The highly-anticipated Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are set to release next month, with more and more information slowly being revealed regarding the titles. As with any releases that come under the Pokemon franchise, fan excitement and community involvement have risen exponentially due to the closeness of the release date, primarily concerning a new Pokemon named Wiglett.
Wiglett will reportedly be a region-specific monster in the upcoming Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, being referred to by some fans as a "regional fake" due to the overt similarities between the new character and the classic Pokemon named Diglett. Given the familiar and cutesy appearance of Wiglett, a lot of the online discourse for Scarlet and Violet is dominated by fan-made memes of the new Pokemon.
Wiglett vs Diglett
A lot of the memes surrounding the newly-announced Wiglett concern the aforementioned similarities that the Pokemon shares with Diglett, one of the first Pokemon to ever be introduced to the franchise. Given the longstanding and ever-present nature of Diglett within Pokemon, Wiglett is starting with a disadvantage in terms of fan reception between the two similar monsters.
A lot of these memes pit Wiglett and Diglett against each other, with popular taglines such as "you vs the guy she tells you not to worry about", which has been popular in memes for some time. While nostalgia and familiarity are painting the love for Diglett over Wiglett as of right now, the newer Pokemon is already winning the hearts of many even before the new titles have been released.
The Wigletts
One of the most popular memes concerning Wiglett that has circulated within the Pokemon community is an image showing four Wigletts in different colored outfits with a photoshopped "The Wigletts" logo. Speaking to many across generations and even those outside of the Pokemon community, it is clear to see why this meme in particular has become so popular.
This particular meme references The Wiggles, an Australian children's music group that has existed since the 1990s and has had a huge presence on children's TV and within contemporary meme culture. The comparison between the group and the Pokemon is of course being made due to the similarity of their names, with Wiglett's name being a leading factor in the likability and humor that has surrounded the new monster, even in such an early stage of its existence.
Wiglett and the Alaskan Bull Worm
A huge meme regarding Scarlet and Violet's Wiglett sees the new Pokemon be compared to the infamous Alaskan Bull Worm creature from the hit show SpongeBob SquarePants. This comparison primarily stems from the humorous similarities in appearance between the two beings, with the long white body and black eyes of Wiglett being shared with the niche but often-memed SpongeBob character.
This particular meme also speaks to the creepier side of Wiglett memes and discourse, with the Pokemon seemingly either being praised for its cutesy nature or for the ominous mystery of the part of the Pokemon that players cannot see. Given that most of Wiglett remains buried in the ground and out of sight, fans are already drawing hilarious conclusions as to what Wiglett's true form could be.
The memes involving Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Wiglett are already numerous and wide-spanning, providing a massive indicator as to how popular this particular Pokemon will be upon the full release of the titles. Regardless of its contested classification as a regional Pokemon or the comparisons being made between itself and Diglett, it is clear that Wiglett has already united swathes of the Pokemon fan base who are eager to see more of the character.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will release on November 18, 2022, for the Nintendo Switch.
