Highlights

  • Pokemon Scarlet and Violet feature off-screen deaths and dark Pokedex entries, adding a sense of danger and gloom to the games' narrative.
  • The game's trailers and promotional material showcase the dark elements of the game, revealing the eerie and sinister nature of certain Pokemon and their lore.
  • Creepy Pokedex entries can be found in Gen 9 games, including those of Bramblin or Toedscruel.

Before Pokemon Scarlet and Violet even launched, rumors and leaks were circulating the internet about how they would have a much darker story than previous games, possibly featuring some character deaths. This was not entirely off base, it turns out, as there are several off-screen deaths in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's The Teal Mask DLC as well as the main game's story - something that seems to follow Pokemon Legends: Arceus' footsteps in terms of how Pokemon can be dangerous for humans. There are multiple dark Pokedex entries in Gen 9, and there are some sinister twists in the games' narrative as well, and some of them are quite interesting.

pokemon scarlet violet sword shield dlcs teal mask indigo disk names rule change good bad
Related
How Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Teal Mask and Indigo Disk Break a Big Gen 8 DLC Rule

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet break many conventions of past games, and they don't shy away from doing the same with a DLC rule set in Gen 8.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Darkest Stories and Pokedex Entries Explained

Professor Sada and Turo's Death

While this is not revealed until much later in the game, when players are finally exploring Area Zero, Professor Sada and Turo from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are actually AIs. Their human counterpart is no more, seemingly felled by none other than the second Koraidon or Miraidon that players encounter in Area Zero.

The Loyal Three and Ogerpon's Sad Story

Other deaths in the main story follow with The Teal Mask DLC, where it becomes apparent that The Loyal Three killed Ogerpon's human companion and stole its masks. Ogerpon then went on a rampage, killing all three of these Legendary Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. The ones players can catch have been brought back to life.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Trailers

Even in video format, Gen 9's storytelling can be quite dark. The trailer for Greavard depicted a trainer whose lifeforce was eventually sucked out by the Ghost-type Pokemon, which also has an interesting Pokedex entry reading: "It is said that a dog Pokemon that died in the wild without ever interacting with a human was reborn as this Pokemon." This can also remind long-time fans of Phantump's own lore, stating it was the spirit of a child who died while lost in the forest.

Similarly, the trailer for Gimmighoul revealed the manipulative and ill-intent nature of this otherwise seemingly cute Pokemon, which forces other Pokemon and even humans to gather coins for it to evolve. On the same note is also Poltchageist's reveal in The Teal Mask's promotional material, with the critter being shown as temperamental and often even malicious, potentially harming humans or at least putting them to sleep with the powders in its cup.

The Darkest Pokedex Entries in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

One of the darkest Pokedex entries in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is likely Bramblin's, which states that it was a soul unable to move on after death, eventually being blown into dried grass by the wind and becoming a Pokemon. Another creepy Pokedex entry is that of Toedscruel, which reads: "It coils its ten tentacles around prey and sucks out their nutrients, causing the prey pain. The folds along the rim of its head are a popular delicacy." This is particularly twisted because not only is this Pokemon a merciless predator in the wild, but it can become prey when humans hunt it down to eat it.

The Treasures of Ruin of Paldea

Lastly, another dark tale told in Gen 9 is that of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Treasures of Ruin - a set of four Legendary Pokemon embodying different treasures from another land, which the king of Paldea once bought from a merchant in an act of greed. These items eventually became Pokemon and caused the downfall of the Paldean empire, sieging the king's castle. It's unclear if they caused any harm to humans before they were sealed away, but they are yet another example of how grim the stories told in Gen 9 can be.