POPULAR: Cliches in Pokémon Fanfiction

[diamondpearl876]

I've seen fics with Pokémon described as pets and slaves before - not the majority, but they exist, the former usually referring to 'mons left at home while the protagonist travels and the latter a common idea used in dark!fics trying to portray a more "realistic" Pokémon world. I do think family members aren't a stretch at all, given how people refer to their own pets as straight up part of the family. I lose my shit every time my stepmom refers to her dog as my "sister," but that's another story. A lot of other roles Pokémon could be referred to depends a lot on how sentient and whatnot they are.

As for the relationship thing, I agree it depends on how sentient they are. The Sinnoh myths in the Canalave library depict how Pokémon and humans used to be able to marry and lived far closer lives than they do in the actual canon stories we see. Them being the "same" implies to me that they're just as sentient as humans, or at least were at some point in history.

 

[SinnohEevee]

I've seen fics with Pokémon described as pets and slaves before - not the majority, but they exist, the former usually referring to 'mons left at home while the protagonist travels and the latter a common idea used in dark!fics trying to portray a more "realistic" Pokémon world. I do think family members aren't a stretch at all, given how people refer to their own pets as straight up part of the family. I lose my shit every time my stepmom refers to her dog as my "sister," but that's another story. A lot of other roles Pokémon could be referred to depends a lot on how sentient and whatnot they are.

As for the relationship thing, I agree it depends on how sentient they are. The Sinnoh myths in the Canalave library depict how Pokémon and humans used to be able to marry and lived far closer lives than they do in the actual canon stories we see. Them being the "same" implies to me that they're just as sentient as humans, or at least were at some point in history.

Could it mean that humans evolved from Pokémon?

 

[Persephone]

Eevee as a starter makes a lot of sense. Able to pick evolution based on your team, rather than basing your team around the very first decision you made. Presumably close enough to common pet 'mons in anatomy and care, relatively powerful and either domesticated or close to it given the places its obtained in the games.

I think you could find a more interesting or novel starter, but if it's that or one of the regional trio, it's probably a better way to go in most cases.

 

[diamondpearl876]

Could it mean that humans evolved from Pokémon?

If so, I don't know why their elemental/supernatural/whatever powers would've disappeared.

 

[Robert Ketchum]

Eevee as a starter is a cliche? Then Im already guilty of a Pokemon cliche. Then again for my story I am trying to have the protagonists team be made from Pokemon I use in the game(I will always have at least an Eevee and Pikachu on my team so he's gonna get a Pikachu at one point.). And Eevee is my favorite Pokemon. I know I would go the Ash method of him not evolving his Eevee or putting it in a Pokeball.

 

[SinnohEevee]

Talking about human-Pokémon marriage, since you now have Trainers putting Pokémon in small devices, marrying a Pokémon would be marrying a subordinate. And marrying your Pokémon should be a no-no because you are in a position of power (imagine your boss or teacher wanting to marry you).

I also wonder if should a couple can have off springs. Even humanoid Pokémon (because you can't marry an animal, a plant, an inanimate object, or a ghost) are born from Eggs, and most Pokémon are in Egg Groups.

 

[Robert Ketchum]

Your teacher or boss wanting to marry you? That just sounds weird as all heck.

 

[KrspaceT]

Eevee as a starter is a cliche? Then Im already guilty of a Pokemon cliche. Then again for my story I am trying to have the protagonists team be made from Pokemon I use in the game(I will always have at least an Eevee and Pikachu on my team so he's gonna get a Pikachu at one point.). And Eevee is my favorite Pokemon. I know I would go the Ash method of him not evolving his Eevee or putting it in a Pokeball.

You can work with a cliche, you just have to know what is common and subvert or play with the cliches.

Talking about human-Pokémon marriage, since you now have Trainers putting Pokémon in small devices, marrying a Pokémon would be marrying a subordinate. And marrying your Pokémon should be a no-no because you are in a position of power (imagine your boss or teacher wanting to marry you).

I also wonder if should a couple can have off springs. Even humanoid Pokémon (because you can't marry an animal, a plant, an inanimate object, or a ghost) are born from Eggs, and most Pokémon are in Egg Groups.

I am of the opinion that Human x Pokemon can work, but the work would have to really, really explore the implications and the social attitudes behind it.

For example the difference of opinion in the subject between a veteran trainer and a civilian.

How power dynamics work.

Etc, etc etc

 

[AetherX]

If so, I don't know why their elemental/supernatural/whatever powers would've disappeared.

Who says they did? Pretty much every iteration of canon has people with psychic abilities. And then there's the undefinable "human factor" that would explain why humans are the most dominant species on the planet despite not having powers. That's kind of a power on its own.

 

[Twilight-Kun]

In Walking with Gods, I have a human get into a relationship with Arceus; and as a sign of their bond, Arceus gives its partner a poké ball and willingly enters it because it loves and trusts him

That, and pokémon have been shown time and time again to be able to pop out whenever they want, and even dodge the return command, so it's not really a surefire sign of a sign of dominance over your romantic partner

Especially if they're able to, oh, I dunno, open black holes (Gardevoir) or spew fire, lightning, water at high enough velocities to fracture rock...

You anger a pokémon, you're doomed

If so, I don't know why their elemental/supernatural/whatever powers would've disappeared.

There's plenty of humans with borderline supernatural abilities in the pokémon world - Psychics and Aura Guardians, for example

Could also be a result of evolving from a pokémon that caused them to lose access to the powers as well

 

[Beth Pavell]

It ought to be brought up that nearly every discussion of the morality of pokémon (Romantic relationships or otherwise) is conducted with modern, human, values.

In the Western (Whatever that means, but let's go with it for the sake of discussion) mind, it's taken for granted that personal freedoms are the most important rights; the idea that equality between humans is inherently good and desirable has never been more popular. Go back as little as 500 years and you'd find that people not only accept hierarchies but will argue they're necessary for the good of society. They couldn't care less about their freedom of speech but they're damn sure they care about their rights to the common ground.

That's before you consider whether pokémon would even have the same priorities as a human does. The weakness in the darkfics that have pokémon as slaves is the problem of why pokémon cooperate when let out of the Poké Ball, if it is such a terrible thing.

the undefinable "human factor"

I could take a stab at defining it - teaching and co-operation, the same skills that real humans have used to hit the top

 

[BackSet]

Speaking of the "eevee as starter" cliche: I'm as guilty lf it as most people here.

Except that by the time the story starts said eevee is already an umbreon and the main character has had said eevee since he was like 8. It also probably counts for something that said eevee is the only thing keeping said main character from staying inside for the rest of his life and not making connections with people and pokemon.

 

[Robert Ketchum]

The way I did the Eevee as starter thing is that Robert Akio is late but the professor decided to wait for him to arrive before letting his older brother pick a Pokemon. Then when Robert Akio does get there and they're going to choose a Pokemon he notices an egg, walks up to it and picks it up. Then it just hatches right in front of him. So I also did the trainer sleeps late cliche too. Even gave a direct time by him waking at 7:20 and saying he was supposed to be there 50 minutes ago.

 

[diamondpearl876]

Who says they did? Pretty much every iteration of canon has people with psychic abilities. And then there's the undefinable "human factor" that would explain why humans are the most dominant species on the planet despite not having powers. That's kind of a power on its own.

There's plenty of humans with borderline supernatural abilities in the pokémon world - Psychics and Aura Guardians, for example

Could also be a result of evolving from a pokémon that caused them to lose access to the powers as well

Right, I forgot about the psychics. xD Where's all my fics where Pokémon just usurp humans since they have every means available to them to do so?

 

[Twilight-Kun]

Right, I forgot about the psychics. xD Where's all my fics where Pokémon just usurp humans since they have every means available to them to do so?

Pokémon, much like cats, keep humans around because they are spoiled rotten by them and they enjoy the pampering

 

[canisaries]

hey, are there lots of eevee-starter fics out there that have the eevee evolve into a fake eeveelution? i'm curious

 

[Ghostsoul]

Eevee starter: But instead it's symbolic of how the trainer struggles to adapt to one particular field and feels utterly lost in the world. As the story goes on, they start to find one particular area of interest, yet they also must face the reality of never being the best at said thing, as well as being unrecognisable to the people that once knew them due to their drastic change in personality (for better or worse) due to their struggles. Yet, their starter eevee, instead of changing to reflect the trainer themselves remains unevolved.

 

[Robert Ketchum]

That... sounds like a neat idea for an Eevee starter thing. The protagonist of my story only finds that he wants to be a Pokemon master after an experience with a flock of Spearow. And he's trying to be better at Pokemon training then his older brother/rival is. I thought that having the rival be the protagonists older brother gives a bit of an excuse for him being a jerk. Sibling rivalry is like that.

 

[Huikyeong]

People giving Pokemon moves they can’t use

 

[KrspaceT]

People giving Pokemon moves they can’t use

How does that work with event mons, or does it have to be 'that' mon.

For example the Zoroarok Movie Raikou can use Aura Sphere. Would a Aura Sphere Raikou bother you, or only if it is not a shiny Raikou.