Summary
- Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's DLC allows players to transfer their old favorites from previous titles, like Sword and Shield, to Ruby and Sapphire.
- The Hisuian variants of Pokemon from Legends: Arceus can be transferred to Pokemon Home and encountered in the Teal Mask and Indigo Disk DLCs.
- The existence of Hisuian Pokemon in the Blueberry Academy's terrarium suggests that they couldn't thrive in modernized societies.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s DLC gives fans the chance to transfer tons of their old favorites from previous titles, such as Sword and Shield back to Ruby and Sapphire. The Teal Mask DLC sees the beloved Ninetales, Milotic, Ludicolo, and more make a return. Almost all box-art legendary Pokemon, such as Kyogre and Lugia, are finally available to battle and catch in The Indigo Disk. The pair of DLCs leaves the community with an unsolved question, however.
Starting with the release of the first Scarlet and Violet DLC, all Hisuian variants of Pokemon from Legends: Arceus were made available to transfer over from Pokemon Home. Not only that, but some of them are even obtainable as overworld encounters in The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk. Seeing Kleavor and Overqwil traverse the terrarium of Blueberry Academy is certainly captivating, but it begs the question of how they still exist in contemporary times.
What Exactly Happened To Hisuian Pokemon?
Pokemon Evolution In A More Traditional Sense
Hisui is the ancient name for the region now known as Sinnoh, the home of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. Hisuian variants of existing Pokemon, such as Zorua, are said to embody characteristics that would help them thrive in harsh lands. It’s unknown what happened to them as times modernized; some speculate that they migrated away from the land, as they struggled to keep up with contemporary times. Perhaps they went extinct, but that doesn’t explain why Perrin’s partner Pokemon in the DLC is the Hisuian form of Growlithe.
A more likely theory is that their anatomy and biology were adapted to keep up with modernization and industrialization. A perfect example of this is Hisuian Voltorb: Voltorb’s anatomy is strikingly similar to that of a Poke Ball. In Hisui, the capturing mechanisms are made from Apricorns, a fruit that can be obtained from trees.
Contrary to the Voltorb known from Kanto, its Hisuian variant has a secondary Grass typing. Voltorb's sole Electric typing in the modern day makes sense in the context of how sleek and contemporary Poke Balls currently look. Based on this information, it can be inferred that Voltorb adapted alongside industrialization, losing its Grass typing over time.
The Bloodmoon Beast In Kitakami
Another question that needs to be addressed is Bloodmoon Ursaluna's existence in The Teal Mask's Kitakami. A variant of Ursaring's evolution, it is explained in Pokemon Scarlet's Pokedex entry that it "crossed the sea and drifted ashore in a new land. Surviving in this place led it to take on a unique appearance and gain special powers." This provides further evidence that Hisuian Pokemon certainly are not extinct, rather they simply no longer exist in what is now the Sinnoh region.
Why Hisuian Pokemon Existing in the Blueberry Academy Makes Sense
The existence of Hisuian Pokemon in the Blueberry Academy's terrarium can also be explained. Lacey of the Elite Four explains that the diverse environment, which includes four biomes, was created through technology and that its entirety was designed by Blueberry Academy director and founder Cyrano. With this in mind, certain conditions and climates may have been created in the terrarium which allowed Hisuian variants of Pokemon to thrive, given that many of them cannot live in modernized societies.
Implications The Terrarium Could Have On Pokemon's Future
Space and time are themes that are constantly explored in the Pokemon series. Palkia and Dialga, the respective gods of space and time, play a huge role in Pokemon Legends: Arceus and the fourth generation of games. Furthermore, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet highlight the past and present a ton with the introduction of Paradox Pokemon, which seem to be ancient and futuristic relatives of existing Pokemon (although that hasn't been confirmed, their true nature is still unknown). With the introduction of the terrarium in The Indigo Disk, it seems like developer Game Freak could add new ancient variants of existing Pokemon to emphasize themes of history.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 71 /100 Critics Rec: 48%
- Released
- November 18, 2022
- ESRB
- E For Everyone Due To Mild Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
- Game Freak
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- no
WHERE TO PLAY
The school that you’ve enrolled in as you play Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet hosts a special independent study project. The theme of this assignment is "A Treasure Hunt." Explore the world and seek out your very own treasure!
Three stories will be woven into your adventure while traversing the sprawling Paldea region. Along Victory Road, you will go to Gyms in different locations in order to to achieve Champion Rank. On the Path of Legends, you can join Arven in search of rare ingredients. And in ★ Starfall Street ★, you’ll challenge Team Star, a group of delinquents causing trouble for the school.
These stories are set in an open world, so where you go is all up to you. A world teeming with Pokémon and people to meet is waiting for you—traverse the Paldea region wherever you heart desires.
