This morning, we got our first extended look at Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Game Freak's futuristic Pokémon game set in the familiar Lumiose City from Pokémon X/Y. While the trailer showcased rooftop running, revamped battles, and Mega Evolution, many questions remain about its placement within the Pokémon timeline and potential returning characters.
The Pokémon Legends series, unlike most standalone titles, incorporates time travel. Legends: Arceus featured locations from Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, set hundreds of years in the past, with characters who were ancestors of those in other games, or even characters directly transported from other games. This raises anticipation about Legends: Z-A's timeline, potential time travel elements, and familiar faces in Lumiose City.
Since the trailer's release, fans have been actively searching for connections to other games, uncovering surprising links. The most obvious is AZ, explicitly mentioned in the trailer. His immortality, granted 3000 years before Pokémon X and Y, explains his presence regardless of Z-A's setting. In Z-A, he appears to run a Lumiose City hotel, seemingly happier after reuniting with his Floette.
More subtle connections have also emerged. One prominent theory involves the Looker Bureau. Looker, a popular detective from Pokémon Black and White, has appeared in subsequent games. Fans have noted a striking resemblance between an office in the Z-A trailer and the Looker Bureau, suggesting Looker or his protégé Emma's presence in Lumiose City.
Another intriguing theory connects the protagonists to other characters. Fans have pointed out a resemblance between the Pokémon Legends: Z-A protagonists and Ethan and Lyra from Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, leading to speculation about a time-traveling scenario where they're transported to a futuristic Lumiose.
Alternatively, another theory suggests the protagonists resemble Professor Sycamore and Grace (the protagonist's mother in Pokémon X and Y). While less concrete, this aligns with the ancestral themes in the Legends series.
Interestingly, these theories might coexist. The game's timeline remains unclear; Pokémon games feature a loose sequential timeline, occasional alternate realities, and time travel. AZ's presence suggests a post-Pokémon X and Y setting, possibly centuries later, given his immortality. Lumiose City's futuristic appearance in Z-A supports this, implying decades of development. If so, the protagonists and Looker Bureau personnel could be descendants of their look-alikes.
Another captivating character is a mysterious woman in the key art, resembling a Hex Maniac from Pokémon X and Y. This is especially intriguing due to the unsolved "Ghost Girl" mystery in Pokémon X and Y, where a Hex Maniac appears, utters a cryptic phrase, and vanishes. This woman's presence in Z-A fuels hope for resolving this long-standing enigma.
In the coming days, more discoveries and connections are expected. Pokémon Legends: Z-A is slated for release in late 2025, leaving plenty of time for speculation and anticipation.
