Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are set to release later this year, though very little is still known about the games. The recent trailer gave fans a look at the legendaries, three new non-starter Pokemon, and a look at the Professors, but there are still tons of questions about Pokemon Scarlet and Violet left to answer.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of that is how these answers may not be so predictable, as with past generations. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet look to be the evolution fans wanted Sword and Shield to be, as it is breaking from the standard formula in a ton of ways. First off, they are true non-linear open-world games and they come complete with co-op. Secondly, there are two professors, with one exclusive to each game.
These deviations from the norm are important, as the more deviations there are, the more unique the games will be, but it’s curious how far these deviations will actually be taken. One fan theory about the region name, when conjoined with the starters, could perhaps suggest an even greater deviation for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s starters than fans may not have expected.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Themes: Past and Future
It’s pretty clear that Scarlet and Violet are leaning heavily on past and future themes, with Pokemon Scarlet representing the past and Violet representing the future. This can be seen in the more elemental and tribal design of Pokemon Scarlet’s Koraidon, as well as its use of Professor Sada (shortened for Pasada, which means past). In Pokemon Violet, Miraidon clearly has a more futuristic design, and its professor is Turo (futuro/future).
This has led many to believe that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Koraidon and Miraidon may take notes from Sun and Moon, featuring one legendary with branching evolutionary states. The base Pokemon could be “Raidon” while Koraidon represents the past and Miraidon represents the future of said legendary. Perhaps it'll even appear in both games somehow. This further ties into why some fans think the region name hasn’t been confirmed yet: it's different in each title.
Just like Hisui is ancient Sinnoh in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, it could be that each game takes place during a different time. This would mean that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet feature the same region, but different region names. This would explore these all-important deviations even more. They could still be connected, but time travel could explain everything from co-op to the rumored type-changing Pokemon Scarlet and Violet gimmick. However, if this is the case, this would logically extend beyond just the legendary and beyond just the region names and locations—it would impact the Pokemon, especially the Starters, too.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Could Feature Exclusive Starter Evolutions
Right now, many fans are curious as to what Sprigatito, Quaxly, and Fuecoco all evolve into. But if Pokemon Legends: Arceus proved anything, it’s that evolution in the Pokemon world is fluid. Scyther, for example, loses its Kleavor evolution in the modern times, and there are plenty of Pokemon with different forms/evolutions based on their presence in the past. Logically, that would apply to the future as well.
Now, clearly, not every Pokemon has to have drastically different evolutions to fit into the game world. Some Pokemon Legends: Arceus Regional Variants did, but there were plenty of base form Pokemon too.
So, it’s possible new Pokemon like Lechonk or fan-favorite Pokemon like Lucario retain just one form, but if the past/future theme is to be fully realized, the Starers would deserve different evolutions. With Pokemon Scarlet representing the past, Fuecoco, Quaxly, and Sprigatito would be wise to adopt this into their motifs as well. With Pokemon Violet representing the future, the same could be said, and giving each Pokemon a different evolution line per game would go a long way in terms of variety and encouraging sales of both titles.
Seeing a more fairy-like Sprigatito in Scarlet but a dark-type Sprigatito in Violet could be naturally explained, so could a Knight-like Quaxly becoming more of a War-Machine like Duck Pokemon in Violet. Fuecoco could be a Fire/Ghost Pokemon in Scarlet, but become an armored tank Fire/Steel-type in Violet.
This is just speculation, but it shows a ton of potential. A lot of fans will choose one Pokemon game based on its exclusives, and this would not only complicate the decision over Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s exclusive content, but many may be driven to pick up both titles to see all the differences. It remains to be seen, but it sounds like an interesting move perfectly befitting the themes of the new Pokemon generation.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet release on November 18 for Nintendo Switch.
