Pokemon Scarlet and Violet introduce players to strange creatures from the past and future called Paradox Pokemon. These Pokemon are powerful, but they also pose a threat to Paldea. In Scarlet, the Pokemon come from the past, which is striking because Pokemon Legends: Arceus features Hisuian Pokemon, which are critters that existed in the past as well. This causes one to question whether there is any difference between Paradox Pokemon and Hisuian variants.
The key difference may be that the creatures of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are many millennia old. In comparison, the Hisuian variants are from the not-so-distant future. While this may answer some questions, it doesn't explain why the Paradox Pokemon are so powerful.
What Are Scarlet and Violet's Paradox Pokemon?
Scarlet and Violet take place in Paldea, where players meet several characters, including a young student called Arven. He feels neglected because he hasn't seen his parent for a long time. In Scarlet, it's his mother while in Violet it's his father. They are an important researcher, and their absence leads Arven to believe he has been rejected for scientific research. In Scarlet, players eventually venture into Gen 9's Area Zero where they discover that Arven's mother has passed away a long time ago, and she has been replaced by an AI robot (and the same fate is suffered by his father in Violet).
Players learn that Arven's version-exclusive parent created a time machine that brings Pokemon from the past to the present, in the case of Scarlet. However, these Pokemon are far too powerful, and they run the risk of destroying Paldea. This forces players to intervene and destroy the time machine to prevent more Pokemon from the past to come to the present. These time-traveling creatures are known as Paradox Pokemon, and players can catch a few of them as they explore Area Zero. Examples of Paradox Pokemon include Brute Bonnet, which is the ancient form of Amoonguss, Flutter Mane, which is the past form of Misdreavus, and Roaring Moon, which is the past form of Scalamence. It is never explained why the Paradox Pokemon are strong, but it seems the series takes place during a time of relative peace where Pokemon don't have to be all too powerful to survive in the wild.
How Legends: Arceus' Hisuian Forms and Scarlet and Violet's Paradox Pokemon Differ
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Pokemon Legends: Arceus is a spin-off title that takes place in the Sinnoh region, but in the distant past when it was known as Hisui. During this time, people are still very afraid of Pokemon, and they are still learning how to live in harmony with them. As players explore the region, they will spot many familiar creatures. Some creatures are slightly different versions of Pokemon from the present, including examples like Hisuian Zoroark and Hisuian Goodra.
On the surface, Hisuian variants and ancient Paradox Pokemon are basically the same, as both groups feature Pokemon from the past. However, there is a slight difference that might differentiate the two. It has been speculated that Pokemon Legends: Arceus takes place around 150-300 years before the events of Gen 1, in part because Sinnoh's development appears to follow the development path of Japan during the Meiji Restoration movement. In comparison, the Paradox Pokemon are from at least a billion years ago. Evidence for this is seen in the Pokedex where Scream Tail is described as a Jigglypuff variant from a billion years ago. It may be this time scale difference that sets apart the Paradox Pokemon from the Hisuian variants.
As such, when Hisuian Pokemon come back to Gen 9 via Pokemon Home, they will look like ancient Paradox Pokemon, but this fundamental difference sets them apart. Players may be getting new Paradox Pokemon soon, as rumors suggest that Scarlet and Violet DLC is on the way. This DLC could also bring Hisuian Pokemon to Paldea. These creatures could shake up the competitive scene, as Pokemon like Ursaluna are some of the strongest the series has to offer.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available on Nintendo Switch.
