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The flut flut is a species of bird in The Precursor Legacy. Large and colorful, they were sometimes ridden as mounts by humans. One particular infant flut flut was rescued by Jak and Daxter, then nursed to health by the Birdwatcher and Samos Hagai in Sandover Village. It was later tacked up by Keira for the duo to use on their journey north.

Adults of the species are known to be deadly predators, though they tend to avoid humans. They are in fact considered extremely rare, and were never actually seen in the series. Even in infancy, however, Jak's bird was quite formidable: it could charge forward with enough force to break metal containers, and was capable in combat against lurkers.

The flut flut is markedly similar to its spiritual successor, Jak 3's leaper lizard, with similar controls, attacks, and body shape. However, actual relation is unlikely.

History[]

By the time of The Precursor Legacy, flut fluts had not been seen for generations, and came to be largely folkloric. Tales were told of them once being used as commonly as yakows, and of human children playing with the young.[1]

Jak rescues flut flut egg

The flut flut shortly after hatching.

Early in the game, the Birdwatcher commissioned Jak and Daxter to rescue an orphaned flut flut egg on Sentinel Beach in exchange for a power cell. She explained that the day earlier, she witnessed lurkers capture a mother flut flut, leaving her egg atop a cliff.[2] The duo did so by kicking the egg off the cliff, cracking it open. The hatchling imprinted on Daxter as her "mama" (to his annoyance), presumably because he was the first non-human animal she saw. The Birdwatcher then took the chick back to the village to care for her, with Samos' aid.[3]

Ride the flut flut 2

Jak capturing the power cell at the end of "Ride the flut flut".

Later, while at Rock Village, the Birdwatcher allowed Keira to tack up the flut flut to assist the duo in their journey north.[4] Keira could then teleport the flut flut to surrounding locations from a trans-pad in the Blue Sage's hut. Jak first used the flut flut in Boggy Swamp to collect an out-of-reach power cell in the mission "Ride the flut flut". He lastly used her in Snowy Mountain, traversing vast chasms to open the lurker fort.

Characteristics[]

Description[]

Flut flut concept art

Concept art of the flut flut.

The flut flut is an extremely large species of ratite bird, with adults reaching up to 4-meter heights and 15-meter wingspans.[1] Adults can presumably fly, given the large wingspan in proportion to their body, though this remains unconfirmed.[a] Only a young, flightless specimen was seen in the series, standing not much taller than the 5'6"-tall Jak, with a proportionately small wingspan. Instead, it could only rapidly flap its wings to extend its jumps and slow its descents. Its ascensions were seemingly powered by its large legs, which it could use to launch off the ground with instantaneous power. Its large-feathered, aerodynamic tail also likely contributed to its wide range of non-flying traversal abilities.

Flut flut on trans-pad

The flut flut on the trans-pad at Snowy Mountain.

Flut fluts vary in coloration in a similar pattern to real-world parrots.[1] The individual seen in the series carried blue colors at the edges and frays, transitioning to primarily yellow on the surface of the body, with a pale underbelly. The flut flut beak is prominent and bright orange, reaching from ear to ear. At the top of the head and around its very large eyes is a thick, keratin-like crown, forming a distinctive helmet and brow shape. The crown is used to break through objects and attack targets.[6]

The infant flut flut body shape lends well to its use as a mount: the back is long and balanced over its tall legs, with a long neck allowing slack for reins. Keira outfitted Jak's flut flut with such reins, as well as a saddle, instep guards, and cloth wrappings for all-terrain travel, from hot swamps to ice-capped mountains.

Behavior[]

Flut fluts are carnivores, though they tend to only prey on animals over a meter tall, avoiding humans unless agitated or starved.[1]

Flut flut chicks have a friendly disposition; they're even known to play with human children and be ridden as mounts.[1] They are fairly intelligent and obedient, capable of understanding and performing a variety of commands within days of birth. They also appear to be socially eager, "cawing" and shaking their tail in excitement upon being mounted.

Adults, however, are regarded as fearsome predators, and are fiercely protective of their young. While generally being the most feared,[1] the Mayor once mentioned he would "rather wrestle an enraged flut flut" than venture out into the now lurker-infested Forbidden Jungle.[7] Indeed, lurkers were reported to have overcome even an adult mother.[2]

Gameplay[]

Ride the flut flut 1

Jak using the flut flut's forward charge to attack a group of swamp rats.

The flut flut is fast and responsive, capable of covering much more ground more quickly than Jak. It can jump high and far, and extend these jumps by flapping its wings. Although it can jump higher than Jak, it wasn't necessarily used to reach otherwise inaccessible heights; instead, it was long distances, such as gaps between platforms, that the flut flut helped Jak traverse.

The flut flut has two attacks. The first is a forward charge, wherein it lunges forward with high velocity. The force is enough to break strong boxes and locked boxes, a feat normally requiring yellow eco, aerial melee attacks, or other special mechanics.[b] The second is a pouncing dive attack,[8] wherein the flut flut will dive head-first at a high speed, before pushing its feet toward the ground at the very last second, leaving a purple dust cloud on impact.

Eco can be used while on the flut flut in a similar manner to normal gameplay: blue eco causes it to run faster, and yellow eco will shoot forward after a charge attack.

Behind the scenes[]

Flut flut early concept art

Early concept art of the flut flut by Charles Zembillas.

Flut fluts were designed by concept artist Charles Zembillas as a cross between the ostrich and hummingbird, in keeping with other hybrid creatures in the series.[5] Unique to the flut flut, however, is that its name is not a portmanteau of its constituent parent species, in contrast to, for example, the ottsel or hip hog. The hard crown on the flut flut is the result of a design mandate that the creature was to smash through objects with its head.[6]

Flut fluts may have been planned to appear in Jak II: environment art for the Slums by art director Bob Rafei depicts Jak riding one in the streets,[9] and the flut flut's asset file is present on the retail disc in a Slums directory.[10] Furthermore, the leaper lizard from Jak 3, closely resembling flut fluts in both design and gameplay, was originally known as the "metal head flut flut".[11]

In explaining the flut flut, Naughty Dog founder Jason Rubin compared it to the tauntaun from Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.[12] The flut flut has also been compared to the chocobo from the Final Fantasy series.[13]

Notes[]

Annotations
  1. It should also be noted that ratites, while not an official classification—apart from being designed as part ostrich[5]—are traditionally flightless.
  2. The boxes can also be broken simply by landing on them with the flut flut.
Citations

References[]

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