Pokémon Legends: Arceus Has Disturbing New Origins For Zorua & Zoroark
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is continuing its trend of creating dark origin stories for existing Pokémon with the Hisuian Zorou and Zoroark, as they have a much harsher backstory in this game than they do in previous Pokémon titles. Hisuian Zorua and Zoroark also use their illusionary powers in a much more vicious way, by tormenting the minds of their foes, rather than using them to deceive those who would do them harm.
Zorua and Zoroark were introduced in Pokémon Black and White. They are both Dark-type Pokémon with the Illusion ability, which allows them to enter battle with the same appearance as another Pokémon on the trainer's team. This gave them a unique gimmick in competitive battling, as the enemy player had to wonder whether they were facing a Zoroark or not.
It was recently revealed that Pokémon Legends: Arceus would introduce Hisuian Zorua and Zoroark to the series. These are Normal/Ghost-type Pokémon, with white fur that has blood-red tips. These are the first Normal/Ghost-type Pokémon in the series, but there is a dark reason for why these Pokémon have this special typing.
According to the official Pokémon website, the Hisuian Zorua are the living dead. The original Zorua debuted in the Unova region in Pokémon Black and White, and it can be assumed that they reside in the ancient version of the same region. The illusionary nature of the Zorua line was met with mistrust and superstition in ancient times, which led to some of them being chased away by humans. The Zorua that traveled to the Hisui region could not handle the colder climate, nor could they contend with the existing Pokémon that resided in the region, which meant these Pokémon actually died. The Hisuian Zorua were reborn as ghosts, with their new powers fuelled by their hatred. The illusionary powers they possessed were now turned on those who wronged them.
The Hisuian Zoroark are able to wield the power of illusion as a weapon, like Mastermind from the X-Men franchise, or Genjutsu users from Naruto. The original Zoroark used their illusionary powers to change their appearance, while the Hisuian Zoroark can strike the minds of their enemies with terrifying illusions. It's also possible for these illusions to harm the physical bodies of enemy Pokémon, and presumably, humans as well. These origin stories are far darker than the ones provided in previous Pokédex entries, and it goes to show just how harsh the Pokémon world used to be in the days before Pokémon Red and Blue.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus will be available for Nintendo Switch on January 28, 2022.
Source: Pokémon