Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have finally arrived, and with that gamers have the chance to explore Paldea and discover new critters. While most gamers will be focused on the designs and moves of the new Pokemon, it is also worth paying attention to the Pokedex entries, as they occasionally reveal quite interesting details. Surprisingly, some entries are quite heartbreaking, and they reveal a much more brutal side to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's world.
If one pays attention to the Pokedex entries, it becomes apparent that Paldea is a harsh place for wild Pokemon, and there is always the chance for them to become prey. Some Pokemon are simply sadists and pick on other species for sport. There are also plenty of Pokemon with heartbreaking backstories that only make the origin of Pokemon more mysterious.
Don't Think About These Pokemon For Too Long
Certain Pokedex entries are simply depressing if one thinks about them too deeply. This is the case for the dog Pokemon Maschiff. It may be scowling, but according to its Pokedex entry, this is only an attempt to make its opponents take it seriously. Despite its sincere attempts, even children burst into laughter when they see its face. However, Maschiff isn't the only depressing dog Pokemon. Greavard is a Ghost-Type Pokemon with a sad past. Its Pokedex entry reveals that in its past life it died in the wild without ever interacting with a human. It is unknown which dog Pokemon it may have been in its prior life, but there are a few candidates, including Growlithe, Jolteon, Boltund, and Rockruff to name a few. Greavard's sad past may explain why its evolved form, Houndstone, is so loyal to its master.
Bramblim is a Pokemon that looks like some tumbleweed. Its Pokedex entry is pretty morbid, revealing that the critter was born when a soul unable to move on to the afterlife got trapped in some grass and became a Pokemon. Wo-Chien is another grassy Pokemon with a depressing Pokedex entry. It is the personified grudge of someone punished for writing the king's misdeeds on a wooden desk. It has clad itself in dead leaves to become a Pokemon, which doesn't seem like a very pleasant existence.
Rellor is a Bug-Type Pokemon that resembles a dung beetle. Its Pokedex entry is one of the most heartbreaking simply because of how futile it frames the life of the Pokemon. Players learn that it creates a mud ball using psychic energy to mix sand and dirt. It values this ball more than its life. No reason is given as to why this ball is created, or why it is so highly valued, which makes the entire process seem rather Sisyphean. The thought that the Pokemon is dedicating its entire life to a ball of dirt, and that it cannot be persuaded to do otherwise, is just sad.
The Vicious Food Chain of Paldea
Paldea is presented as quite a colorful place where players can have picnics and raise cute critters. Because of this, it's easy to forget that Pokemon are powerful creatures that regularly prey on each other. This has been explored in past generations. For instance, in Pokemon Sun and Moon, Yungoos and Alolan Rattata are sworn enemies. Scarlet and Violet seem to explore this concept further with a lot more species, demonstrating that the wilderness is truly a dangerous place. Tinkatuff, as players learn from the Pokedex, attack Pawniard and Bischarp to gather their metal to create a hammer. Tinkatuff's evolved form, Tinkaton, uses a hammer to knock rocks into the sky and strike flying Corviknight.
Plenty of Paldean Pokemon are shown to be ruthless predators. For instance, Spidopos' Pokedex entry claims it "takes out its prey before the prey even notices it." Nacli's evolutionary line is themed around salt, which its name alludes to, as NaCl is the chemical formula for table salt. Hence, in addition to preying on other Pokemon, it seasons them too. Nacli's evolved form, Naclstack, has a Pokedex entry that reveals that it "dry cures its prey by spraying salt over them."
Even the cutest Pokemon turn out to be assassins. The cute Electric-Flying bird Wattrel may initially appear harmless, but its Pokedex entry reveals that its bones produce electricity as it flies, and it catches its prey by diving into the ocean and electrocuting it. Trainers and Pokemon alike should also be on the lookout for Shroodle. The adorable Pokemon has huge eyes, and its Pokedex entry claims that it is usually mellow. However, when it gets mad, it will sink its sharp teeth into anything around it, causing terrible paralysis. Its evolved form, Grafaiai, has saliva that changes color depending on what Pokemon it eats.
Perhaps most heartbreakingly, it is implied that humans are not divorced from this food chain. The Pokedex entry for Toedscool claims that "flaps that fall from its body are chewy and very delicious." Assuming humans wrote the entry, the only way that knowledge would have been gained is if people have been eating Toedscool flaps. This is further evidence that the humans of Scarlet and Violet eat their Pokemon. To protect themselves from dangerous enemies, plenty of Pokemon have built up defenses. For example, the Pokedex entry for Tarountula reveals that the Bug-Type Pokemon covers itself in a ball of thread to protect itself from its natural enemy, Scyther. Wiglett, a regional variant of Diglett, can smell Veluza from 65 feet away, and will quickly bury itself in the sand.
Despite the depressing entries, there is still plenty of fun to be had in Paldea. Scarlet and Violet offer the most freedom in a Pokemon game thus far, giving players the chance to pick between three storylines they can complete at their own leisure. Furthermore, features like the TM machine and auto-battles make the games exceptionally inviting to newcomers. While there have been many reports of performance and graphical issues tarnishing the overall experience, they haven't been enough to not make Scarlet and Violet yet another enjoyable Pokemon adventure.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available on Nintendo Switch.
