The extended look at Pokemon Legends: Arceus that was given to fans during Pokemon Presents showed off plenty of exciting new details previously unknown about the game. Among other things, it seems to be an exciting new entry in the Pokemon franchise that’s hopefully shaking the classic formula up in the same way that other Switch titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey did. Because it’s set so far in the past, Pokemon Legends: Arceus will likely be giving fans new details about the Pokemon world, but one often unspoken Pokemon topic was brought up twice in today’s showcase: Pokemon mortality.

So many details were revealed about Pokemon Legends: Arceus that some fans might have missed any discussion of Pokemon death, however, it was brought up casually by the narrator during the “Pokemon of the Hisui” section of today's Pokemon Presents. Pokemon has definitely addressed the topic in the past, but it’s never been as front and center as it was today making many fans wonder if Legends: Arceus will discussing the mortality of Pokemon even more in-depth in the final version of the game.

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Addressing Pokemon Mortality

As mentioned above, the Pokemon franchise is no stranger to talking about death, however, it’s very rarely addressed head-on. Oftentimes confined to the many descriptions held within the PokeDex, death and dying are very common elements surrounding the backgrounds of Ghost-type Pokemon.

With the introduction of Basculegion in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, it seems like the franchise is keeping that tradition alive as it looks to be a Ghost/Water-type evolution of Basculin. As described by the narrator, Basculin only evolves into Basculegion when another Basculin in their school dies swimming upstream and posseses them. While that description sounds pretty in line with and even tamer than other Ghost-types, those sorts of details are rarely addressed.

The other mention of Pokemon mortality was when meeting one of the other new additions to the PokeDex: Wyrdeer. Wyrdeer is the evolved form of Stantler and is new to the Hisui region. While its description wasn’t quite as morbid as Basculegion’s the narrator brought up the fact that its fur makes for “highly prized” garments implying that the Pokemon is either hunted or scavenged after its death for clothing. It is described to be revered and respected by the people of the Hisui region, so hunting feels unlikely, however, it raises a major question about Pokemon pelts and where the many fur outfits featured in the rest of the trailer came from.

What Pokemon Legends: Arceus Means for Pokemon's Future

Because Pokemon Legends: Arceus is set so far in the past and the trailer was willing to address the idea of Pokemon mortality twice, it makes fans wonder if Pokemon death is going to be explored even further in the final game. Pokemon hunting might be something addressed as the game also features a crafting system that Pokemon pelts may be useful items in. When viewing some of the icy conditions of the Hisui region, the player might need to find something that’s a little bit warmer than what they have when the game starts.

The Pokemon franchise has a very wide reach and plenty of children play the games alongside adults, so it feels unlikely that Legends: Arceus would really double down on Pokemon mortality in an inappropriate way. However, the game seems like it could be mature enough to handle the idea of the circle of life in a way feels natural and appropriate. If the Pokemon Company is willing to address the ideas in the promotional material for the upcoming game, then the game itself might address it as well paving the way for the topic to become more commonplace further down the road.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus will release exclusively on the Nintendo Switch on January 28, 2022.

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