For Pokémon Day 2025, The Pokémon Company unveiled a brand-new trailer for the upcoming Nintendo Switch platform exclusive Pokémon spinoff game, Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Here, Pokémon fans worldwide got to see Kalos’ Lumiose City in a new Pokémon game for the first time since the region’s debut in 2013’s Pokémon X and Y on the Nintendo 3DS. Taking place after the events of X and Y, Pokémon Legends: Z-A will have players explore a redeveloped Lumiose City with three different starters, Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile. Along the way, trainers will encounter characters new and old, with one in particular playing a very different part than his first appearance: the giant 3,000-year-old man AZ.
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The History of Pokémon X and Y’s AZ
During Pokémon X and Y’s narrative of exploring Kalos, becoming the regional Champion, and stopping the machinations of Team Flare, players often heard tales of a long-ago war in the Kalos region. The war’s exact events and history remained unknown to the young trainers, but many spoke of a powerful weapon made to end the war and how it had a severe impact on one of Kalos’ ancient monarchies. Along their journey, players first encounter a tall, slender, disheveled man on Route 13 near the Kalos Power Plant, speaking only of a flower Pokémon that has eternal life. This man is simply known as AZ, one of Kalos’ old kings.
As Team Flare begins taking over parts of Kalos, the criminal organization’s boss Lysandre captures AZ and takes his key to the old ultimate weapon with the intent of using it to kill everyone who’s not a part of Team Flare and make the world “beautiful” again. In Lumiose City’s Lysandre Labs, Lysandre and the player encounter an encaged AZ who tells the truth of the war and his connection to the ultimate weapon. Thousands of years ago, AZ had a unique Floette as his partner Pokémon whom he cherished with all his heart. However, Floette died in the war, causing a grief-stricken AZ to create the ultimate weapon to revive his fallen Pokémon with the lives of other Pokémon.
AZ’s Tragedy and Repentance
Floette was resurrected, but AZ still sought vengeance against those involved with the war. AZ used the ultimate weapon to unleash destruction upon his enemies and end the war. Upset by how malevolent their friend had become, Floette abandoned AZ, causing the former king to wander the world in search of his friend for millennia. AZ urged Lysandre not to use the ultimate weapon, but he refused, forcing the player to destroy the weapon and end Lysandre’s threat. Upon becoming Champion, AZ battles the players and loses, but thanks the trainer for helping him feel free from his sorrow. Floette then returns to AZ and the two embrace each other after being a millennia apart and the latter learning to love Pokémon again.
It’s suggested by many Pokémon researchers that the use of Xerneas and Yveltal’s power in the ultimate weapon 3,000 years ago may have been the catalyst event for Mega Evolution’s creation.
AZ’s New Role in Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Since being a king 3,000 years ago, AZ has fallen relatively far in terms of his career as he is now the owner of the old hotel, Hotel Z, alongside his beloved Floette. With Legends: Z-A taking place primarily within Lumiose City, Hotel Z will serve as the players’ main base as they are staying at the hotel after traveling from an unknown far-away location to the city for sightseeing. AZ and Floette aren’t the only employees at Hotel Z, however, as players will additionally encounter Urbain/Taunie, an employee and resident of the Hotel who enjoys helping and battling people and Pokémon.
Given that Professor Sycamore nor any other Pokémon Professor has appeared in any Pokémon Legends: Z-A media so far and that AZ is the owner of Hotel Z, AZ may play the role of players’ mentor in this game, similar to prior professors. AZ may even be the one to give players their starter Pokémon as a way to better involve themselves with the city’s redevelopment. Urbain/Taunie is shown to use a starter Pokémon as well, so it would make sense for AZ to give them and the player the starter Pokémon to help with the hotel and the city. AZ could additionally give players more background information and history on Kalos, since players are expected to be restricted to only the city’s grounds in the game.
