POTW Pokémon of the Week #51: Elgyem and Beheeyem

Maniacal Engineer · Jul 8, 2017

In the World of Pokémon, there lives a vast number and variety of amazing creatures to befriend and collect. Every week, we will be focusing on a single one of these Pokémon or evolutionary line and talking about what makes it special. This week, in honor of the 70th anniversary of the Roswell Incident, we'll be taking a look at Elgyem and Beheeyem.

Based on telepathic aliens and the many UFO related conspiracy theories including the Roswell Incident, these Pokémon were introduced in Generation V.

They haven't had much screen time in the anime, though there have been some notable appearances of both species in a few episodes. Elgyem most notably appeared in A UFO for Elgyem! where it was attempting to use its telepathic powers to help people by showing them visions of upcoming accidents, and it even managed to save Ash, by showing him a vision of him falling through a weak board on a bridge. Beheeyem made its anime debut in Beheeyem, Duosion, and the Dream Thief! under the ownership of Leon, the titular Dream Thief, where it lured Ash and his friends into a trap and stole all of their on hand Pokémon, replacing some of them with dolls. Several Beheeyem appeared in Capacia Island UFO! where they were looking for a coin that had fallen out of their UFO and onto Capacia Island. They had hypnotized the townsfolk to help with the search.

Neither Pokémon received much time in the manga, either. Elgyem appeared in the Pokémon Adventures manga under the ownership of a trainer in Castelia City and as one of the Pokémon participating in a musical in Nimbasa City. Beheeyem also appeared in Pokémon Adventures under the ownership of Colress and was first seen when Colress was challenging the Unova Pokémon League. It was also the Burst form of Rabine in the Pokémon RéBURST manga.

In the games, Beheeyem makes an appearance as an NPC in Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, where three of them attack the player and are responsible for the player's memory loss. They were possessed by Dark Matter, the game's main antagonist.
In the main series games, Elgyem is found fairly late in Black and White and their sequels Black 2 and White 2, in the Celestial Tower. Beheeyem can be found in the aftergame of Black and White on Route 14. Elgyem is also found as a hidden Pokémon on Hoenn Route 121 and in Mt. Pyre after defeating Groudon or Kyogre in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Since they can only be found so late in the game, the player has access to many other psychic types, such as Solosis, Munna, Sigilyph, Woobat, or Gothita beforehand.

Competitively, Elgyem and Beheeyem are very slow, but have a high Special Attack stat. Beheeyem also has a decent Special Defense stat. They also have access to a decent amount of offensive moves, like Psychic, Psyshock, Thunderbolt, Charge Beam, Energy Ball, Dark Pulse, Nasty Plot, and Shadow Ball. They can also act defensively with moves like Calm Mind, Trick Room, Thunder Wave, Light Screen, Reflect, and Recover. Useful strategies include using Beheeyem as a Trick Room Sweeper with Trick Room and either three attacks or Nasty Plot and two moves, or using it to spread status conditions with Synchronize and Thunder Wave. Synchronize is actually a decent ability for this Pokémon, as it discourages the other team from using status conditions to shorten its lifespan or otherwise cripple it.

Here are some questions to consider to get conversation rolling. You don't have to answer all of them or any of them in your post as long as you're staying on topic and within global forum rules.

Do you like or dislike this Pokémon? Why?
How is this Pokémon in-game?
How is this Pokémon in competitive play? Are there any interesting strategies you like to use for them?
Do you like this Pokémon's representation in the anime? Are there any moments or qualities in particular you enjoy/dislike?
How do you think this Pokémon would interact with our world?
If given the power to, would you change anything about this Pokémon and if so, what would you change?
How do Elgyem and Beheeyem compare to other Psychic Pokémon found in Unova?
What do you think about the numerous Pokémon species that are said to have come from outer space?
Their ability to build UFOs proves that Elgyem and Beheeyem are intelligent lifeforms, do you think it is ethical to capture them and make them fight in Pokémon battles?
Are alien lifeforms actually Pokémon, or are they something else altogether?

Previous Pokémon of the Week:

Zexy · Jul 8, 2017

Do you like or dislike this Pokémon? Why?
I'd say indifferent. Maybe like because I don't really dislike any Pokemon.
How is this Pokémon in-game?
Never used it.
How is this Pokémon in competitive play? Are there any interesting strategies you like to use for them?
No idea.
Do you like this Pokémon's representation in the anime? Are there any moments or qualities in particular you enjoy/dislike?
Each member of the line had a nice filler episode of its own that was nice, but in the end it was just filler...
How do you think this Pokémon would interact with our world?
People would relate it to UFO stories.
If given the power to, would you change anything about this Pokémon and if so, what would you change?
Better stats and moveset, unique ability.
How do Elgyem and Beheeyem compare to other Psychic Pokémon found in Unova?
I haven't really tried it but I think you can get better. Sigilyph was a Psychic-type I liked a lot even though it starts falling behind later in the game, even Swoobat sounds better if only for Heart Stamp and the second STAB. Can't think of any other Psychic-types in Unova right now, but I'd rarely use a single-type Pokemon in an in-game playthrough... which just contributes to me being indifferent towards this line, I guess.
What do you think about the numerous Pokémon species that are said to have come from outer space?
I believe it. With some other species it's more fascinating. For example how Mega Evolution, Deoxys, Starmie and Staryu are related. Or the Clefairy line, what the Moon Stone is and how it does affect terrestial Pokemon when they evolve.
Their ability to build UFOs proves that Elgyem and Beheeyem are intelligent lifeforms, do you think it is ethical to capture them and make them fight in Pokémon battles?
As I understand the Pokemon world's ethics, as long as some lifeform is a Pokemon that's not a unique legendary that's needed for the world's balance, it is ethical to capture it and make it fight in battles. Other things that could hurt them long-time such as some forms of scientific experimentation on them is not ethical. Intelligence unfortunately has nothing to do with this; we know that Alakazam has an IQ much higher than humans' but it can be captured just as much as any other Pokemon.
Are alien lifeforms actually Pokémon, or are they something else altogether?
They are Pokemon.

Guzma · Jul 8, 2017

Do you like or dislike this Pokémon? Why?
I like them. Then again, I like most Gen V Pokémon, so that shouldn't be a surprise.
How is this Pokémon in-game?
Never used it.
How is this Pokémon in competitive play? Are there any interesting strategies you like to use for them?
Never used it.
Do you like this Pokémon's representation in the anime? Are there any moments or qualities in particular you enjoy/dislike?
Haven't watched the anime since DP.
How do you think this Pokémon would interact with our world?
It'd probably make the conspiracy nuts giddy.
If given the power to, would you change anything about this Pokémon and if so, what would you change?
I would boost Beeheeyem's speed a lot and its special defense slightly.
How do Elgyem and Beheeyem compare to other Psychic Pokémon found in Unova?
Completely outclassed by Reuniclus.
What do you think about the numerous Pokémon species that are said to have come from outer space?
It's pretty neat.
Their ability to build UFOs proves that Elgyem and Beheeyem are intelligent lifeforms, do you think it is ethical to capture them and make them fight in Pokémon battles?
Not sure, really. Given the whole "friendship" thing Pokémon and trainers have, it's always a grey area.
Are alien lifeforms actually Pokémon, or are they something else altogether?
Given that extradimensional beings and space viruses are apparently also Pokémon, I'd say yes.

ocelotlrama jaguar · Jul 9, 2017

Very unique Pokemon. As much as I like the typical animal Pokemon, it was neat to see the artists come up with an actual alien Pokemon, like what one thinks of when you think Area 51. With that said, despite their designs being interesting, I have never used it. Then again, I'm not too much of a fan of using Psychic types, whether in-game or competitive, so I have no knowledge on how it would handle in either or situation.

I never watched the Black and White anime to see how it is represented. I did see screenshots and Elgyem looks kind of cute.

These guys would be the aliens of our world. I don't think they would be Independence Day dangerous. They would visit earth and come and go as they please.

As mentioned earlier, I love Pokemon that are not just the typical cat, dog, and dragon. I am not a fan of Pokemon that look too much like humans all that much, but these guys have character and can get away with it because they are aliens. Aliens are neat. They need to do a lot more with the outer space theme. Maybe have a region set in space? That would be cool.

In terms of if it is ethical to capture these Pokemon just because they can build a UFO, you can ask the same thing about any other Pokemon. Some Pokemon speak human languages. Some have the intelligence of a supercomputer. Some look so human that they can pass off as actual humans (Jynx and Mr. Mime). If they're Pokemon, they're going to be caught and trained like any other Pokemon. The Pokemon that are from outer space act Pokemon-like, so they would be Pokemon to me. On the same note, are humans Pokemon? They seem to be the only creatures that are not Pokemon in the Pokemon world, especially since there are no dogs and cats. There's so many questions when you think about it...

Esserise · Jul 10, 2017

Do you like or dislike this Pokémon? Why?

I quite like Elgyem, as it's incredibly cute. I'm in a bit of a reevaluation period with Beheeyem. I've never given it much thought before, but I find myself thinking that it could be fun to use. It's a strange design, and those tend to score pretty highly with me. Only just last night did I realize how much its body sort of resembles a lab coat, and I rather love that. Although, I kind of hate Beheeyem at the moment because at the same time last night, I came across a Trainer in White Version who used one that opted to go for a full ten turns of Recover...

If given the power to, would you change anything about this Pokémon and if so, what would you change?

Let's be honest, it's stats could probably do with a bit of a buffing, and its movepool is kind of shallow.

How do Elgyem and Beheeyem compare to other Psychic Pokémon found in Unova?

In terms of battle capability I'm not sure, but I do know that the line doesn't catch my eye as immediately as Sigilyph, Gothitelle, and the Solosis line do.

What do you think about the numerous Pokémon species that are said to have come from outer space?

I'm not convinced they actually do. This trait, like the fantastical feats ascribed to Legendary Pokémon, is always couched in terms of rumor and theory, with the exception of Deoxys.

Their ability to build UFOs proves that Elgyem and Beheeyem are intelligent lifeforms, do you think it is ethical to capture them and make them fight in Pokémon battles?

Of course, show me the proof that they can actually build UFOs...

The relative sapience of Pokémon has never been entirely clear. I tend to assume that they're somewhere between humans and, like, cats. But an impression I've always gotten is that most Pokémon like battling; even if left alone in nature, they'll battle on their own against each other without Trainers. I like to think that explains high-leveled Pokémon and evolved Pokémon that appear in the wild - those are the veteran battlers of their habitat.

Are alien lifeforms actually Pokémon, or are they something else altogether?

I'd say there could certainly be alien Pokémon, but not all aliens are inherently Pokémon. Sun & Moon seem to have introduced more human-like aliens into the series, albeit in a single optional scene. The alien man in the scene does mention having met with a Solrock or Lunatone depending on your version, although it isn't established as to whether that occurred on his world or on Earth.

(Deoxys is a weird blurring of the lines - I think the original conception of it, up until ORAS, was that it actually started out as a space virus that fell to Earth on a meteor and didn't become a Pokémon until the meteorite was later exposed to a laser beam, presumably in a lab or something, that caused it to mutate into a Pokémon. But this would have occurred on a world already populated by Pokémon, with conditions that support the development of such creatures. But ORAS came along later and presented it as forming outside Earth's atmosphere without any involvement from a laser beam (without even editing the Pokédex entry like they did do for the weather titans), and with the implication that it had steered the meteor to Earth even in its compact triangle form, so... *shrug*)

Nicolas721 · Jul 12, 2017

I love Elgyem, he is one of my favorite Unova mons. He's cute while keeping the alien aspect. Beheeyem is decent, but he is maybe too small and not very intimidating, which is likely the reason why the line is pretty much forgotten. He looks more like a mid-evolution, but he would do wonders with a mega. Their shining dots in their hands are my favorite part of them.

In the anime they had decent roles. Elgyem had one of the best fillers of the series, showing new aspects to the Old man-Pokemon relationship we've seen many times, and Beheeyem also got two memorable fillers. ~~One of them should had gone to Reuniclus through~~.

I think that if Elgyem and Beheeyem had a problem with being captured they would have escaped from Earth.

CrystaI · Jul 16, 2017

If POTW didn't mention this pokemon, I kind of already forget the existence of this pokemon. This just shows how existentially insignificant this pokemon species is. It doesn't matter to me at all that this species wasn't created at all in the first place. Though, I wouldn't mind it was created, because nonetheless it adds a bit of variety to the entire pokemon roster, though as trivial as like it was already.

Alien pokemon is quite a neat idea. Before GenV, we already had Deoxys born from space virus, and the Clefariy line which is suspected to came from space. Also with the latest GenVII Ultra Beast, pokemon came from outer space is already nothing special.

BTW this gives me a little food of thought: When extradimensional creature can also be categorized as pokemon as long as there developed a kind of pokeball that can captures them, really anything can be called pokemon, including even riceball (or 4Kids' word doughnut?).
Therefore, alien pokemon? Nothing spectacular.

Rainami · Jul 18, 2017

I like these two a lot. Beheeyem is one of the many pokemon I disliked initially, I guess I thought it was too obvious a reference to a gray alien. But in hindsight I guess it moreso just felt weird that it took them so long to make a more basic "alien". Besides sableye, and even then sable's based on a more obscure type. And might not be from space. Whatever.

I like how they evoke war of the worlds kind of stuff. They are obviously organic to some degree, yet somewhat technological looking at the same time. Kind of creepy. Beheeyem also looks like a man in black, sort of, which is fun, and even rewrites/erases memories like one. It just has too many cool things about it. Beeheyem's probably like my fourth favorite psychic-type at this point, after bruxish, lunatone, and starmie. Two of which are also extraterrestrial...lol.

my only complaint is that it's pure psychic and not psychic/dark, because I think it totally fits. That or maybe psychic/electric. It's not the biggest deal, but it would have been cool. They also made it similar to reuniclus in terms of gameplay stuff, a bit too similar considering they were introduced in the same gen.

Peekaboo Pikachu · Jul 26, 2017

Elgyem & Beheeyem are underrated imho. I'm pretty fond of them since me and my family members have seen UFOs and other supernatural phenomena around where we live. (Yes, it's in the USA!)

Camille · May 5, 2018

This line is, sadly, one of my least favourite ones from Generation V. They look creepy, have very annoying cries, and are also very slow. On top of this, their movepool is rather generic and boring. I do find the fact they can learn Steel Wing somewhat funny, even if they lack Attack to use it well, but it likely has to do with the fact they weren't available in X/Y without being trasferred from the Unova games and were able to learn TM 51(Ally Switch) in Generation V, and then said TM became Steel Wing in Generation VI.

SirOni · May 6, 2018

Camille said:
I do find the fact they can learn Steel Wing somewhat funny, even if they lack Attack to use it well, but it likely has to do with the fact they weren't available in X/Y without being trasferred from the Unova games and were able to learn TM 51(Ally Switch) in Generation V, and then said TM became Steel Wing in Generation VI.

Since it is TM 51 they may have just decided to leave it with the capability to learn whatever it became since it could be a reference to Area 51. Some say Steel Wing could also be fairly appropriate for this Pokemon since it could refer to the metal wing of a space ship. Hmm, I guess.

Zeb · May 6, 2018

Elgyem is absolutely adorable, and Beheeyem has the fun trench coat idea incorporated in its design. I like the pair quite a bit, they're cool designs for an alien line. They keep it nice and simple, without going overboard, which I appreciate. I remember when the Gen V dex was being leaked and the leakers said there was an alien, the picture I had in my head was nothing like these two, and that's great because I expected not to like them.

I just wish they had made them a little more interesting in the battle department. Another slow, bulky Psychic type that was seemingly created for Trick Room, alongside Musharna, Reuniclus and Darmanitan-Zen in the same generation, feels a little, I don't know, uninspired. I'd also like to see their movepool expand to include some moves like Focus Blast, Aura Sphere and maybe even Dazzling Gleam. Beheeyem's coverage is kinda awkward, and it has to rely on Signal Beam - even if it's really cool to see an alien Pokemon using a move that sounds thematically fitting to them, like Signal Beam does. Giving them a better ability might also help - Analytic is obviously a very good ability, but it's not one that is game changing for a Pokemon like Beheeyem. Something a bit more exciting would not be sniffed at.

I used one in a White playthrough years ago and I remember it fainted a lot. I used one recently in my US playthrough too, and, well, not much seemed to have changed, it still fainted often sadly. Moving Recover to be learned at an earlier level might go some ways to help it, but I think it's just that it's slow, while its typing and stat spread isn't ideal for taking hits first.

Now that Strength Sap is a thing, I'd really like to see a Psychic variant of it (maybe using Sp.Atk or Atk of the target) called Brain Drain. It could be a special signature move for Beheeyem, but I suppose there's others like Nihilego that could maybe use it, too. If that doesn't happen, then just giving them Strength Sap would be ok with me, too.

POTW Pokémon of the Week #51: Elgyem and Beheeyem

More options

Maniacal Engineer

Mushy Emotionalist

Zexy

Quaxly Boy

Guzma

Actually Your Boy Guzma

ocelotlrama jaguar

Fluffy with 80% more spots!

Esserise

Operating without a T-437

Nicolas721

Well-Known Member

CrystaI

The Pokemon Observer

Rainami

beseech the stars

Peekaboo Pikachu

Active Member

Camille

Call of Fate

SirOni

Driving You Batty

Zeb

what is your spaghetti policy here?

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