Likely because it's one with the darkness of the night, preferring to lurk within the darkness waiting for prey or enemies to make a move.
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SPOILERS! Mysteries and Conspiracies of Pokemon
- Thread starter stage7_4
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Derp, for some reason I thought you were asking about Absol being Dark-type.
Umbreon is tricky, it's one of those "exception" Dark-types where its Dark-type because of its relation to the night and darkness (let us remember in Japan the type is called "Evil" and that's what the basis for most Dark-type Pokemon is based on). I looked through some dex explanations and this is some things I read:
Gold/Stadium 2/LeafGreen/HeartGold: When agitated, this Pokemon protects itself by spraying poisonous sweat from its pores.
Silver/FireRed/SoulSilver: When darkness falls, the rings on the body begin to glow, striking fear in the hearts of anyone nearby.
Ruby/Sapphire/Omega Ruby/Alpha Sappire: It hides silently in darkness and waits for its foes to make a move.
Emerald: It lurks in darkness and waits for its foes to move.
It'll spray poison, its glowing rings strikes fear in those who sees it, and silently lurks in the darkness waiting for its foes to make a move. So its a nasty and opportunistic fighter, fitting for a Dark-type.
Seeing as N was saying that he would order all Trainers in Unova to release their Pokemon once he became Champion, it implies that the Champion is at the top of a region's government.
The Gym Leaders also seem to have a substantial amount of influence in their cities.
It's interesting how Lysandre and Team Flare's Pokemon didn't revolt despite Lysandre flat-out stating that his goal was to kill all Pokemon. I'm pretty sure he was including them in that statement...
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I'm guessing all of Team Flare, with their Pokémon, would have retreated into the secret base while the ultimate weapon nuked the world.
No, he intended to kill all Pokemon including Team Flare and his own.
This circles back into previous discussions of how much sentience pokemon really have, and for necessary gameplay purposes Gamefreak loves to waffle between "as smart as humans" or "typical animals".
Still, given that Lysandre was able to mega-evolve his Gyarados, it's implied they all had a strong bond with each other. Maybe his pokemon believed enough in the cause to decide it's worth dying for. And whichever the case, they did die with him. We never saw him release his pokemon, so they are either dead or immortally crushed beneath rubble just like him. At least they have each other?
But it does make you wonder if even pokemon can get indocrinated, or forced to fight. I mean, the anime says their are no bad pokemon but what do the games themselves say? The Liepard from B2W2 proved that they can be forced to fight against their will and be bent towards the trainer's will. And even in game pokemon that hate you must still obey you. They even made it a mechanic with Frustration. Perhaps gym badges force pokemon to obey, even if they hate the trainer?
Makes you wonder if no matter how many times Gamefreak tries to sugarcoat it, mechanically it will always feels a bit like animal subjugation. Compare Yokai Watch! where they Yokai only give you a calling card ("medal") if they like you enough to hang out with you, and summoning them is voluntary on their part (they can refuse the summons).
Guess N was on to something, like it or not.
Still, given that Lysandre was able to mega-evolve his Gyarados, it's implied they all had a strong bond with each other. Maybe his pokemon believed enough in the cause to decide it's worth dying for. And whichever the case, they did die with him. We never saw him release his pokemon, so they are either dead or immortally crushed beneath rubble just like him. At least they have each other?
But it does make you wonder if even pokemon can get indocrinated, or forced to fight. I mean, the anime says their are no bad pokemon but what do the games themselves say? The Liepard from B2W2 proved that they can be forced to fight against their will and be bent towards the trainer's will. And even in game pokemon that hate you must still obey you. They even made it a mechanic with Frustration. Perhaps gym badges force pokemon to obey, even if they hate the trainer?
Makes you wonder if no matter how many times Gamefreak tries to sugarcoat it, mechanically it will always feels a bit like animal subjugation. Compare Yokai Watch! where they Yokai only give you a calling card ("medal") if they like you enough to hang out with you, and summoning them is voluntary on their part (they can refuse the summons).
Guess N was on to something, like it or not.
So a new mystery regarding sun and moon. Why are there 'alolan variants' of pokemon, but not, for example 'sinnoh variants' or 'Hoenn variants'? It can hardly be said that alola is the most extreme climate compared to the other regions. Obviously it's not the same climate as kanto, but neither is Sinnoh or Hoenn (I'd say Jhoto and Unova are comparable), so why would pokemon adapt over time in alola but not anywhere else? Also, I know this is Pokemon, so some logic is thrown out the window, but why/how in the world would a vulpix evolve (in the darwinian sense) from a fire type to an ice type. Obvioulsy Alola is for the most part a tropical island, so why would a fire pokemon live in essentially the only place where it would not thrive or fit in, right off the bat. Not only why does vulpix live in the cold, but how does it actually undergo a change from being able to create fire to being able to create ice. Most of the alolan forms make some sort of sense, but I just cannot see anything behind this.
Well, it depends on each Pokemon's circumstances, I think. Rattata can forage for more and richer food in Alola thanks to big festivals. (and Raticate can boss the Rattata around and get the best of what they return, thus why it put on considerable weight) It adapted to being more nocturnal to help it avoid the diurnal Yungoos/Gumshoos that were imported to hunt them down. Sandslash were pushed out of the deserts they usually favor due to a volcanic eruption, and so adapted to a much colder kind of desert up in the mountains. Alola's environment allows Exeggutor to grow exceptionally tall, enough that they... apparently no longer need their psychic abilities but awaken their inner dragon. Grimer's the result of feeding on local industrial filth that also makes Muk have really weird colors... and supposedly do not constantly exude their toxic stench, making it harder to tell they're nearby, apparently.
I've got nothing for Vulpix/Ninetales. Perhaps this variant has always lived here before Pokescientists recognized that they're a wildly different variation of the Fire-type Vulpix/Ninetales? On that note, Marowak's Alolan form is odd since while it can hit Mandibuzz (a noted predator for Cubone in the Alola region) with its STABs now, it's now also weak to Mandibuzz's Dark-type STAB moves.
Because the designers didn't think of the concept earlier. Unless you count Arbok, of course.
I believe that we'll see more regional variants in time. Or Game Freak quickly and quietly abandons the concept entirely, as they have done so many times in the past.
I like your vulpix idea, it makes some sense. Maybe normal vulpix didn't "evolve" into alolan vulpix, they both just existed simultaneously, neither one really deriving from the other.
Well if we refer to game mechanics and reasons like "because they didn't think of this sooner" it kinda rips apart about half of this thread. If we do treat XYORASSuMo as a different universe than gens 1-5, which I believe we safely can, then that does close some plot holes and open up some new opportunities. Does anyone think they would go so far as to incorporate regional variants into future remakes or just entirely new games? Unfortunately I feel as though regional variants and z stones will go the way of the mega evolution in the future and be quietly put off to the side. Seeing as they already missed out on regional variants in ORAS (and XY, although I can see there being no climate intense enough to spur a change anywhere in Kalos), I'd be surprised if they made an appearance in potential DPP remakes and beyond. It's unfortunate, but it's probably the truth.
Wasn't part of the thing that Alola is super SUPER far away from the other regions and in a climate completely unrelated to the rest of the world. So, Pokemon Darwinian Evolve differently there. I mean the only other region we know that is far away from others is Unova and, outside of the Poke Transfer shenanigans that ended up polluting it with non-native Pokemon, it had a completely different set of catchable mons featuring none from previous games.
Well, this reason is in part because the were first so the showed up in the most games, but maybe because the Kanto Pokedex mons are so regionally expansive that they have the most biodiversity to have Alola forms. After all, they are the only pokemon to show up in Kanto because the rest weren't invented yet and some member has made an appearance in every region.
Except Unova, but only sorta since they still show up in the postgame areas.
Except Unova, but only sorta since they still show up in the postgame areas.
While we're on the subject of migration and invasive species, Magikarp is catchable in EVERY single fishing area prior to BW because it is considered one of the most adaptive Pokémon of all time. The only way to get them in Gen 5 is to buy one. How is it that certain Pokémon invaded Uunova with no problem, but Magikarp, despite living in the ocean, was not able to? We can't say that predators kept them out either since Gyarados would likely follow Magikarp.
While alola could very well be very far from everywhere else, I would not say that its climate is really all that different from other regions. It's tropical, but so is Hoenn. It has an icy moutain, but so does Sinnoh. I guess it could be argued that its distance from the other regions could result in strange mutations/variations not seen anywhere else, like the galapagos and madagascar and other such islands. We'd really need a legitimate canon map to be able to determine if that theory could work, because for all we know, Kanto and Jhoto are the only regions near each other. Most regions are connected to something (except Hoenn), we just don't know what. And the fact that Alola has so many species seen in other regions leads me to believe it is in relatively close (relatively) proximity to the other regions of the pokemon world, unlike Unova which initially only has region-unique Pokemon species.
Actually all this talk about regions reminds me the we have seen the entirety (well Ok the majority) of the pokemon world's continents
in a globe
well in two globes actually; the one in your room in Su&Mo shows what appears to be europe and africa with africa bigger than in the real world (we don't know how many regions they contain or their poke-names of course)
but the more interesting hemisphere is shown in Wally's room, showing what appears to be 2 separate continents of earth roughly twice the size of australia each, one northwest and one southeast
in a globe
well in two globes actually; the one in your room in Su&Mo shows what appears to be europe and africa with africa bigger than in the real world (we don't know how many regions they contain or their poke-names of course)
but the more interesting hemisphere is shown in Wally's room, showing what appears to be 2 separate continents of earth roughly twice the size of australia each, one northwest and one southeast
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Here's an interesting mystery:
What happens to all the trainers you beat the crap out of between cities? Do they just heal up and go back to what they were doing? I can imagine that would be quite demoralizing - especially if it's something like a Level 65 Charizard against a trainer you didn't battle the first time around.
What happens to all the trainers you beat the crap out of between cities? Do they just heal up and go back to what they were doing? I can imagine that would be quite demoralizing - especially if it's something like a Level 65 Charizard against a trainer you didn't battle the first time around.
Could someone link some pics? Also, do they show what region is what (I assume not)? I'm just wondering cause I haven't seen the maps. Thanks
Are those consistent with each other? As in, do they show the same world?
Knowing the designers, they probably won't have it in mind when making future games. The history and geography of the Pokémon world appears to be made up on the fly, for whatever narrative suits the situation.
Anyone see this video yet?
(Sorry if you hate the Game Theory guy's voice)
I honestly found it pretty convincing, I never knew that Pryce's middle name was Willow this whole time. Connecting it back to the Great Pokemon War (which was kind of brought up for Lt. Surge and then never mentioned again) is interesting as well. I also found the Rare Candy argument convincing, although the fact that Pokemon Go candies are Pokemon-specific and Rare Candies in the main games work on any Pokemon is a bit of a discontinuity. Not a huge problem though.
I honestly found it pretty convincing, I never knew that Pryce's middle name was Willow this whole time. Connecting it back to the Great Pokemon War (which was kind of brought up for Lt. Surge and then never mentioned again) is interesting as well. I also found the Rare Candy argument convincing, although the fact that Pokemon Go candies are Pokemon-specific and Rare Candies in the main games work on any Pokemon is a bit of a discontinuity. Not a huge problem though.
Bit of a problem with MatPat's theory though, as now Ditto is starting to become available in Go worldwide...
I do find this theory pretty interesting and compelling, mostly the timeline stuff with porygon and pryce and stuff, but I just don't buy it. There are a lot of things that seem to fit, but just don't. Sure Pryce kinda stands in the same way and would fit the age of an older willow in the timeline, but Pryce's middle name is willow. There is no reason to think that a professor would go by his middle name. And we have to keep in mind that the game in which he brings up the name willow again in a subsequent phone call also has various random stupid calls from many characters (youngster joey among them). When all the phone and gym leader dialogue is looked at as a whole, I don't think Pryces comments are really odd or out of place at all. As for the Pokemon war, I really doubt it was between valor mystic and instinct. There is no basis for any aggression or antagonistic behavior between the teams. I think it's more likely that Kanto went to war with another region (one unknown to us), otherwise why would kanto be the only one where a recent war is mentioned and adult males are largely absent? I don't think Jhoto or Pryce was in the war at all. Yeah, Pryce says that he's had a hard life, but there are literally thousands of reasons other than that he was in a war for him to say that. I really don't think that Pokemon Go is in the canon main series games timeline at all. It's its own separate thing, it does take place in our world anyway. It's a fun theory to entertain, but it works on far too loose coincidental evidence.
Considering in ORAS they snuck in a map of Serebii's original Pokearth, I'm pretty sure they're playing this fast and loose.
I don't think you're looking at this the right way. Of course you can argue against it, that's why it's a theory and not empirical game canon. But saying "it could also be this" isn't really how theories work, you have to try to directly disprove it. You haven't really done that, you've just said "there's no reason to think it has to be this" which is missing the point.
I really shouldn't have to but I'll respond to each individual point.
1: Well what I said above kind of negates all the arguments about Pryce (which again, we're really arguments). You've just said it didn't have to specifically be this, but haven't really said why it can't be it. So it's still a valid explanation as any. How out of place the comments are is really irrelevant, I never brought that up. Maybe the video did but it doesn't really matter, the point is Willow is his middle name and that's a fact. Going by a middle name is pretty common. Honestly I find the biggest argument to this is the fact that all professors have the tree as their last name, not their middle name.
2: As for aggression between the teams, there kind of is already. They already have conflicting views on Pokemon, and are at conflict with the gyms, which are not yet standardized and do not have badges and all that yet. It's not something that is hinted at directly in Go, but that's why it's a theory.
3: It would make sense if Kanto was the only region where the war was mentioned, if the war was a civil war that took place only in Kanto. Which would make sense with Go, since it's only Kanto at the moment.
4: Again, that's not saying how there was no way that Pryce was involved in the war, it's just saying "it coulda been something else" which is not really a substantiated argument. There is no reason to say it was one or the other. This is a case of having the conclusion first and the evidence second.
5: Taking place in the real world is an interesting point, to be fair. This is kind of where the lore and the actual gameplay make things difficult.
1/4-I guess what I was saying was that the theory could potentially be true, but I don't see enough evidence in its favor to back it up as being true. A lot of the points of the theory are almost complete speculation (which is what makes it a theory), such as Pryce was professor Willow and fought in the pokemon war, which was between team Mystic, Valor, and Instinct. Since we don't know about Pryce's backstory, I can't actually make any claims against what he was or was not. He could've been Professor Willow, a run of the mill Pokemon trainer, or even a stripper in his youth for all we know. It just seems very unlikely that he was something other than a standard (probably talented) Pokemon trainer before he became a gym leader, but like I said before he could've been anything because we have nothing to work on, so I cannot directly disprove that part of the argument.
2-I know the different teams had differing viewpoints and ideologies, but they didn't seem on the cusp of war, nor even heading in that direction from what I've seen in Pokemon Go. However, that being said, it's plausible that opposing ideas about how Pokemon should be used could drive them to war sometime after the 'events' (I'm not sure what to refer to it as) of Pokemon Go. I never really thought of Kanto as a civil war, mainly because I think there would be some remnants of it somewhere in the form of an old battlefield or graveyard in the games, mostly the graveyard part.
3/5-If we think about Pokemon Go being in the Kanto region rather than the real world because there's only Kanto Pokemon, then the theory is less of a stretch. I'm just not sure if that's how Pokemon Go is suposed to be viewed (form a lore or gameplay standpoint). Also, with subsequent releases of new generations of Pokemon, gen 2 is already confirmed I believe, it will no longer be safe to say the game is exclusively in Kanto.
So really, all in all, the theory can neither be proved nor disproved without some other further information. If we look into the anime, there may be more things to work off of (against the theory), but it's not considered part of the main series games canon so we can't use it, which bring me to the underlying idea the stops me from believing a shred of this theory. In regards to the main series Pokemon games, the anime isn't considered canon, the comics aren't considered canon, spin off games such as mystery dungeon, shuffle, pinaball, ranger, snap, and Colosseum (I believe that some people think differently about a few of these, but that's mostly beside the point) aren't considered canon, so what makes Pokemon Go so special that it would be considered canon in the main series Pokemon games canon?
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Extremely minor Sun/Moon spoilers ahead:
At the Geothermal Plant, there is a video playing that says a gym leader is doing a geological survey at a geothermal hotspot. Since the video never specifies anything other that this is a gym leader, which one do you think it is?
My first guesses go to the two fire-type gymleaders, Blaine and Flannery. But of them Blaine seems way too old to involve himself with this sort of thing anymore, even if he did lose his original gym to a volcano. Flannery has potential, but at the time of ORAS(R/S/E) was a relatively new gym leader still trying to find the swing of things. So maybe not really the type to be called in to consult on a geothermal power plant, at least I think so. But then again she and her family do manage a hot spring, so there is a bit of geothermal energy overlap there.
Now, there's also Chili, but by B2W2 he retired and is a waiter so I really doubt he'd be at a volcano ever.
So lacking any more fire-type gymleaders, that opens the floor to other types.
Roark and/or Byron the rock and steel gymleaders strike me as the most apt outside of a fire-type, being miners with a lot of experience in geology. Wattson is another candidate having a long involvement in power plants, but like Blaine is pretty old and (due to the events of Sea Mauville) seems to be distancing himself from these kinds projects. At least that's what I think, but maybe not. Clemont and Volkner also manage or are involved with power plants, but both seem strictly solar powered. Still, the potential is there.
As an entrepreneur, Clay the ground gymleader could also be a contender, as he is partially inspired by an American southwest oil tycoon. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch see him trying to go green.
There's probably other theories, but to me I think it's probably Roark in the video. What do you guys think?
At the Geothermal Plant, there is a video playing that says a gym leader is doing a geological survey at a geothermal hotspot. Since the video never specifies anything other that this is a gym leader, which one do you think it is?
My first guesses go to the two fire-type gymleaders, Blaine and Flannery. But of them Blaine seems way too old to involve himself with this sort of thing anymore, even if he did lose his original gym to a volcano. Flannery has potential, but at the time of ORAS(R/S/E) was a relatively new gym leader still trying to find the swing of things. So maybe not really the type to be called in to consult on a geothermal power plant, at least I think so. But then again she and her family do manage a hot spring, so there is a bit of geothermal energy overlap there.
Now, there's also Chili, but by B2W2 he retired and is a waiter so I really doubt he'd be at a volcano ever.
So lacking any more fire-type gymleaders, that opens the floor to other types.
Roark and/or Byron the rock and steel gymleaders strike me as the most apt outside of a fire-type, being miners with a lot of experience in geology. Wattson is another candidate having a long involvement in power plants, but like Blaine is pretty old and (due to the events of Sea Mauville) seems to be distancing himself from these kinds projects. At least that's what I think, but maybe not. Clemont and Volkner also manage or are involved with power plants, but both seem strictly solar powered. Still, the potential is there.
As an entrepreneur, Clay the ground gymleader could also be a contender, as he is partially inspired by an American southwest oil tycoon. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch see him trying to go green.
There's probably other theories, but to me I think it's probably Roark in the video. What do you guys think?