Leafling

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The leafling found in Dandori Day Care.

Leafling is the name given to characters that cannot be identified because their heads are entirely covered by leaves. Their ID badges are unreadable due to corrupted biometric data, listing their name as "???" or "Error" and their home planet as PNF-404. An Olimar-like leafling can be seen kidnapping a castaway, dragging it into an Onion, and making it pop out as a leafling. He justifies this by saying that those that don't embrace dandori cannot survive in the planet, but they thrive instead if they have the leaves. This is presumably how leaflings are made, and Dingo speculates that Yonny, the Rescue Corps doctor, might be able to help bring them back to normal.

Leafling castaways can be rescued from Dandori Challenges and Dandori Battles, both of which are issued by characters that are themselves leaflings. In this state, leafling characters are unable to speak in normal sentences, instead using simple words and small sentences at a time, and are obsessed with dandori. They will hand over the leafling castaways they have, or fall unconscious so they can be rescued themselves, if they witness a good display of dandori in their challenges or battles. Glow sap from a Lumiknoll can dissolve the leaves, reverting the Leaflings to their normal state.

Following his curing, Olimar believes that Leaflings may have had Pikmin DNA incorporated into their bodies after being taken into an Onion, triggering their physical and psychological changes and causing them to rapidly sicken if they try to leave PNF-404. Although he does not know what purpose this "Pikmin-ification' might have, he speculates that the Pikmin may be trying to create a permanent leader for themselves.

Appearance

Leaflings wear regular gray spacesuits, but without a helmet, and their head is covered with leaves, almost like a head full of hair. Only their noses (if any) and eyes are visible. Different characters have different colored foliage. The color of the leaves on a leafling’s head matches the hair color of the captain once they’re cured.

Atop their head is a stem with a leaf, much like that of a Pikmin. Fainted leaflings will also have a glow matching their leaves' color, similar to when a Pikmin is idle.

Leaflings

Warning: the following article or section contains major spoilers about Pikmin 4's main story.

Leafling Olimar

Leafling Olimar's Id Badge

A red-leaved leafling that has Captain Olimar's suit, nose, and voice. He is seen accompanied by Moss, kidnapping a castaway and hopping into an orange pipe toward the Trial Run. Inside, Moss drags them into an Onion so that it becomes a purple leafling. The mysterious duo challenges the player to a round of Dandori Battle, only returning the castaway when the player wins. After that happens, the duo leaves. He is revealed to be Olimar himself in the Hero's Hideaway, at which point the player is able to rescue and cure him.

Dandori Day Care leafling

ID badge of the pink leafling.

At the entrance to the Dandori Day Care is a pink-colored leafling dancing happily. When first met, they chant about dandori before entering the cave. Once inside, they explain that the cave serves as a test designed to develop one's dandori skills. After completing the challenge, they faint from how quickly the player worked, and are brought back to the surface, after which they can be brought to the S.S. Beagle. Once giving him glow sap he turns into Jin.

Trial Run leafling

The purple leafing associated with the Trial Run dandori challenge.

ID badge of the purple leafling.

This is the first castaway that is witnessed being transformed into a leafling. When the player enters the Trial Run, an Olimar-like leafling and Moss drag the castaway into their Onion, after which it gets turned into a purple-colored leafling with a small round nose. After the player wins the Dandori Battle there, this leafling is brought to the surface, after which the player can bring it to the S.S. Beagle.

Sage Leaf

A white Leafling found in a hidden cave in the Rescue Command Post, which is only revealed after completing Olimar's Shipwreck Tale. They oversee the Trial of the Sage Leaf, a series of ten complex Dandori challenges with varied objectives. Unlike other leaflings (with the exception of Olimar), they are able to speak normally.

Though they refuse to be rescued or cured, they will reward the player with the White and Purple Onions upon completing their fifth and tenth trials. Recompleting the fifth and tenth trials will reward the player 10 White and Purple Pikmin respectively.

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