Summary
- Pokemon Legends: Z-A returns players to the Kalos region after X and Y in an urban redevelopment setting in Lumiose City.
- Calem and Serena from X and Y could potentially make a cameo or have supporting roles in Z-A as prior characters have.
- Calem may appear as Kalos' Champion or a new Professor, while Serena could introduce players to Mega Evolution and new gameplay elements.
On October 16, later this year, Pokemon and Nintendo Switch players will finally return to the France-inspired Kalos region in Game Freak’s upcoming Pokemon Legends: Z-A. A follow-up to Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Pokemon X, and Pokemon Y, Pokemon Legends: Z-A takes place after the events of X and Y and centers around the urban redevelopment of Lumiose City. Here, players will be able to catch Pokemon within the city, take part in Z-A Royale battles, and meet new and returning characters. While AZ has been the only X and Y character confirmed to return so far, two other Kalos characters could return in interesting ways: Calem and Serena.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A Pre-Order Bonuses Announced, But There's a Catch
New pre-order bonuses for Pokemon Legends: Z-A are revealed, but there are exceptions to who can receive the exclusive items.
Pokemon X and Y’s Calem and Serena Explained
In Pokemon X and Y, players have the choice of either playing as a boy or a girl. If players choose to play as a boy, they’ll have Serena appear throughout the game as their close friend and rival. If players choose to play as a girl, they’ll have Calem appear as a close friend and rival. Both characters share practically the same storyline in the game as the player’s rival, with Calem and Serena being children of a famed Rhyhorn rider and chosen by Professor Sycamore to help research Mega Evolution. Calem and Serena will additionally help the player defeat Team Flare and initially compete for ownership of a Mega Ring to properly activate Mega Evolution.
Both have the potential to become Champion of Kalos’ Pokemon League as well as Grand Duke or Duchess of the Battle Chateau. However, later depictions of Pokemon X and Y’s events seem to confirm Calem as the canon protagonist trainer of X and Y’s story, while Serena is the canon rival. This is due to Calem being depicted as becoming Champion in the Pokemon Generations short “The Redemption” and being shown to have awoken Xerneas and helped it defeat Lysandre in the Pokemon Evolutions short “The Visionary”. Serena doesn’t appear in Generations, but she is shown alongside Calem and Shauna fleeing Geosenge Town in Evolutions.
While Serena plays a prominent role as a traveling companion and later romantic interest of Ash Ketchum in Pokémon the Series: XY, Calem never appears in the anime series.
Calem and Serena’s Potential Roles in Pokemon Legends: Z-A
Calem and Serena never appear in future mainline Pokemon games as compared to other X and Y characters such as Dexio and Sina, who appear in Pokemon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon. However, there is still potential for the two to appear in Z-A as other prior protagonists have appeared in later mainline Pokemon games, such as Red showing up in Pokemon Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver, Black 2, White 2, Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon. Calem and Serena may not have prominent roles in Z-A’s story, but they could show up as simple supportive characters or at least fun cameos.
With Calem being depicted as Kalos’ latest Champion, he could show up throughout Z-A’s story, occasionally helping the player, similar to how Steven Stone and Cynthia had done in prior games. Calem could additionally help trainers learn the basics of the Z-A Royale and later be revealed to be the final boss of the Royale after players reach Rank A. This could help make the Z-A Royale appear more challenging and be reminiscent of the Pokemon League, since Kalos’ Pokemon League is a bit far away from Lumiose City. Alternatively, Calem could be depicted as Kalos’ new Pokemon Professor after presumably losing the Champion title to another trainer. It’s currently unknown if Professor Sycamore will appear in Z-A, but if not, Calem could be an interesting replacement.
Serena’s Possible Return in Pokemon Legends: Z-A
Similar to Calem, Serena could occasionally appear throughout Pokemon Legends: Z-A to help the player in various ways, such as showing them around the city or helping in battles. She could further help introduce Mega Evolution to players, as Serena did acquire a Mega Ring after Calem became Champion. With Z-A focusing on the Paris-like Lumiose City, Game Freak could take inspiration from the Pokemon anime and use Serena to showcase Lumiose’s stores and unique fashion styles. While unlikely, Game Freak could even have Serena introduce Pokemon Contests in Lumiose, akin to those found on Hoenn and Sinnoh, to add more gameplay variety to Z-A.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 79 /100 Critics Rec: 66%
- Released
- October 16, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Game Freak, Creatures Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
WHERE TO PLAY
LIVE THE LIFE OF A POKÉMON TRAINER IN THE STREETS OF LUMIOSE CITY
Whether you’re a die-hard Pokémon fan or about to toss your first Poké Ball, the Pokémon Legends: Z-A game has plenty to offer for Trainers of all types. Experience classic gameplay with modern twists that are sure to revolutionize your Pokémon RPG experience.
CATCH, BATTLE, AND MEGA-EVOLVE—ALL IN REAL TIME!
Step onto the battlefield and command your Pokémon directly—there are no turns! For the first time in the Pokémon RPG series, Trainers and their Pokémon can both move around in real-time battles, and your Pokémon will unleash their moves when you tell them to. Strategically swapping out your Pokémon and accounting for each move’s timing and area of effect will greatly help you in this new style of battle.
HARNESS THE POWER OF MEGA EVOLUTION
When Trainers have a strong bond with their Pokémon, a Key Stone worn by the Trainer resonates with a Mega Stone held by their Pokémon, allowing Mega Evolution to take place.
ROGUE MEGA EVOLUTION
Rampaging Rogue Mega-Evolved Pokémon are threatening Lumiose City. These Pokémon are extra tough to beat, but if you do manage to defeat them, you'll receive valuable Mega Stones as a reward.
RISE THROUGH THE RANKS OF THE Z-A ROYALE
You’re invited to join the Z-A Royale, a competition for Pokémon Trainers to test their skills and determine who’s strongest.
Each night, a battle zone for the competition will appear. Prepare yourself by spending the day in wild zones, catching and training Pokémon, then venture into the battle zone and take on other Trainers.
Be strategic and complete bonus card challenges as you battle to speed up your climb from Rank Z to Rank A. Can you climb the ranks and reach the top?
WELCOME TO LUMIOSE CITY
Visit shops, restaurants, and more, all centered around Prism Tower. An urban redevelopment plan is underway to shape the city into a place that belongs to both people and Pokémon.
BATTLE WITH TRAINERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
With a Nintendo Switch Online membership*, you can battle up to three other Trainers at once, locally or online, in frenetic real-time battles!
