Um..twins with different fathers??
Also, Mew wasn't destroyed. And I'm pretty sure Pokemon evolution had been around a long time before the Mewtwo debacle...
Yeah, there are quite a few problems with this post.
-
Welcome to Smogon! Take a moment to read the Introduction to Smogon for a run-down on everything Smogon, and make sure you take some time to read the global rules.
-
Congrats to the winners of the 2023 Smog Awards!
Deconstructing the first-generation Pokemon universe
- Thread starter Kikuichimonji
- Start date
Also, Mew wasn't destroyed. And I'm pretty sure Pokemon evolution had been around a long time before the Mewtwo debacle...
Yeah, there are quite a few problems with this post.
Just hit a breakthrough on the poke ball problem. Here's the theory:
Pokemon's radiation levels are constantly shifting. Although the pattern seems completely random, it in fact follows patterns. The pokeball is designed to lock on to specific fluctuations: similar to RNGing, the poke ball has to be thrown at precisely the right radiation pattern. Damage and status bring the target radiation range into the capture pattern more quickly. More expensive poke balls are programmed with a broader range of capture ranges, and the Master Ball is capable of locking onto any signature, providing the species is inputted before-hand. Because poke balls only capture in ranges, it's nearly impossible to program a poke ball to capture a human, whose radiations are fairly normal (even Trainers don't have erratic enough radiation pulses to be captured). The Master Ball can theoretically capture a human, but the fail-safes are so advanced and finely tuned even a team of technical genii might not be able to crack it. As for why the poke ball can't capture fainted pokemon, I haven't got anything feasible at the moment. I'll work on that.
I'm going with Kikuichimonji's base theory on energy capture for now, although FlareBlitz's wormhole theory is also viable. Both leave the problem of six pokemon per trainer unresolved, though, also something I've yet to figure out. Thoughts and comments appreciated.
Pokemon's radiation levels are constantly shifting. Although the pattern seems completely random, it in fact follows patterns. The pokeball is designed to lock on to specific fluctuations: similar to RNGing, the poke ball has to be thrown at precisely the right radiation pattern. Damage and status bring the target radiation range into the capture pattern more quickly. More expensive poke balls are programmed with a broader range of capture ranges, and the Master Ball is capable of locking onto any signature, providing the species is inputted before-hand. Because poke balls only capture in ranges, it's nearly impossible to program a poke ball to capture a human, whose radiations are fairly normal (even Trainers don't have erratic enough radiation pulses to be captured). The Master Ball can theoretically capture a human, but the fail-safes are so advanced and finely tuned even a team of technical genii might not be able to crack it. As for why the poke ball can't capture fainted pokemon, I haven't got anything feasible at the moment. I'll work on that.
I'm going with Kikuichimonji's base theory on energy capture for now, although FlareBlitz's wormhole theory is also viable. Both leave the problem of six pokemon per trainer unresolved, though, also something I've yet to figure out. Thoughts and comments appreciated.
By the above explanation, fainted Pokemon have radiation characteristics similar to humans, or otherwise unsuitable for capture.
On capturing humans, the anime suggests an answer: what would be the point? In the anime Pokemon can pop out of their ball at will, and if they get too far away they can't be recalled. So if you did capture a person in a Poke Ball, well they'd just get straight back out, and probably punch you in the face then run off.
An idea for the 6 Pokemon in a party restriction: same as the limit on number of Pokemon battling at once, it's the rules. Pokemon battling is a sport, and having a party of 7 would be cheating. The player and most Trainers are honest. (Team Rocket would cheat, but since nobody even reaches 6 one assumes they would be unable to raise more Pokemon effectively).
On capturing humans, the anime suggests an answer: what would be the point? In the anime Pokemon can pop out of their ball at will, and if they get too far away they can't be recalled. So if you did capture a person in a Poke Ball, well they'd just get straight back out, and probably punch you in the face then run off.
An idea for the 6 Pokemon in a party restriction: same as the limit on number of Pokemon battling at once, it's the rules. Pokemon battling is a sport, and having a party of 7 would be cheating. The player and most Trainers are honest. (Team Rocket would cheat, but since nobody even reaches 6 one assumes they would be unable to raise more Pokemon effectively).
This is an explanation that I am very reluctant to accept for the reason that it seems highly arbitrary and (perhaps more importantly) boring. Besides, Flareblitz's explanation that trainers can't carry too many Pokeballs for safety reasons (due to the radiation that they leak) seems to work very well, and it also allows us to conveniently tie in the idea that Red and Blue are genetically unique (because they carry more Pokeballs than most other trainers do).
I'm willing to accept the hard cap of six as "simplification for the sake of gameplay." I'm sure that outside the context of a video game, Red could carry 21 different items at once, and it's not unreasonable to think that he could also carry 7 Pokemon at once for limited periods of time if he so desired.
As stated before the anime is not canon, and in the material we are regarding as canon, there is not anything suggesting that Pokemon can leave their Pokeball at any time other than when they are summoned by a trainer.
I'll say it outright, there seems to be a tendency in this thread to consider complicated speculative explanations when there are much simpler ones with more basis in the games. Why do most NPCs not use 6 Pokemon? Because it's indicated that Pokemon training requires skill and time. Red and Blue are naturally talented (this is indicated by Oak). If your average Joe Bug Catcher or Rocket Grunt tried to use 6 Pokemon they would all be at very low levels, and their team would be overall weaker than the usual 2 or 3 Pokemon team they use.
In the real world, you're absolutely correct. But remember, this is deconstruction. Since we're going under the assumption that all pokemon are immune to/benefit from radiation, we can assume some kind of mutation allows this. It's therefore possible for humans to mutate this way, albeit at a much smaller scale. And besides, who says that we have to stick to radiation? Why not some sort of emission that's similar but not nearly as destructive to the human body?
However, as Cantab said, this is getting a tad more complicated than necessary. Throwing in my experience from when I was 10 and tried to raise one of every species on Fire Red, all of your pokemon are severely underleveled unless you focus on a handful at a time, so the lack of skill theory works just fine imo.
A friend shared this with me awhile back:
One idea that immediately springs to mind is that the Mewtwo project might have been an attempt at creating a doomsday weapon to end the war. Lt. Surge's words suggest that the war was fought primarily with Pokemon, so it would make sense that the "ultimate weapon" in such a war would be a genetically engineered super-Pokemon.
This would also explain why everyone in Red and Blue's world has Pokemon, including little kids. They're seen as a vital means of self-protection in the event of a conflict. I can imagine a Bill of Rights with a statement reading something like, "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and train Pokemon shall not be infringed."
A big question remains: what were the two "sides" of the war, and how did the war end? One theory: the war was fought between Kanto and Johto. In the events of RBY, the wounds of this war have not yet healed, and the two remain widely separated. Between the events of RBY and GSC, this relationship changes, and people are given more freedom to travel between Kanto and Johto.
This would actually answer another question that I had earlier, which is "what was happening in Johto during the events of RBY?" Johto has substantial infrastructure that obviously didn't just spring up in the three years between RBY and GSC; many areas of Johto seem to have a rich cultural heritage (Mahogany comes to mind). If Johto and Kanto had been at war years before, it would explain why the people of Johto would know little of the land to the west.
Lastly, regarding the end of the war: I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that Mewtwo succeeded in ending the war, though not in the way that Kanto hoped. It's pretty obvious that the whole Mewtwo project backfired at one point, but I could envision a disaster so widespread that it affected both sides. After all, Cinnabar is pretty far west; I'm guessing that New Bark Town could have been affected by the disaster. (Even better: perhaps "Bark Town" was completely obliterated by Mewtwo, and it wasn't until years later that "New Bark Town" was founded on its remains.) If both sides suffered heavy casualties and had to unite to subdue Mewtwo, it would certainly put a rapid end to their conflict.
Based on how explicitly Lt. Surge mentions it, I don't think it can be dismissed. It's a discovery that gives us more questions than answers, and a nice point for re-launching discussion.
One idea that immediately springs to mind is that the Mewtwo project might have been an attempt at creating a doomsday weapon to end the war. Lt. Surge's words suggest that the war was fought primarily with Pokemon, so it would make sense that the "ultimate weapon" in such a war would be a genetically engineered super-Pokemon.
This would also explain why everyone in Red and Blue's world has Pokemon, including little kids. They're seen as a vital means of self-protection in the event of a conflict. I can imagine a Bill of Rights with a statement reading something like, "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and train Pokemon shall not be infringed."
A big question remains: what were the two "sides" of the war, and how did the war end? One theory: the war was fought between Kanto and Johto. In the events of RBY, the wounds of this war have not yet healed, and the two remain widely separated. Between the events of RBY and GSC, this relationship changes, and people are given more freedom to travel between Kanto and Johto.
This would actually answer another question that I had earlier, which is "what was happening in Johto during the events of RBY?" Johto has substantial infrastructure that obviously didn't just spring up in the three years between RBY and GSC; many areas of Johto seem to have a rich cultural heritage (Mahogany comes to mind). If Johto and Kanto had been at war years before, it would explain why the people of Johto would know little of the land to the west.
Lastly, regarding the end of the war: I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that Mewtwo succeeded in ending the war, though not in the way that Kanto hoped. It's pretty obvious that the whole Mewtwo project backfired at one point, but I could envision a disaster so widespread that it affected both sides. After all, Cinnabar is pretty far west; I'm guessing that New Bark Town could have been affected by the disaster. (Even better: perhaps "Bark Town" was completely obliterated by Mewtwo, and it wasn't until years later that "New Bark Town" was founded on its remains.) If both sides suffered heavy casualties and had to unite to subdue Mewtwo, it would certainly put a rapid end to their conflict.
Lt. Surge is described as "the lightning American". He appears relatively young. If you assume the games are set when they were released in 1996, I reckon Surge probably fought in the Gulf War, although there are numerous other (lesser-known) conflicts he might have been in.
Presumably, before the war he would have lived in America, perhaps in Unova (Isshu). At some point afterwards, he evidently moved to Japan, for unknown reasons. It could be speculated that the war made him disillusioned with the USA, but this seems unlikely since he still comes across as a "military man".
Another explanation for his move to Japan would be a posting to a US military base there. He could have decided to remain in Japan after leaving the army, or he could still be in active service, with his running of the Vermillion Gym being under the orders of the US Army (for whatever purpose).
An interesting question, lacking a real answer, is where and when he got is Raichu (and, in some games, his Pikachu). They're not found in Unova, though they could be present in other US regions. Basically, when he says in the gym his Pokemon helped him out in the war, does he mean his current Pokemon, or just Pokemon in general. My gut instinct is the former, which then means where and how Surge got Raichu is unknown.
(Although, again there is an alternative - that he was on the base in Japan before the Gulf War, and got Raichu then.)
Presumably, before the war he would have lived in America, perhaps in Unova (Isshu). At some point afterwards, he evidently moved to Japan, for unknown reasons. It could be speculated that the war made him disillusioned with the USA, but this seems unlikely since he still comes across as a "military man".
Another explanation for his move to Japan would be a posting to a US military base there. He could have decided to remain in Japan after leaving the army, or he could still be in active service, with his running of the Vermillion Gym being under the orders of the US Army (for whatever purpose).
An interesting question, lacking a real answer, is where and when he got is Raichu (and, in some games, his Pikachu). They're not found in Unova, though they could be present in other US regions. Basically, when he says in the gym his Pokemon helped him out in the war, does he mean his current Pokemon, or just Pokemon in general. My gut instinct is the former, which then means where and how Surge got Raichu is unknown.
(Although, again there is an alternative - that he was on the base in Japan before the Gulf War, and got Raichu then.)
How did they clone mew's DNA?
Journal Entry -
We put the tablet into a chamber. We scanned the DNA found within the tablet, using machinery. DNA sequence -- that is to say, the set of genetic instructions for building every part of the pokrmon organism -- from the nucleus of the egg. We merely sucked it out of a pipe.
Using the information we have found, we drained all DNA from the tablet. We also located strands of hair, which allowed us to help us with the cloning process.
Journal Entry Number 2
We have done it! We have finally captured the legendary pokemon Mew. We took the necessary DNA in order to splice it.
Journal Entry Number 3 -
First clone was a failure, the clone quickly died as soon as it reached birth, due to a deformed lung.
Journal Entry Number 4 -
Unfortunately the Mew we have captured has escaped. The reason is currently unknown as it just 'disappeared' Successful clone has been made.
Journal Entry Number 5
The Entity seems to be growing well. Rapid growth and its flesh consuming properties are going exceptionally well. We are currently training it in millitary combat.
Journal Entry Number 6 -
Studies shows its going aggressive. We put one of our interns inside a chamber with the entity. Intern immediately died, as skin was peeled off, and marrow was ripped open. Blood was spilled in the floor. We will this Entity Mewtwo. Increasingly growing to be aggressive, its power levels are exceeding the chart. We have great hopes for this new thing.
Journal Entry number 6.
Broke from its dome, God help us it escaped.
This should explain how they got Mew's DNA.
When does a pokemon die?
Well, do remember that Lavender Tower was originally for funerals. Pokemon had their own tombstones, so at one point pokemon do die. My prediction is that pokemon die just like humans, they contract disease, die from a injury, or most likely die from battling.
Pokemon History: Population Increase/Decrease
I am sure, that like nearly everyone else, notices the ridiulously low amount of people in the region. So why is that?
Thats their choice. In Earth there are places where there is ridiculously low amount of people in certain areas. It is the trainer's choice. Maybe there aren't enough jobs or a good economy? Not enough work, or sites to visit? Or maybe the region is currently going through a crisis that Red knows nothing about. Or maybe Pokemon are killing the people thus the population.
Another explanation is that Kanto is being ruled by TeamRocket right? The citizens has to be terrified of the organization, thus moves to another region such as the Hoehn region (I know I misspelled it)
Hoped I helped!
Journal Entry -
We put the tablet into a chamber. We scanned the DNA found within the tablet, using machinery. DNA sequence -- that is to say, the set of genetic instructions for building every part of the pokrmon organism -- from the nucleus of the egg. We merely sucked it out of a pipe.
Using the information we have found, we drained all DNA from the tablet. We also located strands of hair, which allowed us to help us with the cloning process.
Journal Entry Number 2
We have done it! We have finally captured the legendary pokemon Mew. We took the necessary DNA in order to splice it.
Journal Entry Number 3 -
First clone was a failure, the clone quickly died as soon as it reached birth, due to a deformed lung.
Journal Entry Number 4 -
Unfortunately the Mew we have captured has escaped. The reason is currently unknown as it just 'disappeared' Successful clone has been made.
Journal Entry Number 5
The Entity seems to be growing well. Rapid growth and its flesh consuming properties are going exceptionally well. We are currently training it in millitary combat.
Journal Entry Number 6 -
Studies shows its going aggressive. We put one of our interns inside a chamber with the entity. Intern immediately died, as skin was peeled off, and marrow was ripped open. Blood was spilled in the floor. We will this Entity Mewtwo. Increasingly growing to be aggressive, its power levels are exceeding the chart. We have great hopes for this new thing.
Journal Entry number 6.
Broke from its dome, God help us it escaped.
This should explain how they got Mew's DNA.
When does a pokemon die?
Well, do remember that Lavender Tower was originally for funerals. Pokemon had their own tombstones, so at one point pokemon do die. My prediction is that pokemon die just like humans, they contract disease, die from a injury, or most likely die from battling.
Pokemon History: Population Increase/Decrease
I am sure, that like nearly everyone else, notices the ridiulously low amount of people in the region. So why is that?
Thats their choice. In Earth there are places where there is ridiculously low amount of people in certain areas. It is the trainer's choice. Maybe there aren't enough jobs or a good economy? Not enough work, or sites to visit? Or maybe the region is currently going through a crisis that Red knows nothing about. Or maybe Pokemon are killing the people thus the population.
Another explanation is that Kanto is being ruled by TeamRocket right? The citizens has to be terrified of the organization, thus moves to another region such as the Hoehn region (I know I misspelled it)
Hoped I helped!
A couple of possible contributors (don't think I posted them before):
* People tend to stay at home a lot of the time. There are many buildings you can't enter, including apartment blocks in some places that could hold dozens.
* There are cities you don't visit, because they're not on the routes, and can only be reached by flying (which needs someone else to first take you there) or tramping across difficult terrain that the player character won't do.
* The whole scale is really small. It's not just few people, if you were to calculate the area of a region it'd probably be a small town.
That actually gives a possible use, if not intention. for the infamous truck; since you know the real-world size, it's the ruler to measure all of Kanto and Johto with.
Also you can actually think it realistically.
Red has a father, there was a play about pokemon (google it,) on how it stated that Red's father was Giovanni. Nothing about Blue's father though. Ash's mom dated Giovanni while they were teenagers. As you can see this is a STRONG possibility that Giovanni is the father and that he completely forgot about him.
Is there any proof in the games that Red's father was a champion?
This is just a theory. And... one thing I do not get..
How do Voltorbs and genderless pokemon breed?
The first idea was ditto, but ditto isn't the answer to everything. Ditto's won't be always around or even be near the areas in which genderless pokemon breed.
Do legendary pokemon breed?
It looks like there is only one legendary pokemon, in each game (usually.) Does this mean that there is only one species of legendary pokemon? Which leads to my next question.
Why in the world doesn't Phione evolve into Manaphy? And why does Manaphy breed Phiones only, and not manaphys?
To me this makes no sense. Maybe it has to do with the egg, and the genetic makeup?
Which leads to my final question
What happened BEFORE Arceus's time. Arceus created the pokemon universe through a egg right? And Kanto and all those regions were created. What happened BEFORE it?
Was there pokemon where Arceus's universe came from? It is stated that Arceus's came from a different dimension. Are there more powerful pokemon then Arceus? If so why are they not listed?
Or are they yet to be revealed.....
The last question is probably irrelevant to the topic, so I apologize if it is.
Red has a father, there was a play about pokemon (google it,) on how it stated that Red's father was Giovanni. Nothing about Blue's father though. Ash's mom dated Giovanni while they were teenagers. As you can see this is a STRONG possibility that Giovanni is the father and that he completely forgot about him.
Is there any proof in the games that Red's father was a champion?
This is just a theory. And... one thing I do not get..
How do Voltorbs and genderless pokemon breed?
The first idea was ditto, but ditto isn't the answer to everything. Ditto's won't be always around or even be near the areas in which genderless pokemon breed.
Do legendary pokemon breed?
It looks like there is only one legendary pokemon, in each game (usually.) Does this mean that there is only one species of legendary pokemon? Which leads to my next question.
Why in the world doesn't Phione evolve into Manaphy? And why does Manaphy breed Phiones only, and not manaphys?
To me this makes no sense. Maybe it has to do with the egg, and the genetic makeup?
Which leads to my final question
What happened BEFORE Arceus's time. Arceus created the pokemon universe through a egg right? And Kanto and all those regions were created. What happened BEFORE it?
Was there pokemon where Arceus's universe came from? It is stated that Arceus's came from a different dimension. Are there more powerful pokemon then Arceus? If so why are they not listed?
Or are they yet to be revealed.....
The last question is probably irrelevant to the topic, so I apologize if it is.
As I mentioned earlier in the thread, partly based the anime where a baby Lugia is seen, my belief is that they Legendaries can breed, but they won't breed in that poky little daycare. Analogous to how many real-world species are very difficult to breed in captivity.
On Legendary gender, there could be a similar argument, that for many of them it's not that they have no gender, but that you just can't determine it. (Would you like to check to see if Groudon has balls?)
And on Phione, I believe it evolves into Manaphy by a method inaccessible to the player. For example, it could evolve by levelling up in a location not in the games, or by holding an item not in the games.
On Legendary gender, there could be a similar argument, that for many of them it's not that they have no gender, but that you just can't determine it. (Would you like to check to see if Groudon has balls?)
And on Phione, I believe it evolves into Manaphy by a method inaccessible to the player. For example, it could evolve by levelling up in a location not in the games, or by holding an item not in the games.
I can kinda see this with a Pokemon like Starmie, but not with a metal ball like Magnemite.
Genderless Pokemon are asexual.
"Genderless" Pokemon have male and female reproductive systems, making them both genders, but for convenience trainers call them genderless Pokemon.
Genderless Pokemon only breed with Ditto because when they transform, subtle differences make Ditto much more attractive than the actual species.
^I don't know, that probably sounded very weird.
Genderless Pokemon are asexual.
"Genderless" Pokemon have male and female reproductive systems, making them both genders, but for convenience trainers call them genderless Pokemon.
Genderless Pokemon only breed with Ditto because when they transform, subtle differences make Ditto much more attractive than the actual species.
^I don't know, that probably sounded very weird.
This is an interesting point, both for our deconstruction, and as an in series plot point. For the deconstruction, it never says which war Surge fought, or for that matter when Pokemon as a series takes place. For in series, we can't assume Unova is in America of the pokemon world, no matter how reasonable that seems.
For both, that alleged war is a major skipped point, and its a major mind blogger, particularly in series. In DPPT, the Library in Canaclave has a myth that basically spells out why no one in the pokemon world uses handheld weaponry.
So tell me... what does a war without weapons look like?
What if...genderless pokemon...don't die? This would explain why Voltorb have tendencies to...explode. Going by earlier posts, when pokemon faint, they die. Why the hell would pokemon kill themselves in the name of trolling?
...speaking of that, why do Geodude and friends learn Explosion naturally? It seems understandable that a trainer would teach them to do it, as they can restore them to full health, but in the wild...
...speaking of that, why do Geodude and friends learn Explosion naturally? It seems understandable that a trainer would teach them to do it, as they can restore them to full health, but in the wild...
Glad to see this thread is up and running again.
For the self-destructing pokemon, maybe the reason they explode is because there are so many of them that they can afford to kill themselves in order to eliminate possible threats, i.e. how bees kills themselves in order to kill threats to their hive.
The war is a very interesting point. Both sides may in fact be in an uneasy truce due to the fact that Mewtwo isn't dead. As the Cerulean cave is only accesible to champions, the Elite Four may be an organization dedicated to keeping Mewtwo restrained. This would explain why both Johto and Kanto have the same Elite Four. This also strenghtens the theory of both governments being run by the Elite Four, who simply siezed power in a coup d'etat and then set up the Gyms as military bases.
For the self-destructing pokemon, maybe the reason they explode is because there are so many of them that they can afford to kill themselves in order to eliminate possible threats, i.e. how bees kills themselves in order to kill threats to their hive.
The war is a very interesting point. Both sides may in fact be in an uneasy truce due to the fact that Mewtwo isn't dead. As the Cerulean cave is only accesible to champions, the Elite Four may be an organization dedicated to keeping Mewtwo restrained. This would explain why both Johto and Kanto have the same Elite Four. This also strenghtens the theory of both governments being run by the Elite Four, who simply siezed power in a coup d'etat and then set up the Gyms as military bases.
Some of these seem to be rather over-the-top, but I'll contribute my two cents in response to comments on the economy.
Since it is required to give money to the victor of a Pokémon battle, battling for fun would be costly, unless you were talented and so were your Pokémon, and you could possibly make a living from battling.
More importantly, if you happened to have a Persian, or a TM16 (which was compatible with 10 other families), you would theoretically have an unlimited amount of money by using Pay Day. That statement is going by the effect in-game. However, you would be constantly losing money if Pay Day worked like the description where your Pokémon throws coins to inflict damage.
Not as deep and over-analyzing as most of this thread, but still a cool thought
Since it is required to give money to the victor of a Pokémon battle, battling for fun would be costly, unless you were talented and so were your Pokémon, and you could possibly make a living from battling.
More importantly, if you happened to have a Persian, or a TM16 (which was compatible with 10 other families), you would theoretically have an unlimited amount of money by using Pay Day. That statement is going by the effect in-game. However, you would be constantly losing money if Pay Day worked like the description where your Pokémon throws coins to inflict damage.
Not as deep and over-analyzing as most of this thread, but still a cool thought
I do believe that the war that is frequently mentioned in this thread has something to do with the Mewtwo analyisis. I am currently writing a short book tht has one point that serves to deconstruct part of the Kanto world. However, I had to make some changes, as I had to have a plot and petty things like that. Anyways, has anyone ever considered how the Pokemon world in Kanto very closely resembles Ashnard's dream in Fire Emblem PoR?
First off, a long time ago someone tried to create a super weapon for world domination.
Second, it is ruled by strength. It appears as if gym leaders have some political authority. Roxanne mentions being appointed by the E4 (Hoenn, but still...). If the E4 have power over local leaders, they are most likely some sort of Federal Government. As the E4 is commanded by the strongest trainer in Kanto, it is most likely that the government is a strength based hierarchy or military government.
Historically, such governments normally arise out of troubling periods of crisis or anarchy. Is it entirely possible then, that the Mewtwo project was used by the first E4 to take over the land? It would only make sense as it is locked up by the E4, and can only be accessed by the leader of the League.
Another thing that I've played around with is if Team Rocket is the League's army, as it is controlled by a gym leader, and aside from Surge, no reference to an army is made, but in a military government, this would be impossible. This also makes more sense if Team Rocket created Mewtwo, although there is no support for this in the game...
First off, a long time ago someone tried to create a super weapon for world domination.
Second, it is ruled by strength. It appears as if gym leaders have some political authority. Roxanne mentions being appointed by the E4 (Hoenn, but still...). If the E4 have power over local leaders, they are most likely some sort of Federal Government. As the E4 is commanded by the strongest trainer in Kanto, it is most likely that the government is a strength based hierarchy or military government.
Historically, such governments normally arise out of troubling periods of crisis or anarchy. Is it entirely possible then, that the Mewtwo project was used by the first E4 to take over the land? It would only make sense as it is locked up by the E4, and can only be accessed by the leader of the League.
Another thing that I've played around with is if Team Rocket is the League's army, as it is controlled by a gym leader, and aside from Surge, no reference to an army is made, but in a military government, this would be impossible. This also makes more sense if Team Rocket created Mewtwo, although there is no support for this in the game...