Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet ahead. Proceed at your own risk.
One of the biggest mysteries of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is the existence of Area Zero within the Great Crater of Paldea and the strange powers it holds. In the game's finale, players trek down through the crater in search of Professor Sada or Professor Turo depending on their version, learning about the Professors' research into the Terastal phenomenon that seems to be connected to Area Zero along the way. However, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet might not be the only games with connections to this enigmatic locale; many of the lingering mysteries from Pokemon X and Y could be explained by the crater as well.
Due to its lack of a third, definitive version, many players felt like Pokemon X and Y left many of its plot threads unresolved. Questions as to how the ancient king AZ was able to survive for 3,000 years into the modern day, and why his Floette has such a different appearance from others of its species have puzzled players nearly a decade on since the games' initial release. With rumors of Kalos DLC for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, it's very possible these questions may finally be answered and have connections to the aforementioned Area Zero.
Paldea's Herba Mystica Might Explain AZ's Age
As the 3,000-year-old former king of Kalos, AZ is one of Pokemon X and Y's most fascinating and confounding characters. He is most notable for creating the Ultimate Weapon during the Great War—a weapon of mass destruction that ended the war at a great cost and has since been the source of a lot of theories surrounding Pokemon's lore. Disgusted by his use of the Ultimate Weapon, AZ's beloved Floette left him, causing AZ to wander the region in grief of the loss of his friend.
Whether it's a coincidence or not, AZ having the same initials as Area Zero opens the door for a lot of speculation on the two's connection. It's possible that during his period of wandering AZ found his way down to Paldea and into its Great Crater. Given the immense healing properties of the Herba Mystica, AZ could have prolonged his life by consuming these rare herbs. This isn't impossible given the power the Herba Mystica displays in healing Arven's Mabosstiff and reinvigorating Koraidon/Miraidon, and a DLC for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet could further explore their power to extend life and bring closure to AZ's story.
AZ's Floette May be a Paradox Pokemon
With unused data for the Pokemon found in several mainline games, many players have been fascinated with the existence of AZ's Floette and have been searching for explanations for its difference in color and the flower it holds. The introduction of Paradox Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet might hold the key to this unique Floette's existence since it is supposedly 3,000 years old, has higher stats than a normal Floette according to its unused data, cannot evolve, and holds a unique flower that could be an Herba Mystica. All of these aspects support the idea that it is a Paradox Pokemon with its origins in Paldea's Area Zero.
Although the time machine responsible for bringing the Paradox Pokemon into Paldea wasn't created until much later, it is possible the energy flowing through the crater makes naturally occurring time slips possible. This could explain why the Professors sought to harness the energy of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Area Zero to build their time machine and would make it possible for AZ's Floette to have originated there. If these games really do receive some form of Kalos DLC, hopefully players will finally be able to obtain AZ's Floette and get answers to some of the remaining questions about it and its trainer.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for Nintendo Switch.
