After finally revealing how Pokemon Legends: Z-A got its name, the game’s new approach to trainer battles and its Z-A Royale premise could allude to the potential return of one particular Mythical Pokemon. With a projected launch date set for late 2025, Game Freak has been pulling out the stops with new gameplay trailers showcasing some of its most anticipated and significant features, ranging from revealing its intergenerational trio of starter Pokemon to flipping the script with Pokemon‘s battle mechanics. Among these was Legends: Z-A‘s “Z-A Royale,” a new ranked battling system that could be the game’s replacement for gyms and leagues.
However, beyond the goal of graduating from Rank Z to Rank A, Game Freak has hinted that reaching the Z-A Royale’s highest rank will grant these trainers one wish. While it’s not unusual for Pokemon games to feature strange and fantastical storylines, such as Wishing Stars and Pieces being tied to Pokemon Sword and Shield‘s Dynamaxing gimmick, it does seem odd for Pokemon Legends: Z-A to refer to its reward as a “wish.” Given that wishes are not part of the lore behind Legends: Z-A‘s mascot Legendary Zygarde and with Mega Evolutions returning, this could be teasing the potential return of Jirachi, the Wish Pokemon.
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Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Leaked Mega Evolutions Could Replace A Pokemon Legends: Arceus’ Feature
Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s leaked Mega Evolutions could have inadvertently revealed how the game might revamp a key mechanic from Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Battle Royale’s Wish Could Be Crucial to its Story
Following the original announcement of Legends: Z-A, speculation has focused on the possible connections between Lumiose City’s urban redevelopment and Zygarde’s role in maintaining the balance of Kalos’ ecosystem. Though this could still explain Zygarde’s return as Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s mascot Legendary Pokemon since it has featured several times in the game’s trailers, the reveal of the Z-A Royale and its wish-granting reward raises new questions about the game’s story. While this “wish” could ultimately be an odd word choice and might connect to Legends: Z-A‘s Quasartico Inc., it doesn’t appear to fit with what’s known about Zygarde’s lore.
Zygarde Doesn’t Fit The Mold For Granting Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Wish
Between its first appearance in Pokemon X and Y as the final third in its Legendary trio and its subsequent revamp in Gen 7’s Pokemon Sun and Moon and Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Zygarde has been an outlier among Legendary Pokemon with its unique 10%, 50%, and Complete forms. But like Gen 5’s Kyurem and the hypothetical “Pokemon Gray,” the announcement of Legends: Z-A seemed to indicate that Game Freak is giving Zygarde its “Pokemon Z” moment. However, aside from the possibility that Zygarde is returning to prevent Lumiose City’s redevelopment, the Legendary Pokemon has so far never granted wishes.
This could potentially conflict with Legends: Z-A‘s predecessor, Pokemon Legends: Arceus, which utilized its mascot Mythical Pokemon to justify how the player wound up traveling back in time to Hisui. As a result, even though a leaked list of Mega Evolutions has included Zygarde, which suggests its importance in the game, the lore and presumable storyline behind Legends: Z-A‘s Legendary mascot doesn’t fit the Z-A Royale’s wish-granting premise. However, while Zygarde might not tie back to these wishes, the return of Mega Evolutions and Quasartico Inc. itself could offer further clues as to which Mythical Pokemon that could be involved instead.
Between Mega Evolutions and Wishes, Jirachi Could Return in Pokemon Legends: Z-A
Beyond Jirachi’s existing role as the Wish Pokemon, the quasar inspiration behind Quasartio Inc.’s namesake as a type of star could be the first sign of the Mythical Pokemon’s return in Legends: Z-A. Moreover, given that the last games to feature Mega Evolutions were the Gen 3 remakes, Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the return of Mega Evolutions could also include Mythical and Legendary Pokemon with Primal Reversions for Zygarde and Jirachi respectively. Potentially connecting Legends: Z-A‘s various storylines, with Quasartico Inc. abusing Jirachi’s wish-granting powers, taking over Lumiose City, and reawakening Zygarde, the Z-A Royale may have just inadvertently hinted at Jirachi’s return.
