The events ofPokémon Scarlet and Violetindicate the existence of a fascinating pair of alternate worlds. Although little is known about them at present, there is every indication that these worlds would undoubtedly be perfect settings for the franchise to explore in the future. Moreover, a game inspired by this would also be able to answer some lingering questions fromScarlet and Violetthemselves.

It should be noted thatthe existence of aPokémonmultiversehas long-since been established, with the concept coming to the forefront inPokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphireand the subsequent Generation 7 games set in Alola. After these games, the idea has been set aside by the franchise to focus on exploring other themes. However, the content of the most recent core games has quietly drawn attention to the idea of parallel words once more, hinting at two potentialsettings for futurePokémongamesin particular.

Professor Sada considers herself being from a separate timeline in Pokémon Scarlet’s DLC at Kitakami’s Crystal Pool.

Pokémon Scarlet And Violet’s Alternative Time Periods Should Be Explored

Paradox Pokémon Could Come From Alternate Realities In The Pokémon Multiverse

Although theorigins of Paradox Pokémonhave been somewhat vague inPokémon Scarlet and Violet, an encounter with the living professor of the relevant game version in its DLC does suggest thatthey may actually originate from parallel timelinesto that of the in-game world. This carries a subtle but meaningful distinction to them originating in said world’s own past or future; for example, instead of Great Tusk being a prehistoric ancestor of Donphan, it could instead be an alternative version of Donphan originating from a more primal parallel universe.

Pokémon’s Indigo Disk DLC Creates A Paradox For Scarlet & Violet’s Legendaries

A certain encounter in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Indigo Disk DLC has created a paradox centered on the games’ mascot Legendary Pokémon.

If the Professor’s theory is correct, this implies thatthe Paldea featured inPokémon Scarlet and Violetmay be closely connected to a pair of parallel worldswith radically different aesthetics; one savage and prehistoric, and the other cold and futuristic. Paradox Pokémon would, by extension, be the natural inhabitants of these worlds, explaining how they could be both so similar and so different to normal Pokémon without implying both the past and future of the mainPokémonworld itself are nightmarish time periods.

Art of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Koraidon and Miraidon with Kitakami’s Crystal Pool in the background.

Furthermore,it is clearly possible to travel to and from these worlds; the professor’s machine achieves just this, apparently through some application of Tera Energy. Area Zero’s many Tera Crystals and the presence of Terapagos may have likewise allowed wild Paradox Pokémon to be transported into the Great Crater for Heath to witness many years before. The nature of Ultra Wormholes further proves that these alternative worlds could be accessible, even accidentally, by a character from the mainPokémonuniverse. As such, it is entirely possible for these intriguing worlds to one day be explored in full.

Pokémon Scarlet And Violet Set Up A Brilliant Side Game

A Future Title Should Be Set In The Home Worlds Of Paradox Pokémon

A futurePokémongame that explores alternate timelineswould have the potential to put a dramatic twist on the average game. The player of such a game would be in a position to explore two worlds (or perhaps one world each in paired game versions) that are simultaneously familiar and wildly different from the world that people are familiar with. The designs of known Paradox Pokémon are extremely cool, and there are many people who would be very excited by the inevitable prospect of encountering more in a game like this.

10 Features Pokémon Gen 10 Needs To Leave Behind

The next mainline Pokémon game has a lot of potential to be something truly special, but if it wants to succeed, it must drop these bad features.

There are already a wide variety ofPokémonside games with their own unique settings and associated mechanics, including thePokémon RangerandPokémon Mystery Dungeonsubseries, and a game that steps into the franchise’s multiverse would be a logical extension of this.Such a game could even feature the return of the AI Professorsafter their journey through the Area Zero Time Machine, perhaps using their newfound experience to guide a protagonist who has accidentally been transported to these strange worlds. In this case, a major goal of such a narrative could simply be finding a way home.

Arden and Larry from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet looking sad.

The Native Worlds Of Paradox Pokémon Sound Incredible

They Could Present Extremely Different Versions Of The Main Pokémon World

Given the sheer power and frequent aggression of Paradox Pokémon, it is unclear if either of their native worlds would actually contain any native humans.Exploring such a setting could put a greater focus on sheer survival than evenPokémon Legends: Arceus’ gameplay, offering plenty of opportunity for new mechanics to facilitate such an experience. What’s more, thedramatic designs of Paradox Pokémonprompt endless speculation over how they and other, similar species may have shaped their native environments, and how these settings may have influenced them in return. This makes both worlds very intriguing as potential future settings.

The appearances of Past Paradox Pokémon suggest that their world draws strongly on a prehistoric aesthetic, while the cybernetic Future Paradox Pokémon imply their own world is one where technology has widely subsumed nature.

Great Tusk standing in a desert in Pokémon Scarlet.

The worlds of the Paradox Pokémon are almost total mysteries at present, with only the appearances and behavior of some of their inhabitants to suggest what either may be like. As a result, they are incredibly intriguing locations, and that means that aPokémongame that explores them properly has the potential to do extremely well. Such a title could even bring closure to the fate of the AI Professors fromPokémon Scarlet and Violet, and provide the explanation of the origins of their native creatures that the current core games lack.

pokemon-scarlet-and-violet-cover-art.jpg