Team Skull, Aether Foundation and Plot Discussion Thread [Contains Story Spoilers]

[JVLightningLover]

On the "grunt" thing we've never had a need for the art before but ingame it could just be this game's version of male/female scientists,ect.

What about the ambiguous timeline of ORAS Hoenn?

Hoenn's timeline isn't ambiguous. The events of R/S/E/OR/AS take place at the same time as Gen 1, placing them before Looker's introduction in Platinum, so that's noteworthy.

Now, if you mean it's ambiguous because of the Delta Episode Many Worlds Catch-All, then I hate to break it to you, but none of the Pokemon games have a defined place in any one version of the timeline. Any given game could talk place in any universe, either existing or new, since GF opened up that can of worms. That way they can introduce anything they want, and have a perfect excuse to explain away the retcon.

That said, we know that SuMo takes place after X/Y, which means it takes place a while after the events of ORAS. While the exact timeframe is uncertain, X/Y seems to take place at least 7 years after Gen 1/3.

So, in the end, could he have had a run in with the Aether Foundation? Possibly. That, or maybe it is explained by the Sinking S.S. Anne Theory. Honestly, it's tough to tell when we still know so little about the Aether Foundation and their true intentions.

 

[goodpeople25]

I was just trying to point out to a poster that Looker supposedly washed ashore years before S&M takes place, the ambiguity was more the exact timeline in general (and how I wasn't sure if ORAS had the same place as RS) and how they went about it in the game itself.

 

[scififan21]

Haven't read all the previous posts, but I hope Looker comes back during the game for either part of the plot or even postgame like X/Y and not just a cameo like OR/AS.

 

[TyLogic]

I kinda think the Aether Foundation will be a pseudo team plasma.

And IMO i really don't want to go to Kalos or have anything to do with it. I know there are a lot and i mean A LOT of unanswered questions and multiple cliff hangers but it's the 20th anniversary. I don't mind having some kalos character cameos or references but i don't want the most recent of the past generations to have such a big role.

 

[Mrs. Oreo]

My thoughts on the two teams:
Like others think, Aether is probably secretly the true evil organization for these games. Team Skull really just look and act like punks.

Huh I hadn't given it much thought before, but the Aether Foundation being the true villains of Sun and Moon is plausible and it'd be such a cool plot twist ha ha. That Faba guy who's a member of Aether looks kind of suspicious to me now that I look at his artwork again, so I'm intrigued by this theory. :3

 

[Mr.Munchlax]

One thing I'm starting to wonder now is whether or not Guzma will have Lycanroc's Mdnight form on his team since its stance kind of looks similar to some of the poses made by Guzma and the Team Skull Grunts. Also, since Prof. Kukui is already shown having a Rockruff, both of them could have its respective evolved forms to show how they have some sort of connection with each other

 

[TyLogic]

Has anyone ever speculated that Lusamine has a Z-crystal on her outfit...and in her hair. Don't know. Just asking...

 

[sheld999]

One thing I'm starting to wonder now is whether or not Guzma will have Lycanroc's Mdnight form on his team since its stance kind of looks similar to some of the poses made by Guzma and the Team Skull Grunts. Also, since Prof. Kukui is already shown having a Rockruff, both of them could have its respective evolved forms to show how they have some sort of connection with each other

that will be very awesome if he does tho, it will match him well

 

[JVLightningLover]

Has anyone ever speculated that Lusamine has a Z-crystal on her outfit...and in her hair. Don't know. Just asking...

The gem on her chest (and the one in her hair) is much larger than a Z-Crystal, and it lacks any defining marks (all Z-Crystals have a symbol on them relating to their corresponding Type or Pokemon). These Crystals could have some story significance, but we'll just have to wait and see.

 

[sheld999]

The gem on her chest (and the one in her hair) is much larger than a Z-Crystal, and it lacks any defining marks (all Z-Crystals have a symbol on them relating to their corresponding Type or Pokemon). These Crystals could have some story significance, but we'll just have to wait and see.

might also be for fashion

 

[TyLogic]

The gem on her chest (and the one in her hair) is much larger than a Z-Crystal, and it lacks any defining marks (all Z-Crystals have a symbol on them relating to their corresponding Type or Pokemon). These Crystals could have some story significance, but we'll just have to wait and see.

(GASP...) What if they are MEGA Crystals!?!? They are green too. What type is represented by green? Grass and Bug only but... Remember the no longer existing Mystery-type (????-type)? It's a different shade but maybe those are Mystery-type Z-Crystals. Maybe they brought it back for Type: Nulls true power...

 

[sheld999]

(GASP...) What if they are MEGA Crystals!?!? They are green too. What type is represented by green? Grass and Bug only but... Remember the no longer existing Mystery-type (????-type)? It's a different shade but maybe those are Mystery-type Z-Crystals. Maybe they brought it back for Type: Nulls true power...

that be awesome if they actually did that

 

[TyLogic]

that be awesome if they actually did that

Yeah, I know right!? XD (I get so hype when I think I'm on to something)

I mean it makes enough sense. Maybe they made Type: Null to be a pokemon of a new type. An artificial type. But that type is ambiguous and therefore has no name(Mystery/????). And the pokemon that has the type is also ambiguous and doesn't have a name as well-hence Type: Null. Maybe when they wanted to rival legendary pokemon they actually needed a pokemon with a type that has no weaknesses or loopholes (Electric with Levitate). So not only did they create a pokemon that's powerful but one that won't be able to take super-effective damage, but will be able to inflict super-effective damage on it's opponent. Maybe the new artificial type puts a strain on it or will make it get too powerful and go berserk which is why it has the mask and why it is currently a Normal-type, which is commonly used as a default type. And the thing around it's neck that looks like the Arceus belt could possibly mean that they made the type so that not even Arceus can change to it. Maybe they tried to make a new Arceus. A pokemon superior to Arceus. The ultimate pokemon that can synthesize any opponent, even mythicals and legendaries, and can adapt to any situation. A pokemon that can never lose... Type: Null.

This makes sense right? Please tell me it makes sense...

 

[sheld999]

Yeah, I know right!? XD (I get so hype when I think I'm on to something)

I mean it makes enough sense. Maybe they made Type: Null to be a pokemon of a new type. An artificial type. But that type is ambiguous and therefore has no name(Mystery/????). And the pokemon that has the type is also ambiguous and doesn't have a name as well-hence Type: Null. Maybe when they wanted to rival legendary pokemon they actually needed a pokemon with a type that has no weaknesses or loopholes (Electric with Levitate). So not only did they create a pokemon that's powerful but one that won't be able to take super-effective damage, but will be able to inflict super-effective damage on it's opponent. Maybe the new artificial type puts a strain on it or will make it get too powerful and go berserk which is why it has the mask and why it is currently a Normal-type, which is commonly used as a default type. And the thing around it's neck that looks like the Arceus belt could possibly mean that they made the type so that not even Arceus can change to it. Maybe they tried to make a new Arceus. A pokemon superior to Arceus. The ultimate pokemon that can synthesize any opponent, even mythicals and legendaries, and can adapt to any situation. A pokemon that can never lose... Type: Null.

This makes sense right? Please tell me it makes sense...

kinda does. there something about him that doesn't make sense so there could be a true power for him

 

[TyLogic]

kinda does. there something about him that doesn't make sense so there could be a true power for him

I mainly just hope that whatever they do with it won't be extremely cliche. Making it a Mystery-type would be cool. Or what if Marshadows "unique typing" is the Mystery-type. It technically would be the only Mystery-type. And maybe they took the Mystery-type DNA and gave something similar to Type: Null.
The Mystery-type at full power for Marshadow could mean that it has a maximum of more than two types. Maybe this Mystery-type for Marshadow would mean it has 3 types...

I wonder if this is possible. It seems like it to me but still...

 

[scorpio moon]

The Aether Foundation grunts have an interesting little tidbit hidden in their description on the Pokemon website:

"Their uniforms appear to depend on which division they belong to."

So the grunts we have seen so far belong to only a single division in the Aether Foundation. Who do you think is in the charge of the grunts wearing all white?

I wonder how many divisions are there in the Aether Foundation... We have seen three bigwigs, so there might up to three divisions, maybe more. There are at least two, otherwise the Pokemon website wouldn't bother mentioning something about different divisions.

Pertaining to the theories that the Aether Foundation turns out to the bad guys, it could be possible that a specific division (maybe Faba's) of the Aether Group goes rogue and we have to do battle against them instead of the grunts we have seen so far. It would be kind of interesting if there was a lot of internal conflict roiling beneath the surface the character is unaware of until one division confronts you and another division helps you fight them.

Oh! Even more fun, is if the Aether Foundation divisions inadvertently involve you in their internal conflict and rather than one division being obviously the bad guy, the character actually has to make the decision as to which division to side with. Now, that would probably leave the game with way too many paths to code, but its definitely a fun idea to think about.

Now I'm just curious as to what the other division uniforms look like.

 

[Wulava]

I actually won't be surprised if Team Skull was once a division of Aether.

 

[scorpio moon]

I actually won't be surprised if Team Skull was once a division of Aether.

In that case, Gladion could have been the division leader of Team Skull when it was still a part of Aether. The reason why he is the enforcer rather than Team Skull's leader could be because he no longer wanted to deal with the responsibility in its entirety, but couldn't bring himself to completely cut ties with his former division.

Or, his subordinates messed up big time, Gladion resigned to take responsibility, his subordinates resigned as well, but Gladion did not want to be the head of the people that cost him his job. Team Skull eventually brings Gladion to the dark side and he becomes obsessed with strength, hence his role as the enforcer.

Random ideas...

 

[Conquering Storm]

I'm kind of thinking that Lillie might turn out to be a spy for Aether. Just a hunch, but it might make for an interesting backstory. Think about it...

Lusamine tries to shelter a younger Lillie and Gladion from what Aether is really doing (UB/Type: Null experiments) (in fact, it's entirely possible that Lusamine doesn't know about this either; it could be Faba and/or Wicke's work). Gladion eventually finds out about all that and tries to tell Lillie, who can't/won't believe that Lusamine/Faba/Wicke would lie about that kind of thing. Frustrated, Gladion eventually runs away, stealing Type: Null, and somehow ends up part of Team Skull. Meanwhile, Lillie eventually gets sucked into Aether's inner workings, rationalizing everything to herself with the belief that Aether's trying to save the world. At some point, Lusamine/Faba/Wicke needs more data on something, so they send Lillie to gather information from Kukui.

Seriously, when I first read Lillie's description on Bulbapedia ("a mysterious girl who assists Professor Kukui for her own reasons") it basically screamed "SPY".

 

[chess-z]

I actually won't be surprised if Team Skull was once a division of Aether.

When it comes to the Aether Foundation, nothing that I can conceive of would surprise me. What twist is there that hasn't been done before? These guys are so twistable that I can hardly stand it. Just gonna have to wait it out.