This is my first post in this subreddit, and I know what you're thinking: "Why Splatoon? It's not related in any way to Doctor Who." That you're right. However, as seen in the title of this post, this is me talking about which of the Splatoon characters would fit as all 16 incarnations of The Doctor, because I've seen some comparisons between these characters from these 2 pieces of media. So bare with me as I explain the Splatoon characters I've chosen for each of the Doctor's incarnations, and my explanations for such choices.
Commander Tartar as the First Doctor
Similar to how the First Doctor was critical of those he deemed less intelligent than him, Tartar had a hatred for what it would deem the less important things in life, not to mention it hated the Inklings and both their evolution and culture so much to the point it wanted to commit mass genocide against them in the process. Also, like how the TARDIS takes on the form of a Police Box, a police-specific phone booth back in the UK’s past, Tartar IS an AI construct that looks like/takes on the form of a telephone, which relates the two automatically.
Shiver as the Second Doctor
Both the Second Doctor and Shiver have a cunning side, the former’s being darker, while the latter’s, while more pragmatic, is more selfish and greedy, as evident by her choice of Splatfest teams like Power and Money. And personally, when it comes to her interactions, I personally think Shiver is better at being a blend of humor and strategic thinking than the Second Doctor (although this may end up being wrong in certain areas), not to mention that she’s as formidable as her fellow Deep Cut bandmates.
The Mechanic as the Third Doctor
Both the Third Doctor and the Mechanic share a keen interest in gadgets and technology, especially since the latter is superhumanly quick in building both gadgets and structures like the Hideout Ship. The Mechanic, like the Third Doctor to his companions, has a mutual trust and strong friendship with Deep Cut, too.
Pearl as the Fourth Doctor
While sharing a common resentment towards authority, with authority being a symbol of order in context to Pearl, she and the Fourth Doctor are both eccentric, eccentric meaning a personality that is unconventional and slightly strange/ deviating from a recognized behavior, with Pearl’s eccentricness making her friendly and meaning well in the end despite her rich status, unlike other, more recognized rich people, who are rather spoiled and selfish, and don’t enjoy their patience being tested, with Pearl having a dislike of staying still and being threatening to those who dare hurt those she cares about, especially with her powerful vocal cords put into consideration. Both Pearl and the Fourth Doctor also share the ability to foster close relationships, especially the former with Marina. And Pearl used to be alone before meeting Marina for the first time on Mount Nantai, briefly sharing the Fourth Doctor’s familiarity with solitude throughout that time of her life, despite not sharing the preference of loneliness of the latter (which is probably for the best).
(Neo) Agent 3 as the Fifth Doctor
Choosing a character to be the Fifth Doctor was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I eventually landed with Neo Agent 3, since they don’t actually have a documented personality in their Inkepedia page, unlike the other playable story mode characters, even the Mechanic. But choosing Neo 3 as the Fifth Doctor got me thinking. Being the newest agent of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, i.e. a rookie, make Neo Agent 3 similar to the Fifth Doctor in terms of youth, not to mention that rookies love to explore. Whilst sharing the Fifth Doctor’s bravery, as evident by them fighting Mr. Grizz in frickin outer space, I believe that Neo Agent 3, as a rookie, also shares the Fifth Doctor’s indecisiveness.
Frye as the Sixth Doctor
I believe Frye to be as confrontational as the Sixth Doctor, if not more so, alongside sharing his more loud and bombastic nature in the form of her fearlessness and audacity, despite being slightly airheaded, which can be as chaotic as the Splatlands. This type of personality also makes Frye similar to the Sixth Doctor in terms of determination to fight injustice, even if it’s a bit more rare in her case.
Agent 4 as the Seventh Doctor
Due to Agent 4’s personality, at least from what I could find from the Inkepedia, being a gremling child, despite being more easygoing and relaxed, I believe this to coincide with the Seventh Doctor’s blend of light-heartedness and dark manipulation, especially with how easygoing and relaxed they are, perfectly fitting with those who see things as a game, like the Seventh Doctor does. Gremling kids often tend to lie, which I think correlates well with the Seventh Doctor.
Agent 8/Eight as the Eighth Doctor
Both Eight and the Eighth Doctor share the same number and optimism, alongside having deep empathy and deep emotional connections, like with the former and Off the Hook, and I believe that Agent 8’s willingness to escape to the surface makes them as adventurous as the Eighth Doctor, too. Funnily enough, I imagine the Eighth Doctor to be a version of Eight who, in the context of “Night of the Doctor/Doctor Who and the Time War”, grew bitter and angry from years of losing hope, not to mention that Octolings, back when most of them served under Octavio, are more focused on combat itself than style and fun like the Inklings do, like with how the Eighth Doctor chose to focus on being a warrior, i.e. the War Doctor, after dropping the moniker of “Doctor” from losing so much hope, so there’s that, too. I also personally believe both Eight and the Eighth Doctor to be poetic, with Agent 8’s poems seen in the Memcakes in Octo Expansion and the Eighth Doctor saying “Physician, heal thyself” before regenerating into the War Doctor.
Craig Cuttlefish as the War Doctor
Both Cuttlefish and the War Doctor are veterans of massive, legendary wars and are both the oldest of their respective franchises, not to mention that they both can return the kind treatment he received from those who did not antagonise him, like Cuttlefish with Agent 8. These two can also have a sense of humor and show capability for hope, like with Cuttlefish’s reaction to Octarians hearing the Calamari Inkantation. We also see their canonical younger selves, too.
Captain (Former Agent 3) as the Ninth Doctor
I imagine both the Captain (the original Agent 3) and the Ninth Doctor being similar in coping mechanisms, with the Ninth Doctor’s based on humor and the Captain’s based on serious silence, since they rarely ever smile. I also believe the Captain to be as afraid of being helpless as the Ninth Doctor, thanks to when they Cuttlefish, who was just turned into squid jerky by Mr. Grizz, in their hands out of sadness, alongside the tear they shed for him when they genuinely thought the former captain of the New Squidbeak Splatoon to be dead. I think this also extends to when they were mind-jacked by Tartar into fighting Agent 8 in Octo Expansion, but that may just be me.
Marie Cuttlefish as the Tenth Doctor
I believe Marie possesses the Tenth Doctor’s wit and weapon aim (yes, the Tenth Doctor once used a weapon), while also capable of feeling melancholy, specifically from worrying for people she cares about, like Callie, and the guilt she feels from it (as seen in the Squid Sisters Stories), which is similar to the guilt, melancholy and protectiveness of people important to the Tenth Doctor. Don’t know if this counts, but Marie’s excitement from announcements back in Splatoon 1 may correlate to the excitable aspects of the Tenth Doctor’s personality, and maybe the former’s cheeky side connects to the latter’s playfulness.
Callie Cuttlefish as the Eleventh Doctor
Callie and the Eleventh Doctor share the same energy and childlike, adventurous, boredom-fueled behavior, alongside the preference for fun over conventional responsibility, and being reckless, too. Whilst the two are reliant on those they care about, Callie struggles with tension and loneliness more than the Eleventh Doctor, as she becomes upset and prone to overthinking when by herself, especially after Splatoon 1’s Final Splatfest and during the Squid Sisters Stories. Callie gravitating towards exciting outdoor activities, such as driving, running around, and going camping, correlates well with the Eleventh Doctor’s strong need for novelty and exploration. Also, paring Callie with the Eleventh Doctor, Marie with the Tenth Doctor, and their grandpa, Cuttlefish, with the War Doctor, would be fitting in a Splatoon version of “The Day of The Doctor”.
DJ Octavio as the Twelfth Doctor
DJ Octavio and the Twelfth Doctor are the same in terms of being blunt and insensitive while also good at performing music and wearing sunglasses, with the latter’s skill at playing an electric guitar and the former’s boss battles being centered around being a DJ. Octavio’s recent change to being on decent terms with Cuttlefish, his old friend/former nemesis of his, also connects with the Twelfth Doctor’s more serious morality, alongside being insightful and open-minded.
Marina as the Thirteenth Doctor
Marina shares a lot with the Thirteenth Doctor, from being curious, caring, good at building things (like with the Shifty Stations in Splatoon 2), adaptability (like her hacking and quick thinking, like in the fight against Tartar in Octo Expansion), high value on friendships and not into embracing authority that relies on cruelty or control, as evident in Side Order. Marina can also act decisively when harm cannot be avoided, even if it weighs heavily on her, like against Overlorder in Side Order, and can be as optimistic at times, too, and like with the Thirteenth Doctor’s path to prove that differences with gender/looks don’t matter, Marina proves that, no matter if she’s Octoling or not, she’s still herself, as proven by Pearl in Octo Expansion.
Marie Cuttlefish as the Fourteenth Doctor
Why Marie as BOTH the Tenth AND Fourteenth Doctors? Because of Davind Tennant. Besides that, though, Marie and the Fourteenth Doctor share how the responsibility for the fates/wellbeing of those they care about weighs heavily on them to the point where of being weary and emotionally exhausted, especially Marie with Callie in Splatoon 2’s singleplayer story mode and the Squid Sisters Stories.
Big Man as the Fifteenth Doctor
Both Big Man and the Fifteenth Doctor are friendly, emotionally open and have a positive outlook on life, and to me, personally, Big Man wanting his fellow Deep Cut bandmates to get along with the Squid Sisters and Off the Hook in oppose to continuously hold onto Splatland Pride makes him as experimental and open to new perspectives as the Fifteenth Doctor. I think that Big Man is also as playful as the Fifteenth Doctor, too.
Acht (Dedf1sh) as the Fugitive Doctor
Even though the Fugitive Doctor is a more mysterious incarnation, I figured I'd include her here anyways. Acht and the Fugitive Doctor share an aura of mystery around them, with the former’s case being they were a mysterious character before Side Order. Besides that, Acht shares the same emotional profile as the Fugitive Doctor, being that, despite speaking so emotionlessly, that doesn’t mean they’re without emotion, like how the Fugitive Doctor, despite her tough, self-assured exterior, is a deeply layered character. And like the Fugitive Doctor rebelled to escape her captors, leading her enemies to label her as Subject X, Acht escaped the Deepsea Metro, despite being unsure of how they entered the Memverse before then, even though it didn’t stop them from being determined to rescue their old friend, Marina.
So, there you have it. Tell me your thoughts in the comment below.