Thanks to a recent trailer showing in-game footage of Pokemon Scarlet andViolet's upcoming two-part DLC, a close-up look at Ogerpon has given players a hint as to how it will potentially connect back to Area Zero. Unlike Terapagos' crystalline and multi-type design, there wasn't a clear indication as to how Ogerpon would tie into the DLC's broader storyline of Hidden Treasures of Area Zero. For instance, alongside Ogerpon, the other new trio of Pokemon revealed so far for The Teal Mask all seem to be based on the Japanese folklore of Momotaro which seems completely unrelated to the mystery of Area Zero.
In fact, even the DLC's surface-level story seems to be on track to parallel the Momotaro folklore with Ogerpon being positioned as a mythical ogre who the Loyal Three Pokemon will defeat and ward off. But as The Teal Mask's section of the Nintendo Direct came to a close, Ogerpon was given the spotlight and provided fans with arguably the best look at the new legendary Pokemon so far. Though Ogerpon's overall design hasn't changed, the close-up did reveal the tell-tale shimmer of crystals around its head or mask, something which many fans are already speculating could be the first signs of Ogerpon's potential relationship with Area Zero.
Trying to Connect the Mystery of Ogerpon Between Kitakami and Area Zero
While the base game of Pokemon Scarlet andViolet does explain how its signature Paradox Pokemon came into existence within Paldea, there are still many questions left about Area Zero such as how it first formed and what's causing the Terastal Phenomenon. As many fans are hoping judging by the DLC's subtitle, The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk could eventually reveal the answers players are looking for. Until now, Terapagos and an uncannily similar unnamed Pokemon had been the focus of speculation due to the likely relationship they would have with Area Zero, but Ogerpon's recent bedazzlement might change that.
The subtlety of the crystals in Ogerpon's mask could be a nod to the fact that as the first part of the overall DLC, The Teal Mask will be gradually building players to revelations in The Indigo Disk. Alternatively, much like the Quaking Earth Titan, Ogerpon might be another instance of a Paradox Pokemon escaping Area Zero which is now running amok in Kitakami. However, not only is it not a Paradox Pokemon, but Ogerpon's ties to the Festival of Masks as a longstanding tradition means that if it had escaped Area Zero then it must have occurred long before Scarlet and Violet's own history.
It is interesting that only Ogerpon and crystallized motifs are the only lead to connect with Area Zero. It seems then that whatever the connection will wind up being will rely on the finer details. For example, looking closer at Ogerpon's official artwork seems to indicate that the crystallized mask might not be its true face. Perhaps it's the mask and not Ogerpon that originated from Area Zero, and it caused the Pokemon to transform due to unknown Terastallization properties, something that would further explain the DLC's mask-centric subtitle.
The mythos The Teal Mask will establish for the Kitakami region and its various legendary Pokemon should tie back to Area Zero in one way or another. But with Ogerpon as the only clear hint of Area Zero's involvement, there's nothing else to work from in its design, name, or any other characteristics at the moment. This isn't helped by the added complexity of The Teal Mask balancing its Momotaro folklore influences with the DLC's larger narrative. So for the time being, it's possible that Ogerpon will remain just as mysterious as Area Zero itself until more details are known.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now on the Nintendo Switch.
