Highlights
- Perrin's role in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's DLC could have more significance in the game's lore than some anticipated.
- Perrin, a traveling photographer, enlists the help of the player to take pictures of local wildlife, similar to gameplay in Pokemon Snap.
- Perrin's character design and fascination with time suggest potential connections to Pokemon Legends: Arceus and the Timeless Woods, emphasizing the theme of the past in the DLC's story.
The wait for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's first DLC part is nearing its end, with the Teal Mask set to debut on September 13. The land of Kitakami promises to be an exciting adventure for fans, accentuated by its new story premise and characters. One such character, Perrin, has been the topic of many due to her familiar appearance, and though her role in Kitakami's narrative is still unknown, signs point toward her having more significance in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's lore than expected.
A recent Teal Mask trailer sets Perrin up as a traveling photographer in search of an elusive Pokemon, as she enlists the help of the player to take pictures of the local wildlife. Mechanically, this looks to involve gameplay similar to Pokemon Snap, where pictures can be taken and inspected in the game's overworld. While it's unclear which Pokemon Perrin's on the hunt for, her character design has left many to posit theories on her involvement and potential connection with respect to Pokemon Legends: Arceus and the greater Kitakami story.
Perrin in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Teal Mask DLC Could Have More Story Significance Than Expected
Fans were quick to note that Perrin bears a resemblance to Adaman of Pokemon: Legends Arceus; from their colored hair to their facial features, this similarity feels like an intentional design choice. Just as Legends: Arceus dealt with the past through the foundations of Hisui, The Teal Mask seems concerned with a more traditional look, both in its Pokemon and environmental designs. Perrin's involvement in the story could be a way to accentuate these themes, showing that she shares a fascination with time as Adaman once did.
Though The Teal Mask's trailer doesn't specify which Pokemon it is that she's looking for, the fact that Perrin has traveled to a new land in her search could mean that the creature she's hoping to photograph has only been rumored to exist. She and the player will travel through the Timeless Woods, which is noted as a place that few from Kitakami dare to tread. While this sense of danger might imply that she's on the lookout for Ogerpon, its plot relevance to Kieran and Carmine's story may also suggest that Perrin's mission lies elsewhere.
Some have theorized that Perrin may be looking for Ursaluna's leaked variant, which would further tie into connections to Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Given Adaman's emphasis on time as well as Perrin's potential ancestry, it would make sense for her to look into species or areas with relevance to time. It's stated that the Timeless Woods will be explored alongside her, which could mean that the entire location will serve as a sub-area devoted to her story. Similar to how Penny, Arven, and Nemona joined the player during the descent into Area Zero, this could offer ample time to get to know Perrin and her motivations.
Given that photography has already been integrated in Scarlet and Violet's Paldea, the mechanic may serve more as a way to accentuate Perrin's profession and story rather than being a novel addition to gameplay. Given that Perrin is one of only a few NPCs that have been emphasized throughout its trailer, it is likely that she will be quite impactful on the player's experience in Kitakami. With The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk's focus on the traditional and the futuristic respectively, Perrin could be a pivotal character in helping to understand how the Timeless Woods still lingers in the past.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for the Nintendo Switch.
