Summary
- Pokemon Legends: Z-A set in Kalos’ past, Lumiose city with a new character cast.
- Design update and returning figure hint at deeper storylines and lore.
- Characters like Urbain/Taunie, Jett, Vinnie, and AZ bring fresh dynamics.
Scheduled for release in late 2025 after the Nintendo Switch 2 drops, Pokemon Legends: Z-A will take place in a past era of the Kalos region, in the developing city of Lumiose. The Kalos region was the sixth region in the core series, introduced in the Gen 6 games, Pokemon X & Y. Lumiose City is one of the biggest cities not just in Kalos, but ever made in the Pokemon world.
Players will get to journey throughout Lumiose with a new cast of characters, and a returning one. With the case of a returning key figure from Pokemon X & Y, this connection may hint at deeper storylines tied to the Kalos region’s lore, and Pokemon as a whole. The following is a glimpse at the next cast of characters from Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
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The Player Character
A Classic Start
In line with Pokemon video game tradition, players will be able to choose between a female or male avatar for their journey. Following Pokemon Scarlet & Violet fashion, the player character starts with a standard outfit themed for the area. This probably hints at the possibility of ways to customize looks in the future.
Each character type starts with a neon green jacket and unique hats. The trailer revealed open shops, so clothing stores like the ones from Scarlet & Violet should return and allow for more streetwear.
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Urbain/Taunie
The Player’s Counterpart
Every Pokemon game includes a counterpart for the player character to act as a friendly rival and a major component to progressing the story. Legends: Z-A reveals Urbain/Taunie, whose appearance changes depending on what the player chooses.
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Urbain/Taunie will live and work at AZ’s Hotel Z, which suggests some ties to AZ’s character. This “rival” seems similar to Nemona or Kieran from Scarlet & Violet, acting as a friendly ally to the player and providing a way to test the player’s team.
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Jett
CEO of Quasartico Inc
In Legends Z-A, Lumiose City is undergoing urban redevelopment, and is being shaped into a city that belongs equally to both people and Pokemon. This project is headed by Jett, the CEO of a massive corporation called Quasartico Inc. She appears in the trailer as a stylish corporate figure wearing crescent moon earrings.
Aside from heading Quasartico Inc. and supervising every move, not much is known about her true intentions, but the project of creating a city that combines people and Pokemon sounds like a spectacular thing. Perhaps the events of X & Y could point to something deeper with the construction of the city, or the iconic Prism Tower seen in the center.
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Vinnie
Jett’s Secretary
Not much is known about Vinnie either, other than he is large in stature and serves as Jett’s secretary. He’s seen wearing sunglasses both indoors and outdoors, always concerned with whatever tasks that Jett gives him.
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Vinnie has large muttonchops on the sides of his face, and seems to have Pangoro and Buneary hair accessories in the form of a bun on the top of his head. Despite this whimsical appearance, the trailer portrays Vinnie as a quiet, no-nonsense type of character who may act as a proxy between Jett and Lumiose City.
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AZ
The Ancient Hotelier
AZ is a returning character, a mysterious man who appears in Pokemon X & Y. At that time, he was 3,000 years old due to his beloved Floette’s powers. In X & Y it was revealed that he built a horrible weapon that ended the ancient war and brought his Floette back to life, but this Floette was disgusted by the fact that this machine was powered by the life energy of other Pokemon and left him.
In Pokemon Legends: Z-A, AZ appears to be the owner of Hotel Z and still claims to be over three thousand years old. He still stands nine feet tall due to the weapon’s effects, and is accompanied by his Eternal Flower Floette. It’s still unclear whether the events he describes in Pokemon X & Y are a thing of the past, or part of an alternate timeline.
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Eternal Flower Floette
The Unspoken Legend
The Eternal Flower Floette is one-of-a-kind. It’s never seen in any game’s data, only referenced and seen as an unobtainable Pokemon in Pokemon X & Y. This unusual Floette has vastly different colors compared to other Floettes, as she rides upon a distinctive black flower.
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It’s likely implied, if this is the same Floette as seen in X & Y, that this Pokemon too is over 3,000 years old and is responsible for AZ’s extended life. There’s no evidence to suggest that this Pokemon will be obtainable or remain strictly beside AZ, but becoming a unique type of Legendary Pokemon could start an awesome trend of making legendary versions of regularly seen Pokemon.
