Later this year, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will receive a two-part DLC, offering players a chance to explore beyond the Paldea region. The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC will first transport players to the land of Kitakami in Part 1: The Teal Mask. Kitakami is steeped in Japanese tradition, and the DLC's narrative appears to focus on exploring ancient folktales. Additionally, this setting offers a unique opportunity to deliver crucial Pokemon lore, as Pokemon Legends: Arceus just recently explored the Hisui region, the ancient origins of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl's Japan-inspired Sinnoh. The ending of Legends: Arceus provided little resolution to the player-character's story. In returning to a Japanese setting, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Teal Mask DLC is the perfect place to give Legends: Arceus the closure it deserves.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet were released in November 2022, to mixed reviews. While the ninth generation's Paldea region provided plenty of interesting new additions, including Area Zero and its paradox-form Pokemon, the overall experience suffered from technical issues. Paldea felt empty and open, causing traversal and Pokemon hunting to feel shallow. However, Scarlet and Violet's narrative offered players a genuinely interesting story and set the stage for future content to explore the region's mysterious connections across time and space. The Teal Mask DLC will be players' first focused exploration of Paldea's connections to another region, and its Kitakami setting may hold the answers to another one of the series' biggest questions.
Legends: Arceus Left Rei and Akari's Story Unfinished
In Pokemon Legends: Arceus, players took on the role of either Rei or Akari, depending on their choice of a male or female character. Whichever character the player chose was transported through time to the Hisui region, or ancient Sinnoh, and joined the Team Galaxy Survey Corp. While Rei or Akari was initially tasked with completing the first-ever Pokedex and calming the region's five Noble Pokemon, a much larger threat surfaced late in the adventure. The game ends with players having defeated the title's true villain, and facing off against Arceus itself, upon completion of the Pokedex.
Rei and Akari's story never reached a true conclusion, as players are left to simply explore Hisui after defeating Arceus. Narratively, this trapped Rei and Akari in the ancient past, with no clear indication of whether they found a way home. The completed Pokedex also left Team Galaxy, and the survey corp, with no clear mission. However, the player's actions undoubtedly laid significant groundwork for modern Sinnoh. A groundwork that was likely to influence the origins of Pokemon's other Japan-inspired regions across the ages.
The Teal Mask's Kitakami May Provide Closure to Rei and Akari's Journey
The Teal Mask DLC is laying the groundwork for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's deeper connection to the Hisui region. While Scarlet and Violet featured Sinnoh starters in its Tera Raids, The Teal Mask DLC goes a step further, introducing a Hisuian-form Pokemon to the series' newest generation. Players who pre-order The Teal Mask DLC receive a redeemable code for Hisuian Zoroark, the first Hisuian Pokemon with a direct connection to Scarlet and Violet in any capacity. While this may appear as a simple nod to Legends: Arceus, its attachment to pre-orders for a Japan-inspired DLC has larger implications.
Hisuian-form Pokemon are just one Legends: Arceus feature that The Teal Mask DLC could bring back. Its focus on ancient folklore may provide the means for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet to bring closure to Rei and Akari's legendary tale. While exploring the central mystery of Area Zero, the DLC could grant players access to a host of other regional myths. While not directly rooted in the Sinnoh region, Kitakami's traditions and folklore may be derived from origins that trace back to the events of Legends: Arceus, paving the way for Rei and Akari to be featured. Until The Teal Mask DLC arrives in Fall 2023, fans are left to speculate.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for the Nintendo Switch.
