Pokemon Sword and Shield have been announced, and fans couldn’t be happier. Now fans all over are coming up with many cool theories. Find out which ones are the best ones!
A new Pokémon game is coming to the Nintendo Switch and fans all over are rejoicing. While Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee were adequate adaptations of the original Red and Blue games on the classic Gameboy, the newly announced Pokémon Sword and Shield is what the fans have truly been clamoring for. It is a brand new region, with new Pokémon, and it is on a home console.
Not much is shown in the announcement trailer for Pokémon Sword and Shield. We only know the new region is called Galar, some of the areas we can travel in the region, and what the three starters look like. However that hasn’t stopped fans from across the internet to make up their own theories. Since the announcement trailer, there have been dozens of YouTube videos and forum posts theorizing what the future holds for the games.
Pokemon Sword and Shield Announcement Trailer: The 5 Best Fan Theories
Many of these theories are borderline brilliant, and I can only hope they have some semblance of truth in there. Let’s go over the five best theories for Pokémon Sword and Shield.
5 Armored Pokémon
This theory is actually not really a theory. This is based on a supposed leak on 4chan. Here’s the thing; you should almost never trust 4chan with any leaks or news. Literally anyone can claim to have inside knowledge, and makes a post saying they have exclusive leaks. It is almost always bogus, and you should never give rumors or leaks in 4chan the time of day.
This leak though is different. In a now deleted post, a user on 4chan was able to reveal information about Pokémon Sword and Shield before the games were officially announced. They revealed the titles, Sword and Shield, and that it will take place in a UK-based region.
The other information the user posted have yet to be reveal to be true, which includes armor Pokémon. Assumingly, armor Pokémon means equipping certain Pokémon with gear that boosts their stats. You should always take any information from 4chan with a grain of salt, and this information is no different. For all we know, the user just made some lucky guests.
However this hasn’t stop fans from imagining the possibilities of what armor Pokémon can bring to the games. What kind of benefits would armoring up your Pokémon provide? Aren’t Mega evolutions already stat boosts for Pokémon, what would make armor Pokémon different?
Also, armor Pokémon isn’t that crazy of an idea. The past few Pokémon generations have introduce new gimmicks to raise the stats of particular Pokémon. Gen. VI introduces mega evolutions, allowing fully evolved Pokémon to turn into new forms with heighten stats. Gen. VII introduces Z-moves, powerful moves that any Pokémon can learn and utilize.
It makes sense for Gen. VIII to introduce their own gimmick. Not only that, but there will be a new movie for the franchise called Pokémon the Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution. A remake of the very first Pokémon movie, the movie is known for having Mewtwo’s iconic armor. If armor Pokémon turn out to be true, then the timing couldn’t be more perfect. Armor Mewtwo from the movies has always been popular among fans, and what better way to cross-promote than re-introducing armor Mewtwo to the games and movies.
4. The Starters Evolution Line
A Pokémon announcement wouldn’t be complete without at least knowing who the three starters Pokémon are. Every Pokémon game begins with you choosing between three Pokémon. Every starter is a grass, fire, or water type.
For Pokémon Sword and Shield, we are introduced to Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble. Grookey is the grass monkey Pokémon. Scorbunny is the bunny with burning feet, and Sobble is the crying chameleon. Like every other starter Pokémon, fans have fully embraced these new Pokémon and already trying to decipher what they evolve into.
The most common theory is that the starters are all based around sports players. The last few generations have had the starters and their evolve form follow a certain patter. For example, the fully evolved forms of the Gen. VI starters are based on jobs and class systems found in classic RPGs. You have your ninja with Greninja and your magic caster with Delphox. Gen. VII’s starters are base around entertainment performers, like an archer or a pro-wrestler.
If Pokémon continues to follow that path, many suspect that Scorbunny, Grookey, and Sobble are going to be based on different sports. This idea stems mostly from Scorbunny’s design. Scorbunny is shown to be very athletic, and loves to run. He has a bandage above his nose, a clear-cut sign in the world of anime that he is a reckless athlete.
His name may also have two meanings; the ‘scor’ in Scorbunny may actually mean scorch and score, as in scoring in Soccer. Grookey also somewhat supports this theory, as he is shown carrying a wooden stick. People have theorized that his stick may end up being a baseball bat or cricket bat. He is even shown hitting a rock on the ground just like when a person goes up to bat. Unfortunately, Sobble doesn’t seem that athletic. Many assume his evolution line will end up being base on water polo, since water polo was created in Britain.
However, as many fans have pointed out, it is possible that only Scorbunny may be the sports based starter. While many fans assume Grookey’s name is a mixture of rookie (a term use to describe sports players who are new) and monkey, it may actually mean something else. Base on the translation for Grookey’s name in other languages, fans have realized that Grookey’s name in other languages is more of a mixture between monkey and rhythm. This has led fans to theorize that Grookey will evolve into a Pokémon that is all about music and sound.
There is usually one feminine fully evolved starter, and since punk rocker girls are a noticeable motif within British culture, it is possible Grookey will evolve into a feminine-looking punk rocker. Rather than a bat, Grookey’s stick may actually turn into a drummer stick. Or maybe it will even become a composer’s baton!
If Grookey is the musician, and Scorbunny is the soccer player, then many have theorized that maybe Sobble will become the theater actor. Acting is another profession where you entertain thousands in a stadium, and Sobble’s crying could be a form of play pretend. He is learning to properly act.
3. Pokémon X FIFA
One of the highlights of the trailer is when the trainer character walks into a crowded stadium. He is wearing what appears to a sports jersey, and the building seems very similar to that of a soccer stadium.
This goes with the theory that the Pokémon starters being base on different sports; sports appear to be a major theme of this new region. Galar appears to be based on Great Britain, and sports like soccer are a big deal over there. Fans have assumed that the stadiums in Galar will be the new Pokémon Gyms. This has led to many theorizing that Pokémon battling is a major sport in Galar, just like how popular soccer is in Great Britain.
In Pokémon Sun and Moon, there are no gyms. Instead you need to do island trials and grand trials. The trials are not just Pokémon battling, they involve you traversing the land and doing simple tasks. Since Sun and Moon are the most recent generations of Pokémon games, it is possible Sword and Shield will follow suite and do something different.
Maybe Pokémon gyms work a little differently in Galar. Maybe gyms will require the player to do some physical activity, possibly even play some kind of sport with their Pokémon. Rather than simply battling, you may just be playing soccer or something with your Pokémon.
2. A Song of Ice-types and Fire-types
This theory I got from username ChillyCity on Reddit, so shout-out to them.
There are four flags in the town covered in snow. Each of the flags has their own sigil. There is a flag with a tower, crown, gear, and flower sigil. Each of sigil could be a representing a royal house in Galar. It is possible that each house is a gym and you need to battle each one to progress. Since they are generally eight gyms in Pokémon game, there may be eight houses, if the theory turns out to be correct. Or it is possible that each house may represent two gyms.
Pokémon Sword and Shield may go over the ancient history of Galar, and take inspiration from Game of Thrones. Since Game of Thrones is all about different houses trying to take up the throne in the fictional land of Westeros, it is possible the history of Galar may have a similar story. Maybe the different houses of Galar were in war with each other. Game of Thrones books are inspired by similar events that happened in Europe, so it isn’t totally a far out there theory.
There may also be class distinction between the houses, with lower houses being treated as lesser royalty. The evil Pokémon team may actually be made up of one of these lesser houses, and their goal is take over their region as revenge. Heck, the Pokémon Sword and Shield’s story could be about all the houses attempting to gain sole control of modern Galar, with the evil team being the most nefarious house in the region.
This may also tie together with Kalos, the region from the sixth generations of games. Kalos is based on France, and it is established that Kalos went to war with another region in the past. Britain and France have had conflicts in the past; so many fans now believe that ancient Kalos went to war with ancient Galar. It is even possible, since Britain and France are so close to each other in real life, that we may be able to travel to Kalos in Sword and Shield.
1. “You’re a Wizard, Ash.”
I’ve always assume that there will be a UK-based region in Pokémon sooner rather than later. There are only so many places on Earth you can base a Pokémon game on.
However I am incredibly shock that Galar does not take any inspirations from the incredibly popular Harry Potter media franchise. I always presumed that if a UK-based Pokémon region is ever revealed it would be heavily influence by the wizarding world of Harry Potter. The Harry Potter series is very popular in many parts of the world, including Japan. That franchise originates and takes place in the UK.
When it was Pokémon’s time to have an UK-based region, I always thought it will center on magic and spell-casting, just like in Harry Potter. Except none of that was shown in the announcement trailer, and there doesn’t appear to be any hints of witches or wizards in Galar. Instead, Pokémon Sword and Shield seem to be more base on sports and athleticism.
That is unless that castle in the middle of the Galar map is more than meets the eye. The castle is a tall, dark building with a dragon face as its front entrance. While it looks like a typical old castle at first glance, it could also look like a school. It looks like a school for rich kids to attend to and learn more about Pokémon.
Or maybe it is a school to learn about magic?
Admittedly this theory is more out-there than the other, but maybe the castle in the middle of the region is a prestige school where the royalties of the region attend to learn about magic. Maybe it is possible for the playable trainer to learn some magical abilities? What kind of UK-based region will it be, if there isn’t a little bit of Harry Potter mixed in.
