Splatoon fans who felt underwhelmed by the result of Splatoon 2's final Splatfest might finally see those loose ends wrapped up thanks to the upcoming Side Order DLC in Splatoon 3. This DLC seems to focus on the idols Pearl and Marina, a duo known as Off the Hook, perhaps in an alternate scenario looking at what would have happened if Team Order won the final Splatfest of Splatoon 2. While it's great that Off the Hook is getting another chance to shine, it would be a shame if Deep Cut didn't also play a role in this story.
The idol groups for the Splatoon series are usually featured prominently in the campaigns of each respective games, with the Squid Sisters Callie and Marie beginning the trend on Wii U. Pearl and Marina play large roles in the Octo Expansion DLC for Splatoon 2, despite not appearing the base game's campaign. However, while Deep Cut appears as antagonists throughout the Return of the Mammalians single-player mode in Splatoon 3, it feels like their redemption arc was incomplete by the end of the campaign, leaving room for a DLC story to expands upon their characters.
Splatoon 3's Side Order DLC Should Balance its Idol Groups Carefully
There is a lot of room for the upcoming DLC to present very different incarnations of characters and locations from the base game. While Off the Hook will likely be the main focus of the story, having different versions of the New Squidbeak Splatoon and Deep Cut seems probable as well.Given the way the Return of the Mammalians story concluded, this DLC should both give Off the Hook a more concrete arc, and give Deep Cut the follow-up they deserve.
In Return of the Mammalians, Deep Cut are thieves set about scouring Alterna for treasure, facing off against anyone who stands in their way. This leads the group to stand in opposition to the player and the New Squidbeak Splatoon, resulting in some unique boss encounters against each of the members. By the end of the campaign, Deep Cut side with the New Squidbeak Splatoon to stand up to Mr. Grizz and the fuzzy ooze, giving the group a welcome redemption as it is revealed their aims are akin to a Robin Hood-esque band of thieves.
However, this redemption seemed quite brief for how prominent a role Deep Cut plays in the world of Splatsville. With the Side Order DLC set to focus on Off the Hook, Deep Cut's future character growth might take a backseat. In order to avoid this scenario, Side Order needs to give the other idol groups its own plot relevance, such as showing how Deep Cut would have changed if Team Order had won or including them in the explanation for how the player is able to view this alternate world. The upcoming DLC is the perfect chance to get all three idol groups together for some shared screen time, an opportunity that shouldn't be wasted.
While Callie and Marie have played a major role in every Splatoon game, including the recent Inkopolis DLC for Splatoon 3, other idol groups haven't had the chance to grow as much. Side Order looks to be a great way to give fans closure on Off the Hook's arc, but runs the risk of sidelining Splatoon 3's primary idol group. As such, the DLC is in a precarious position where it needs to deliver Off the Hook's representation and not leave other fan-favorite characters by the wayside.
Splatoon 3 is available now for Nintendo Switch.
