Do Pokemon grow old? Aging, dying, and more explored

Although the Pokemon franchise might go on for decades without stopping, what about its titular creatures? Do Pocket Monsters grow old and die like humans do? The specifics may depend on which form of Pocket Monsters media fans are consuming. Still, the overwhelming consensus appears to agree that the series' creatures do indeed age and can die from various means.

This fact is supported by multiple canon sources, including Pokedex entries, certain events in official Pokemon games, and episodes of the anime series. But how exactly does aging work for Pocket Monsters? And how common is death for the series' expanding list of creatures? All things considered, as with many things in the fictional universe, it depends on the creature in question.

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Analyzing aging and death in the Pokemon universe

Cubone's design is one of the most apparent signs of death in the Pokemon world (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Although the Pokemon series doesn't lean into the concept of aging and death often, likely to keep itself friendly to younger audiences, several aspects of the games, anime, and other fictional works point to age and death being a certainty. One of the first examples comes in the form of Lavender Tower in the Generation I games, a resting place for Pocket Monsters who have perished for many reasons.

Several Pokedex entries also make direct references to Pokemon death. Cubone wear the skulls of their dead mothers, Charmander will die if its tail flame is extinguished, Dracovish went extinct from overhunting its prey, and Houndstone is purported to be the spirit of a beloved Pocket Monster being reborn. The fact that an entire Ghost-type element is present also suggests life after death.

Most major Pokemon games include a location where these beloved creatures are interred in their final resting places, and one has to imagine that these species can die from myriad causes. Although Pocket Monsters are known to battle and have constitutions that can surpass those of humans, they're still living beings and can sustain life-threatening injuries that can result in death if they're not treated.

Mairin's Chespin falls into a coma in Mega Evolution Special IV (The Pokemon Company)

Moreover, some episodes of the Pokemon anime have addressed the fact that these titular monsters can also be afflicted with illness, which can also result in death if the illness is severe and isn't cured. Pocket Monsters and humans have also been known to clash, causing fatalities on both sides. The ancient war in the Kalos region shows this when Yveltal killed scores on its own.

That leaves a lingering question: do Pokemon age, or do they only die from other factors? Based on Pokedex entries, it appears that Pocket Monsters definitely age, though the lifespan depends on the creature. For example, the Silver/Crystal version Pokedex claims that Ninetales can live for 1,000 years, while the Emerald Pokedex says Absol has a "long-lived" lifespan of up to a century.

Meanwhile, for Pokemon who have already departed their corporeal bodies, such as Gastly/Haunter/Gengar or Annihilape (which flew into a rage so powerful it exceeded the limits of its body), aging may not be a factor. Creatures like Wartortle are said to be aged if they have algae on their shells, and Tracey Sketchit's Scyther was originally outcasted from its group in the anime for being too old.

The Pokedex states Ninetales can live up to 1,000 years old (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Much like humans, Pocket Monster aging is likely to vary. Individuals live longer or shorter than their counterparts, but most creatures are likely far from immortal where aging is concerned. An exception may be made for legendary or mythical species, as their powers go beyond what ordinary 'mons are capable of, and those like Arceus, Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina are considered godlike.

It may be a safe assumption that if Absol is considered long-lived, living up to 100 years, many species can likely live for decades, much like humans. This seems to be supported in both the games and the anime, as adult and elderly humans often talk about spending their lives with their Pocket Monsters and even pass them on to their children and grandchildren at times.

While aging and death have been alluded to regularly in the series, death may only be the beginning for some of them. In addition to the fact that Ghost-type species exist, The Loyal Three of Kitakami were resurrected in the Scarlet and Violet games, and a folk tale in Sinnoh states that people would eat fish-like 'mons and place their bones in the water so they could be reborn.

Gastly may not age since its body is composed of gas and souls (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The grittier and more nuanced details of creatures' aging, illness, and death aren't often reflected upon by the series' creators. Rather, the notions of all of them are sprinkled throughout the story and mythos but leave things ambiguous enough not to upset fans, particularly younger ones. Still, enough story beats and information are left in the series' works to make it clear that mortality is still present.

Pocket Monsters' unease or outright demise likely aren't topics that many players want to dwell on for extended periods, but they're certainly worth thinking about. In a way, the fact that most of the series' creatures are mortal, just like humans, emboldens the bonds between players and their Pocket Monster partners, making the fictional universe just a bit more immersive and believable.