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''Here is the page about Pikmin Onions. If you were looking for the treasure in [[Perplexing Pool]], see [[Onion Replica]].''
{{game icons|p=y|p2=y|p3=y}}
{{featured|21st June 2013}}


[[File:Red_Onion.png|thumb|182px|A Red Onion.]]'''Onions''' are the large, round life forms that act as nests for the [[Pikmin family|Pikmin]]. There are three known types of Onion nests, each with unique coloration corresponding to either [[Red Pikmin|Red]], [[Yellow Pikmin|Yellow]], or [[Blue Pikmin|Blue]] Pikmin, and only one of each has ever been seen. As of ''[[Pikmin 2]]'', subterranean species such as [[Purple Pikmin]], [[White Pikmin]] and [[Bulbmin]] do not have Onions.
[[File:Normal 28 Pikmin2 GCN screen16.jpg|thumb|The three available Onions in ''Pikmin 2''.]]
The '''Onions''' are the nests of the [[Pikmin family|Pikmin]]. Olimar named them so because of their resemblance to a vegetable native to his [[Hocotate|home planet]]. These bulbous plant-hives have brightly colored bodies with a black and white band across the midsection. At the spots the Onions land at the start of each day, there are concentric circles on the ground, which are never referred to in-game. Three stilt-like legs suspend the Onions out of the reach of hungry predators, and provide access to the inside for Pikmin. In ''Pikmin'', Olimar states that he inspected the Onion's legs, and saw they were covered with tiny little hairs.


In ''[[Pikmin 3]]'', all discovered onions merge together the night after they are discovered, and become a single, universal Onion, greatly simplifying the management of Pikmin types at the beginning of each day.
During the daytime, Pikmin hunt and bring food, such as [[pellet]]s or slain beasts, to the Onion, which in turn produces new Pikmin seeds. If there are fewer than 100 Pikmin on the field, the seeds are ejected and take root in the ground; if not, they are stored inside the Onion, along with any other Pikmin not on the field. When night falls and all the Pikmin have returned, the Onion folds its legs and lifts off from the ground, presumably using its flower petals like rotor blades to propel itself into the low atmosphere, where it hovers until daybreak. If all Pikmin of the same color are lost, the corresponding Onion will produce a single seed the following day to prevent extinction.


Onions require light, as in'' Pikmin 3'', the Yellow Onion did not activate until a nearby light source was turned on, even when approached.
[[Image:Dormant Onion.jpg|thumb|left|120px|A dormant Onion in [[Pikmin (game)|''Pikmin'']].]]
It also appears that the Onions in ''Pikmin 3'' are much more malleable than their ''Pikmin ''and ''Pikmin ''counterparts in regards to which Pikmin species they will hold. In ''Pikmin 3, ''you discover a new Onion color and leave that new color of Pikmin at your landing site instead of at their home Onion, the Master Onion at the landing site will accommodate them until the Onion Fusion at the end of the day.
When the Onions are first discovered in ''[[Pikmin (game)|Pikmin]]'', they are dormant. They have a dark grayish color, are flowerless, and their legs are buried in the ground until Olimar comes upon them, at which point they spring to life and spit out a single seed. It is not known exactly what triggers this hibernation.
==Appearance==


In ''[[Pikmin 2]]'', when each Onion is discovered it is already in an active state, and a few Pikmin of the same color can be found nearby.


===''Pikmin'' and ''Pikmin 2''===
''[[Pikmin 3]]'' features a mechanical spherical object with legs that looks and acts like the natural Onions in the first two games.  However, at the end of day it retracts its tentacle-like arms inside itself and takes off like a rocket.  Whenever a new Onion is discovered in ''[[Pikmin 3]]'' it is absorbed by the other Onion which then displays a medley of colors from the absorbed Onion(s).
[[File:Pikmin 3 Onion.jpeg|thumbnail|The Onion from ''Pikmin 3''.]]
{{clear}}


These bulbous plant-hives have brightly colored bodies with a black and white band across the midsection. On the top, there is a big flower, resembling the flowers that Pikmin have. There are concentric circles on the ground in the Onion landing spots in each area, which are never referred to in-game. Three stilt-like legs suspend the Onions out of the reach of hungry predators, and provide access to the inside for Pikmin. In ''[[Pikmin (game)|Pikmin]]'', [[Captain Olimar|Olimar]] states that he inspected the Onion's legs, and saw they were covered with tiny little hairs, possibly to help the Pikmin climb out.
== Types ==
There are three known types of natural Onion, each with unique coloration corresponding to either [[Red Pikmin|Red]], [[Yellow Pikmin|Yellow]], or [[Blue Pikmin]], and only one of each has ever been seen at once. Subterranean Pikmin species such as [[Purple Pikmin]], [[White Pikmin]], and [[Bulbmin]] do not have Onions, or at least none that have yet been discovered.


Onions have different appearances before they are discovered. They are darker in coloration, have no flowers on top, and are partly buried. When Captain Olimar approaches them, they explode with color, and the flower blooms and spins rapidly, pulling out the legs.
=== Red ===
===''Pikmin 3''===
[[Image:Normal redonion.jpg|thumb|left|100px|A Red Onion.]]
The Red Onion is the first Onion to be discovered in [[Pikmin series|first 3 games]]. In ''Pikmin'', the Red Onion is found at [[The Impact Site]], dormant in the ground not far from where the [[S.S. Dolphin]] crashed. Once awakened, it will release a single Red Pikmin seed which [[Olimar]] can use to harvest nearby red [[Pellet Posy|Pellet Posies]] and spawn enough Pikmin to retrieve the [[Main Engine]]. In ''[[Pikmin 2]]'', [[Louie]] finds this Onion in the [[Valley of Repose]] when he falls out of [[the Ship]]'s cockpit and gets lost.


=== Yellow ===
[[Image:Normal yellowonion.jpg|thumb|right|100px|A Yellow Onion.]]
The second Onion the player will come across in the first 2 games. In ''Pikmin'', it is found dormant in The Forest of Hope amidst several yellow Pellet Posies and free-standing yellow pellets. In ''Pikmin 2'', the Yellow Onion is located in the Perplexing Pool behind a poison gate protected by a [[Fiery Bulblax]], so White Pikmin and Red Pikmin are required to reach it. There are a few yellow Pellet Posies nearby which will not regrow once they've been harvested.


In'' [[Pikmin 3]]'', Onions appear as small, berry-like objects with three black-metallic "joints". Out of these joints come 3, glowing root-like legs which allow the Onion to stand. At night, the legs completely retract and blue flames burst out of the "joints", allowing the Onion to lift off into the night sky.
=== Blue ===
[[Image:Normal blueonion.jpg|thumb|left|100px|A Blue Onion.]]
In ''Pikmin'', it can be found in [[The Forest Navel]] in a pool near the landing site, and is the third Onion the player discovers. Several blue [[Pellet Posies]] are in the immediate vicinity, as well as a free-standing blue 5 [[pellet]]. In ''Pikmin 2'', the Blue Onion is located in the [[Awakening Wood]]; although it can be seen relatively early in the game, it lies behind an electric [[gate]], meaning that [[Yellow Pikmin]] from the [[Perplexing Pool]] are required to access it. A small pool blocks the only direct path up to the gate, so the Pikmin must be thrown onto a nearby ledge (while taking care not to disturb the [[Cloaking Burrow-nit]] lying in wait there). The [[Captain]] can then walk around through some water to reach them, and order them to defeat the beast and demolish the gate, allowing him to find the game's first 5 Blue Pikmin.


When multiple Onions are discovered, they fuse together to become an even larger universal Onion that swirls different colors, depending on the type of Pikmin it holds. When all 5 Pikmin types in the game are discovered, the Onion swells up into a more traditional Onion-like shape. Standing underneath it brings up an "Onion GUI" that allows the player to pick the type and amount of Pikmin they'd like to bring out onto the field. If you hold the Z button while pulling out Pikmin, it will pull out Pikmin equally for all types.
For some unknown reason, when landing on an area, the Blue Onion seems to hover a bit before landing, therefore landing slower than the Red Onion and Yellow Onion.


The new onions also display their characteristic element upon activation:
=== Master ===
[[File:WUPP Pikmin3 Ev05 scrn21.png|left|300px|thumb|The Onion, with Red and Rock Pikmin occupying it.]]
In a promotional video for ''Pikmin 3'' released in the May 17th Nintendo Direct, an apparently artificial multicolored onion was shown, changing between red and grey colors. Along with the existence of grey-colored [[pellet]]s, this confirms that the [[Rock Pikmin]] will have Onions.  Further videos indicate that this "Onion" is used by every available Pikmin type.


Upon Activation:
Individual Onion types still exist, but these small Onions merge together to make one main Onion. At the end of a day, any newly discovered Onion that isn't a part of the main one will be merged while taking off.


'''Red '''- Spews Flames
Additionally, the majority of one type of Pikmin [[carrying]] an object to the Onion will determine which type of Pikmin the Onion produces. For example, ten Rock Pikmin and five Red Pikmin are carrying a [[Red Bulborb]] to the Onion, so Rock Pikmin will be produced.
{{clear}}


'''Yellow '''- Generates Electricity
=== Other ===
 
{{spoiler}}
'''Blue '''- Leaks Water
{|class="collapsible collapsed" align="right"
 
!The ''Pikmin'' ending
'''Pink '''- Flaps Petals Erratically
 
'''Grey'''- Creates a "Thump"
 
==Behavior==
 
During the daytime Pikmin hunt and bring food, such as [[pellet]]s or animal carcasses, to the Onion, which in turn produces new Pikmin seeds. If there are fewer than 100 Pikmin on the field, the seeds are ejected and take root in the ground, but if not they are stored inside the Onion, along with any other Pikmin not on the field. In the first two games, when night falls and all the Pikmin have returned, the Onion folds its legs and lifts off from the ground, presumably using its flower petals like rotor blades to propel itself into the low atmosphere, where it hovers until daybreak. In ''Pikmin 3'', when it's ready to lift off, it retracts its legs back into its base and lifts off through a jet coming from the same chute it absorbs pellets and enemies the Pikmin gather. If an Onion loses all of its Pikmin, or if no Pikmin are capable of returning, it will produce a single seed the following day to prevent extinction.
 
 
When the Onions were first discovered in Pikmin, they were dormant. They had a dark grayish color, were flowerless, and their legs were buried in the ground until Olimar came upon them, at which point they sprang to life and spat out a single seed. It is not known exactly what triggers this hibernation, though it's possible that a loss of Pikmin or food shortage may prompt the Onion to become dormant until conditions improve.
 
This behavior was examined yet again in ''Pikmin 3'', where all Onions are found dormant. However, it seems that Onion dormancy does not hinder their awareness, as the Red Onion and Pink Onions are seen struggling to dislodge themselves from the traps they are found in. The Winged and Blue Pikmin species seemed to have been entirely extincted by the point the game began, as they are the only two species who's Onions had to sprout more of when they were reactivated. It is unknown exactly what triggers dormancy in Onions, since the Red, Yellow, and Grey Onions were all found inactive despite the presence of their Pikmin still somewhere on the field.
 
==Types==
 
 
===''Red Onion''===
 
[[Image:Normal redonion.jpg|thumb|left|100px|A Red Onion.]] The Red Onion is the first Onion to be discovered in [[Pikmin series|all three games]]. In Pikmin, the Red Onion is found at [[The Impact Site]], dormant in the ground not far from where the [[S.S. Dolphin]] crashed. Once awakened, it will release a single Red Pikmin seed which [[Olimar]] can use to harvest nearby red [[Pellet Posy|Pellet Posies]] and spawn enough Pikmin to retrieve the [[Main Engine]]. In ''[[Pikmin 2]]'', [[Louie]] finds this Onion in the [[Valley of Repose]] when he falls out of [[The Ship]]'s cockpit and gets lost. In ''[[Pikmin 3]] ''the Red Onion is discovered when [[Alph]] comes upon it caught in a branch at [[Tropical Wilds]].
 
 
 
===''Yellow Onion''===
 
[[Image:Normal yellowonion.jpg|thumb|right|100px|A Yellow Onion.]]The Yellow Onion is the second Onion that the player comes across in the first two games. In ''Pikmin'', it is found dormant in The Forest of Hope amidst several yellow Pellet Posies and free-standing yellow pellets. In ''Pikmin 2'', the Yellow Onion is located in the [[Perplexing Pool]] behind a poison gate protected by a Fiery Bulblax, so White Pikmin and Red Pikmin are required to reach it. There are a few yellow Pellet Posies nearby which will not regrow once they've been harvested. In ''[[Pikmin 3]] ''the Yellow Onion is discovered in a cave as soon as you get to the [[Distant Tundra]].
 
===''Blue Onion''===
[[Image:Normal blueonion.jpg|thumb|left|100px|A Blue Onion.]] In ''Pikmin'', it can be found in [[The Forest Navel]] in a pool near the landing site, and is the third Onion the player discovers. Several blue [[Pellet Posie]]s are in the immediate vicinity, as well as a free-standing blue 5 [[pellet]]. In ''[[Pikmin 2]]'', the blue Onion is located in the [[Awakening Wood]]; although it can be seen relatively early in the game, it lies behind an electric gate, meaning that [[Yellow Pikmin]] from the [[Perplexing Pool]] are required to access it. A small pool blocks the only direct path up to the gate, so the Pikmin must be thrown onto a nearby ledge (while taking care not to disturb the [[Cloaking Burrow-nit]] lying in wait there). The [[Captain]] can then walk around through some water to reach them, and order them to defeat the beast and demolish the gate, allowing him to find the game's first 5 Blue Pikmin. In'' [[Pikmin 3]]'' the blue onion is located at the [[Garden of Hope]] and can only be accessed after defeating the Scornet Maestro at [[Twilight River]].
 
For some unknown reason, in ''Pikmin ''and ''Pikmin 2'' when landing in an area, the blue onion seems to hover a bit before landing, therefore landing slower than the Red Onion and Yellow Onion.
 
===''Master Onion''===
 
 
<span style="font-size:13px;">In </span>''Pikmin 3''<span style="font-size:13px;">, Onions fuse together at the end of the day to form a larger, universal "Master Onion" that holds all Pikmin types.  The Master Onion seems to have a clear sphere of some material (that seems to also stretch) with fluid inside that each Pikmin color seems to live inside the particular color of their type. The more Pikmin types it holds, the more colors it displays on its surface, along with a more elaborate striped pattern on its midsection. Aside from its appearance, it functions the same as a normal Onion from the previous two games. By pressing </span>''Z ''<span style="font-size:13px;">on the Onion menu, an equal amount of each type of Pikmin currently discovered will come out of the Onion. This explains why there is only one landing zone compared to the previous game which had three landing zones.</span>''[[File:Pikmin_MasterOnion.jpg|thumb|The Master Onion's completed form.]]''
 
{{clear}} {{spoiler}}
 
 
{|class="collapsible collapsed"
|-
!
|-
|-
|
|[[Image:NewOnions.png|thumb|Four pink Onions, four black, two cyan, one orange, one blue, one green and one purple. They appear during the "good ending" in ''Pikmin''.]]
 
[[File:Pikmin Secret Onions.png|thumb|Five pink Onions, four black, two cyan, one orange, one green and one blue. They appear during the "good ending" in ''Pikmin''.]] At the end of ''Pikmin'', there is a rather confusing scene where fourteen Onions, of colors that have not appeared in a ''Pikmin'' game so far, fly above the [[Planet of the Pikmin]]. It is unknown whether they are trying to follow Captain Olimar or merely hovering for the night. This could mean that more colors may yet be introduced in a future Pikmin game.
|}
|}
 
At the end of ''Pikmin'', there is a rather confusing part where fourteen Onions, of colors that have not appeared in a ''Pikmin'' game so far, fly above the [[Planet of the Pikmin]]. It is unknown whether they are trying to follow Captain Olimar or merely hovering for the night. This was thought to mean that more colors would be introduced in ''[[Pikmin 3]]'', though this was only the case with the Pink(winged) and Black(grey) onions. Interestingly, one of the Onions seen is purple, and [[Purple Pikmin]] were indeed introduced in ''[[Pikmin 2]]'', but without an Onion.
{{clear}}
{{endspoiler}}
{{endspoiler}}


==In ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''==
== In ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' ==
 
In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl|Brawl]]'', the three Onions appear as a trophy and on the "Distant Planet" stage. Here, when a [[pellet]] is thrown into one, an item is ejected. The number on the pellet thrown is the amount of items that will appear. More items will appear if the pellet and Onion have the same color, similar to the way it works in the [[Pikmin series|''Pikmin'' games]]. The Onions can also be hit, and will eventually fly away.
[[File:MarioThrowsPelletIntoOnion.jpg|thumb|left|160px|Mario utilizing the Onion's function.]]In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl|Brawl]]'', the 3 original Onions appear as a trophy and on the "Distant Planet" stage. Here, when a [[pellet]] is thrown into one, an item is ejected. More items appear if the pellet and Onion have the same color, similar to the way it works in the [[Pikmin series|''Pikmin'' games]]. The Onions can also be hit, and will eventually fly away if hit too much. If they are undisturbed, they'll still eventually fly away.
 
 
 
[[File:OnionTrophy.png|thumb|114px]]The Onion also has a randomly occurring trophy. The description reads:
 
''"Items considered to be the places where Pikmin are born. As to the actual biology of the process, much is still unclear. Onions absorb the prey that Pikmin capture and use it to produce new Pikmin. In addition, Onions can take in Pikmin and later release them. These organisms are crowned with distinctive propeller- like sets of leaves that spin around, enabling them to fly."''
 
==2-P Battle==
 
In ''Pikmin 2'' the red and blue onions appear as bases in 2-P battle. Here they act slightly different: They are under ground, they can't store extra Pikmin and captains cannot take Pikmin out or put them in. It also spit out the same amount of Pikmin lost to enemy Pikmin without nutrients. In ''Pikmin 2'', Player 1 gets a Red Onion, while Player 2 gets a Blue Onion. In ''Pikmin 3'', Player 1 gets a Cyan-colored Onion that pulses yellow, and Player 2 gets a Pink-colored Onion that pulses orange.
 
==Gallery==


<gallery columns="3" orientation="none">
===Trophy description===
Red Onion.png|A Red Onion.
"Items considered to be the places where Pikmin are born. As to the actual biology of the process, much is still unclear. Onions absorb the prey that Pikmin capture and use it to produce new Pikmin. In addition, Onions can take in Pikmin and later release them. These organisms are crowned with distinctive propeller-like sets of leaves that spin around, enabling them to fly."
Yellow Onion.png|A Yellow Onion.
Blue Onion.png|A Blue Onion.
Red Onionp2.png|A Red Onion as seen in ''Pikmin 2''.
Yellow Onionp2.png|A Yellow Onion as seen in ''Pikmin 2''.
Blue Onionp2.png|A Blue Onion as seen in ''Pikmin 2''.
ZlCfzRFpM7QNEwjcU-.jpg|A Red Onion as seen in ''Pikmin 3''.
ZlCfzRFpQ YnPFqBoy.jpg|A Grey Onion as seen in ''Pikmin 3''.
ZlCfzRFpmM00dIoKvX.jpg|A Yellow Onion as seen in ''Pikmin 3''.
ZlCfzRFuYBcMXsrMxy.jpg|A Pink Onion as seen in ''Pikmin 3''.
ZlCfzRFzY94VUhRohz.jpg|A Blue Onion as seen in ''Pikmin 3''.
ZlCfzRFpVYYTELBCNC.jpg|Master Onion phase #1
ZlCfzRFt8X4dBCdz46.jpg|Master Onion phase #2
ZlCfzRFuZnwAibQMba.jpg|Master Onion phase #3
ZlCfzRFzYE40bPpV3W.jpg|The Master Onion in ''Pikmin 3''.
00Absorbing.PNG|The Red Onion beginning to absorb the Grey Onion while rising after nightfall. Notice the chute glowing as if it's receiving nutrients.
Pikmin3 BingoBattleOnions.png|The Bingo Battle Onions in ''Pikmin 3''.
OnionGUI.jpg|The Onion's GUI in ''Pikmin 3''.
zlCfzRF1G3YEWE6kKw.jpeg|The Master Onion seen from below.
Screenshot 2014-04-23 at 4.02.44 PM.png|The Pink Onion caught in an Arachnode's web.
</gallery>


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
[[File:Pikmin 2 - Blue Onion Boot Up (Unused cutscene)|thumb|300px|right|The unused cutscene of the Blue Onion sprouting in Pikmin 2.]]
*For the music in the [[Forest of Hope]], at some points, the propeller petals of an Onion can be heard.
*When Captain Olimar first came upon the Red Onion in ''Pikmin'', he was knocked over by one of the legs as it sprang out of the ground. When he finds the other two later on in the game, he is a little more cautious and backs away.
*When Olimar first came upon the Red Onion in ''Pikmin'', he was knocked over by one of the legs as it sprang out of the ground. When he finds the other two later on in the game, he is a little more cautious and backs away.
*The coding in ''[[Pikmin 2]]'' revealed that the Onions were originally planned to have a "booting up" cutscene, just as they did in the first game. The cutscene was complete with its own animation, music, and dialogue.
*If, on a day where Olimar or Louie finds an Onion, and enters a [[cave]] after whistling the wild Pikmin, the Onion will be at the landing site when the cave is left.
**The only flaw is the light coming out is still visible even when the Onion is dormant.
*In the first ''Pikmin'' game, if you press down on the D-pad, (2 for ''New Play Control!'') Captain Olimar will lay down, and 4 Pikmin can carry him to their Onion. When Olimar is abducted by the Onion, he bounces off the Onion, and fireworks come out of the flower instead of Pikmin seeds.
*During story mode of ''Pikmin 3'', Onions are discovered as perfectly round and small, but when they fuse together, they swell up into a bulbous shape reminiscent of the original Onion designs.
*The Master Onion could be a result of evolutionary change so Pikmin colonies require less space.
*The Onions in ''Pikmin 3'' (as well as the [[Candypop Bud]]s) appear to be more mechanical in appearance than their previous incarnations.
*If the player looks up at the Master Onion in ''Pikmin 3'' with the [[KopPad]], one can see what appear to be solar panel-like cells on its petals.
*[[Alph]] mentions in a log entry that the swirling colors of the Master Onion may actually be the Pikmin themselves, stored in a simpler, fluid form for easier storage.
*[[Olimar]] mention that there is a vegetable called an onion on [[Hocotate]].


[[de:Zwiebel]]
[[Category:Onions]]
[[Category:Pikmin species]]
[[Category:Pikmin species]]
[[Category:Pikmin 1]]
[[Category:Pikmin 2]]
[[Category:Tropical Wilds]]
[[Category:Pikmin 3]]
[[Category:The Forest of Hope]]
[[Category:The Forest Navel]]
[[Category:The Impact Site]]
[[Category:Valley of Repose]]
[[Category:Awakening Wood]]
[[Category:Perplexing Pool]]
[[Category:Garden of Hope]]
[[Category:Distant Tundra]]
[[Category:Twilight River]]
[[Category:Spoilers]]
[[Category:Unlicensed images]]

Revision as of 09:21, May 24, 2014

The pink flower in the Challenge Mode of Pikmin 2. It represents courses that were finished, with no Pikmin lost.

This article is currently a featured article, as of 21st June 2013.

The pink flower in the Challenge Mode of Pikmin 2. It represents courses that were finished, with no Pikmin lost.
File:Normal 28 Pikmin2 GCN screen16.jpg
The three available Onions in Pikmin 2.

The Onions are the nests of the Pikmin. Olimar named them so because of their resemblance to a vegetable native to his home planet. These bulbous plant-hives have brightly colored bodies with a black and white band across the midsection. At the spots the Onions land at the start of each day, there are concentric circles on the ground, which are never referred to in-game. Three stilt-like legs suspend the Onions out of the reach of hungry predators, and provide access to the inside for Pikmin. In Pikmin, Olimar states that he inspected the Onion's legs, and saw they were covered with tiny little hairs.

During the daytime, Pikmin hunt and bring food, such as pellets or slain beasts, to the Onion, which in turn produces new Pikmin seeds. If there are fewer than 100 Pikmin on the field, the seeds are ejected and take root in the ground; if not, they are stored inside the Onion, along with any other Pikmin not on the field. When night falls and all the Pikmin have returned, the Onion folds its legs and lifts off from the ground, presumably using its flower petals like rotor blades to propel itself into the low atmosphere, where it hovers until daybreak. If all Pikmin of the same color are lost, the corresponding Onion will produce a single seed the following day to prevent extinction.

Captain Olimar finds the first dormant Red Onion.
A dormant Onion in Pikmin.

When the Onions are first discovered in Pikmin, they are dormant. They have a dark grayish color, are flowerless, and their legs are buried in the ground until Olimar comes upon them, at which point they spring to life and spit out a single seed. It is not known exactly what triggers this hibernation.

In Pikmin 2, when each Onion is discovered it is already in an active state, and a few Pikmin of the same color can be found nearby.

Pikmin 3 features a mechanical spherical object with legs that looks and acts like the natural Onions in the first two games. However, at the end of day it retracts its tentacle-like arms inside itself and takes off like a rocket. Whenever a new Onion is discovered in Pikmin 3 it is absorbed by the other Onion which then displays a medley of colors from the absorbed Onion(s).

File:Pikmin 3 Onion.jpeg
The Onion from Pikmin 3.

Types

There are three known types of natural Onion, each with unique coloration corresponding to either Red, Yellow, or Blue Pikmin, and only one of each has ever been seen at once. Subterranean Pikmin species such as Purple Pikmin, White Pikmin, and Bulbmin do not have Onions, or at least none that have yet been discovered.

Red

The Red Onion is the first Onion to be discovered in first 3 games. In Pikmin, the Red Onion is found at The Impact Site, dormant in the ground not far from where the S.S. Dolphin crashed. Once awakened, it will release a single Red Pikmin seed which Olimar can use to harvest nearby red Pellet Posies and spawn enough Pikmin to retrieve the Main Engine. In Pikmin 2, Louie finds this Onion in the Valley of Repose when he falls out of the Ship's cockpit and gets lost.

Yellow

The second Onion the player will come across in the first 2 games. In Pikmin, it is found dormant in The Forest of Hope amidst several yellow Pellet Posies and free-standing yellow pellets. In Pikmin 2, the Yellow Onion is located in the Perplexing Pool behind a poison gate protected by a Fiery Bulblax, so White Pikmin and Red Pikmin are required to reach it. There are a few yellow Pellet Posies nearby which will not regrow once they've been harvested.

Blue

In Pikmin, it can be found in The Forest Navel in a pool near the landing site, and is the third Onion the player discovers. Several blue Pellet Posies are in the immediate vicinity, as well as a free-standing blue 5 pellet. In Pikmin 2, the Blue Onion is located in the Awakening Wood; although it can be seen relatively early in the game, it lies behind an electric gate, meaning that Yellow Pikmin from the Perplexing Pool are required to access it. A small pool blocks the only direct path up to the gate, so the Pikmin must be thrown onto a nearby ledge (while taking care not to disturb the Cloaking Burrow-nit lying in wait there). The Captain can then walk around through some water to reach them, and order them to defeat the beast and demolish the gate, allowing him to find the game's first 5 Blue Pikmin.

For some unknown reason, when landing on an area, the Blue Onion seems to hover a bit before landing, therefore landing slower than the Red Onion and Yellow Onion.

Master

The Onion, with Red and Rock Pikmin occupying it.

In a promotional video for Pikmin 3 released in the May 17th Nintendo Direct, an apparently artificial multicolored onion was shown, changing between red and grey colors. Along with the existence of grey-colored pellets, this confirms that the Rock Pikmin will have Onions. Further videos indicate that this "Onion" is used by every available Pikmin type.

Individual Onion types still exist, but these small Onions merge together to make one main Onion. At the end of a day, any newly discovered Onion that isn't a part of the main one will be merged while taking off.

Additionally, the majority of one type of Pikmin carrying an object to the Onion will determine which type of Pikmin the Onion produces. For example, ten Rock Pikmin and five Red Pikmin are carrying a Red Bulborb to the Onion, so Rock Pikmin will be produced.

Other

At the end of Pikmin, there is a rather confusing part where fourteen Onions, of colors that have not appeared in a Pikmin game so far, fly above the Planet of the Pikmin. It is unknown whether they are trying to follow Captain Olimar or merely hovering for the night. This was thought to mean that more colors would be introduced in Pikmin 3, though this was only the case with the Pink(winged) and Black(grey) onions. Interestingly, one of the Onions seen is purple, and Purple Pikmin were indeed introduced in Pikmin 2, but without an Onion.

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In Super Smash Bros. Brawl

In Brawl, the three Onions appear as a trophy and on the "Distant Planet" stage. Here, when a pellet is thrown into one, an item is ejected. The number on the pellet thrown is the amount of items that will appear. More items will appear if the pellet and Onion have the same color, similar to the way it works in the Pikmin games. The Onions can also be hit, and will eventually fly away.

Trophy description

"Items considered to be the places where Pikmin are born. As to the actual biology of the process, much is still unclear. Onions absorb the prey that Pikmin capture and use it to produce new Pikmin. In addition, Onions can take in Pikmin and later release them. These organisms are crowned with distinctive propeller-like sets of leaves that spin around, enabling them to fly."

Trivia

  • For the music in the Forest of Hope, at some points, the propeller petals of an Onion can be heard.
  • When Olimar first came upon the Red Onion in Pikmin, he was knocked over by one of the legs as it sprang out of the ground. When he finds the other two later on in the game, he is a little more cautious and backs away.
  • If, on a day where Olimar or Louie finds an Onion, and enters a cave after whistling the wild Pikmin, the Onion will be at the landing site when the cave is left.