Quark Mine
A Quark Mine is a trap in the Subspace Emissary. Quark Mines appear as floating round, black spheres with several neon green markings and spines protruding from the surface. Like Jyks, they either remain stationary or move in a predictable, repeating pattern. However, when the Quark Mine is touched, shielded, or attacked by a character, it violently explodes, unleashing a sort of electrical, unstable material contained within the sphere. This explosion can set off a chain reaction and has high KO potential, even on lower difficulties. A Quark Mine can be defeated, as opposed to Jyk. A Quark Mine's green markings turn magenta and make a beeping noise as a sort of warning that it is about to explode, should a character get close enough. Quark Mines often appear in large groups, which makes them harder to avoid. However, this can mean a single projectile will destroy the whole chain if the mines are close enough in proximity to each other. Non-damaging attacks such as F.L.U.D.D. or Water Gun don't affect them.
While most Quark Mines seem to be programmed to sit still or move in lines or circles, one batch in The Subspace Bomb Factory operates differently than the others. If a character happens to near a certain area (such as a platform), Quark Mines will quickly be dispatched to purposefully ram themselves into the character, most of which are hard to avoid.
Most Quark Mines are found on the Isle of Ancients, in the Research Facility, and in the Subspace Bomb Factory, while others can be found in The Wilds, on the Halberd, and throughout The Great Maze.
A specific Quark Mine in the Halberd is required to solve a puzzle - when detonated close enough to the (cracked) ceiling, the ceiling will get blown open, revealing an Orange Cube.
Gallery
A quark mine. Note its pink hue, indicating a possible explosion soon after.
Explosion.
