significant way you can see Marina in the main game, but if you have the Side Order DLC installed, you can play her on the Tableturf card game in the main hub.

Her starring role comes in the actual story of Side Order, which takes place in the Memverse; a VR world Pearl created to provide refuge to any Octolings affected by the Mammalian attack (depicted in Splatoon 3's campaign). The player comes upon poor Marina some ways up the Tower Of Order, under brainwashing and in need of help.

Once freed, she assists the player with her hacking acumen, allowing them to gain permanent upgrades as opposed to temporary ones. What a peach!

Who Is Pearl?

What Role Does Pearl Play In Splatoon 2?

Pearl Houzuki is the other, distinctly more bubbly and outspoken, half of Off The Hook. In Splatoon 2, she fills much the same role as her partner Marina, hosting the Inkopolis News that rolls at the start of every play session and providing the musical backing for Splatfests. She sticks out a mile with her hoodie, rosy skin, and copious amounts of bling, including a crown and gold chain.

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We actually know a fair bit more about Pearl's backstory than we do Marina's. She was born into a wealthy family and settled her heart on music from a young age, dabbling in various genres. Before meeting Marina, she wrote and independently produced "#$@%* Dudes Be #$@%* Sleepin", a crude (and presumably highly eloquent) thrash metal track. It... didn't take off.

Pearl is very technologically gifted. In Octo Expansion, she's responsible for rigging up Agent 8's communication system and all its apps – and in the post-game, she programs a series of tough trials for the player to undertake, culminating in a battle with Splatoon 1's Agent 3. It's nigh-impossible, so good luck.

What Role Does Pearl Play In Splatoon 3?

Pearl's knack for computers takes centre stage in Splatoon 3: Side Order. The Memverse is a monochromatic virtual plane she created with the best of intentions; but sadly, it's soon taken over by Overlorder, a rogue AI (not to be confused with Octo Expansion's rogue AI, of course). It pulls Pearl and Marina in, turning the former into a drone who can do little other than guide the player.

Of course, once you release Marina, Pearl gains the ability to swap between her organic and technological forms – but by then, she's decided she kind of likes zooming around and barking orders at people, so she remains a drone for the bulk of the campaign. She's responsible for you being able to change your color palette, to suit whatever combat situations you expect to face in the tower.

Elsewhere, she makes the occasional cameo during Splatfests, and is playable at Tableturf assuming you have the DLC installed. She might not be the star anymore, but it takes more than that to shove Pearl out of the spotlight!

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