One of the most fascinating Paradox Pokemon added in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet isn't the most powerful, nor the most memorable. However, Paradox Magneton—known as Sandy Shocks— may hold the key to understanding the true origins of one of Pokemon's most mysterious creatures: Magnezone. As a mon exclusive to Pokemon Scarlet, Sandy Shocks is a part of the roster of Past Paradox Pokemon. According to the Pokedex, it's said to have existed for 10,000 years which has called into question the true origins of this evolutionary line once thought to be man-made.
The Electric/Steel-type Magneton line has pushed the boundaries of what constitutes a living being in the Pokemon world since its introduction in the very first generation. As it was introduced alongside other mons like Porygon and Voltorb, many assumed the metallic nature of Magemite and Magneton was due to their man-made origins. When Magnezone was introduced in Gen 4, many took its UFO-inspired design to suggest that this line was actually of extraterrestrial origin. Now that Sandy Shocks has been added to the mix, the pieces to uncovering this generations-old mystery are beginning to fall into place.
Magnemite and Magneton Have Existed for Longer than Many Realize
Prior to the addition of Sandy Shocks in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the oldest known reference to the existence of the Magneton line in the Pokemon world came from Pokemon X and Y. During AZ's retelling of Kalos' great war, Magnemite can be seen among the monsters battling in the mural shown. This confirms that Magnemite—and by extension, Magneton—have existed for at least 3,000 years, far longer than would be possible if they were made by humans in the modern era. Additionally, there is evidence that depicts Magemite and Magneton among carvings in Johto's Ruins of Alph. However, this evidence comes from a binder from the Pokemon Trading Card Game, leaving it unclear if this is actually canon.
Regardless, this revelation puts the existence of Sandy Shocks into a new perspective and supports the idea that it could have existed 10,000 years ago as a primitive form of modern Magneton. However, Sandy Shocks is a Ground/Electric-type meaning at some point it had to swap its Ground-typing for the Steel-typing possessed by Magneton, but how that process occurred can only be left up to speculation. Without concrete evidence, the biology of a Pokemon like this leaves many confused as to how it underwent the macroevolutionary changes necessary to achieve the Magneton known today.
Sandy Shocks Adds Credibility to the Theory of Magnezone's Extraterrestrial Origins
The question as to why Sandy Shocks takes on the appearance of an ancient Magneton and not Magnezone still remains. A common theory is that the Magneton line is of extraterrestrial origins, which grew in popularity after UFO-shaped Magnezone was added in Gen 4. This theory is backed up by the fact that Magneton requires a special electromagnetic field to evolve into Magnezone that has yet to be replicated by scientists, leading to the conclusion that whatever special force needed for this species to evolve is not of terrestrial origin. Now that Sandy Shocks exists, it is clear that it would have to be the true extraterrestrial as the ancestor of Magnemite and Magneton.
The history of the great war of Kalos—specifically the Ultimate Weapon—may be the piece this puzzle needs to be solved. In real-world UFO lore, two main schools of thought exist—one claims that aliens have been in contact with Earth since ancient times, the other argues that the first use of the atomic bomb caught the attention of extraterrestrial beings. Both of these theories can be applied to potentially explain how Sandy Shocks and Magnezone each came into contact with humans. Sandy Shocks may just be the initial version of this species to come in contact with Earth, drawing inspiration from the ancient aliens hypothesis.
If Sandy Shocks is assumed to be the more primitive, ancient alien that has existed on earth for centuries, Magnezone is the higher-intelligence version of the same species that wields the ability to create the special electromagnetic field necessary for Magneton to evolve. With this new frame of reference, it is possible that the use of the Ultimate Weapon during the great war of Kalos was the catalyst for Magnezone taking an interest in the activity of humans and bringing this evolutionary method to Earth. Although this is just a theory, it would explain why Magnezone does not appear in any of the ancient depictions of Magnemite and Magneton, and why Sandy Shocks takes the form of an ancient Magneton.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for Nintendo Switch.
