SPOILERS! Mysteries and Conspiracies of Pokemon

[Rapti]

Don't know if this has been brought up already but... where are the freaking cops/rangers? They're always behind some bush and challenging you to a battle, but when some batshit crazy lunatic is about to blow up the entire region they're no where to be seen... what's up with that? I could understand if they couldn't do anything because they're not up to par as pokemon trainers ( we don't solve things with violence here ) but nope, they just don't show up. At. All. Like, they don't even try.

Perhaps the whole system is a lie and all Pokemon Rangers we've encountered thus far are faking their position? Is there even a government? Were the cops bribed? Are we ever going to find out Looke's true identity and why he lost his memories? Perhaps he uncovered this truth that should've been left in the dark? Find out in the next episode of Pokemon Z... had to.

I think that the rangers actual job is to keep people from going off-route while they're traveling. I mean we know from ORAS that there're areas which can't be accesed normally which have (comparatively) high level pokemon

as for the cops, there're like what, 10 officers shown in the whole series? I doubt they do much more that keep th roughnecks in line


and yes you canonically never lose cause you're playing Joe Cool who can beat criminal organizations singlehandly, be better at at berry farming, training and breeding than geniuses in each field, can become a superstar in like a week and have the pokemon equivalent of the Greatest Popstar of the Day fall in love with him (incidentally man do current popstars suck I mean Taylor Swift? Selina Gomez? Miley frigging' Cyrus? sheesh), also pokemon become friendlier and happier just by walking next to him

 

[Siggu]

and yes you canonically never lose cause you're playing Joe Cool who can beat criminal organizations singlehandly, be better at at berry farming, training and breeding than geniuses in each field, can become a superstar in like a week and have the pokemon equivalent of the Greatest Popstar of the Day fall in love with him (incidentally man do current popstars suck I mean Taylor Swift? Selina Gomez? Miley frigging' Cyrus? sheesh), also pokemon become friendlier and happier just by walking next to him

So basically our player characters are the Mary Sues of Pokemon :P

 

[Johta]

I think that the rangers actual job is to keep people from going off-route while they're traveling. I mean we know from ORAS that there're areas which can't be accesed normally which have (comparatively) high level pokemon

as for the cops, there're like what, 10 officers shown in the whole series? I doubt they do much more that keep th roughnecks in line


and yes you canonically never lose cause you're playing Joe Cool who can beat criminal organizations singlehandly, be better at at berry farming, training and breeding than geniuses in each field, can become a superstar in like a week and have the pokemon equivalent of the Greatest Popstar of the Day fall in love with him (incidentally man do current popstars suck I mean Taylor Swift? Selina Gomez? Miley frigging' Cyrus? sheesh), also pokemon become friendlier and happier just by walking next to him

Nope, their job is to keep the region and its inhabitants safe. That's the whole point of the Pokemon Ranger spin-off series ( which was also developed by Game Freak, unlike Mystery Dungeon's ), so it just seems weird to me that they're NEVER brought up.

And to be fair, that also applies to us humans. We can also grow friendlier to each other just by interacting with one another somehow, verbally or otherwise. :p

 

[Oddish.]

Nope, their job is to keep the region and its inhabitants safe. That's the whole point of the Pokemon Ranger spin-off series ( which was also developed by Game Freak, unlike Mystery Dungeon's ), so it just seems weird to me that they're NEVER brought up.

And to be fair, that also applies to us humans. We can also grow friendlier to each other just by interacting with one another somehow, verbally or otherwise. :p

You could make the argument that Ranger takes place in an alternate universe from the main series games, as the main series also has their own rangers that seem to not be like the ones from the spin-off. For example, main series rangers can catch and carry up to six pokemon like any other trainer.

 

[Rapti]

Well, we should take into account that the Ranger series takes place in regions with no pokemon league or pokeballs to speak off, so I'm pretty sure their jobs are different from those in "league owned" regions

man the league is probaly the goverment of each region

I mean

Hide

in Alola there's no league and the rulers are implied to be the island chiefs

 

[The_Emperor]

Who the frickle frackle created the virus that mutates Porygon2 into Porygon-Z?

Even better, why isn't the Porygon line electric type? They go inside of computers and mess them up!?

 

[Norne]

Even better, why isn't the Porygon line electric type? They go inside of computers and mess them up!?

Because it would gain a ground weakness, even with an electric and flying resistance having a weakness to both ground and fighting on a bulky mon is a terrible thing after gen 4.

 

[Pikachu315111]

Even better, why isn't the Porygon line electric type? They go inside of computers and mess them up!?

Because of Conversion. It has a type changing gimmick so it was made Normal-type which is considered element less.

 

[Norne]

Because of Conversion. It has a type changing gimmick so it was made Normal-type which is considered element less.

This is more accurate.

 

[Rapti]

Here's a good one

Are pokeballs mind control devices? thers an NPC in Black & White 2 that implies this

 

[Pikachu315111]

Here's a good one

Are pokeballs mind control devices? thers an NPC in Black & White 2 that implies this

Despite the fans who want the Pokemon world to be more "edgy/crapsaccharine", no, Poke Balls aren't mind control devices. Reason a Pokemon's attitude changes when they're caught is because Pokemon follow a moral code: to follow the one who was worthy enough of catching them. It's why no matter what level you catch a Pokemon they'll listen to you but traded Pokemon may not as you haven't proven yourself to them. It's why Pokemon, true neutral creatures, will follow the commands of villainous groups; even ones who want to hurt other Pokemon. It's why we see Pokemon sometimes willing coming out of their Poke Balls or how they can have low Friendship with their trainer.

 

[Oddish.]

This quote by Drayden sums it up quite nicely:
"The cooperation of people and Pokémon is how Unova came to exist to begin with. If a Pokémon really didn't want anything to do with humans, it would simply leave... Capturing a Pokémon in a Poké Ball doesn't mean you've captured its heart."

Though with that being said, hasn't it been implied that pokeballs do have a hand in better taming the creature? While I do agree that they don't mind control pokemon/make them love you, I'm certain that it's been said that pokeballs made the taming of pokemon easier. Going back to Drayden, he mentions how pokeballs weren't a thing when he was younger, and Pokemon would just run away from bad trainers. Pokemon also apparently used to be more prone to physically harming or even killing the trainer before the invention of the pokeball. Pokeballs are also meant to be a comfortable environment for the pokemon, which further encourages it from running away. So it's obvious that pokeballs have some kind of effect on pokemon. Possibly a "calming effect"? Or it could just all tie in to what Pikachu315111 said already. Maybe before the pokeball, pokemon just didn't think humans were strong enough to tame them. After all, the pokemon never had to stay if they didn't want to. Now that the pokeball is around they might think "oh, this human has a way to keep me in check."

 

[Codraroll]

To be fair, a Poké Ball seems to be whatever the heck the writers want it to be that day. Just have a look at the history of Poké Balls, there seem to be dozens of mutually exclusive ones.

Fans tend to overlook this, but the writers have a very lax approach to consistency in Pokémon. They write in whatever seems to fit at the moment, without much care for previously established factoids. At best, there will be nods to previous events or stories, but they're largely inconsequential, and previous events or stories will be overlooked or contradicted more often than not if the current plot demands it.

 

[Pikachu315111]

To be fair, a Poké Ball seems to be whatever the heck the writers want it to be that day. Just have a look at the history of Poké Balls, there seem to be dozens of mutually exclusive ones.

Fans tend to overlook this, but the writers have a very lax approach to consistency in Pokémon. They write in whatever seems to fit at the moment, without much care for previously established factoids. At best, there will be nods to previous events or stories, but they're largely inconsequential, and previous events or stories will be overlooked or contradicted more often than not if the current plot demands it.

Hmm, and thinking about it, I'm pretty sure we've seen the Poke Ball logo in locations which it obviously shouldn't be like ancient buildings or places where there's little to no humans. Yet I never got the feeling the Poke Ball was made to be based on something, it's almost as if the symbol itself is so universal in the Pokemon World things both manmade and natural form into the shape of it. In-game people recognize the symbol and use it to mean anything Pokemon, but are there people who realize it's long reaching use including the ancient and natural formations of it?

 

[Rapti]

If we're gonna go all metafictional then pokeballs are nothing but gacha capsules with a button in the middle

(gacha capsules have been around since the 1960's)

and besides if we don't consider the current canon what is even the point of the tread :P

if we consider the whole climax of Hugh's story with Liepard the theory holds water; was stolen by the shadow triad and fought against him in spite of been treated by a tool by the triad and having had a happy life with Hugh's family, it's even stated (yes by the triad itself and "bluh bluh but they're villans bluh" but nothing in the story contradicts them and in fact seem to confirm what they say here) that if Liepard wasn't being controlled by a pokeball it would have ran away and returned to Huhg's sister

also Team Rocket's pokemon are treated as tools (it may as well be their motto) an yet they are as loyal to them as to any other trainer. why? because of whips

clearly pokemon are not in full control of themselves when they put up with such abuse

 

[Meta-Kraid]

If we're gonna go all metafictional then pokeballs are nothing but gacha capsules with a button in the middle

(gacha capsules have been around since the 1960's)

and besides if we don't consider the current canon what is even the point of the tread :P

if we consider the whole climax of Hugh's story with Liepard the theory holds water; was stolen by the shadow triad and fought agaisnt him in spite of been treatede by a tool by the triad and having had a happy life with Hugh's family, it's even stated (yes by the triad itself and "bluh bluh but they're villans bluh" but nothing in the story contradicts them and in fact seem to confirm what they say here) that if Liepard wasn't being controlled by a pokeball it would have ran away and returned to Huhg's sister

also Team Rocket's pokemon are treated as tools (it may as well be their motto) an yet they are as loyal to them as to any other trainer. why? because of whips

clearly pokemon are not in full control of themselves when they put up with such abuse

Liepard seems more like a case brainwashing (the terrifying kind that's specific name I don't know not hypnotism or anything like that) since it snarls at Hugh and very slowly accepts its old owners back again. It was stolen as a Purrloin too, so it was probably forced to obey while it was young and never rebelled once it got stronger because of its ingrained fear. In India, people do a similar, while much less abusive, thing with baby elephants. I doubt the Pokeball has much to do with it.

 

[stage7_4]

Like Codraroll says, Gamefreak seems to be all over the place on this, and all of it can be blamed on gameplay and story segregation (i.e. story will always be brushed aside for gameplay).

For example, according to gameplay "mistreating" your pokemon consists of letting them faint and giving them bitter medicine. But just walking with them in the ball counts as "affection."

So if the Shadow Triad just used potions and avoided too many losses while taking Liepard on walkies, the thing will come to love them anyway. Pokemon have low standards I guess?

actual pokemon standards for love

 

[Siggu]

Like Codraroll says, Gamefreak seems to be all over the place on this, and all of it can be blamed on gameplay and story segregation (i.e. story will always be brushed aside for gameplay).

For example, according to gameplay "mistreating" your pokemon consists of letting them faint and giving them bitter medicine. But just walking with them in the ball counts as "affection."

So if the Shadow Triad just used potions and avoided too many losses while taking Liepard on walkies, the thing will come to love them anyway. Pokemon have low standards I guess?

actual pokemon standards for love

Maybe all Pokemon want to be spoiled.

 

[stage7_4]

So with recent events there's been a lot of talk about how the Pokemon anime has been influencing the games suddenly (instead of the opposite). But if you really look back, this isn't anything new; Gamefreak has been sneaking in cameos ALL the time. While there's the obvious ones (all of Yellow, Riley and his Lucario, Red's Pikachu) let's look at some more overlooked easter eggs:

1. In XD, a trainer at zone 35 of Mt. Battle comments that some other trainer uses the same team as him, a Chimecho and Cacnea. This was the same as Team Rocket's James at the time.

2. In D/P/Pt, there's an Ace Trainer on Rt. 224 named Jamie that uses her laptop to analyze battles and fights with a Metagross. Her Japanese name is Hitmoi to match her counterpart in the movie Destiny Deoxys.

3. Also in D/P/Pt, there is two ace trainers on Rt. 229 with the same teams as Butler and Diane from the movie Jirachi Wishmaker. Again there names were changed in the English version but the Japanese ones are the same.

4. In HG/SS a swimmer named Katelyn on Rt. 220 is based on Lizabeth from the Manaphy movie. Again, the names are the same in Japanese but not English.

5. In HG/SS, if you take a Togepi into the Cerulean Gym, it will start softly crying.

6. There was a downloadable challenge team for B2W2's Pokemon World Tournament based off trainers from the anime's Vertress conference.

Okay, this one doesn't deal with the anime but:

1. In the Lumiose art gallery, several of the paintings are actually pokemon cards, mainly Town Volunteers, Mr. Briney's Compassion, Fossil Excavator, and Forest Guardian.

 

[SwampySwampert]

Just curious - Lysandre is dead, right?

 

[Pikachu315111]

Just curious - Lysandre is dead, right?

In Y its implied that's the case, though in X its implied he's now immortal and buried alive and it'll take who knows how long to dig him out. Eitherway no body was ever discovered, a mystery which would probably have been answered in Z.

 

[jordanthejq12]

If you thought Y was dark for outright killing him, X is even darker. Buried alive, possibly forever? He has no mouth and he must scream.

 

[Pikachu315111]

If you thought Y was dark for outright killing him, X is even darker. Buried alive, possibly forever? He has no mouth and he must scream.

I don't get why people would think they'd never dig him out. Even if he's dead I'd imagine at least the government/International Police would want the body recovered for investigation purposes (and if he is alive they'd want him arrested and for questioning, and who knows if he won't find a way to escape (he still has followers like the four scientist ladies) and rebuild Team Flare to try again). Better to have the body than assume he's dead/buried alive with no way to escape (also that last one is rather unethical for the good guys to do).

 

[Oriolous]

Not sure where to put this, but what are you guys's thoughts on abnormal Pokemon evolution? Like under leveled Pokemon and stones, etc. I have a few.

The games have had many instances of under leveled evolved Pokemon, especially by bosses. My theory is that the level we know for Pokemon evolution represents the amount of training / time the player requires to achieve it given that we are relative newbies. This way, it makes sense that a dragon master like Lance would be able to trigger evolution of his dragons sooner, or that certain wild Pokemon might evolve earlier for unknown reasons.

I would also wager that Pokemon that evolve with stones are able to evolve naturally without them, but because of their sensitivity to stones their evolution is both triggered (instant evo) and stunted (they don't really learn any new moves). Eevee is the exception as its genetic code is unstable to begin with.

Oldie, but I do have a response to this. Many Wild Pokemon can often be found evolved and underleveled, simply because they were forced to evolve early to survive in the feral wilds that the Pokemon games imply exist. Pokemon in the games are just animals, albeit with mastery over the elements and some being intelligent much like humans. In the wild, they simply evolved to survive.

And often times, trainers or Gym Leaders can catch these underleveled evolved Pokemon and use them themselves.

In the case of Lance, well... He is a dragon master, and depending on which canon you go by is either cruel and masterful or caring and strong, and both are shown in various canons to encourage early evolution.

...and then there is the Evolution Frequency too, but meh.

 

[Siggu]

Why is Umbreon a pure Dark-type Pokemon? It does not seem to have anything remotely evil or nasty (other than that it resembles a black cat. Same reasoning as Absol, maybe?) and it has a lot of connections to the moon, yet it didn't get a Fairy retyping (though this could be related to Sylveon).

Why?