Octostriker

"That's an Octostalker! Beware the Inkstrike. Get out of the way when you see it coming!"

- Cap'n Cuttlefish

The Octostalker is an Octarian, and a variation of the Octobomber. It appears in the missions Unidentified Flying Object, Undeniable Flying Object, Unwelcome Flying Object, and Unavoidable Flying Object in Octo Valley.

Description
In each level, an Octostalker rests in a pool of purple ink atop a flying saucer over the stage. When Agent 3 arrives, a short cutscene shows it awakening and beginning to fire Inkstrikes from a cannon on its head. Agent 3 must then navigate the level and its various enemies while evading these attacks. However, a large purple marker on the ground allows Agent 3 to anticipate them, and the Octostalker cannot target them at all if they are hiding in their own ink. At the end of the mission, they will be able to Super Jump up to the Octostalker's flying saucer and engage the creature directly, making it something of a mini-boss.

When Agent 3 arrives on the saucer, the Octostalker will float out of its pool and begin flying around, though rather slowly and awkwardly. It can still launch Inkstrikes, but its main defense is the group of other Octarians it summons, which must be splatted or evaded by Agent 3. Either way, the Octostalker takes priority; defeating it ends the mission, splatting all other Octarians aboard the saucer. It also drains the pool of ink, revealing the Zapfish powering the saucer.

The other Octarians summoned by the Octostalker vary depending on the mission; Unidentified Flying Object and Undeniable Flying Object have Octocopters, Unwelcome Flying Object contains Octotroopers, and Unavoidable Flying Object has Octobombers. The layout of the saucer also varies, with Unidentified Flying Object having a plain, uncluttered surface, Undeniable Flying Object with Gushers, Unwelcome Flying Object with three walls and an Ink Rail, and Unavoidable Flying Object with Balloon Fish.

Appearances

 * An Octostalker first appears in the Octo Valley mission Unidentified Flying Object, patrolling a modified version of the Tutorial area at sunset.
 * Another Octostalker appears in Undeniable Flying Object above Bluefin Depot.
 * Unwelcome Flying Object also features an Octostalker, this time watching over Urchin Underpass.
 * An Octostalker also appears in Blackbelly Skatepark at night in Unavoidable Flying Object.

Trivia

 * Octostalkers look like giant Octobombers except their "wings" are darker.
 * After they are splatted by Agent 3, their "helmet" can be seen flying off.
 * In Octo Expansion DLC, the Missile Octocopters act very similar to Octostalkers, but they fire Tenta Missiles instead.