Who are the real villains of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet? According to CarmiWhite on Reddit, it's the many Pocket Monsters inhabiting Paldea and Area Zero. Since several creatures in the series, like The Loyal Three, Pecharunt, Koraidon/Miraidon, and the Treasures of Ruin, are known for their destruction, CarmiWhite pointed out that they likely have a high number of human kills.
"I think it’s kind of cool tho, and I can’t help but think that they made (Pokemon Legends: Arceus) to make us aware of the fact that Pokemon can actually be super dangerous creatures." - CarmiWhite, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet subreddit, January 13, 2024
Although several Pocket Monsters are certainly dangerous, many Pokemon Scarlet and Violet players agreed that the creatures of Paldea and Area Zero likely killed several humans in their time, as well as each other.
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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet fans discuss the deadly potential of powerful Gen IX 'mons
Using lore within Pokemon Scarlet/Violet, CarmiWhite pointed out the lethality of some of the two games' most powerful Pokemon. They stated that The Loyal Three had killed Ogerpon's human companion according to The Teal Mask DLC, the Treasures of Ruin had almost destroyed the Kingdom of Paldea, and the Koraidon/Miradion that players didn't befriend killed Professor Turo/Sada.
Other Pokemon Scarlet and Violet fans also pointed out that Kitakami legends stated that Ogerpon had killed (or at least maimed) The Loyal Three at one point and that Pecharunt likely contributed due to its ability to control Okidogi, Fezandipiti, and Munkidori of The Loyal Three. The Scarlet and Violet book also states that Iron Treads/Great Tusk likely killed at least one Area Zero explorer.
The user Miblaine also pointed out the trailer for Poltchageist for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: The Teal Mask. Poltchageist is known, according to the trailer, to drain the life force of humans and Pokemon who upset it. The player Szzznn also pointed to Greavard and Houndstone, which are shown to have a similar capability of their own just by being around humans.
All of these lore bits pieced together from trailers, the Scarlet/Violet Book item, and Pokedex entries make it quite clear that Paldea's Pokemon may be responsible for quite a few human deaths. When users pointed out that Tinkaton's hammer is also likely composed of the bodies of Steel-type Pokemon, fans agreed that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's lore can be pretty brutal.
Even though the concepts of death and Pokemon haven't been mutually exclusive, Scarlet and Violet certainly didn't shy away from bringing them together. Professor Turo/Sada's death is a major aspect of the base games' story, and death also prominently figures in the story of The Teal Mask and Indigo Disk DLCs. Pokemon have always had dangerous potential, but Gen IX made a mark.
Pokemon like Yveltal appeared in Kalos' War and drained the life of all things around it. Cubone's mother was killed escaping from Team Rocket in Generation I as well. Players agreed that keeping death in the minds of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet fans helped make the game world feel more real and believable.
There's also the distinction made between Koraidon/Miraidon killing the professors unintentionally and the much more intentional acts of The Loyal Three. Not all Pocket Monsters are evil, but many remain wild, and unforeseen consequences can lead to harm or death for trainers.
All things considered, while a more mature Pokemon game may be unlikely in the future, keeping the specter of danger present within the game universe is something that players clearly appreciate about the series as a whole.
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