Summary
Pokemon Legends: Arceuswas a breath of fresh air for the franchise and opened up the door to potential sequels set in other regions within thePokemonuniverse. Part of what madePokemon Legends: Arceuswork so well was its use of Arceus, the central creator god inPokemonlore, as the game’s primary mascot and driving force behind its plot. With rumors of a newPokemon Legendsgame set in Unova in the works, it will be hard for this sequel to top Arceus as a mascot mon, but there is already a clear candidate for this role.
Without much more than leaks and rumors to go on, it is hard to get a clear picture of what a sequel toPokemon Legends: Arceusset in Unovawill look like, and as there has only been one game in this style before, there is not much of a precedent for what players should expect from a sequel. While the main mechanics of the game like catching critters in real time will likely remain, the plot of this game is still in question. However, it seems unlikely that Arceus would again be the overarching force behind the game’s plot, and the Unova Region has a perfect replacement for Arceus already waiting in the wings.
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Kyurem Makes the Most Sense as the Mascot for a Legends Game in Unova
Aside from perhaps Mew, Arceus is likely the most iconic Mythical Pokemon in the series, meaning it would be hard to one of Gen 5’s Mythicals to have the same star power as the mascot of a newPokemon Legendsgame. While Victini, Keldeo, Meloetta, and Genesect have their interesting tidbits of lore, none are quite as mighty as Arceus or as capable of carrying the plot of a game on their own. Instead, the third Dragon type ofPokemon Black and White’s Tao Trio, Kyurem, has the most potential for an exciting story to be built around.
Kyurem holds a strong connection to Lacunosa Town located in the northeastern part of theUnova Region. Locals here tell the legend of a terrifying monster that came from a meteor, bringing cold winds with it and appearing at night to take townsfolk away and eat them. Although this legend is said to just be an old folk tale, the citizens of Lacunosa Town still maintain the city’s walls and refuse to go out after dark in fear of this monster emerging from the nearby Giant Chasm to eat them.
A game set in Unova’s past could take place during the real events of this legend and see players deal with the threat of Kyurem attacking Lacunosa Town. Having this town as a central hub similar toJubilife Village inPokemon Legends: Arceusfortified with walls to protect it from Kyurem seems like it would fit perfectly within the established themes of aPokemon Legendsgame. Given thatPokemon Legends: Arceusdeals with the terrifying power of these creatures and how it comes into conflict with human civilization, this type of premise seems like a natural next step for the series to take.
There is a wealth of lore behind Kyurem that seems ripe for aPokemon Legendsgame set in Unova to pull from, even if the mon isn’t as all-powerful as Arceus. Having Kyurem as the mascot of this game would help flesh out some of this more interesting pieces of its lore that the series hasn’t really touched upon, such as the fact that Kyurem appears to be an extraterrestrial creature. It would also serve to connect Unova’s past to established events in the Gen 5 games surrounding Lacunosa Town, similarly to howPokemon Legends: Arceusdepicts the Spear Pillar’s destruction.
