#mamuta text | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

seandwalsh · 4 months

Text

The Origins of Pikmin (Part 2)

The following is Part 2 (because Tumblr's text limit sucks) of an adaptation of my first published Pikmin Theory in written form. For Part 1, click here.

The Candypop buds also have a strong connection to Pikmin, converting Pikmin of one species into another matching the colour of the flower and perishing in the process. Olimar questions what benefit the Candypop Bud gains from this relationship, postulating the Candypop Bud is itself a variety of Pikmin, or an evolved Pikmin of some kind.

“This specimen constantly changes colors. When Pikmin are thrown into it, it shoots out seeds that match the flower's coloration the moment the Pikmin landed inside of it. The number of seeds shot out is always greater than the number of Pikmin thrown in. It can be said that this is a completely baffling plant, and many mysteries remain over precisely what sort of relationship it has with the Pikmin. It would appear that the Pikmin gain all of the benefit from the relationship... Perhaps it is simply a different variety of Pikmin to begin with?”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 2, August 2004]

“Could this be the next stage in Pikmin evolution? Like the Pikmin themselves, it has many mysteries.”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 1, December 2001]

The sound a Candypop Bud makes when wilting is even a modified version of the sound a wilting Pikmin Flower makes. The Candypop Buds are also clearly related to Onions, with the similarities being so strong it's even been hypothesised that they're merely under-developed Onions. Candypop Buds share the same plant muscle fibres as the Pikmin, Pellet Posies and Onions.

“What looks like the interior of a flower is actually an insectivorous leaf that's developed into an organ. This organ releases a sweet scent from its central pistil, luring small insects into its interior and trapping them. The DNA of those captured organisms is directly absorbed by the plant's cells, which might indicate that this species is attempting to evolve at an astounding speed. But in most cases, the cells essentially self-destruct. The bud then releases Pikmin seeds of the same color, and the plant withers. Muscle fibers extremely similar to those of an Onion were also found in this species, so some could hypothesize that a Candypop Bud is an under- or undeveloped Onion. However, there aren't enough details to confirm this theory either way.”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 4, July 2023]

“Pikmin relatives? They [Onions, Pellet Posies and Candypop Buds] have the muscle fibers characteristic of half-animal, half-vegetable organisms, and appear to have some sort of relation to Pikmin...”

[Source: Chet, Mihaman Scientist and Research Task Force Lead, Pikmin Garden, Nintendo Co., Ltd. website]

Most notably, the existence of Pikmin, Onions and Candypop Buds isn't as easily explained as other species on PNF-404.

“No matter what color Pikmin is tossed into the bosom of this flower, it spits out the same number of red Pikmin seeds. The Pikmin, the candypop flowers, and the Pikmin Onions are not easily explained by current theories of the xenobotanical sciences, and thus have not yet been appropriately studied and classified.”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 2, August 2004]

This also extends to the Mamuta, which has an unknown taxonomic family and has not been properly classified.

No, these couldn’t have simply evolved on their own. There’s clear intention here. Someone made the Onions. Someone made the Pellet Posies. Someone made the Mamutas. Someone made the Candypop Flowers. Someone made the Pikmin.

But who...?

Well, I believe the answer lies in quite an unexpected place, Pikmin Bloom. Pikmin Bloom is an Augmented Reality game in which you play as a human who wears a device called a Planter Pack on their back. Planter Packs are backpacks which function as propagators for Pikmin seedlings, allowing Humans to grow and pluck a squad of Pikmin. Once plucked, the Pikmin follow the humans, while the humans send Pikmin out on expeditions to collect objects such as fruit or more Pikmin seedlings. Nectar from the fruit is used to feed the Pikmin and help their flowers grow, before the humans harvest their petals to cultivate a “flower-filled world”.

It’s clear that at this time, Pikmin coexist and have a vital mutualistic or at the very least commensalistic relationship with humans.

I believe the Planter Packs which humans wear in Pikmin Bloom are precursors to the onions, with the Pikmin Seedlings grown within featuring similar patterns to those found on the Onions, as well as an unlockable planter pack strongly resembling the Onion from Pikmin 3.

I think humans engineered Pikmin and their relatives. Pikmin were made to help spread seeds and flowers, with Onions being made to convert Nectar into more Pikmin. Candypop Buds were made to help Pikmin adapt to their environment and Pellet Posies were made to convert nutrients from the ground into solid nectar for Pikmin to collect and reproduce with.

This would explain how Pikmin survived, why there’s a specific cap per Onion(s) in each area, why the onions have mechanical elements, why Rock Onions and Rock Candypop Buds stockpile stone, why Winged Pikmin have wings, why the pellets have human numbers on them and why the Pikmin themselves have a natural tendency to follow and take commands from the leaders.

As for the Mamuta, they would’ve been made to cultivate Pikmin, explaining the aforementioned patterns on their wrists and their instinct to plant Pikmin. They’re described as feeding on seeds and fruit, which contain nectar. This could explain how they can instantly convert Leaf Pikmin and Bud Pikmin into Flower Pikmin with an open-handed smack, somehow transferring the nectar from their diet to the Pikmin.

“This seems to be a gentle, flower-loving creature, but if angered, it is fierce. Its mighty open-handed smack was so powerful that I feared my helmet might crack open.”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 1, December 2001]

“The imbalanced, asymmetrical arms of the mamuta are among its most notable features. Feeding on seeds and fruit, the mamuta is known to actually sow and grow plant species. While other species have exhibited seed-burying behavior for the purpose of storage, the mamuta is the only species so far known to actually cultivate fields of plants.”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 2, August 2004]

What is thought to be the Mamuta’s malformed larval state, the Smoky Progg, is even able to pluck Pikmin out of the ground with some sort of call and is naturally drawn towards the Onions after hatching, with the pearl-like object it drops upon defeat containing enough nectar to produce 100 Pikmin.

“Thought to be a malformed larval Mamuta.”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 1, December 2001]

“Trait #2 Mysterious Behavior They head towards Lumiknolls and Onions, but the motive for this is unknown.”

[Source: Primitive Creature Field Guide, Pikmin Garden, Nintendo Co., Ltd. website]

“The Smoky Progg's body is constantly deteriorating, so collecting a living sample has proven difficult and research into the species has progressed at a glacial rate. However, by examining the genes adhered to the Smoky Progg's eggs, it has been confirmed that they are, in fact, Mamuta eggs! This discovery allows for the possibility that Mamuta that do not develop properly and hatch become Smoky Proggs. If, hypothetically, a Mamuta were to remain aboveground at night and absorb glow sap, that might impact the nutrient levels within its egg's yolk. That change could lead to the embryo's inviability or break down its enzymes, then...maybe...”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 4, July 2023]

Furthermore, there’s clear precedent for biomechanical experimentation by higher beings, most notably with the Gatling Groink and Man-At-Legs found in the Subterranean Complex - beings ostensibly engineered to be used as weapons, albeit with Olimar perhaps not quite picking up on that fact when making his observations:

“This beastly predator's aggressive ejection of high-speed projectiles makes it one of the most fearsome creatures in the ecosystem. Its body seems to comprise of both biological and mechanical components, and represents one of the most evolutionarily advanced specimens ever observed. The chamber within its torso gives it rapid-fire bio-pellet launch capabilities. What appears to be a tail fin is in fact the base of its counter-weight and ammunition cylinder, so immobilizing this appendage will prevent the groink from attacking...at least in theory. Confirmation of this suspicion remains elusive, as nobody has volunteered to test it.”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 2, August 2004]

“This species of the arachnorb family fuses with machinery at a crucial point in the maturation process, giving it the ability to fire energy bursts from the launcher beneath its orbular torso. However, the man-at-legs itself is not in control of this weapon. Instead, the mechanical portions of its structure appear to automatically acquire and attack targets. The man-at-legs has a gentle disposition, and as a member of the arachnorb species, it has no natural enemies. It is particularly difficult to understand why this species would develop such awesome offensive capabilities, leading to rumors among the scientific community that it was the machinery that approached the arachnorb and proposed the symbiotic relationship.”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 2, August 2004]

“We recently found all sorts of mechanical parts scattered around a cave. The walls and floor were constructed of solid steel. Perhaps it was once a great military fortress? I decided to name it the Subterranean Complex.”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 2, August 2004]

The Careening Dirigibug also seems to be one such creature, perhaps modified from a member of the Scarpanica genus. These creatures are found in the Subterranean Complex, much like the Gatling Groink and Man-at-Legs. They are completely covered by bolted metal plates, have glass over their eyes, drop Bomb Rocks and fly via gas-filled balloons connected to piping. This also explains why they're the only variant of the species found by the leaders - they didn't naturally evolve into their current state and are no longer recognisable as the creatures they're derived from.

“This creature floats effortlessly through the air using gas-filled balloons. Both its appearance and its nature are antagonistic. And it is the only variant of its species in this ecosystem. It may be best to consider the possibility that it somehow wandered into this ecosystem from an entirely alien one. Positive proof does not exist at this point, but that is how the creature is currently classified.”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 2, August 2004]

Scientists in the Pikmin world have even begun to catch onto the odd evolution surrounding and relationship between the Pikmin and their Onions, with one intelligent researcher called Pitunia seeing intention in the Onion's design:

“Ah! You must want to ask about my research. Good, very good. I’m currently working on my hypothesis that the Onion is a biocrafter. The Onion is a biocrafter intentionally created to ensure the propagation and safety of the Pikmin, is it not? To verify this theory, I have dedicated myself to studying the Onion. Do you think my hypothesis that the Onion is a biocrafter is pretty wild? If you’ll humor me for a moment, let’s consider it together. Its symbiotic relationship with Pikmin doesn’t appear coincidental. Durability and flight capability allow it to travel far. Its ejections and production adjustments of Pikmin seem calculated. All mechanics that fit the idea of intentional "crafting". To Pikmin, the Onion is—to put it in terms of our understanding of biology—similar to the concept of a nest. But the fact that the Pikmin themselves are crafted by it far exceeds the function of a nest as we understand it. An Onion can craft different Pikmin based on what other Onions it has fused with. If we consider these blueprints for new Pikmin, it behaves like a crafter right?”

[Source: Pitunia, Oguran Scientist and Research Task Force Recruit, Non-Player Character in Pikmin 4, July 2023]

This hypothesis has received some pushback from other researchers, though their counterevidence isn't particularly strong and doesn't say anything about the nature of the Onion considering bioengineering from higher beings.

“When the Onion absorbs flarlic, it consistently increases the number of Pikmin that you can take out at once. Maybe the Onion is the one who determines what’s possible and issues its own orders… Wouldn’t that indicate that the Onion has a will of its own? I was talking to Pitunia from the task force. She says the Onion may be artificial or was intentionally created somehow. But if the Onion’s a living entity with its own needs, then doesn’t that align with it being a natural specimen? Isn’t it funny how two individuals can look at the exact same thing and have two entirely different perspectives?”

[Source: Sy, Oguran Scientist and Research Task Force Recruit, Non-Player Character in Pikmin 4, July 2023]

Of course, what Sy isn't considering is that even an intentionally created being can have needs and a will of its own. It seems the leaders and their machinery also seem to have trouble telling natural and manufactured items apart. I think it's likely Pitunia is the one on the right track here...

“This species has some remaining internal organs, but its carapace and eyes are made up of inorganic material. All 19 of its eyes are actually photoelectric sensors that the species uses to precisely locate its prey. The gas emitted from the posterior of its first leg joints includes a chemical substance that, after making contact with another organism's brain, temporarily controls that organism's actions. The Groovy Long Legs uses this natural phenomenon, called the "Endless Dance," to make its prey jump between its legs while it moves around in bizarre rhythms. The entire interaction is seemingly odd for a living organism, but the line between organic and inorganic on this planet is not always clear.”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 4, July 2023]

But why would humans do all of this? What purpose would developing these weapons and horticulturists serve? Well, while details are scarce, it’s clear that something happened to the planet that changed it dramatically from the Earth we know. The natural cycles of the planet’s surface have accelerated, with the tectonic plates even shifting so much by the time of Pikmin 3 that the Pangaea Proxima supercontinent, which shouldn’t occur for another 200 million years, seemingly formed in the span of a few years at most since Pikmin 2.

“I've recently noted that changes in this planet's environment happen at a very rapid pace. Compared to how it was when I was here before, the Perplexing Pool has changed drastically. Due to frequent tectonic shifts, the region appears slightly different each time I enter it. It could be a natural phenomenon, but it's as if I feel the presence of a guiding hand. ...Maybe it's just my imagination running wild.”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 2, August 2004]

“The interior of this hemisphere contains a chip coded with charts detailing a new region. I explored this forest the last time I was here, but it's clear that it has undergone some dramatic changes. The plants and animals have also evolved significantly. I've given this forest a new name... The Awakening Wood. I must begin to form a hypothesis to explain why the forest changed so rapidly.”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 2, August 2004]

Meanwhile, underground caves are constantly shifting and time is significantly slowed due to a powerful magnetic field.

“The powerful magnetic field between the surface and underground can have peculiar, unexpected effects. You can't rely merely on your memory, as familiar areas can often appear foreign. Just focus on gathering all of the treasures, and you'll be all right.”

[Source: Exploring Underground: Subterranean Q & A, Page 26, Instruction Booklet of Pikmin 2, August 2004]

“Because of a powerful magnetic field deep under the surface, time does not pass underground. When you climb back to the surface, you will return at the exact moment in time that you entered the hole. Time will not have passed.”

[Source: Exploring Underground: Above Ground, Page 25, Instruction Booklet of Pikmin 2, August 2004]

“Subterranean Time Warp Upon returning to the surface after exploring underground, I noticed the hands of my clock had barely moved at all, and I had been down there for hours! I can only assume that on this planet, time flows differently on the surface than it does underground.”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 4, July 2023]

“I calculated the difference. It looks as if about 1/6 as much time passes on the surface as you spent underground. Time seems to move differently in the underground spaces on this planet… I’m not sure how it works, but I suppose that means you can take as much time as you need to explore caves.”

[Source: Collin, Member of the Rescue Corps and Comms Operator, Non-Player Character in Pikmin 4, July 2023]

The planet in general seems to have warped space-time:

“While exploring this warped land, I got the feeling that time passed faster than usual. Upon researching it further, I realized it was just my mind playing tricks on me. But whenever I touch this object I can feel the space-time continuum bending!”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 2, August 2004]

“I was entranced by the longer needle as it spun round and round, and I completely lost track of time. This object doesn't strike me as otherworldly, but whenever I look at it, it's like I can feel the space-time continuum bending around me!”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 4, July 2023]

“Case 2 Even when revisiting the same area, the placement and design of the circles shown may change. Could the planet's space-time be distorted...?”

[Source: Chet, Mihaman Scientist and Research Task Force Lead, Pikmin Garden, Nintendo Co., Ltd. website]

In Pikmin 1 and Pikmin 4's Olimar's Shipwreck Tale, we see the Geiger Counter from the S.S. Dolphin frequently activate, producing buzzing and clicking noises, while on the surface of PNF-404, indicating levels of ionizing radiation much higher than those typically found on 21st century Earth.

“Every spaceship needs one of these, but I don't actually know what it's for. Every once in a while, it goes wild and lets out a lot of noise, but I never pay much attention to it, so it doesn't do me much good. I really should read that instruction manual one of these days!”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 1, December 2001]

“This noisy gauge is always letting off spontaneous clicks and buzzes. It can be kind of annoying.”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 1, December 2001]

There’s even hints that whatever caused the hole in the Plasm Wraith’s torso, a manifestation of emotional trauma (as it's called in Japanese), or “psychic wound”, is somehow linked to the planet’s evolutionary history:

“This unusual life-form consists of an amorphous body around a hard, cubic core. The body can shift not only into different shapes but into different substances. It reminds me very much of the waterwraith, and at first I wondered if it was also an ectoplasmic incarnation. However, enough others have seen and encountered it to dispel this theory. The creatures living near the plasm wraith must be formed from its gelatinous substance, since they all liquefy upon its death. It's not clear what purpose they serve for the wraith. It's currently unknown what caused the hole in its torso—some sort of manifested psychic wound?—but the search for this cause may lead us down the path to unraveling the history of evolution on this planet.”

[Source: Captain Olimar, Employee of Hocotate Freight and Captain of the S.S. Dolphin, Playable Character in Pikmin 3 Deluxe, October 2020]

It seems as though the most likely answer is a war or similar event which coated the planet in radiation, caused the collapse of the world’s existing ecosystems and the rapid evolution of new species and damaged the space-time continuum. The Pikmin and their companion organisms were produced in an effort to reverse the damage the humans caused and repopulate the planet with plant life. Perhaps the humans weren’t so fortunate and perished not long before Olimar’s initial crash in Pikmin 1, with their creations continuing to inhabit the planet without their guidance - or perhaps they succeeded and continue to inhabit the planet just out of sight, explaining the "guiding hand" Olimar felt changing the Distant Spring into the Perplexing Pool...

“[The areas aren’t] exactly the same, but we intentionally made them look similar to give a sense of déjà vu that you’ve been here before… Like maybe it is the same places, but time has passed and humans have interacted with them…”

[Source: Shigefumi Hino & Masamichi Abe, Directors of Pikmin 2, Nintendo Dream Magazine, May 2004]

“The planet where Pikmin live is a mysterious one that shows a different side of itself with every visit, but this time players arrive in an age with the strongest traces of past civilizations. You'll be seeing plenty of familiar things that will help you feel closer to Pikmin than ever before.”

[Source: Yutaka Hiramuki, Planning Director of Pikmin 4, Nintendo Co., Ltd., July 2023]

Or maybe the humans realised the damage was beyond repair and the planet was inhospitable. Perhaps they left it all behind, survived and have been living on right under our noses…

But that's a topic for another day.

Thank you for reading! I’d like to give a special thank you to Lady Sophie and Ymcan64 for looking over the script and providing some additional points which really solidified this theory. Their help was invaluable. Please check their blogs out.

#pikmin lore #pikmin theory #pikmin #pikmin 4 #captain olimar #olimar pikmin

56 notes · View notes

your-local-grubdog · 2 years

Text

Just a Few Interesting Lore Connections in Pikmin

Intro

There’s a lot of points in Pikmin’s lore that connect in interesting ways. Unfortunately, there’s not enough information to connect them in a solid theory. There’s just too many blanks in what we’re given. It’s almost like Minecraft’s quasi-lore (to borrow the term from the YouTube channel Minecraft Ideas Academy), just more frustrating sense this isn’t a sandbox game with infinite possibilities but rather a series that seems to be trying to tell a specific story. So instead of proposing a theory, I’d just like to show off and discuss some of the interesting connections I’ve noticed. In particular, a thread of connections between four enemies encountered across all three mainline games. This will thus be regurgitating a lot of information you may already know, and for that I apologize, but I think it would help theorists to have it all in one spot.

I’ve done my best to organize this by topic, but as some of these connections are circular this proved difficult. I hope the order these are in at least makes some sense.

These connections are made mostly with information that is indisputably canon, coming from the main three games themselves. I also utilize the direct translations of creatures’ Japanese names where relevant. The only disputable points of information are ones obtained from the Prima Guides. These guide books often share information not in the games themselves. They have the Nintendo seal of approval but also contain many errors, leading to fans questioning how canon their unique information is. These points of information will be clearly stated to be Prima material so that those who wish to disregard them can do so easily.

Lastly, I’m heavily relying on the Pikipedia for information I cannot easily find on my own. While it is a high quality source, if there are any errors presented in its information regarding these topics then they may have been repeated here. This is especially true for translations of Japanese text, which I do occasionally utilize here.

The Mamuta

The Mamuta is an optional boss in Pikmin, who can be fought at the Impact Site on even-numbered days starting on day 8. This rock-like beast will pound pikmin into the ground, planting them and immediately converting them all into flowers. The enemy reel in Pikmin states that it likes flowers “… only for their decorative properties”, and in Pikmin 2 Olimar states that “...the mamuta is the only species so far known to actually cultivate fields of plants.” In Pikmin, Olimar also states that “[The mamuta] seems to be a gentle, flower-loving creature…” (all maybe implying higher-level thought? Maybe???) In line with this, the mamuta found in Pikmin is neutral towards Olimar and the pikmin, attacking only if attacked first (it will also attack Olimar if he attempts to pluck any buried pikmin sprouts). However, the mamutas in Pikmin 2 are more hostile and will attack any pikmin or leaders it sees. It is unknown if this is a retcon made for game play reasons, a retcon from writers wanting to tell a different story, or a canon occurrence of the creatures’ nature changing between games.

The most interesting thing about these creatures is that the pattern displayed on their wrists is somewhat similar to the one wrapping around the onions. (The Pikipedia states them to be identical, but after looking at them myself that doesn’t seem to be the case – far from it, actually.) Lastly is a point pulled from the Prima Guide, so the canonicity is debatable, but the guidebook states its technical name to be “The Great Protector (God of All Pikmin)”.

Image Credit: https://www.pikminwiki.com/Mamuta#Gallery

Image Credit: https://www.pikminwiki.com/Onion#Gallery

That went from 0 to 100 really fast, but I mention all of these because they indicate a relationship between the Mamuta and the pikmin. One that was once positive, though it’s unclear if it changed in the actual timeline of the Pikmin series or if the developers decided they wanted to tell a different story after Pikmin was already released. Unfortunately, it is hard to discern anything else from the pikmins’ normal relationship to the Mamuta as there isn’t enough points on this thread to give a clear answer. I specify “normal relationship” because the next point on this thread leads to the Smoky Progg.

The Smoky Progg

The enemy reel in Pikmin states that the Smoky Progg is “Thought to be a malformed larval Mamuta.” There’s a lot that can be debated regarding that point alone, to the point I feel including it would make this post longer than it needs to be. All I’ll say in regards to this is that the Pikmin series is one that values fun and interesting ideas over scientific accuracy, and if players can suspend their disbelief at the impossibility of Planet Hocotate’s rings then we can do the same for how possible it really is that the Progg may indeed be the offspring of a Mamuta. The Prima guide also supports a connection of some kind at least, as the book labels this beast as the “Piku-Lord (Lord of Pikmin)”. Again the title is… extreme, but it is also interesting if nothing else.

The Progg is an aggressive optional boss found in the Distant Spring before day 15, able to instantly kill pikmin with its poisonous gas. It can also use its roar to uproot pikmin from the ground just to kill them, a complete inverse of what the Mamuta does for the pikmin. Its egg if found in the center of a group of islands shaped like a flower, potentially calling back to the Mamuta’s love of flowers. When killed, it drops a golden pearl-like object that is able to create 100 pikmin – rather ironic in a way, given how the Mamuta cares for the pikmin and the Progg is a malformed Mamuta. From here, we can connect the Smoky Progg to two other points, though I’ll admit the threads connecting them are rather weak (which is why I’m merely pointing out their existence and not trying to craft a theory out of this).

One: The Waterwraith. The Waterwraith is a technically optional boss (required only for the true ending of the game) found in the Perplexing Pool, which is heavily implied (if not stated, but I don’t feel like going through Olimar’s treasure notes right now) to be the Distant Spring after a series of rapid changes. Upon the wraith’s death it drops the plukaphone, an upgrade that allows you to pick pikmin from the ground using your whistle. In this way the pluckaphone is similar to the Progg’s roar. Because the plukaphone is merely dropped by the wraith and does not reflect any of its own abilities, it is entirely possible that this connection is a coincidence caused by the devs attempting to balance what bosses drop what upgrades (or in better wording, the upgrade and boss may have been developed separately, and the pluckaphone was assigned to the wraith later on based on the usefulness of the upgrade compared to the difficulty of the cave). This is where the direct connections between these two enemies end, however we will next discuss an enemy both the Smoky Progg and Waterwraith have connections to.

Two: The Plasm Wraith. The Plasm Wraith is the final boss of Pikmin 3, a monster that obsesses over Olimar for unknown reasons. Its arena has rocks embedded in the floor in the rough shape of a flower, somewhat similar to the islands of the Smoky Progg. However I will admit the resemblance is rather weak. The wraith itself seems to be made of gold, much like the pearl that the Progg drops. However, once again this is where the direct connections end.

Image Credit: https://www.pikminwiki.com/The_Distant_Spring#Gallery

Image Credit: https://www.pikminwiki.com/Formidable_Oak#Gallery

While these are very weak connections, their existence is very interesting with a lot of lore and theory possibilities.

The Wraiths

Quite obviously, both the Plasm Wraith and Waterwraith are classified as, well, wraiths – spirits or ghosts. The relevance of the fact there is a space in “Plasm Wraith” and not “Waterwraith” is unclear. The Waterwraith is stated by Olimar in Pikmin 2 to be a “...ectoplasmic incarnation of a kind of psychic phenomenon”, a psychic phenomenon being “phenomena that appear to contradict physical laws and suggest the possibility of causation by mental processes” as defined by The Free Dictionary (tossing that definition in there mostly because I find it fascinating). However, in Pikmin 3 Deluxe Olimar states that ��[The Plasm Wraith] reminds me very much of the Waterwraith, and at first I wondered if it was also an ectoplasmic incarnation. However, enough others have seen and encountered it to dispel this theory.” What does this mean? Again, I’m just gathering interesting points of information.

Now, a quick note on how the Japanese names seem to work before I move on. Each enemy is listed on the Pikipedia as having a “Japanese name” and a “Japanese nickname”, effectively giving us more names (and in turn, more information) to work with. Most English speaking players are more familiar with enemies’ Japanese nicknames, so I’ll be sure to distinguish them as needed.

The Plasm Wraith and Waterwraith have similar Japanese nicknames. The Plasm Wraith’s nickname is アメニュウドウ (Ame Nyuudou), translating directly to “candy bald head”. To be more specific, ニュウドウ/Nyuudou/”bald head” is used to refer to bald-headed yōkai (put very simply, a type of Japanese spirit). The Waterwraith’s nickname is アメボウズ (Ame Bouzu), which also translates to “candy bald head”, though this time ボウズ/Bouzu refers to monks, meaning “candy monk” is another possible translation of its nickname. The katakana for bouzu is also similar to the katakana for umibōzu, a particular type of yōkai said to live in the ocean. In fact, I’m pretty sure that “umibōzu” can be translated as “sea monk”, but I don’t really know any Japanese. I’ve only been able to share this much thanks to the Pikipedia. I mention all of this mostly to confirm that the association between wraiths is indeed intended by the original writers (see how the Crammed Wraith has a name connection to the Plasm Wraith and Waterwraith in English, but no such connection is found in the original Japanese name or nickname for the Crammed Wraith – instead, the Japanese version connects the Crammed Wraith to the more common Hermit Crawmad enemies). Also, these names have already given rise to the “umibōzu theory” as to why the wraiths do… wraithy things. I’m not getting into that here though.

It is also worth noting that the katakana for “candy”, “ame”, is also the katakana for “rain”. The game is programmed to force rain on days you are fighting the Plasm Wraith, while the Waterwraith is… water. Just a neat note.

I also find it noteworthy that the Waterwraith is the only wraith to have a scientific name, as the Plasm Wraith was never given one in Pikmin 3 DX. The Waterwraith’s scientific name is Amphibio sapiens, implying a connection between it and humans – Homo sapiens. Both it and the Plasm Wraith take on oddly humanoid forms. While it has no scientific name, Olimar does state the following regarding the Plasm Wraith: “It's currently unknown what caused the hole in its torso—some sort of manifested psychic wound?—but the search for this cause may lead us down the path to unraveling the history of evolution on this planet.” The Plasm Wraith’s Japanese name is セイヨウコガネアメビト/Seiou Kogane Amebito, which translates directly to “Western European Golden Rain Man”. This isn’t necessarily a direct connection between those two points, but let’s be real: it’s too interesting not to at least mention them in the same paragraph.

And while we’re here: the Japanese name for the Waterwraith is ヤマトアメビト(Yamato Amebito) which translates to "Yamato Rain Man". Just strengthens previous connections pointed out, but probably worth mentioning.

The Plasm Wraith Specifically

Time to use music to make connections. As a result these are fairly loose, but worth mentioning anyways.

In its “mysterious life-form mode”, the Plasm Wraith has a dynamic track. That is to say, the music changes to reflect the situation. This is most noticeable when it gets too close to Olimar: a warning tone will slowly get louder and louder based on how close it is to the captain. But if it does manage to capture Olimar, it’s not yet over! You can attack the beast to make it relinquish him. After successfully defeating it, it will enter a “cool-down” state where you’re given a chance to get away from it. You can listen to the entire track here, with the “cool-down” song starting at the 3 minute mark. This “cool-down” song uses bells, similar to the ones that the Formidable Oak’s sunset theme (links to song) uses. Thus it is possible that these bells and the wraith are associated in some way.

The Oak’s rainy theme also references The Final Trial’s theme (each link will take you to the area’s respective song). The Final Trial from Pikmin has two parts: the “creepy” part and the “hopeful” part which overlap with one another to give a vibe fitting for this final area. As the Formidable Oak’s theme is usually just creepy, I find it rather charming that the hopeful half only comes into play when it rains in the desert. And then sunset hits (once again, a link to the song). The hopeful tune of The Final Trial is instead played with the bells I mentioned earlier, making the once hopeful part sound distorted and creepy. I’m mostly mentioning this because it’s super cool and has a lot of implications on its own, but it is yet another way the Plasm Wraith is able to link back to the first Pikmin game.

I’ll also mention that the final boss of Olimar’s Comeback is a golden monster (or rather two golden monsters) that isn’t the Plasm Wraith (maybe??? Probably not but possible I guess) but fought in its arena and whose boss theme references a song from the first Pikmin game – this time the title theme. I don’t think mentioning this adds much, but it may still be worth it to bring up.

The Goolix

The Goolix is an optional boss in Pikmin who appears in the Impact Site on odd-numbered days starting on day 9. It is hard to say if it really has any connection with the Mamuta as it simply just seems to share one habitat with it. This creature is made entirely of water and has two nuclei suspended in its gel-like mass. Its watery composition makes many to connect it to the Waterwraith, but no further connection can be made. It looks like an amoeba, a creature that the Plasm Wraith’s and Waterwraith’s Japanese nicknames may be referencing with “ame” (note that in katakana “amoeba” is spelled “ameba”).

The connections are there. I’m just not sure how to make them fit in with the rest of this odd web I’ve found, as it leads to its own dead end.

What About the Geiger Counter?

This thing is just too broad, and can be applied to so many things in Pikmin in so many ways. But these applications rely on so many headcanons due to the large blanks in Pikmin lore.

Okay, lets step back a bit. The Geiger Counter is an item from Pikmin that is a required part of Olimar’s spaceship. He states that he doesn’t know what it really does (as he never read the manual), just that it’s always going off. Indeed, we do see it constantly detecting something and can hear it making noise whenever we go near it. He may want to read that manual at some point, as in real life Geiger counters are used to measure radiation levels. The fact that it is always going off indicates that there are large amounts of radiation on PNF-404 (at least in the areas Olimar explores). An equally possible (if boring) answer is that it simply broke during the crash landing. I have also seen people propose that Hocotations use it to measure oxygen levels given how deadly oxygen is to them and that it always going off is because PNF-404 has deadly levels of oxygen.

However, that's it. There might be radiation on PNF-404. What caused it to be so abundant, we don’t know. Nuclear bombs is the most common cause applied, both by Pikmin fans and in post-apocalyptic media in general. But it doesn't have to be the only answer – after all, Olimar did explore only a small portion of PNF-404 with the Geiger Counter in tow. How do we know its not just that part of the planet that is irradiated? What if the radiation is from an abandoned nuclear power plant? The truth is that we don’t know. All we know is that PNF-404 is Earth after the humans vanished for an unknown reason, leaving behind their ruins and garbage and maybe even radiation… and maybe possibly wraiths but that’s theory territory.

And this isn’t even getting into the fact that the ways in which radiation are used in media are often super unrealistic, resulting in radiation being a sort of “cure all” for plot holes and plot conveniences. This could mean literally anything Nintendo needs it to so long as it exists within the suspension of disbelief.

Conclusion: What Does This All Mean?

I don’t know. That’s my point in making this: there isn’t enough here to craft a super solid theory regarding the relationship between these four enemies. There’s only enough to indicate that there is (probably) a relationship. I mostly just wanted to gather my thoughts here in one space so that more daring folk could have a crack at this. And who knows, if we get a Pikmin 4 it may give us more points to make a theory. Or maybe just more loose ends, who knows. Either way, I wish well to anyone who decides to try and tie these threads together, and I hope this has been useful. Or at least entertaining.

#pikmin #pikmin 2 #pikmin 3 #pikmin theory #i guess? how the fuck do I tag this #anyways enjoy this seven page essay on my favorite game series #er six and a half

30 notes · View notes

kocourmokroocko · 3 years

Text

Je rok 2029. Volný si do sněmovny na protest nevzal fyzickou schránu – tento týden již podruhé. Jeho duše proplouvá skrze konferenční stolky v podobě mlžného oparu a ruší ostatní poslance při proslovech smyslným šeptáním absurdních existenčních paradoxů. Na Praze 5 hořel keř. Bůh v něm prej ale nebyl, tak ho zase uhasili. Idnes o tom napsala dvě strany A4 a udělala pětidílnou investigativní rozhlasovou reportáž. Václav Klaus starší na nesouvisející akci vyjádřil veřejnou podporu požáru a jeho uhašení označil za totalitní útlak. Nyní hoří taky. Říká, že mu to nevadí a mladší generace je akorát přecitlivělá, za svejch mladejch let hořel furt. Do ČR se začal vracet mamut, ale nikdo neví, odkud. Možná nikdy neodešel. Možná sedí právě vedle vás. Vysvětlilo by text Nohavicovy “U nás na severu” a, určitým klikatým a možná trochu kontroverzním způsobem, Krakonoše. Navíc posledních pár let byli všichni celí jurodiví z vlků, rysů a medvědů, tak je dost možný, že jsme mamuta prostě přehlídli. Klidně bych nám to i věřil.

#zpradovajství z budoucnosti #kot #čumblr

223 notes · View notes

crayonaird · 5 years

Text

I don't know if I've moved on

It's hard to tell when any mention of you makes my stomach wrench in painful anxiety

Certainly the pain of everything, our combined behaviors, that feeling only fades when you are not existing in my indirect presence

When I think about it, I know I could never love you again, as I am sure you feel about me. Yet sometimes I think about what I wish I could have said or done differently. Though I know it wouldn't matter. We were not meant to be and that is obvious.

I do hope you're happy. Despite the hurt and betrayal I felt, I don't wish anything bad on you, even if thinking about you being happy without me feels like my heart may tear open inside of me.

The truth is, I am happy without you. I am happy without you and without all of the other people who were in my life. I am sure you feel the same, and I hope you feel more free.

Even though when I am awake I don't want you back in my life, sometimes when I fall asleep I have dreams about you.

I wake up from them feeling more drained than when I initially fell asleep, no matter the content and our relationship in this dream.

I've dreamt of desperately trying to re-win your affections, of you trying to re-win mine. I've dreamt that we were still together, or that we rekindled our love once more in the future. I've dreamt that I acted so cruelly to you, and you to me. I've dreamt of being with you and falling for someone new as it was with you. I've dreamt that I was the only one aware of all the terrible stuff that happened after you broke things off, and you and our old friends sat around my room, talking and joking, with me there, but I felt too disgusting to participate. I've had dreams that you weren't in directly, but our old friends were, and they made me feel so violently angry and I would hurt them. As I have had with you. I've dreamt of my best friend and the act of trying to rekindle my friendship with her because it was a life or death situation otherwise. As I have had with you.

My dreams are not realistic. If I can help it, I wish to avoid you and pretend you never existed, pretend we never loved each other, pretend we never hurt each other.

I know I can't with almost anyone completely. This world is too small and my relationship with you does not reflect the relationship I have with your family. I know if I see your parents, or the parents of some of my old friends, they'll approach me, hug me, tell me they love me, ask me how I've been. Consider me cursed with the appearance of an Ideal Child. Even though that's not me. You know it isn't, right?

You know I'm a nervous wreck, that when I stay up too late I accidentally find things that make me panic and overthink my relationships with others even if it means nothing to me. You know that I hold grudges for a long time and I don't easily move past being wronged. You know that I am stubborn enough to fix my parking for 10 minutes because I accidentally drove down the wrong lane, but that stubbornness also translates to not being very agreeable. You also know that because I am simultaneously super passive, sometimes I'll avoid a topic or outwardly agree with someone until they aren't there, regardless of if they are close to me or not. You know that I'm impulsive. Not just in some of the things I do, but also in what I say. Even through text-based messages, I can write and ramble on angrily if I am upset about something and I will say harsh words that cause irritation, cut deep, or are just plain stupid. You know that I am straight-edge. Yet to the point where I will get truly upset with you if I see you as a friend doing things that I personally find terrible or stupid. You know that I'm passive-aggressive as hell. I say things in a way that aren't meant to make me look bad (though who usually does?) But I try to throw others under the bus with wording that is purposefully meant to look bad, even without it being explicitly stated. I say things that may suggest something you may not have even done just because I am upset about the possibility of it and I want you to know. You know I am sensitive. Maybe too sensitive. I get upset easily and don't know how to handle it well. This is the me that you know and remember. This is the me that ended everything between everyone I knew. This is what you wanted me to see in myself, right? This is what you wanted me to change for you? I know you may not believe me when I say that I already saw this all already, but I didn't know how to fix it. A lot of that is my own fault of course, but not everything is. And it won't ever be. I still have most of, if not all of those traits, but they've morphed into something a lot more positive in myself and it isn't thanks to anyone I use to know. I will always have those traits, but a lot of what I was dealing with, as well as your own negative behaviors, brought out a lot of the worst in me.

Of course I still worry, but it's shifted and now I tend to worry about waking up on time or accidentally missing a quiz. I still remember all the ways that people have hurt me, but it isn't so debilitating that I can't focus on life outside of that. I have blocked out people that I want nothing to do with again or people who may unintentionally try to bring me back into that because there's nothing I can do about the fact that you've already broken my heart, but I can avoid seeing you and I can avoid any impulsive messages to or from you. I'm still straight-edge but I'm now surrounded by people who applaud that and who are responsible about what they do. I can still be passive aggressive, but I find now that it's only with customers during my job, and never to their face of course. I am the epitome of customer service at times. But my coworkers and I will talk about dumb things customers do and I'll discuss these with other people working similar jobs. But I am around people who don't act this way about people they call friends and thus I have absolutely no reason to act this way towards my friends now. This wasn't ever exclusive to me. And yes, I absolutely am super sensitive. I cry about almost everything. Manatees, Mamutas, cute birds, not getting my food for almost an hour after everyone else got theirs, cute fanfics, chaotic videos, things like that. Generally, the people I'm surrounded by now don't give me such negative things to be upset about. They are all straightforward with me and I with them. So now, I don't have nearly as much to worry about and I don't have nearly as much to cry about. Which is nice because I will gladly cry over mamutas and manatees any day rather than whether or not my friends still even like me because they've had large group hangouts without me for the past 3 months. So, frankly, I'm doing good without you, even if I'm not 100% over everything yet. And that's fuckin amazing.

#this crayon rants #lol its just one of those nights #this started off as poetry shit and then it accidentally morphed into a stream of consciousness monologue

3 notes · View notes