Warning: Spoilers ahead for Splatoon 3's main story.Splatoon 3 new idol characters, Shiver, Frye, and Big Man, are already beloved by Splatoon fans. Known as Deep Cut, they are the first idol group to have three characters instead of just two, going with the theme of threes for Splatoon 3 and its three-choice Splatfests. They also play a role in the main story that caught players by surprise.
Instead of being allies from the start, Shiver, Frye, and Big Man actually played the role of villains for most Splatoon 3's main story content. This decision by Splatoon 3's developers actually proved to be very fun. Being able to fight the idols and see more of a rebellious personality from them paid off.
Shaking Up The Idol Role
The role of idols in the Splatoon series has always been for announcing maps, game modes, and Splatfests. The various idols also would choose a side in a Splatfest. Until Splatoon 3, their role in the main story content was always to help the player out. In Splatoon 3, however, the helpers are the old idols Callie and Marie. Deep Cut makes their appearance not to help the player, but as bandits who desire treasure. They say that being idols is just their day job, while they work to steal treasure on the side.
Their desire for treasure pits them against the player, each idol having their own boss fight on three of Alterna's various islands. Shiver's fight involves her riding a megalodon, Frye controlling eels, and Big Man using himself to spread lots of ink around his stage. This gives players a fresh view of the idols, able to meet them in combat and just not cutscenes. Fans can understand them outside idol roles, such as that Shiver is a shark tamer and Frye is an eel master.
Of course, their roles as minor antagonists have not cast the Deep Cut into the unlikeable territory. Deep Cut later mentions that they steal treasure for the benefit of Splatsville's poor community. After all three of them are beaten in combat, they also end up helping the protagonist in Splatoon 3's final fight.
How Deep Cut Plays With Splatoon's Themes
Being a game most popular for its PVP aspects, Splatoon has always been a series about fighting friends. This theme goes further in the Splatfests, which often result in the idols arguing with each other. While this fighting among friends aspect of Splatoon was prominent, it was not so much in the main story until now. However, Splatoon 2's main story did dip its toes into the theme with Callie's boss fight and the boss fight against Agent 3. The series may be playing with themes of friends to enemies back to friends and enemies to friends.
Another aspect of Splatoon 2 that could have influenced Deep Cut's position as minor antagonists could have something to do with the last Splatfest. Splatoon 2's last Splatfest was chaos versus order, and chaos won. It is no secret that this result influenced the design and themes of Splatoon 3. It's possible that chaos winning is what made Deep Cut bandits. If order won, it's possible they may have been cops instead. However, they may have still fought the player no matter what side won. For example, as cops, they may have fought the player for looting Alterna.
Being minor antagonists are not the only thing that makes Deep Cut so unique. They are the only idols to have a male member, be a trio, have a member that is neither inkling nor octoling, and they don't have a song that plays in the main story credits. They are also each based on different cultures, with Frye being based on Indian culture, Shiver from Japanese culture, and Big Man from Brazilian culture. It goes to show a lot of love went into their designs, fights, and personalities.
Splatoon 3 is available now on Nintendo Switch.