Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are just ten days away from launch, and while the official reveal cycle for Gen 9 has been quite dry from February up until recently, The Pokemon Company is upping its game with multiple new trailers before release. Recently, Pokemon GO leaked a strange critter with a gold coin on its back that was later revealed to be Gimmighoul, a Ghost-type pocket monster with two unique forms and what seems to be a rather interesting evolution method that resembles getting Spiritomb in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Speaking of Pokemon Legends: Arceus, it appears that Game Freak's approach to darker Pokdex entries carried over to Gen 9, especially so for Ghost-type Pokemon.
A great example comes from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Greavard, which the official website claims has the power to absorb the life energy of those around it even if they try to play with it - but it seems the puppy does so inadvertently. The recent Gimmighoul trailer for Gen 9 games revealed a similar dark backstory for the critter, with the video telling the story from the perspective of a young girl who found a mysterious coin and then what looked to be a magical chest. The coffer is actually Gimmighoul's Chest Form, and the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet website confirms that this creature actively uses its ghost energy to manipulate people and other Pokemon into bringing coins to it.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Gimmighoul Takes a Darker Spin on Pokedex Entries
It seems that Pokemon GO's exclusive Gimmighoul form will be quite different from the Chest Form, and while it appears to be uncatchable in Gen 9 games, it will be encountered by players in the open world of Paldea and drop gold coins for them to pick up. Based on the trailer and the leaks, Chest Form Gimmighoul will then evolve once players collect 999 coins total, which sounds like a mammoth task if there are only a few locations where these creatures will appear.
Still, what's creepy about this is that Gimmighoul seemingly chooses its victims based on how unfrequented a given area might be, mind-controlling them to a degree if they are isolated from their peers so that its powers' hold will be tough to break. Then, much like a spell, its targets start to bring coins to the chest and fill it over time, as the new trailer shows. This likely means that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet players won't be able to evolve this Pokemon or get its evolution anytime soon, but only by dedicating a considerable amount of time to the cause.
Not only is Gimmighoul's lore quite sinister on its own, but the latest Pokemon Scarlet and Violet trailer as a whole has creepy vibes throughout. This is particularly noticeable during the pop-up book-like narrative section where the girl collects coins for Gimmighoul, unknowingly being controlled to do so by the Pokemon. The imagery and words all conjure a feeling of unease and mystery, only for the story to end with Gimmighoul seemingly evolving and the girl saying that she doesn't know what to do with all those coins.
Much like Pokemon Legends: Arceus featured Basculegion as a Ghost-type creature that feeds on the souls of other Pokemon from its species, Gimmighoul controlling people and other pocket monsters with its ghost energy could very likely play a part in its evolution's design. Gimmighoul's evolution is the alleged OP coin Pokemon nerfed ahead of Scarlet and Violet's release, and it's possible it will become one of the most influential monsters of Gen 9's competitive scene. Still, it's a nice and unexpected change of pace for Pokemon as a franchise to feature darker stories, but it bodes well for the narrative of the upcoming games if anything.
PokemonScarlet and Violet release on November 18 for Nintendo Switch.
