Cora

Bio

Introduction

(Note that much of this is based on my own headcanon and speculation of the whereabouts of the remaining Octarians following the events of Splatoon 2 and 3. Very little of this is likely canon, but I guess we'll have to wait until Splatoon 4 to find out.)

Cora is a retired Takozones soldier, formerly stationed in Octo Canyon. In her teens, she was one of DJ Octavio's most loyal soldiers, following every order without question or comment. During the New Sqidbeak Splatoon's attack on her home base, she fought valiantly alongside her comrades, but was ultimately injured in a fight with Agent 4, only just escaping with her life. In the aftermath, rather than turn tailfin and run like some so-called Octarians, she stayed to rebuild what was left of her home; the last safe haven for the Octarian people, now gone the way of Octo Valley, rubble and chaos where a great country once stood.

With trepidation, the remaining Octarians ventured to the surface in an attempt to rebuild their home above its ruins without incurring the NSS's wrath. Luckily, it seemed the organization was distracted by other matters at the time, and they were able to get a start on building their country from the ground up.

Four years later, Octaria is beginning to prosper on the surface, and with the aid of its neighboring cities and even the NSS under new leadership, they've been able to make steady progress on rebuilding with what little remains of their population. Cora, no longer able to fight as a soldier, has taken on the role of one of the country's vital electricians: Octarians tasked with raising the zapfish and maintaining the infrastructure necessary to keep power flowing through their small country. It will take a century to raise a zapfish to the size of those powering Inkopolis and Splatsville, but with the smaller zapfish they've raised, solar energy, and outside assistance, the energy situation is not nearly as dire as it had been the century prior.

In her free time, Cora travels to Splatsville and Inkopolis for supply runs and to experience life in cities larger than her own country. She's taken quite the interest in Inkadian and Splatlandian fashion, and has taken up karaoke as a pastime, alone or with friends. Her favorite bands are Turquoise October, Ink Theory, and Riot Act.

Stats

Name: Cora
Species: Octoling
Age: 26
Hatchday: 2/22
Gender: Female (she/her)
Orientation: Aroace

Personality/Other

On the surface, Cora seems like the no-nonsense, serious type. She speaks pretty matter-of-factly and has a general air of disapproval for those who don't meet her seemingly sky-high standards. This is mostly a mask she earned from her time as a member of the elite Takozones, one that she doesn't find easy to take off. While she does take great pride in her position and work and holds some ire towards those she considers "traitors" to Octaria, getting to know her reveals that she is not as stern as she initially comes off. In her time off or with friends, she lets loose and becomes quite the gossip.

...That's not to say she isn't bitter towards those who left Octaria following the NSS attacks, however. While she understands that living conditions in the domes were untenable for most, and that many had to choose their own lives over their comrades', there's still a part of her deep down that resents those who made that choice. Perhaps she resents that she never thought to make the choice for herself.

Whenever she visits Inkopolis, Cora is met with posters and banners of Off the Hook on nearly every street corner. She always finds her gaze drifting to Marina in particular: Marina, once a good comrade, one of the best and brightest of the Takozones, even promoted to work directly under DJ Octavio himself! She seemingly had everything, and yet she threw it all away to chase her dreams on the surace. Cora isn't sure whether she's really angry at Marina, or simply envious.

Once upon a time, Cora, too, had dreams of stardom, to become one of Octaria's own idols. But she set those dreams aside for the good of her people. Nowadays, she sometimes catches herself wondering how different her life would have been had she taken the cowardly route and fled like nearly everyone else. If she'd seen that chance and seized it before it was too late. If only she'd been selfish enough, brave enough...

But there's no sense wondering now. She made her choice long ago, and there's no turning back the clock. The best she can do now, for herself and for her people, is to keep on keeping on, keep her country powered, and be satisfied with karaoke on the weekend.