Sun & Moon Pokémon Speculation Thread

[esquilo09]

I just realized you're right--Rowlet, Rockruff, and Litten do mirror their real-life counterparts, lol! Oh, the potential for hilarious interactions!

You're right about that. Rowlet sleeps during the day: Because owls are nocturnal.

Rockruff is playful, rebellious, loyal and shows affection towards its beloved trainer: Like most dogs.

Litten is calm, steal food and distrusts humans: Like most cats.

 

[Red and Blue]

I don't get why some people are giving up on Litten due to no hints of it getting caught in the upcoming episodes.

This isnt the first time they've drawn out a capture. Plus Litten needs more time to fully trust Ash

 

[Domok]

Krokorok has taken way longer than Litten has at this point so I wouldn't worry.

 

[345ash-greninja]

I don't get why some people are giving up on Litten due to no hints of it getting caught in the upcoming episodes.

This isnt the first time they've drawn out a capture. Plus Litten needs more time to fully trust Ash

It's pretty much evident that the writers are developing the relationship between Ash and Litten. Some people aren't understanding that. Well but I'm pretty much sure.

 

[Pokegirl Fan~]

I'm pretty sure Litten will be caught before the 30th episode, but it did take Chimchar and Krokorok a little longer to be caught.

 

[WaterShuriken]

I'm pretty sure Litten will be caught before the 30th episode, but it did take Chimchar and Krokorok a little longer to be caught.

There's no rush I guess. With Ash being stationed in Melemele Island, they can make him do the Akala trials in any episode when they fly him over. So they can focus on building up Rowlet and Rockruff up a bit first.

 

[ShadowForce720]

hmm here is how big the episode gap between then 2nd and 3rd capture are in each of the previous regions:

Kanto: 0 episodes they were caught in the same episode as each other.
Johto: about a 15 episode gap.
Hoenn: about a 16 episode gap.
Sinnoh: about a 47 episode gap.
Unova: The 3rd capture's capture episode was the following episode after the 2nd capture's capture episode.
Kalos: about a 32 episode gap.

From what it seems Sinnoh and Kalos were outliers, and I'm presuming that if Ash was going to capture another pokemon besides Rockruff in episodes 16-19 Pokefan would have mentioned the pokemon. So if we assume that the gap between the 2nd capture and 3rd capture is going to be similar to the gap between the 2nd and 3rd captures in Johto and Hoenn then that would mean the 3rd capture in Alolan would happen in the following episode:

15+15/16=30/31 meaning that if this is the case then the 3rd capture will happen in around episodes 30 or 31, although it could happen sooner or it could happen later. Although I wouldn't be too surprised if the next capture happens anywhere from episodes 20-29.

 

[Golden_Latias]

Time for another bold prediction based on absolutely nothing, this time regarding Litten. I will probably be way off but that's fine. These are just random rambling thoughts I come up with at work anyway.

Spoiler: Litten theory

We know Stoutland is old, perhaps dying. Maybe, by this point, things have gotten worse for it, and Litten is stressed about it. But we'll get to that later.

I think SM16 will be a more eventful episode than people expect for Litten. In that episode thread, a lot of people are expecting Rowlet and Popplio to talk about their experiences with Ash and Lana resrespectivelRowlet could talk about Ash's backpack the events of SM04, how much it enjoys battling with Ash, and whatever else it wants to talk about. Popplio can talk about how Lana rescued it from Team Skull and how much it likes fishing with her, maybe even the bubble dream. Both of these stories help Litten to begin to realize that not all humans are bad. Maybe not change its mind, maybewe'll learn about Litten's backstory, but it's enough to get it thinking.

But Litten won't learn that Ash is Rowlet's trainer until the end of the episode. Rowlet is certainly airheaded enough to not mention that. Anyway, Litten will be surprised that the trainer Rowlet is so fond of is Ash is the same goofy kid from earlier. Ash and Litten will interact briefly (probably nothing more than Ash recognizing and thanking Litten) and Litten will run off. Remembering the events of SM07 and Rowlet and Popplio's experiences with their trainers, Litten takes an interest in Ash and starts following him. Not be use it likes him, but more because it's curious about him.

SM17 and 18 won't have any events of consequence, but there will be shots of it watching Ash and witnessing more positive interactions between Trainer and Pokemon.

Now SM19 will be interesting because this is where I think Litten will witness two Z-Moves used by Ash. Watching Rockruff use Breakneck Blitz to defeat the Mudbray will catch Litten's attention, but Ash's battle with Tapu Koko is going to be what really sells Ash on Litten. I still expect Ash to lose that battle, but I think Pikachu will put up a better fight and show off a more powerful Gigavolt Havoc. I also think that losing to Tapu Koko is what's going to convince Ash that he needs more Z-Crystals.

BUT before Ash begins the Akala Island trials, I do think SM20 is going to be Litten's capture episode. I don't know what's going to happen or if it's going to involve Stoutland's death (considering Litten's nightmare back in SM07, I think it might). If it does, then maybe Litten will decide to go along with Ash because it has no one else to turn to. Maybe it blames itself for Stoutland's death and wants to get stronger. Maybe Ash and Litten are successful in saving Stoutland, and Stoutland convinces Litten to go along with Ash like Toucannon did to Rowlet. Either way, I think that is when Litten will join Ash.

But I still don't think it will share a strong bond with him. I think it will see him as more of a means to an end without the knowledge that Z-Moves require a strong bond between Trainer and Pokemon.

 

[ShadowForce720]

Time for another bold prediction based on absolutely nothing, this time regarding Litten. I will probably be way off but that's fine. These are just random rambling thoughts I come up with at work anyway.

Spoiler: Litten theory

We know Stoutland is old, perhaps dying. Maybe, by this point, things have gotten worse for it, and Litten is stressed about it. But we'll get to that later.

I think SM16 will be a more eventful episode than people expect for Litten. In that episode thread, a lot of people are expecting Rowlet and Popplio to talk about their experiences with Ash and Lana resrespectivelRowlet could talk about Ash's backpack the events of SM04, how much it enjoys battling with Ash, and whatever else it wants to talk about. Popplio can talk about how Lana rescued it from Team Skull and how much it likes fishing with her, maybe even the bubble dream. Both of these stories help Litten to begin to realize that not all humans are bad. Maybe not change its mind, maybewe'll learn about Litten's backstory, but it's enough to get it thinking.

But Litten won't learn that Ash is Rowlet's trainer until the end of the episode. Rowlet is certainly airheaded enough to not mention that. Anyway, Litten will be surprised that the trainer Rowlet is so fond of is Ash is the same goofy kid from earlier. Ash and Litten will interact briefly (probably nothing more than Ash recognizing and thanking Litten) and Litten will run off. Remembering the events of SM07 and Rowlet and Popplio's experiences with their trainers, Litten takes an interest in Ash and starts following him. Not be use it likes him, but more because it's curious about him.

SM17 and 18 won't have any events of consequence, but there will be shots of it watching Ash and witnessing more positive interactions between Trainer and Pokemon.

Now SM19 will be interesting because this is where I think Litten will witness two Z-Moves used by Ash. Watching Rockruff use Breakneck Blitz to defeat the Mudbray will catch Litten's attention, but Ash's battle with Tapu Koko is going to be what really sells Ash on Litten. I still expect Ash to lose that battle, but I think Pikachu will put up a better fight and show off a more powerful Gigavolt Havoc. I also think that losing to Tapu Koko is what's going to convince Ash that he needs more Z-Crystals.

BUT before Ash begins the Akala Island trials, I do think SM20 is going to be Litten's capture episode. I don't know what's going to happen or if it's going to involve Stoutland's death (considering Litten's nightmare back in SM07, I think it might). If it does, then maybe Litten will decide to go along with Ash because it has no one else to turn to. Maybe it blames itself for Stoutland's death and wants to get stronger. Maybe Ash and Litten are successful in saving Stoutland, and Stoutland convinces Litten to go along with Ash like Toucannon did to Rowlet. Either way, I think that is when Litten will join Ash.

But I still don't think it will share a strong bond with him. I think it will see him as more of a means to an end without the knowledge that Z-Moves require a strong bond between Trainer and Pokemon.

Well I think it depends on how much longer the writers will want to dragged this whole Litten getting developed before Ash catches out, if they don't want to drag it out for much longer then Litten will probably be Ash's 3rd capture and will be caught in the next episode that really focuses on it after episode 16, however if the writers do want to dragged the whole Litten thing out even longer then I could see Litten wind up being the 4th capture instead and if that happens then I think Ash will get Grubbin as his 3rd capture.

At this point the only pokemon that I could see Ash's 3rd capture being if it's not Litten would be Grubbin as it's literally the only other pokemon besides Litten that has some hints towards it. Either way I don't see a pokemon that hasn't been hinted at being caught by Ash before he gets Litten, sure it could wind up being the 4th capture and Litten being the 3rd but I doubt it would be the 3rd capture and Litten winds up being the 4th.

So at this point the 3rd capture will probably be Litten or if not Litten then it will probably be Grubbin. Now I know some people here seem to be so sure that Litten will be the 3rd capture, but I think it's important to point out that before we knew about Ash getting Rockruff as his 2nd capture, a lot of people were assuming that Litten would be the 2nd capture and then Rockruff would be captured after Litten, and yet Ash wound up getting Rockruff as his 2nd capture, so while it is possible that Ash's 3rd capture could be Litten, I wouldn't be that surprised that if Ash does wind up getting a Grubbin if it wound up being the 3rd capture instead and Litten wound up being the 4th capture.

Of course it's always possible that if Ash gets Grubbin it could be the 4th capture and Litten could be the 3rd.

 

[Zoruagible]

O-m-g! Ikaiaiai! Ash caught Rockruff! His 1st canine-like Pokémon. Now I'm 100% never gonna doubt a canine-like or a feline-like capture for Ash ever again.

Yeah, those excuses are null and void now. It's about damn time he got a canine too, I wanted him to get Lucario and Zorua since they were first shown way back, but he never got them. I'm glad Litten and Rockruff are the ones breaking those sayings down.

Now looking to Sandslash being his first Steel type.

 

[Golden_Latias]

hmm here is how big the episode gap between then 2nd and 3rd capture are in each of the previous regions:

Kanto: 0 episodes they were caught in the same episode as each other.
Johto: about a 15 episode gap.
Hoenn: about a 16 episode gap.
Sinnoh: about a 47 episode gap.
Unova: The 3rd capture's capture episode was the following episode after the 2nd capture's capture episode.
Kalos: about a 32 episode gap.

From what it seems Sinnoh and Kalos were outliers, and I'm presuming that if Ash was going to capture another pokemon besides Rockruff in episodes 16-19 Pokefan would have mentioned the pokemon. So if we assume that the gap between the 2nd capture and 3rd capture is going to be similar to the gap between the 2nd and 3rd captures in Johto and Hoenn then that would mean the 3rd capture in Alolan would happen in the following episode:

15+15/16=30/31 meaning that if this is the case then the 3rd capture will happen in around episodes 30 or 31, although it could happen sooner or it could happen later. Although I wouldn't be too surprised if the next capture happens anywhere from episodes 20-29.

I don't know. The writers didn't have to add Litten to the opening, yet the fact that they did at all (and it's by Ash) indicates that, at the very least, he'll have Litten before the opening changes over. And didn't you mention that usually happens after 28 or so episodes?

Also, the difference there is that Ash got his fitsttwo captures within 10 episodes. That's not happening in AM.

 

[Janovy]

Anyone else really want Midnight Lycanroc for Ash? There is a real potential for struggle and development there if Ash indeed gets it.

In contrast, Lycanroc's Midnight Form is thrilled by battling, and becomes more excited the stronger its opponent. This excitement is what causes its eyes to glow. Its strategy consists of closing in on its opponent and encouraging attack, then countering with a powerful blow that knocks out its opponent. Trainers that can draw out its power earn its trust, but it despises those that it disagrees with or who try to force it to fight.

The more intimidating the opponent it faces, the more this Pokémon's blood boils. It will attack with no regard for its own safety.

I feel like this could lead to a lot of nice developments.

 

[TheWanderingMist]

Anyone else really want Midnight Lycanroc for Ash? There is a real potential for struggle and development there if Ash indeed gets it.

I want it, I just don't like its color scheme.

 

[Janovy]

Here, I made a post why I think Ash should get Midnight Lycanroc:

Trainers that can draw out its power earn its trust, but it despises those that it disagrees with or who try to force it to fight.
The more intimidating the opponent it faces, the more this Pokémon’s blood boils. It will attack with no regard for its own safety.

Basically, Midnight Lycanroc seems to have a sort of “bloodthirsty” personality and such an aggressive personality seems to clash with Ash’s personality. This could lead to a lot of disagreements forcing Ash to deal with a Pokemon that isn’t fully obedient and that he gets into fights with often.

Furthermore, it says it will attack with no regard for its own safety. This attitude is completely anti-Ash and I feel Ash would get angry for Lycanroc acting so recklessly. In response, Lycanroc would get angry because it despises trainers it disagrees with. This whole premise simply has a lot of potential if a Pokemon like Midnight Lycanroc goes to a trainer like Ash.

 

[TheWanderingMist]

Basically, Midnight Lycanroc seems to have a sort of “bloodthirsty” personality and such an aggressive personality seems to clash with Ash’s personality. This could lead to a lot of disagreements forcing Ash to deal with a Pokemon that isn’t fully obedient and that he gets into fights with often.

Furthermore, it says it will attack with no regard for its own safety. This attitude is completely anti-Ash and I feel Ash would get angry for Lycanroc acting so recklessly. In response, Lycanroc would get angry because it despises trainers it disagrees with. This whole premise simply has a lot of potential if a Pokemon like Midnight Lycanroc goes to a trainer like Ash.

Also, it would make a good foil for Mimikyu in that case, as that little fairy is disobedient towards Jessie except in regards to Pikachu, and will likely remain that way for quite some time, while Ash would obviously try to get Lycanroc to see the error of its ways.

 

[U.N. Owen]

Here, I made a post why I think Ash should get Midnight Lycanroc:



Basically, Midnight Lycanroc seems to have a sort of “bloodthirsty” personality and such an aggressive personality seems to clash with Ash’s personality. This could lead to a lot of disagreements forcing Ash to deal with a Pokemon that isn’t fully obedient and that he gets into fights with often.

Furthermore, it says it will attack with no regard for its own safety. This attitude is completely anti-Ash and I feel Ash would get angry for Lycanroc acting so recklessly. In response, Lycanroc would get angry because it despises trainers it disagrees with. This whole premise simply has a lot of potential if a Pokemon like Midnight Lycanroc goes to a trainer like Ash.

This isn't a bad concept. Ash is a passionate character and Lycanroc is a very obsessive character, two traits that should go hand in hand yet clash against each other because passion is controlled while obsession is lack of control.

 

[ShadowForce720]

I don't know. The writers didn't have to add Litten to the opening, yet the fact that they did at all (and it's by Ash) indicates that, at the very least, he'll have Litten before the opening changes over. And didn't you mention that usually happens after 28 or so episodes?

Also, the difference there is that Ash got his fitsttwo captures within 10 episodes. That's not happening in AM.

It can vary for instance here is the episode count for how long each openings last from Johto-Kalos:

Johto:
1st opening(117-191):74
2nd opening(192-238):46
3rd and final opening(239-274):35

Hoenn:
1st opening(1-69):68
2nd opening(70-104):34
3rd opening(105-134):29
4th opening(135-165):30
5th and final opening(166-192):26

Sinnoh:
1st opening(4-78):74
2nd opening(79-95):16
3rd opening(96-133):37
4th opening(134-157):23
5th opening(158-182):24
6th and final opening(183-191):8

Unova:
1st opening(1-84):83
2nd opening(85-108):23
3rd(109-122):13
4th and final opening(123-142):19

Kalos:
1st opening(1-28):27
2nd opening(29-54):25
3rd opening(55-93):38
4th and final opening(94-140):46


So as you can see it varies when it comes to when the opening changes so we might get a new opening around episode 28 or it might be sooner or it might be later then that. So even if Litten winds up being the 4th capture instead of the 3rd it could still wind up getting caught before the opening changes.

 

[Golden_Latias]

Fair enough.

And I'm indifferent to which form of Lycanroc Ash gets. I like both of them equally but feel that Midday is more likely to happen.

 

[Frozocrone]

Midnight could be interesting with Ash having an unruly one and Olivia being able to control hers.

 

[ShadowForce720]

Personally I would prefer Rockruff to evolve into Lycanroc(Midday form) over Lycanroc(Midnight form), but I don't have a problem with it evolving into it's Midnight form.