Who is Agent 3 in Splatoon 3? Explained

The lore of Splatoon goes deep, and there are quite a few important characters to keep track of in Splatoon 3’s single-player campaign. One such character is Agent 3, but this might be slightly confusing to players familiar with the first two Splatoon games. Long story short, there are two characters named Agent 3: your player character, and an NPC. But what’s the difference between these two Agent 3s in Splatoon 3?

Related: All weapon unlock levels in Splatoon 3

The “old” Agent 3 – Captain of the New Squidbeak Splatoon

The previous Agent 3 character, pictured all the way above, is your player character from the very first Splatoon game on Wii U. In the Hero Mode of Splatoon, this Inkling was recruited by Cap’n Cuttlefish, then-Captain of the Squidbeak Splatoon. Agent 3 went on to save the Great Zapfish from the Octarians. The character is absent during the Hero Mode of Splatoon 2, but they make a return in the Octo Expansion as a boss, having been “sanitized,” or brainwashed temporarily.

Agent 3 is now the captain of the New Squidbeak Splatoon five years later in Splatoon 3, appearing as an NPC along with the Squid Sisters Callie (Agent 1) and Marie (Agent 2). If you imported your Splatoon 2 data, then this Agent 3 will have the same customized appearance you gave them in the Octo Expansion.

The “new” Agent 3 – the player character of Splatoon 3

You’ll customize your own new Agent 3 at the very beginning of Splatoon 3; they can either be an Inkling or an Octoling, as opposed to the old Agent 3, who can only be an Inkling. This character is a scavenger in the Splatlands (think Rey in Star Wars) while also frequenting Splatsville to compete in Turf Wars.

Your character inherits the title of Agent 3 upon meeting the New Squidbeak Splatoon, similar to how someone may inherit the codename 007 from James Bond, for example. Rather than going with Agent 5, seeing how Splatoon 2 had you as Agent 4, this third game is apparently keeping the number 3 as a theme. You’ll play as this character in Hero Mode, multiplayer, and Salmon Run.

All Agents in the Squidbeak Splatoon

• Cap’n Cuttlefish – former captain
• Callie – Agent 1
• Marie – Agent 2
• Agent 3 (Splatoon, Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion NPC, Splatoon 3 NPC)
• Agent 4 (Splatoon 2)
• Agent 8 (Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion)
• Agent 3 (Splatoon 3)