Following recent leaks and rumors hinting that some legendary Pokemon will receive new regional forms for the upcomingPokemon ScarletandViolet, fans have been fervent about which legendaries will be receiving a makeover forPokemon’sGeneration 9. When anticipation and speculation are running rampant within the community, any possible crumb of information is being picked clean apart for every last detail that could shed light onPokemon ScarletandViolet’s contents.
Regional forms for legendary Pokemon are a very new development for the franchise, introduced inPokemon SwordandShield’s DLC The Crown Tundra, which broadened the realm of possibilities Game Freak has been cultivating since the inception of regional forms in Generation 7. Given the recent leak of new regional legendaries making their way into Generation 9, there’s a case to be made for a legendary trio that deserve a second chance: the legendary lake trio, Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf.
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The Legendary Pokemon Leaks
In early May, knownPokemon leaker Riddler Khu posted a cryptic tweetalong with 3 close-up shots of currently existing legendary Pokemon, identified by fans to be Lugia, Kyogre, and Groudon. This isn’t the first time that Riddler Khu has leaked tidbits to the Pokemon community, as previously they have been the source of other information that was later proven true, such as leading up to the release ofPokemon Legends: Arceus. Overall, it adds a level of credibility to their claims, but due to the cryptic nature of Khu’s leaks, it’s up to fans to churn out new theories and ideas behind what they meant.
However, all ideas conjured up currently need to be taken with a pinch of salt, even in spite of whichPokemon leaks fans wish were true.Game Freak has yet to even reveal anything beyond theScarletandVioletstarter Pokemon, meaning that the leading theory of new regional forms for these three legendary Pokemon is pure speculation and could very well be untrue. However, it does provide ample ground to begin exploring which legendaries could receive new regional forms, the reasons why, and how that would take shape in-game.
The Lake Trio Regional Forms
While Lugia, Kyogre and Groudon are worthy contenders for new forms, it would be somewhat incongruous to tiePokemon Silver’smascot legendary to the mascot legendaries ofRubyandSapphire,not to mention poorRayquazabeing left out of the equation. A better argument could be made for plenty of other legendaries that make more sense together and have room for growth. The lake trio of Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf are therefore the ideal candidates, as they provide a decent level of inspiration to work with coupled with a sufficient “blank slate” to start a new form from.
Not only would new regional forms for a legendary trio follow suit with the 3 legendary birds, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, but as with any regional forms, new types would be a much-needed contribution to the lake trio. Out of all existing trios, the lake trio is currently the only one to all share the same, singularPsychic-type. From the player’s perspective, it’s discouraging when a choice of which legendary belongs on the player’s team is a choice between one of 3 near-identical Pokemon, so new types such as Dark, Ghost, or even Fairy might help redress the imbalance and provide the trio with new flair.
Beyond this, given that Spain appears to be the inspiration for theScarletandViolet’sregion, there is coincidentally a wealth of choices for Spanish lakes to take further inspiration from. For instance, Lago de Sanabria and Lago San Mauricio both boast a varied natural landscape from mountainous areas to rolling hills which would be ideal for creating diverse regional areas inScarletandViolet. There are even underground lakes, such as Martel Lake, that could help contribute to ever-expansive geography for the players to explore. Perhaps the best choice would be Lagos de Covadonga, an area consisting of 3 lakes, Enol, Ercina, and Bricial, the latter of which only appears during the rainy season. This trio is uncannily similar toSinnoh and its lakes. Not only that, but the area brings much more to the table for the new game’s story and development, including ties to religious history, diverse weather patterns, and sporting events, making it the ideal inspiration for new regional lake legendaries.
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What Should Pokemon Fans Expect?
Currently, there still isn’t any further news about new Pokemon joining the franchise for Generation 9, whether entirely new or new forms, but fans are eagerly awaiting news with each passing day. It’s inevitable that Game Freak will ultimately reveal new details at some point in the near future, givenScarletandViolet’sexpected 2022 release, but so far fans have had to make do with what little speculation can be gleaned from leaks. Whilenew regional legendary Pokemon formsaren’t out of the question, it’s unclear whether Game Freak would revisit the concept so soon after introducing regional forms for the legendary bird trio in the most recent generation, nor can anyone say for sure if regional forms would even be given to mascot legendaries.
It would be a missed opportunity, however, not to capitalize on the momentum Game Freak has been accruing since the release ofPokemon SwordandShieldandPokemon Legends: Arceusas it continues expanding the presence ofPokemonon the Switch. New regional legendaries, especially if they are as significant as mascot legendaries or even mythical Pokemon, would kindle new enthusiasm for the upcoming Generation 9. Time will tell as to what Game Freak has in store for fans, though hopefully it won’t take too long.
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