"Patterns" in Pokémon generations

[AquaticPanic]

not sure how this one hasn't been brought up yet but until gen VII, every region has a set of gyms you need to complete

Another one is that every gen since Gen 3 has had at least one Electric pikaclone, with Hoenn having two () and Alola arguably having three with one non-electric one ()

Other "patterns" that I don't think are patterns:

The regis represent historical eras

Two Pokemon from the previous gen are designed to hint at the legendaries for the next gen

A mythical hints at the next gen region

I don't mind the first one much cause its relatively for fun and harmles but i genuinely can't believe people unironically think GameFreak/TPC would limit themselves on how they design mons for the sake of pointless foreshadowing. There's dozens of different animals every gen, legendaries being the same animal as another mon in the previous gen is nothing special. I've seen people say that "Urshifu fits the theory because of PLA Styles" or "Calyrex fits the theory because Terastal uses crowns" or "Enamorus fits the theory because "Enamorado" is a spanish word" despite the fact that these aren't even mythicals. (Not even to mention the fact stuff liek Celebi could not possibly hint at Hoenn because they designed GSC to be the final game, they can't make a mon hinting at Hoenn if they weren't even conceptualizing Hoenn yet)

Its specially funny with Zarude because we have interviews that confirm it was conceptualised and designed entirely for its movie with GameFreak mostly chiming in for designing abilities and learnset for the mon rather than actual character design, yet somehow people will try to explain how its actually tied to paldea because there's gonna be a character who has a father or something


Another one I find kind of annoying

"Every game mascot is either Blue or Red!"

While at the most basic of glances this might make some sense, it kind of really doesn't hold up when you think about it:

- Lugia, Reshiram, White Kyurem, Solgaleo and Palkia are predominantly White
- Ho-Oh is predominantly Orange
- Zekrom and Black Kyurem are predominantly Black
- Lunala and Miraidon are predominantly Purple
- Zacian, Zamazenta and Koraidon have both shades of blue and shades ofred in their designs

Like most other "patterns" in the franchise, its a thing that applies to maybe one or tho mons as a coincidence and people kinda snowball from there by trying to force every other similar case into the pattern even if it barely relates

 

[KalosianPorygon]

Another one I find kind of annoying

"Every game mascot is either Blue or Red!"

View attachment 453693


While at the most basic of glances this might make some sense, it kind of really doesn't hold up when you think about it:

- Lugia, Reshiram, White Kyurem, Solgaleo and Palkia are predominantly White
- Ho-Oh is predominantly Orange
- Zekrom and Black Kyurem are predominantly Black
- Lunala and Miraidon are predominantly Purple
- Zacian, Zamazenta and Koraidon have both shades of blue and shades ofred in their designs

Like most other "patterns" in the franchise, its a thing that applies to maybe one or tho mons as a coincidence and people kinda snowball from there by trying to force every other similar case into the pattern even if it barely relates

I consider Zekrom and White Kyurem red mascot Pokémon (red eyes and reddish flames respectively), and Reshiram and Black Kyurem blue mascot Pokémon (blue eyes for the former, blue electricity for the latter).

 

[Esserise]

Another one I find kind of annoying

"Every game mascot is either Blue or Red!"

While at the most basic of glances this might make some sense, it kind of really doesn't hold up when you think about it:

- Lugia, Reshiram, White Kyurem, Solgaleo and Palkia are predominantly White
- Ho-Oh is predominantly Orange
- Zekrom and Black Kyurem are predominantly Black
- Lunala and Miraidon are predominantly Purple
- Zacian, Zamazenta and Koraidon have both shades of blue and shades ofred in their designs

Like most other "patterns" in the franchise, its a thing that applies to maybe one or tho mons as a coincidence and people kinda snowball from there by trying to force every other similar case into the pattern even if it barely relates

It would probably be more accurately phrased as “every mascot pair has one that’s mainly a warm color and one that’s mainly a cool color,” but even that still kinda oversimplifies things. I feel like Palkia really straddles the line by virtue of being more of a lavender sort of tone, and then, black and white aren’t typically considered “warm/cool” colors in their own right (they’re neutrals), so you end up having to rely on minor accent choices like the Gen 5 dragons’ eyes or “overdrive” modes (as I mention below), and Solgaleo’s relatively minor orange/yellow touches.

Also, even though it’s body is mostly blue, I feel like Venusaur and the fact that the series started out by juxtaposing red and green at least deserves a mention in these discussions!

I consider Zekrom and White Kyurem red mascot Pokémon (red eyes and reddish flames respectively), and Reshiram and Black Kyurem blue mascot Pokémon (blue eyes for the former, blue electricity for the latter).

With Reshiram and Zekrom, you could kind of argue it either way — their eyes are blue and red, respectively, but in their battle animations/“overdrive” modes, they glow red and blue, which also matches their corresponding Kyurem forms. (Though I guess Reshiram slightly complicates things by also learning Blue Flare… and then White Kyurem has almost as much blue in its design as Black Kyurem…)

 

[Hugin]

not sure how this one hasn't been brought up yet but until gen VII, every region has a set of gyms you need to complete

Another one is that every gen since Gen 3 has had at least one Electric pikaclone, with Hoenn having two () and Alola arguably having three with one non-electric one ()




I don't mind the first one much cause its relatively for fun and harmles but i genuinely can't believe people unironically think GameFreak/TPC would limit themselves on how they design mons for the sake of pointless foreshadowing. There's dozens of different animals every gen, legendaries being the same animal as another mon in the previous gen is nothing special. I've seen people say that "Urshifu fits the theory because of PLA Styles" or "Calyrex fits the theory because Terastal uses crowns" or "Enamorus fits the theory because "Enamorado" is a spanish word" despite the fact that these aren't even mythicals. (Not even to mention the fact stuff liek Celebi could not possibly hint at Hoenn because they designed GSC to be the final game, they can't make a mon hinting at Hoenn if they weren't even conceptualizing Hoenn yet)

Its specially funny with Zarude because we have interviews that confirm it was conceptualised and designed entirely for its movie with GameFreak mostly chiming in for designing abilities and learnset for the mon rather than actual character design, yet somehow people will try to explain how its actually tied to paldea because there's gonna be a character who has a father or something


Another one I find kind of annoying

"Every game mascot is either Blue or Red!"

View attachment 453693


While at the most basic of glances this might make some sense, it kind of really doesn't hold up when you think about it:

- Lugia, Reshiram, White Kyurem, Solgaleo and Palkia are predominantly White
- Ho-Oh is predominantly Orange
- Zekrom and Black Kyurem are predominantly Black
- Lunala and Miraidon are predominantly Purple
- Zacian, Zamazenta and Koraidon have both shades of blue and shades ofred in their designs

Like most other "patterns" in the franchise, its a thing that applies to maybe one or tho mons as a coincidence and people kinda snowball from there by trying to force every other similar case into the pattern even if it barely relates

It's more a case of each main-series pair of games has a red and blue option, which then gets backported to the mascots.
Red/Blue, Ruby/Sapphire are obvious.
X/Y, BW2, Sun/Moon, and Diamond/Pearl use a color from their mascots in the logo, and those colors happen to be Red(or Pink) and blue. Some of those mascots it's their primary color, others it's an accent, but it's clearly being pushed by the games themselves.
That leaves Sword/Shield, BW, and Gold/Silver. SwSh mascots are both red and blue, but the games clearly use red for Shield and Blue for Sword, so that gets backported in people's minds to Zamazenta/Zacian(also, their names are Magenta and Cyan) as their primary colors. BW gets pulled in by the BW2 color scheme. Gold/Silver, Lugia has blue accents and Ho-Oh has red, but the logos are clearly just gold and silver. They're the only games that really break the pattern, and people are clearly just making them fit after the fact(as always, gen II was before they figured anything else out).


Okay, also, in terms of broken patterns, we have Magenta and Cyan legendaries, where's Zallow? Spear, arrow, gun, I don't care, but why leave that gap?

 

[Divine Retribution]

Zekrom and Reshiram also have red/blue eyes respectively, the only parts of their body that aren't black or white. Incidentally the image that was previously posted places them in the wrong categories by that regard.

 

[Dusk Mage Necrozma]

Zekrom and Reshiram also have red/blue eyes respectively, the only parts of their body that aren't black or white. Incidentally the image that was previously posted places them in the wrong categories by that regard.

But Reshiram has red fire from the torch tail and Zekrom has blue lightning from the generator tail. Those mons were very much designed to have both colors in different ways.

 

[Divine Retribution]

But Reshiram has red fire from the torch tail and Zekrom has blue lightning from the generator tail. Those mons were very much designed to have both colors in different ways.

Yes, and the same is true for nearly every title Pokemon in the series. Even if you go all the way back to the beginning, Blastoise has a reddish-brown shell while Charizard has cyan wing membranes. This is why I think reducing it into a pattern of "red vs blue" is missing the much more obvious pattern that I don't even think anyone would deny; contrast. Every game title is in contrast to its counterpart, and every title Pokemon also contrasts with its counterpart.

Being as red and blue are an easy way of depicting contrast, it's small wonder that they find their way into many of these designs, but they are just one way of many of showing contrast, and we see many others present in these designs as well.

 

[The Raichannel]

Okay, also, in terms of broken patterns, we have Magenta and Cyan legendaries, where's Zallow? Spear, arrow, gun, I don't care, but why leave that gap?

I always thought that Zallow could have a massive crossbow or something mounted on its back and that its predominant stats would be HP and Special Attack (Zacian has Attack and Speed and Zamazenta has Defense and Special Defense, so those are the remaining stats. Besides, it makes sense for what is essentially a living siege machine.) Also, its signature is Behemoth Bolt (pun on crossbow bolt as well as a lightning bolt). And I know it's obvious but Steel/Electric again baybaaaaaaaaaaaay

 

[misterdarvus]

"Every game mascot is either Blue or Red!"

I agree with this pattern. Until the make a predominantly Green and Purple Box legends, and doesn't throw a shade of blue/red (and not stretching the idea that "green is blue" and "purple is red"). That pattern will hold true.

 

[QuentinQuonce]

There's not a concrete rule re red/blue, it's generally just warmer colours vs colder colours.

Red, orange, yellow, white etc vs blue, purple, grey, silver.

 

[The Raichannel]

Unless there's some obscure corner-case that I'm not aware of, all available Pokémon in the games could be traded until Gen V (the exception being the Kyurem forms).
Also who else is here after the S/V thread got shut?

EDIT: Spiky-eared Pichu, of course. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[QuentinQuonce]

Unless there's some obscure corner-case that I'm not aware of, all available Pokémon in the games could be traded until Gen V (the exception being the Kyurem forms).

Also who else is here after the S/V thread got shut?

Spiky-eared Pichu couldn't be traded in Gen IV, though it's obviously only available by way of an event.

 

[misterdarvus]

Speaking of game mascots, the 3rd member will be always a Dragon-type
Necrozma was about to break this pattern, but it ended up being Dragon again.
And seeing the Dons from Scarlet Violet is reptilian already, I'm not surprised that the 3rd member is undoubtedly a Dragon-type again.

 

[The Raichannel]

Speaking of game mascots, the 3rd member will be always a Dragon-type
Necrozma was about to break this pattern, but it ended up being Dragon again.
And seeing the Dons from Scarlet Violet is reptilian already, I'm not surprised that the 3rd member is undoubtedly a Dragon-type again.

I wondered why nobody had suggested this until now, but then I remembered that gens 1 and 2 don't follow this. To be fair, the Advance Generation is often considered to be the generation when Game Freak started to establish continuous series trends, so this is actually a good one to point out.

In fact, now that you mention it, a Fairy-type 3rd member would actually be pretty awesome if done right.

 

[Nitro Indigo]

The final evolution of the Water starter is always bipedal [until Gen 5].

When has Swampert stood on two legs?

 

[The Raichannel]

When has Swampert stood on two legs?

And a quick google search of 'swampert' says... quite a few times, actually. Huh.

 

[Nitro Indigo]

^ Fair enough. Also, do Espurr and Meowstic not count as cats?

 

[Cuddly]

I consider Zekrom and White Kyurem red mascot Pokémon (red eyes and reddish flames respectively), and Reshiram and Black Kyurem blue mascot Pokémon (blue eyes for the former, blue electricity for the latter).

The Eyes of Reshiram and Zekrom are supposed to represent the dot parts of the Yin-Yang Orb. That is to say Zekrom is supposed to be Blue and Reshiram is supposed to ve Red.
This makes sense since Zekrom has blue lightning and Reshiram has red fire.

With that being said, the pattern is pretty consistent for international releases. The only 2 times this pattern is broken is with Pokemon Green (JP only) and Pokemon Leaf Green (a Remake of Red/Green).
The weird part also is that “Green” and “Yellow” are attatched to something related to the main legends of each Gen that are somewhat related to the main legendary trio
-Gen 2 has Celebi as Green (Ho-oh having Green and Yellow if you also count that)
-Gen 3 having Rayquaza as Green and Jirachi as Yellow
-Gen 4 having Yellow on Giratina and Green on Shaymin
-Gen 5 having Yellow on Kyurem (and the only 2 Green Gen 5 legendaries are techincally not related to Zekrom/Reshiram, Kyurem could do what Zekrom/Reshiram do and represent the “opposite” color in this case Green, while Victini is the true Yellow one)
-Gen 6 having Zygarde for Green and Hoopa for Yellow
-Gen 7 Necrozma being both Green (there is a bit of Green on Necrozma) and Yellow in its Ultra form. We might also count Silvally because it has some Green on it too.
-Gen 8 having both DLCs being Yellow and Green respectfully, both acting as psuedo sister versions
-Gen 9 has a “regular” Pokemon this time but obviously connected to the main legendaries in some form

Patterns like this make sense and really shouldn’t be include. It’s like saying “Well they could have a new Generation without a Psuedo or Starters” or imply something like that. Patterns like certian archetype of Pokemon existing are too broad and hard to dismiss. More specific patterns that can’t be remixed are the patterns that should be mentioned for this thread.

 

[DrPumpkinz]

Ah yes.

Green

This green and yellow pattern is even more reachy than the red/blue one.

 

[Nitro Indigo]

Reminds me of the "water starters are based on weapons" theory. Blastoise has cannons, Feraligatr and Swamptert... ??? Empoleon has a trident, Samurott has swords, Greninja uses shurikens (but they aren't part of its body), Primarina uses its voice as a weapon (all Pokémon use parts of their anatomy as weapons...), and Inteleon has a gun. That's 4.5/8.

 

[KalosianPorygon]

Ah yes.
View attachment 454209

Green
View attachment 454208

This green and yellow pattern is even more reachy than the red/blue one.

I dunno, Ultra Necrozma looks yellow to me:

 

[Dusk Mage Necrozma]

Reminds me of the "water starters are based on weapons" theory. Blastoise has cannons, Feraligatr and Swamptert... ??? Empoleon has a trident, Samurott has swords, Greninja uses shurikens (but they aren't part of its body), Primarina uses its voice as a weapon (all Pokémon use parts of their anatomy as weapons...), and Inteleon has a gun. That's 4.5/8.

The thing about this theory is that it holds true for literally every Pokemon.
Every Pokemon can attack. There are 3 ways a Pokemon can attack: its body, a tool, or magic. Obviously using a tool counts for this theory, and if you’re willing to count Swampert and Feraligatr as “brawling/brute strength” then body parts count, and if you’re willing to count Primarina then magic counts.

 

[Cuddly]

Reminds me of the "water starters are based on weapons" theory. Blastoise has cannons, Feraligatr and Swamptert... ??? Empoleon has a trident, Samurott has swords, Greninja uses shurikens (but they aren't part of its body), Primarina uses its voice as a weapon (all Pokémon use parts of their anatomy as weapons...), and Inteleon has a gun. That's 4.5/8.

I remember the original theory having Feraligatr being brace knuckes and Swampert being a weapon fan. Those were a bit sketchy but believable until Primarina who represents singing. Then back to Inteleon with a sniper rifle.

 

[KalosianPorygon]

Reminds me of the "water starters are based on weapons" theory.

Clauncher is a rejected Water starter confirmed.

 

[QuentinQuonce]

I'd like to think the fire starters zodiac theory could be true. It probably wasn't to begin with*, but there's no way Game Freak isn't aware of it by now (even if they might pretend otherwise) so they probably are leaning into it at least a little. The corresponding grass and water pattern theories are less well-known so haven't quite captured the popular imagination in the same way.

Which is why I don't think it will die a death until and unless we reach Gen XIII. Crocodilians are similar enough to serpents** that even if Fuecoco's final evolution is just a massive alligator that breathes fire, it'll be enough for some people to claim it as the serpent entry.

Just the goat, sheep, and the ox to go. As long as none of them are bipedal, I'll be fine.


*in fact the Piloswine quote pretty much confirms it wasn't

**loosely speaking, but Pokemon has never shied away from conflating species - Serperior, Steelix, Nidoking/queen, Arbok, and Milotic have all been conflated with dragons at various points