When bringing fast travel to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet as standard, Game Freak swapped out Corviknight with Squawkabilly for Paldea's own Flying Taxi service, though the reasons behind this aren't exactly straightforward. Pokemon has always had an odd relationship with fast travel by relying on moves like Dig, Teleport, and most importantly Fly to get around, but since this forced players to keep certain Pokemon on their teams, it made sense for Game Freak to explore alternatives. After several attempts from Pokemon Let's Go's "Secret Techniques" to the persisting trend of Ride Pokemon, it seems Game Freak has settled on Flying Taxis for its fast travel.
But the choice of Pokemon to provide the Flying Taxi service is wildly different between the taxis' first introduction in Pokemon Sword and Shield and their more recent appearance in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. As the stand-in for the Pokemon's regional bird of that generation, Corviknight was a natural choice for both representing and providing the Flying Taxi service, but the unusual decision to replace Corviknight with Squawkabilly for Scarlet and Violet counteracted what Sword and Shield had established. While the in-game explanation behind this has some merit, the change has still left some players scratching their heads.
Corviknight Makes For A Better Taxi Than Squawkabilly
Beyond just being Gen 8's regional bird, Corviknight had many more characteristics that arguably make it the better choice for a Flying Taxi thank Squawkabilly. As per its Sword and Shield Pokedex entries, Corviknight's sheer size, strength, intelligence, and flying skills made it a perfect candidate for assisting with the Flying Taxi service, and even its Sword entry speaks to the respect and infamy Corviknight receives within Galar. So unlike Pokemon Scarlet andViolet's Squawkabilly and its Normal/Flying type, Corviknight's Steel/Flying combination and reputation ensures that the Flying Taxi service is safe and secure.
Even aside from its in-game lore, stats, and characterization, Corviknight's design pulls directly from Sword and Shield's Galar region being inspired by the UK. Based on corvids like ravens and crows, Corviknight's armor-like design and namesake reference England's history and traditions such as its own medieval knights and the Tower of London's ravens. However, though it may be unintentional, Corviknight's bulky design and color palette further evokes Britain's iconic black cabs otherwise known as "hackney carriages." Therefore, there are many reasons that Corviknight's role as Sword and Shield's Flying Taxi is justified.
Reason Why Squawkabilly Actually Makes Sense
However, while Corviknight's replacement was potentially prompted by its Galar-Britain design influences and Game Freak not wanting to detract from Scarlet and Violet's Spanish background, the in-game reason behind the change has been explained away by the new Gen 9 Pokemon Tinkaton. In particular, Scarlet's Pokedex entries directly address the Flying Taxi changeover, as Tinkaton's constant attacks on Corviknight would endanger its passengers. But despite other more qualified candidates for the role like Bombirdier or Kilowattrel, Scarlet and Violet chose Squawkabilly to take the taxi's wheel instead.
But Squawkabilly does at least make sense within the bigger picture of Scarlet and Violet. While it doesn't fit the typical mold of regional birds as it lacks any evolutions, it is one of the first new Gen 9 Flying-type Pokemon that the player encounters with a traditional second Normal-type too. Squawkabilly's multiple forms, however, are similar to Sun and Moon's Oricorio, as there are four options available to the player and each is located in a specific area of the region. Ultimately then, as Paldea's readily available de facto regional bird, Squawkabilly's role with the Flying Taxi helps ensure the Pokemon receives some recognition and appreciation from players.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for Nintendo Switch.
