Alola Variant Pokemon: Thoughts and Predictions

[p0pp1i0D3f3nd3r]

To be fair, Marowak's ghost typing does make sense if you go based on it's backstory. About how it was killed by Team Rocket and how it's ghost haunted Lavender Tower? It seemed kind of fitting for the typing.

I Agree with you COMPLETELY; It's a Nice Bonus for ALL Of the Gen 1ers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And for those who enjoy its Lore, Like Me!!!!! ^_^

 

[Arceus the Dragon]

Technically, the ghost at Lavender town is a normal Ground type Marowak but the fact they reference it by giving Alola Marowak a Ghost typing is neat.

 

[TouyaShiro]

How does the mammalian Ground type Marowak get spooky supernatural powers through biogical natural adaptation?

Well, when you're apparently fighting a lot of predators in the form of Grass types, you're bound to be fed up with it at some point. Who knows if the Ghost type is a result of latent ability or a grim fate for the species?
Who knows, maybe it only started that way. We can never really tell with these things... It's the same game that's trying to tell us that we have no logical explanation for surfer Raichu and that Meowth baked in the sun a bit too much.

 

[Vyrron]

Hard to say why it lost its Psychic-typing, considering that its only truly psychic ability seems to be its capacity for telepathic communication between its heads, which presumably, is still a trait of Alolan Exeggutor.

As for it being a Dragon-type, though, I cannot remember who on here said it (please take credit if you are reading this, unknown person), but if you boil Alolan Exeggutor down to its basic features - fangs, claws, long tail, long neck, short legs, and a connection with the sun - it does seem to line up quite a bit with some of the most familiar traits of (western) dragons.

Hmm, that seems a bit like reaching to me. I mean despite the features you mention, it still doesn't look like a dragon. It looks like a coconut tree with legs and a tail. Plus that doesn't explain why its type changed in Alola.

I remember someone else suggesting dragon trees as a possible inspiration for Alolan Exeggutor but they're not related to palm trees (nor do they look like palm trees really). It's odd, when GF gave the Dragon type to non draconic/reptilian Pokemon in the past it was easy to figure out why.

 

[TouyaShiro]

Hmm, that seems a bit like reaching to me. I mean despite the features you mention, it still doesn't look like a dragon.

I think that's the whole point of what he's trying to say - stripping down the definition to the bare basics makes it qualify as a dragon. It's obviously half sarcastic but also kinda hilarious in hindsight.

Plus that doesn't explain why its type changed in Alola.

My serious personal take is that it's being made to be far more physical - as for why it's a Dragon specifically, well, I guess it became far more resistant to fire and heat (and weaker to the ice as a consequence) as a result of its constant exposure to the sun. I dunno, it could be some sort of weird armless brachiosaurus/coconut tree hybrid, too, which may also explain its Dragon typing.

It's odd, when GF gave the Dragon type to non draconic/reptilian Pokemon in the past it was easy to figure out why.

Even they leave out some of the details (read: Alolan Raichu), but yeah, I can see your confusion. I think this is a good thing, though - the sheer absurdity of the prospect gets us thinking. Plus it's a good source of memes. (DRAGON/NOT A DRAGON)

 

[Tuoko]

Well, RIP Alola forms for the Growlithe and Psyduck lines along with Lapras.

Giratina is explicitly from the Distortion World so it's a supernatural being

I think Cubone evolving into Ghost/Fire could work MAYBE with a real, actual explanation.

EDIT: I think Sableye is a living creature too, but again, as far as we know it hasn't undergone such a drastic type change!

@Esserise already beat me to it, but yeah. There's nothing really supernatural about the Distortion World.

Sableye... While it does look ghostly, it is solid(?) and doesn't have all the traits of one.

Hmm, that seems a bit like reaching to me. I mean despite the features you mention, it still doesn't look like a dragon. It looks like a coconut tree with legs and a tail. Plus that doesn't explain why its type changed in Alola.

I remember someone else suggesting dragon trees as a possible inspiration for Alolan Exeggutor but they're not related to palm trees (nor do they look like palm trees really). It's odd, when GF gave the Dragon type to non draconic/reptilian Pokemon in the past it was easy to figure out why.

Not sure if it'd help, but I did see this on Tumblr.

• Exeggcute = Dracaena reflexa seeds
• Exeggutor = Dracaena Draco
• Alolan Exeggutor = Dracaena hawaiiensis

@TouyaShiro If you're interested in this.

 

[Esserise]

Hmm, that seems a bit like reaching to me. I mean despite the features you mention, it still doesn't look like a dragon. It looks like a coconut tree with legs and a tail.

Well no, it doesn't look like a dragon. @TouyaShiro hit my point - it's not so much a tree-ish dragon as it is a somewhat draconic tree.

 

[Vyrron]

My serious personal take is that it's being made to be far more physical - as for why it's a Dragon specifically, well, I guess it became far more resistant to fire and heat (and weaker to the ice as a consequence) as a result of its constant exposure to the sun.

That's a reasonable explanation! It's not an obvious choice since the Dragon type isn't directly related to the Sun but gaining a resistance to Fire and a bigger weakness to Ice due to the constant heat makes sense.

Not sure if it'd help, but I did see this on Tumblr.

• Exeggcute = Dracaena reflexa seeds
• Exeggutor = Dracaena Draco
• Alolan Exeggutor = Dracaena hawaiiensis

I found the post you're talking about. I can see Exeggutor's resemblance to Dracaena Draco but Dracaena Reflexa seeds don't look that much like eggs and Alolan Exeggutor is quite clearly supposed to be a coconut tree. Still it's possible GF drew inspiration from both dragon trees and palm trees.

Well no, it doesn't look like a dragon.

@TouyaShiro hit my point - it's not so much a tree-ish dragon as it is a somewhat draconic tree.

Alright I can see it now. Its draconic features aren't immediately obvious but it works sort of as an opposite to Mega Sceptile.

 

[Tente]

Well, when you're apparently fighting a lot of predators in the form of Grass types, you're bound to be fed up with it at some point. Who knows if the Ghost type is a result of latent ability or a grim fate for the species?
Who knows, maybe it only started that way. We can never really tell with these things... It's the same game that's trying to tell us that we have no logical explanation for surfer Raichu and that Meowth baked in the sun a bit too much.

Meowth's fur coat darkening a little is completely different (and actually logically is very possible) from a pokemon going from pure Ground to Ghost because there were a bunch of Grass types in the region...?

I think Alolan Raichu is kinda lame and unsatisfying too, but even then it's not as bizarre

 

[Necrozma]

Meowth's fur coat darkening a little is completely different (and actually logically is very possible) from a pokemon going from pure Ground to Ghost because there were a bunch of Grass types in the region...?

It obviously became a Fire type to confront the Grass types, not Ghost.

The Ghost typing might be related to the "sixth sense" that Marowak developed.

I think Alolan Raichu is kinda lame and unsatisfying too, but even then it's not as bizarre

Alolan Raichu is the worst Alola variant in terms of explanation as for how it gained the typing because at least for Marowak we were given some sort of explanation. With Raichu they didn't even bother.

 

[Rainami]

Alolan Raichu is the worst Alola variant in terms of explanation as for how it gained the typing because at least for Marowak we were given some sort of explanation. With Raichu they didn't even bother.

I wouldn't be too surprised if SM provided further context for that. The site could be either trying to sound ominous, or it could just be being lazy, I can't tell. I wouldn't insult it until we know the nature of these pancakes regardless. Pancakes may just be an inferior waffle, but they still maintain much of the wonder and magic that waffles possess.

I'm hoping they explain marowak more as well, like what is the nature of this "sixth sense"

 

[Esserise]

It obviously became a Fire type to confront the Grass types, not Ghost.

The Ghost typing might be related to the "sixth sense" that Marowak developed.

Exactly; becoming a Fire-type was the natural response to being in a harmful grassy environment. The Ghost-type was a side-effect of their strengthened familial bonds.

Besides, why would you explain all of the science behind a ghost anyway? Doesn't that rather defeat the whole point of them being strange and unknowable?

I wouldn't be too surprised if SM provided further context for that. The site could be either trying to sound ominous, or it could just be being lazy, I can't tell.

It's neither, they're being funny. Raichu's "explanation" being a completely silly cop-out is an intentional bit of levity among the otherwise plausible to semi-plausible explanations that they've given.

You know, just like the original ridiculousness of Pikachu being able to learn Surf by literally hopping on a surfboard. Surfchu and Flychu were gag characters in their own right, Alolan Raichu is just continuing that tradition.

 

[El_]

^ Developing a "sixth sense" due to familial bonds sounds far more in the realm of Psychic types rather than Ghost. Would have preferred if GameFreak outright confirmed if some species of Marowak have the ability to stay in the living realm after death, as there is some precedent for it due to Cubone's mother in gen 1. The typing really is nothing but a callback to that any who.

 

[Esserise]

^ Developing a "sixth sense" due to familial bonds sounds far more in the realm of Psychic types rather than Ghost.

Potentially, but not necessarily. Cubone's mother is still the precedent here, since it is their familial bond that is being referenced, and that whole story is inextricably linked to a Marowak ghost. Obviously, yeah, the main goal here was to squeeze in a Gen I reference, but that doesn't mean that they didn't put any thought into it, and it's not as if they haven't given any abstract typings in the past (or even very recently - just look at Solgaleo).

Of course, I don't really think it's all that abstract - one imagines that if you walk around wearing your mom's skull and wielding your ancestors' bones at people (which again associates their familial bonds with death/spooky stuff), you are rather more inclined to start picking up some funky spiritual mojo.

 

[Necrozma]

Friendly reminder that Cubone "wears the skull of its dead mother on its head".

The connection to death alone is enough to warrant its ghost type. One could even go as far to theorize that the skull of its deceased mother is filled with energy or whatever that ghostly stuff is which upon evolution allows Cubone to gain the ghost typing. It's essentially a baby taking a body part of their dead parent and then evolving with it into an entirely new being.

 

[Rainami]

I guess thinking about it, the fire abilities probably do stem from its ghost typing, which I think makes more and more sense with each post I read. Channeling its ghostly energy allows it to use what could be considered offensive variants of will-o-wisp, which isn't a stretch at all when you consider pretty much every ghost-type can learn that move and they're more associated with it than even fire-types. Fire/Psychic or Fire/Fairy wouldn't make any sense because neither type has any real association with any sort of fire.

 

[BigBadButterfree]

I don't think ghost type is weird for marowak. Ghost tying doesn't make the Pokemon "dead." The only Pokemon I can think of that gains the ghost type are shedinja, which makes sense about the "possessed shell" thing, and froslass, which has to do with its origins. Snorunt doesn't die to become Froslass. So cubone doesn't have to "die" to become an alolan marowak.

That said, I am sight my bothered that it doesn't keep ground type, or that alolan cubone isn't pure fire. Would've made more sense in my opinion, but what do I know ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Oriden]

Venomoth - in Hawaii, the Black Witch moth is the embodiment of a deceased loved one's soul returning to say goodbye.
Possible Dark- or Ghost-type form?

 

[Blue_Cheshire]

I don't think ghost type is weird for marowak. Ghost tying doesn't make the Pokemon "dead." The only Pokemon I can think of that gains the ghost type are shedinja, which makes sense about the "possessed shell" thing, and froslass, which has to do with its origins. Snorunt doesn't die to become Froslass. So cubone doesn't have to "die" to become an alolan marowak.

That said, I am sight my bothered that it doesn't keep ground type, or that alolan cubone isn't pure fire. Would've made more sense in my opinion, but what do I know ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Funnily enough, there is a theory that Snorunt does die when you evolve it into Frosslass. The Dawn Stone is like sun energy and "melts" Snorunt, thus becoming the ghost type Frosslass. Of course this is just a theory (a game theory! thanks for watching!), but I thought it was interesting and fitted with what you were saying xD

 

[Matleo]

interesting will be to see if we get alolan grass/electric or grass/fire or maybe new pokes for those typings?
hmm after Alola the next regions could also get this touch?
hope they not only focus on one generation like gen 1 next time but mix it more up a little bit.