Pokémon who are misunderstood

[NovaBrunswick]

Some Pokémon are thought of by humans (and sometimes other Pokémon) as being troublemakers, but in reality, they are just innocent creatures who have no malicious intentions. These are some great examples of popularly misunderstood Pokémon, including others who I think are misunderstood in my own opinion:

• Absol - Often wrongly blamed for causing disasters, when it merely just warns others of them. The idea of Absol being not a harbinger of disaster, but a kind of useful warning and evacuation system, was explored in the anime episodes Absol-ute Disaster (Hoenn saga) and more recently Absol Absolved (Journeys series).

• Darkrai - When it's around humans and Pokémon, it makes them have horrifying nightmares, but it doesn't mean any harm; it's simply to protect itself. That hasn't stopped some people fearing Darkrai however, such as Sailor Eldritch's son in Canalave City, who apparently mutters Darkrai's name in his sleep like it's some kind of demon haunting his dreams.

• Purrloin - A chronic kleptomaniac, Purrloin was famously one of Cilan's biggest pet hates (quite literally) during the Unova saga of the anime. It never steals out of malice, however, but just as a bit of good fun. Even its 'victims' can't help but forgive it.

• Gyarados - Once feared by Misty, Gyarados is infamous for its ill temper and penchant for destroying everything in its path - including landmasses - when something makes it tick. Gyarados never intentionally destroys things, however - it just has serious anger management issues, probably brought on by people constantly mocking it when it was a teeny-weeny splashy Magikarp. Hey, it's okay, Gyarados, some of us have gone through that too.

• Mimikyu - Possibly the loneliest Pokémon in the world, Mimikyu actually takes at least some inspiration from a Breton myth about a kind fairy who is so horrifyingly ugly, it's forever alone. Mimikyu just wants to make friends, but unfortunately, it often (unintentionally) kills them, which makes it even lonelier. Mimikyu probably has the saddest backstory of any Pokémon.

• Bewear - Called the most dangerous Alolan Pokémon because of its sheer strength, which has even caused some Trainers' deaths. Bewear isn't a cold-blooded murderer, however - it just has too much power. It can be taught to restrain itself when it hugs.

• Mewtwo - Yep, believe it or not, some fans actually think Mewtwo is misunderstood. While the first movie (and its follow-ups) portrayed it as an unthinking, emotionless destroying machine, some theorize that the reason it caused so much devastation is because it was warning others that this is what happens when you create an organism that has no compassion or mercy. Mewtwo is a sort of cautionary tale of what happens when science goes horribly wrong.

 

[Ultra Beast Lover]

I think Drifloon might be misunderstood. I think it steals away dying children's souls and it doesn't like children who are "heavy" with life.

 

[octoboy]

I think hypno may apply, as there are a lot of memes which paint it as some sort of perverted deviant, while its motives are more likely to use the people it hypnotizes as a source of dreams it can eat, and it isn't even described as abducting kids all that often - probably far fewer human children are abducted by hypno than drowzee (which are essentially hypno's children) are abducted by human trainers. And, of course, that's just the odd wild one, trained ones are apparently useful nurse's aides and can treat insomnia.

And, of course, Mr. Mime gets a lot of flack, and it isn't even described as malicious. It just gets a bad reputation for looking kind of freaky.

• Purrloin - A chronic kleptomaniac, Purrloin was famously one of Cilan's biggest pet hates (quite literally) during the Unova saga of the anime. It never steals out of malice, however, but just as a bit of good fun.

Ahh, the ol' "It was a prank, bro!" defence

 

[NovaBrunswick]

I think Drifloon might be misunderstood. I think it steals away dying children's souls and it doesn't like children who are "heavy" with life.

The same might apply to the Litwick family too, especially Lampent. It's feared as a bringer of death, when it really only appears right at the moment someone dies to take their soul to the afterlife, like the Grim Reaper.

I think hypno may apply, as there are a lot of memes which paint it as some sort of perverted deviant

A certain Creepypasta comes to mind...

"Come, little children, come with me, safe and sound you will be..."

 

[Jesness]

Some Pokémon are thought of by humans (and sometimes other Pokémon) as being troublemakers, but in reality, they are just innocent creatures who have no malicious intentions. These are some great examples of popularly misunderstood Pokémon, including others who I think are misunderstood in my own opinion:


Absol - Often wrongly blamed for causing disasters, when it merely just warns others of them. The idea of Absol being not a harbinger of disaster, but a kind of useful warning and evacuation system, was explored in the anime episodes Absol-ute Disaster (Hoenn saga) and more recently Absol Absolved (Journeys series).

We don't talk about Absol, no, no, no!

But anyway... setting aside Gyrados for a moment, I think Magikarp is misunderstood- or if not misunderstood at least maligned for something outside of its control. Okay, so it's a 'weak' Pokemon, it gets a lot of hate both by real-life players and in the anime for being useless. Magikarp is exceptionally hardy and can live and thrive almost anywhere and while it may not be very good at 1v1 battling, it has to bring SOMETHING to the table in order to survive in the wild. Magikarp is just out there trying to live its best fishy life.[/list]

 

[octoboy]

^ Yeah, I respect Professor Birch for being, like, the only professor to give magikarp a fair dex entry which doesn't just plain diss the poor thing.

 

[Pokefan_1987]

^ Yeah, I respect Professor Birch for being, like, the only professor to give magikarp a fair dex entry which doesn't just plain diss the poor thing.

Not quite sapphire is more the more lenient of the two.

Sapphire
Magikarp is virtually useless in battle as it can only splash around. As a result, it is considered to be weak. However, it is actually a very hardy Pokémon that can survive in any body of water no matter how polluted it is.


Ruby
Magikarp is a pathetic excuse for a Pokémon that is only capable of flopping and splashing. This behavior prompted scientists to undertake research into it.

 

[Psajdak]

I don't think EVERY Marowak mom dies so that her child can too have its own cool helmet.

 

[Jesness]

I don't think EVERY Marowak mom dies so that her child can too have its own cool helmet.

Yeah. If you hatch a Cubone from an egg it's already wearing a skull even if its mother is still in your party. Cubone is an edgy toddler.

 

[Pokefan_1987]

I don't think EVERY Marowak mom dies so that her child can too have its own cool helmet.

Or its a genetic evolution after the first Cubone and as it adapts to survive. By passing down dna from a long ancestry and eventually Cubones were able to be naturally born with a skull similar to some animal gaining horns?

Think about if early proto humans didn't walk upright for years.

 

[Orphalesion]

Yeah. If you hatch a Cubone from an egg it's already wearing a skull even if its mother is still in your party. Cubone is an edgy toddler.

Thena gain Kangaskahn hatched out of an egg already with a baby of its own in its pouch...

Think about if early proto humans didn't walk upright for years.

Our bodies still aren't really built for permanent upright movement, that's one of the reason why spin troubles are so common.

 

[Jesness]

Not quite sapphire is more the more lenient of the two.

Sapphire
Magikarp is virtually useless in battle as it can only splash around. As a result, it is considered to be weak. However, it is actually a very hardy Pokémon that can survive in any body of water no matter how polluted it is.


Ruby
Magikarp is a pathetic excuse for a Pokémon that is only capable of flopping and splashing. This behavior prompted scientists to undertake research into it.

It literally sounds like those two Pokedex entries were written by Archie and Maxie. I don't particularly care for R/S or ORAS but I'm gonna give them credit for the small details, like Sapphire's dex entry is nicer to Magikarp cause it's a water type! XD

 

[Psajdak]

Porygon since 90s.

 

[MrJechgo]

• Dark types in general; they're not always evil, but also represent nocturnal creatures.
• Ghost types in general; they're not always dead, but also represent spirits, or incorporeal entities

 

[JasonNeptune]

I think Drifloon might be misunderstood. I think it steals away dying children's souls and it doesn't like children who are "heavy" with life.

Cool, so how would you feel if a friend wanted to bring his Drifloon around YOUR kids?

 

[RedJirachi]

Whether Darkrai is misunderstood or legitimately evil has varied wildly. In Mystery Dungeon it's a monster, in Pokemon Movie 10 it's a hero. Even in the game's canon Platinum suggests this is a defense mechanism and Darkrai doesn't mean harm, but Black and White 2 heavily implies it caused the death of the ghost girl

 

[RedJirachi]

I think that Giratina is very misunderstood. It is banished by its own creator and feared as a devil but then in its movie Giratina and the Sky Warrior it was shown to care for Shaymin even though Shaymin said it was afraid Giratina was going to eat it.
Also, my Giratina from Platinum is a legend amongst my family and friends. They know it as one of the best Pokemon ever trained by any of us.

I mean, the anime doubles down on the idea that no Pokemon is truly evil (with blue moon exceptions like the Malamar), which unintentionally reinforces the real monster is man

 

[Pikachu Fan Number Nine]

Certain Pokemon based on animals that themselves are misunderstood, in particular bat Pokemon. The only flying mammals are really important to us for many reasons.

 

[RedJirachi]

The only flying mammals are really important to us for many reasons.

I thought bats were the only flying mammals, and other "flying" mammals were gliding (technically not flying)

 

[Pikachu Fan Number Nine]

I thought bats were the only flying mammals, and other "flying" mammals were gliding (technically not flying)

They are the only flying mammals.