Sligs are a sentient species found on Oddworld, serving as security and personal assistants to the Magog Cartel. Even though Sligs generally enjoy what they do, they are essentially still slaves to the Magog Cartel. The Slig queen provides the cartel with her young and any Sligs that do not perform to acceptable standards are sent to face her wrath.
Sligs are one of the main antagonistic forces in Abe's Oddysee, Abe's Exoddus and Munch's Oddysee.
Background
Sligs were originally primitive and simple living creatures who preferred swampy regions, living in bodies of water in bogs and lakes. However, when the Glukkons first encountered them, they turned out to be a sentient species. The Glukkons were able to easily negotiate that if the Sligs would work for them, they could grant them mechanical aids for easy mobility, which they reluctantly accepted. In return for the robotic Slig Pants that grant them the ability to walk, Sligs have pledged their loyalty to the Glukkon Industrialists as henchmen and bodyguards. In truth, much of the Glukkon success has been achieved by the Slig's combat capabilities.
Anatomy and physiology
A Slig army marching at a rally.
Sligs are small, stocky creatures that inhabit various areas of Oddworld. They are often described by some as polliwog/octopus/squid-like. Their heads have an appearance similar to that of a featherless crow with five finger-like mandibles that protrude from their face. The appearance of their eyes is unclear as sligs are never seen without masks on, apart from a single concept art piece in The Art of Oddworld Inhabitants: The First Ten Years, where the eyes are described as "pathetic, small, helpless-looking." Sligs possess a variety of other unusual anatomical features; their middle fingers are reduced, and their heads are disproportionately large when compared to the rest of the body. They are somewhat short in stature since their back legs are vestigial and have fused together into a small tail-like appendage. This evolutionary trait forces most Sligs spend the early years of their life using their front limbs to walk. Since this is the primary means of locomotion in the species, the forelimbs of Sligs are long, powerful and muscular, much like those of apes. Due to the massive size (and possibly weight) of their heads, it is possible that their vestigial back legs are used as counterbalance when utilizing their arms in locomotion.
Sligs are seen consistently wearing masks, mostly because upper management regard Sligs as so ugly they are forced to wear masks, otherwise they would simply refuse to work with them.[1]
Maskless slig concept render by Hendrik Lober
Sligs as a whole are lazy, violent, cruel, and dull minded. Sligs are also very social; enjoying sports, gambling, card games, and hunting. They often become envious of one another, as they are easily impressed by higher ranks or better equipment than their own. Sligs tend to live only 20 Oddworld years.
Variants and Purposes
Crawling
- Main article: Crawling SligSligs in their most basic form, aside from the mask. These Sligs move around by crawling on their hands and are completely harmless to anyone until they get a hold of pants or a flying harnas.
Slacker
Slacker Sligs are given the most basic of equipment, usually just a pair of mechanical pants and a bat. Because of their overall weakness and their lack of weaponry they are often easily outnumbered.
Bouncer
Bouncer Sligs are a tougher variation of the slacker. A little tougher to be taken down, but still only armed with a baton. Some bouncers may be equipped with full body armor, making them considerably tougher.
Popper
This most commonly seen variant of the Slig carries an automatic firearm and is used as the main security force to guard large facilities owned by the Magog Cartel. In Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee these Sligs are on occasion given full body armor, making them considerably tougher and more dangerous.
Flying
- Main article: Flying SligThese Sligs use a flying harnas instead of the usual mechanical pants to patrol facilities in hard to reach places. They come equipped with a grenade launcher on the back.
Big Bro
- Main article: Big-Bro SligWhen given many doses of steroids, Sligs grow into large beefed-up killing machines. Walking around on custom made four-legged mechanical pants to support their weight and often seen carrying the Blitz Packer automatic firearms. Sometimes sporting full body armor to turn them into an unstoppable force.
Slig Masks
Sligs are always encountered wearing variations of masks. The masks are supported by breathing apparatuses as well as areas to provide vision.
Heads Up Display Visor
A Slig sporting the Heads Up Display Visor.
The Heads Up Display Visor or H.U.D. Visor was a variant that was extremely common during the years that RuptureFarms was active. The H.U.D. Visor had a built-in red visor that functioned as a H.U.D. Display with a scanner that was used in order to identify members, employees, and slaves of the Magog Cartel. The visor eventually became obsolete as it had no depth perception.
Pilot Mask
A Slig sporting the Pilot Mask.
The Slig Pilot Mask variant features built-in red lens goggles which are used protect a Slig's vision from natural elements and debris. The Pilot Mask is sported by all variations of Slig. However, they are more common among Flying Sligs. The mask earned its name due to its leathery appearance and its slight resemblance to real World War II aviator masks.
Notable Sligs
Unknown to those ignorant, or scared, of asking - Sligs actually have names. They in fact earn them in the crèche, after graduating from Slaughter School[2]. It's also a sign of status, not all sligs have earned the right to publicly be called such. Some sligs have no names and are instead referred to by rank and or purpose that he fulfills in society [3]
Trivia
A Slig tank[4]
- Sligs were originally called "Order Guards".[citation needed]
- The word slig is a portmanteau of "pig" and "slug".
- The standard issue Slig assault rifle looks more like a Winchester pump-action shotgun than an assault rifle, even though it fires like the latter.
- In Slig GameSpeak, there are the phrases, "BS" and "S'mo BS" which Sligs represented with buzzing or screeching sounds similar to that of a police siren or horn. The phrases are actual shortened versions of the terms, Bullshit and Some more bullshit. The phrases are completely useless unless they are used by Sligs that are not possessed. When the phrases are spoken they are used to present signs of distrust, dislike, or refusal such as when a Slig is reprimanding or abusing a disliked or rebellious Mudokon. The phrases serve no purpose or significance beyond unlocking Voice Locks in Abe's Exoddus and in Abe's Oddysee.
- The "BS" and "S'mo BS" sounds the Sligs make in Oddysee and Exoddus are actually distorted flamingo calls[5].
- According to the manual for Abe's Oddysee, they have "room temperature IQs"
- The H.U.D. visor bears a striking resemblance to the visor sported by the science fiction character, RoboCop.
Gallery
Appearances
- Abe's Oddysee (First Appearance)
- Abe's Exoddus
- Munch's Oddysee
- The Art of Oddworld Inhabitants: The First Ten Years 1994 - 2004
- New 'n' Tasty
References
- ↑ C. Wade, J. Johnson (2004-05-01).
. Ballistic Publishing.File:Imbox notice.png {{{text}}} - ↑ http://oddworldlibrary.net/archives/web/oddworld.com/alf/ow_dearalf06.shtml
- ↑ Slig Names Dear Alf #19
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BjfJy3TjWFE/
- ↑ http://retroasylum.com/episode-124-its-an-oddworld-part-2/ @ 1:00:25
