It seems that Splatoon 3 will finally let us see what happened to humans before the events of the first game.
The Splatlands of Splatoon 3 isn’t the first time we’ve seen a human-less world in the franchise, but now we finally know the truth about what happened to Earth.
It’s been around 12,000 years since humans roamed the planet, according to the lore of Splatoon. In past games, we’ve seen teases of the Earth flooding, eventually leading to the Mollusc Era.
It is in this era that Inklings, Octolings, jellyfish, and several other sea-dwellers evolved to become the dominant species on the planet. But we’ve always been left wondering as to what exactly went down with the rest of the human beings.
Now though, it seems that Splatoon 3 offers direct confirmations as to what happened to humans, and how the rest of mankind went extinct.
How Did Humans Go Extinct in Splatoon?
As we already know, 12,000 years before the events of Splatoon, the Earth flooded thanks to a series of world wars and an increase of natural disasters brought about by the conflict. The flood caused the extinction of most land mammals, however, Splatoon 3 reveals that not ALL humans perished.
According to a series of in-game logs, some human beings actually survived the flood, despite Earth being nearly completely inhospitable to life.
NOTE: This article’s contents are currently based on leaks from user Splatoon3Leaks on Twitter, an account that will likely be taken down by Nintendo very soon.
However, the screenshots do appear to be reliable as the leaker was also able to reveal all cutscenes and boss battles in Splatoon 3.
How Humans Survived
Log 1 reveals that several surviving humans found shelter in a vast cavern created by a cataclysmic volcanic eruption. There, they found shelter and a large pool of seawater to survive.
Human scientists were appointed the society’s leaders, and they set about creating an ecosystem inside the cavern. The new society was called ‘Alterna’, and it soon began to attempt to recreate the life humans had once known.
Creating a series of large-scale 3D printing operations, humans were even able to recreate some of their favorite items for nostalgia.
Humans Rediscover the Sky
Soon, a scientist discovered a way to make liquid crystals from squid bodily fluids. These crystals would even change color in response to electrical signals emitted by living organisms.
Using these crystals, humans could output imagery that matched the viewer’s thoughts. And they quickly mass-produced the crystals to line the walls and roof of Alterna.
There, mankind broadcasted the Earth sky they knew from long ago and, after 25 years of being hidden away, humans once again saw the planet as it should be.
As the years passed, the scientists became the elders of the Alterna society, passing the mantle of leadership to their successors. However, the new generation grew restless of their crystal sky, wanting to witness life outside the cavern for themselves.
Humanity’s Final Day
They built a rocket with the intention to escape Alterna, despite the elders’ warnings. And during a launch test, tragedy struck.
The rocket booster energy overloaded the liquid crystals that lined the cavern walls, creating a violent chain reaction. All of a sudden, the cavern shattered in on itself, causing debris to tumble onto the citizens of Alterna.
Almost all of the remaining humans were killed. And even those who escaped being crushed would perish soon after.
How Did Inklings Evolve?
As Alterna’s crystals fell into the water, full of humanity’s wishes, they were absorbed by the squids, octopuses, and other sea creatures. Fuelled with mankind’s wishes, these species began to be spurred by human impulses, and their bodies adapted to match their new desires.
Their intelligence quickly grew, they adapted their forms to walk on land, and slowly but surely they strove for the surface.
Soon, Inklings, Octolings, and more had spread out to every corner of the world.
Want more lore? Here’s everything you need to know about Splatoon 3’s New Squidbeak Splatoon, including all members’ identities!
