Ever since Pokémon X and Y hit the shelves almost exactly two years ago – and Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire after that – people have been wondering about the next installment in the former’s line-up – whether there’ll be a third, enhanced game called Pokémon Z, or perhaps an X2 and Y2. Some months back, I wrote an analysis of both scenarios – as well as what I’d expect and like to see in those games, and that based on my analysis, I felt a Z was more likely.
(Read: Z vs. XY2; Why Z; Why XY2 and Verdict)
Well, the recent news have given more credence to a Z in my opinion, and here I discuss more my thoughts on it.
Last week, the October 2015 issue of Coro-Coro Magazine, known to us PokéGeeks as the haven of Pokémon news, confirmed what had been “teased” several months before that: what was thought by some to be a new Pokémon (besides Volcanion, the only remaining member of Generation VI not yet officially revealed), and thought by others to be – rightly so, last Saturday told us – related to Zygarde, the Kyurem of the Nordic-Hindu Trio (my own phrase).
What we saw before is actually Zygarde Core – the individual organism that forms Zygarde’s mind. A more primordial form of Zygarde Core is Zygarde Cell, which cannot think nor use moves. As implied, these Cells are what form Zygarde – and this is where we get to its two new Formes as well as the fun speculation thereof.
Zygarde as we know it is actually called Zygarde 50%, meaning that it possesses 50% of its total cells – 50% of all Zygarde Cells. Given that it was what was presented in the four hitherto-released Generation VI games, it is safe to say that this is its so-called standard or regular form (this is different from original form, which Giratina showed us in Platinum). Though a bit lackluster on the offensive side, it promises to be a very good defender; its base stats are tied with those of Xerneas’s and Yveltal’s.
The two new forms released are, respectively, Zygarde with only 10% of its total cells and Zygarde with all of its cells. The former is called Zygarde 10% Forme, while the latter is called Zygarde Perfect Forme.
Zygarde 10% looks like a dog – it was based on Nordic mythology’s Fenrir, in fact – and can run up to 60 Mph and possesses razor-sharp teeth. This leads me to hypothesize that Zygarde 10% will have increased Attack and Speed relative to Zygarde 50%, perhaps at the cost of Defense and/or Special Defense. However, I don’t think that Zygarde 10%’s base stat total will be lower than that of Zygarde 50%’s – I think there will be only a redistribution.
Here’s where things get interesting – and where I feel the very proposition of Pokémon Z comes into play. Zygarde Perfect (also Dragon/Ground) comes out if Zygarde 50% (or to be more precise, Zygarde Core) feels it is unmatched. Now, which Pokémon would make Zygarde feel threatened? None other than its contemporaries – Xerneas and Yveltal. Now, suppose Xerneas and Yveltal were to wage war against each other or at least wreak havoc on Kalos (intentionally or not) – it would be another yin-against-yang battle. That’s the force of life and the force of death pitted head-on.
We know that the most famous legendary one-on-one battle is in Hoenn, that of Groudon and Kyogre. In the distant past of the Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire universe, their conflict had become such that the people of Hoenn prayed for help, and that help manifested in Rayquaza, lord of the heavens. The god of sky quelled the combat between the god of earth and the god of sea – and with the very close relationship between Hoenn and Kalos, the same thing may very well happen in the next installment of the Kalos games: Zygarde will stop Xerneas and Yveltal.
But what if Zygarde is unable to stop Xerneas and Yveltal, equals the three of them are (remember that Rayquaza is actually slightly more powerful than Groudon and Kyogre, by 10 base points)? What if, as a consequence, its mind – its Core – feels it will lose?
In Japanese, it’s called Complete. In English, it’s called Perfect. Both are different ways of saying the same thing: this Zygarde is not someone to mess with, because its strength is much augmented from Zygarde 50%’s. In fact, so strong is it that it is said to exceed both Xerneas and Yveltal in power. How strong would it be, pray wonder? Perhaps as strong as Mega Rayquaza is strong – without a Mega Stone hold item?
It seems plausible. Would Zygarde Perfect – like the other Megas and Primals – be stronger than its base form by 100 points, leading Zygarde Perfect to tie with Megas Rayquaza and Mewtwo as the most powerful of all Pokémon? Yet like Mega Rayquaza, it wouldn’t need a specific item to evolve – and thus be outmatched in strength by no one else? And if this were to be true, which stats would get the increase? Zygarde 50%’s stat distribution is 108 HP / 100 Atk / 121 Def / 81 SpA / 95 SpD/ 95 Spd, and by experience we know that HP doesn’t usually change between forms or Mega Evolutions. Looking at that gargantuan body (based on the goddess Hel), I don’t think Zygarde Perfect’s Speed would increase – but its Attack, Defense, Special Attack, and Special Defense would. Like, say, 108 HP / 160 Atk / 131 Def / 106 SpA / 100 SpD / 95 Spd. And it would probably have its own, new signature Ground-type move, to complement (Mega) Rayquaza’s Flying-type Dragon Ascent.
Could the X and Omega Ruby Pokédex entries, which describe Zygarde showing its secret power should Kalos’s ecosystem fall into disarray, refer to this? Would this be the face of the hypothetical Pokémon Z and the behemoth we’d face in it?
- Would Lysandre, in his quest to create a beautiful world, manage to find both Xerneas and Yveltal, and use both of their energies to power the Ultimate Weapon? Would Xerneas and Yveltal be somehow awakened by said weapon and begin plaguing the earth, so much so that Zygarde – compelled to appear when its home’s ecosystem is falling apart – arises and transforms into Zygarde Perfect in order to quell them?
- Or, because of the Xerneas blue and Yveltal red patterns on its body, Zygarde Perfect be a result of merging with the bodies and consciousness of Xerneas and Yveltal, both too weak to hold back against Team Flare? Would Zygarde Perfect be our defense against the super-powered Ultimate Weapon, already containing the energies of both Xerneas and Yveltal? Would we have to battle it, then have it reduce to Zygarde 10% or 50% after catching, then catch Xerneas and Yveltal post-game to allow for Absofusion with Zygarde?
We should probably know in a month or two!
Until then, feel free to speculate below.
Aloy Chua 