Hoenn Legendaries, Part III

Latias
The Eon Pokémon
Type: Dragon/Psychic
Official Registration #: 380
Entry: One of the legendary dragon guardians of the Soul Dew, an item of mystic power. Unlike most other legendaries, it’s known that latias live in small herds with multiple other latias and latios. Each latias is highly sensitive to human emotions, can understand human speech, communicates telepathically, and possesses coats of reflective down that can alter their appearance or render them invisible. Needless to say, these abilities in combination have caused much romantic confusion in the human race since the latias have first discovered us, and there is, indeed, an internet subculture dedicated to this exact breed of confusion.

Latios
The Eon Pokémon
Type: Dragon/Psychic
Official Registration #: 381
Entry: One of the legendary dragon guardians of the Soul Dew, an item of mystic power. Unlike most other legendaries, it’s known that latios live in small herds with multiple other latias and latios. These highly intelligent pokémon are capable of flying at mach speeds and telepathically coercing subjects into seeing whatever they see in their minds. Often born alongside a sister latias, latios are generally pacifist in nature … except when their twins “interact” with rather seedy-looking humans, at which point, they often use their considerable abilities to eliminate the perceived threat. Which, honestly, makes latios a pokémon the author can sympathize with greatly.

Hoenn Legendaries Part II

Regirock
The Rock Peak Pokémon
Type: Rock
Official Registration #: 377
Entry: One of the three legendary golems said to have been gifted to humans early in Hoenn’s civilization by the legendary Regigigas. Having been sealed away for thousands of years, Regirock was only recently unearthed in the Hoennian desert. Because early Hoennian records fail to describe Regirock in great detail (besides its purpose as the servant of both humanity and Regigigas), there are many mysteries surrounding it, such as why it was sealed away, how its body can be composed of rock from across the globe, how Regirock is capable of thought, and whether or not it is, indeed, the source of such charming sayings as “you’ve got a head full of rocks,” “you’ve got a stone heart,” and a few others that the author can’t repeat for fear of inciting the editor’s wrath.

Regice
The Iceberg Pokémon
Type: Ice
Official Registration #: 378
Entry: One of the three legendary golems said to have been gifted to humans early in Hoenn’s civilization by the legendary Regigigas. Like its sibling golem, Regice was sealed away for thousands of years, has only been unearthed recently, and is the source of quite a few mysteries of its own. Unlike Regirock, many of these mysteries revolve around two questions. First, why is its body made of solid, Antarctic ice when the Arctic Circle is far, far closer? Second, in what way is that practical for a tropical region, even accounting for the fact that Regice is incapable of melting? (Sure, perhaps it would be nice to have a block of ice to cool down a village, but considering the fact that only one was ever made….)

Registeel
The Iron Pokémon
Type: Steel
Official Registration #: 379
Entry: One of the three legendary golems said to have been gifted to humans early in Hoenn’s civilization by the legendary Regigigas. Like its sibling golems, Regsteel was sealed away for thousands of years and has only been unearthed recently. Unlike its sibling golems, besides the mystery of why it was sealed away, we pretty much understand quite a lot about registeel. The idea of a large, hollow body with a metal coat being tempered by underground heat and pressure for thousands of years makes perfect sense to us. Especially, you know, that describes most steel-types anyway.

Hoenn Legendaries! Mostly Rayquaza. :D

Well, there are certainly a number of fascinating stories about the Hoenn region, and a single post can’t quite do them all justice. For that reason, let this be the first in a (half-)week-long Hoenn special.

Starting with, of course:

Rayquaza
The Sky High Pokémon
Type: Dragon/Flying
Official Registration #: 384
Entry: According to Hoennian lore, this legendary dragon has lived for millions of years in the uppermost layers of the planet’s atmosphere, and because of how far high and how fast it flies, only recently (comparatively speaking) has humanity developed the technology that makes it possible to see Rayquaza in flight. Otherwise, it does not leave this part of the atmosphere except for when Earth is in imminent danger. Rather, it glides ever vigilantly across the sky, sleeping rarely and eating nothing but the tops of thunderclouds and incoming meteoroids. The author really has nothing funny to say about Rayquaza; he just thinks the idea of an eternal, meteoroid-consuming dragon flying across the edge of space is awesome.

Cresselia

Cresselia
The Lunar Pokémon
Type: Psychic
Official Registration #: 488
Entry: According to Sinnohan myth, Cresselia is the lady of the crescent moon and of dreams, as well as a companion to Darkrai. As such, her mere presence can induce blissful dreams in even the most morbid creatures, and her feathers alone, known colloquially as Lunar Wings, are highly valued for their ability to induce peaceful sleep. The latter may explain why the most common souvenir in the Sinnoh region are “authentic” Lunar Wings (actually chatot feathers dyed and curled) … which, the author supposes, do bring pleasant dreams—to Sinnohan merchants.

Darkrai

Darkrai
The Pitch-Black Pokémon
Type: Dark
Official Registration #: 491
Entry: According to Sinnohan myth, Darkrai is the lord of the new moon and of dreams, as well as a companion to Cresselia. As such, its mere presence can induce terrifying nightmares in even the strongest-willed creatures. To protect itself and conceal its true domain, it consciously uses its powers to inflict a deep slumber full of horrific nightmares on all those around it, an act which it does for the sole purpose of driving intruders away. Yet also according to Sinnohan myth, it actually means no harm. Incidentally, yes, the author is aware of just how contradictory most of this entry is, and yes, he does indeed think this is highly appropriate for a pokémon that looks very much like the embodiment of the scene phase he certainly never had.

Something on Ho-oh please? :) I feel it is overshadowed by Lugia.

Well, I admit I was going to end Johto Week with an entry on both Lugia and Ho-oh, but how can I argue with this request?

(Besides, as the son of a kimono girl from a sect dedicated specifically to Ho-oh, I realize now that not dedicating a full entry to Ho-oh would be literally sacrilegious somehow.)

Bill … are you ever actually worried that Ho-oh will set you on fire for not worshipping it enough? —LH

Of course not. I’m well aware that as a human, I will likely be set on fire by Ho-oh either way. It’s just the principle of the matter. —Bill

All right then. —LH

Ho-oh
The Rainbow Pokémon
Type: Fire/Flying
Official Registration #: 250
Entry: The guardian of the heavens and reincarnation, according to Johtonian legend. Once the mentor to the Johtonian people (during its longest and period of peace and prosperity), Ho-oh roosted in the gilded sister tower of Lugia’s shrine, known today as Bell Tower. However, after Lugia became enraged at humanity’s violence and greed, it drew down the storm that burned Brass Tower to the ground, and Ho-oh, in its despair over the death and destruction caused by its fellow legendary and humankind, flew away to parts unknown on rainbow wings, leaving behind three beasts to act as its judges for the Johtonian people. It is said that Ho-oh will only return to Johto when it’s clear that humans and pokémon are capable of living in harmony, and thus, it is said that its subordinates, Raikou, Entei, and Suicune, are destined to wander the earth, observing us for the day when we become worthy of Ho-ohs presence once again. In other words, Ho-oh’s legend is one elaborate (but true) story about why none of us can’t have nice things.

Johto Legendaries, Part II

Lugia
The Diving Pokémon
Type: Psychic/Flying
Official Registration #: 249
Entry: The guardian of the sea, according to Johtonian legend. Also according to Johtonian legend, Lugia is the god of storms, and as such, even the slightest flutter of its wings can generate hurricanes so strong it can flatten entire villages, as well as rainstorms so persistent they last for forty days. Both are, of course, absolutely fantastic for a region that relied on the shipping and fishing industries up until fifty years ago. Thus, to ensure that they held Lugia’s favor (or, in other words, to ensure that they kept Lugia pleased so Lugia would avoid annihilating Johto’s fleets of fishing and merchant ships, as well as most of its coastal population), the Johtonians constructed one of the largest, tallest, and most ornate shrines dedicated to a legendary pokémon in existence. However, given the normal Johtonian disposition of fighting literally anything that moves and is not Johtonian, this ended just about as well as one would think it did.

Johto Legendaries, Part I

Raikou
The Thunder Pokémon
Type: Electric
Official Registration #: 243
Entry: According to Johtonian legend, an electric-type that had died in the burning of the Brass Tower was resurrected as the avatar of thunder and a representation of the lightning that had started the fire. It is said that this pokémon races across the land as part of its duty to watch over humanity for the day we will be worthy enough to be in the presence of Ho-oh again. In the meantime, as it races across the land, it releases devastating thunderbolts from the storm clouds on its back. This is actually a random occurrence tied to Johto’s naturally stormy weather, but local Johtonians like to think of it as its way of striking down the unworthy and purging the lands of sinners in the lightning-sparked flames of justice … which, honestly, is the least morbid part of our belief system.

Entei
The Volcano Pokémon
Type: Fire
Official Registration #: 244
Entry: According to Johtonian legend, a fire-type that had died in the burning of the Brass Tower was resurrected as the avatar of volcanoes and a representation of the flames that had engulfed the tower. It is said that this pokémon races across the land as part of its duty to watch over humanity for the day we will be worthy enough to be in the presence of Ho-oh again. It is also said that, as the avatar of volcanoes, every time it roars, a volcano erupts somewhere in the world. Luckily, this is not exactly true, as if it had been, then the world would have been engulfed in a volcanic apocalypse every time a certain friend of the Ecruteak gym leader’s made contact with the wrong legendary beast in his quest to become the chosen one of Suicune.

Suicune
The Aurora Pokémon
Type: Water
Official Registration #: 245
Entry: According to Johtonian legend, a water-type that had died in the burning of the Brass Tower was resurrected as the avatar of the north winds and a representation of the rain that had put out the fire. It is said that this pokémon races across the land as part of its duty to watch over humanity for the day we will be worthy enough to be in the presence of Ho-oh again. It is also said that Suicune has the ability to control water, purify heavily polluted lakes and rivers, and create healing springs. Those who are not familiar with Johtonian legend may think this means Suicune is the least dangerous of the three beasts. Those who are familiar with Johtonian legend, however, realize exactly how much water is in the interior of the region and that “drown the unworthy” is just as favored a punishment among the legendaries as “burn them alive.”

Can you write about Xerneas, Yveltal and Zygarde please!

Certainly, anonymous! Apologies for the delay!

Xerneas
The Life Pokémon
Type: Fairy
Official Registration #: 716
Entry: One of the three central legends of Kalosean myth—the deer-like guardian of life. It is said that when this pokémon’s horns glow in seven colors, it shares everlasting life with all those who are bathed in its mystic glow. This, as far as the author is concerned, is a far better alternative to a similar myth found in Johto, in which a pokémon that shines with rainbow colors will bestow life onto those who are bathed … in its sacred, unrelenting fires. The author appreciates that about Kalos: its calm, peaceful guardians of their world that do not set people on fire.

Yveltal
The Destruction Pokémon
Type: Dark/Flying
Official Registration #: 717
Entry: One of the three central legends of Kalosean myth—the eagle-like guardian of death. Yveltal is known best for its massive and fearsome wings. It is said that when it spreads these, they glow a bright red and absorb the life force of anyone bathed in its fiery brilliance. First, this description may actually be a reference to Oblivion Wing, a devastating attack that simultaneously heals Yveltal’s wounds … so, yes, of course such a glow would steal the life forces of others. Second, the author takes back half of what he had said in the Xerneas entry. He is clearly wrong and apologizes for this.

Zygarde
The Order Pokémon
Type: Dragon/Ground
Official Registration #: 718
Entry: One of the three central legends of Kalosean myth—the shapeshifting guardian of the region. Contrary to popular contemporary belief, Zygarde is not the legendary of the balance between life and death but rather the legendary guardian of Kalos’s ecosystem. It stands watch for anything that threatens the balance of nature and interacts with the problem in one of four forms (the cellular core, the dog-like 10% forme, the worm-like 50% forme, and the fierce, humanoid complete forme), depending on the level of the threat. However, it cannot be said enough that Zygarde’s interests are said to lie only in the ecosystem. Thus, if you happen to be simultaneously gifted with eternal life while being subjected to life-draining rays because Xerneas and Yveltal are engaged in combat before you … you’re on your own unless either of them destroy a tree full of pokémon. Terribly sorry.

Are legendary pokemon immortal?

That’s a difficult question to answer for certain, anonymous. Part of the reason why is because “legendary pokémon” is a term that applies to a wide variety of different species, some a little more powerful than others. The other part, of course, is because there are some legendaries no one has ever caught, so we can’t entirely run tests to figure this out.

Among the more terrestrial legendaries, all of the ones we’ve been able to study are indeed extremely mortal. For example, the latias and latios of Alto Mare are perfectly capable of dying, and there have been records in recent times of at least one of them doing so. Likewise, some legendaries are either sensitive or connected to their native elements. Celebi’s health in particular is said to be connected to the forest it guards, although its temporal abilities make it difficult to kill.

Once you get into more otherworldly legendaries, it really depends on whom you ask. The people of Johto, for example, believe that all of its legendaries can and do die, as evidenced by our stories of Celebi and the three legendary beasts. (The beasts were resurrected, yes, but that doesn’t mean they can’t die again.) Technically, we don’t really talk about death beyond that because it doesn’t concern us as much, but many of us—myself included, should you be asking for my personal opinion—believe in a certain reincarnation cycle of which Ho-oh is the embodiment. The story of the beasts, in fact, is really more or less a metaphor of this concept, where terrestrial beings become spirits or the embodiments of nature. Therefore, once the legends die, many of them will shed their mortal forms and live on in spiritual forms. The only exception is Ho-oh, which dies and is reborn over and over again.

By contrast, Sinnohans, our spiritual cousins, believe that Arceus is the infinite and perfect creator of the universe and thus incapable of dying (else the universe goes with it). Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina are said to share this quality, as all three of them are really embodiments of different facets of the universe. The others, however, are very much mortal and can die and become spirits, just as Johtonian legends can.

Then you have the Western followings. Kalos believes that its legends do not die but rather enter periods of dormancy, whereas Unova, which does not worship pokémon at all, is rather divided on the subject. (Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem, and Victini are said to be able to enter dormant states, but the others are perfectly mortal.)

In short, no one really knows the answer to this question, anonymous, but many of us have an answer. Which one you believe is true really depends on what you follow on a spiritual level. Should you be atheist, however, it may be worth it to note that all legendaries are physical. They’re beings of flesh and blood (or some equivalent thereof, in any case), and thus, very likely, they can be killed.