Legendary Pokemon: Good to Evil
By Jacob Horne Ever since 1996, the Pokemon series has had a
huge cast of legendary and mythical Pokemon. From being proudly being displayed on the box to
being the focal point of a major motion picture, legendary Pokemon and their surrounding
lore have been deeply connected to the heart of adventure and discovery
that make the series special. The games have catalogued so many of these titans, it can be almost impossible to keep track of
them all. But what of these legends and myths have the world’s best interests at heart,
or simply want to rule it for themselves? Let’s find out! I'm Kifinosi with PokeBinge, and this
is Legendary Pokemon: Good to Evil. For this video, we’ll be including
both Legendary and Mythical Pokemon, trying to focus mostly on their lore and
their representation in the games. We’ll take into account their anime and movie adaptations
only if the games don’t give us a good glimpse into their personality and their desires.
We’ll also be ignoring the Ultra Beasts, as while they are rare Pokemon, they are
common in their home dimension in Ultra Space. And, of course, there will be
spoilers. Watch at your own risk! As always, we’ll start off with
the most noble character and work our way down to the most vile.
These characters are The Good. Getting the Gold Medal of Good is mighty
Sinnoh himself, Arceus. According to legend, Arceus emerged from a mysterious egg before time
itself, and created the Pokemon world as we know it with its 1,000 arms. Arceus is famous
for creating Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina, who govern time, space, and antimatter
respectively. In Heartgold and Soulsilver, in the Sinjoh Ruins, we see that Arceus is capable
of actually creating more of the Creation Trio on a whim. In Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Arceus is
shown to be an inherently benevolent deity, using its unfathomable power to create the Noble
Pokemon and shepherd humanity and Pokemon in the direction of coexistence and mutual respect.
With its constant oversight of the existence of the Pokemon world and the laws that govern it,
Arceus is more than deserving of the top spot. Riding in to grab the Silver Medal of Good
is Calyrex, the “King of Bountiful Harvests.” Calyrex is a merciful and honorable Pokemon,
who led the Galar region in ancient times. Using its powers of healing and plant growth,
the Pokemon would usher in enormous harvests, earning its title as the “King of Bountiful
Harvests.” When battling, Calyrex would even heal its opponents wounds after battle, just
because its that honorable of a combatant. At full power, Calyrex also possesses the
ability to see into the past and future, and, according to legend, used this ability
to save an entire forest of Pokemon from a meteor… by physically picking up the forest
and literally pushing it someplace else. Calyrex’s heroic and noble nature makes
it deserve the Silver Medal of Good. Earning the Bronze Medal of Good is the
heroic duo, Zacian and Zamazenta, the Warrior Pokemon. These two Galarian Pokemon are
supposedly the two legendary heroes who defeated Eternatus during the Darkest Day, saving
the region itself and possibly even the world. Together, these two Pokemon are able
to negate Eternatus’s Dynamax energy spike and allow it to be contained. And they’ve done this
TWICE – once during the original Darkest Day, and again when Chairman Rose decides he’s evil
now and tries to start another Darkest Day. Then they turn to stone and wait until they need
to save the world again. These two are easily two of the more heroic Pokemon on this list
with their track record of saving the planet. Coming in just of Bronze is Mew, the New Species
Pokemon. This little fella has been a staple of the series ever since Generation I, and is
an incredibly rare Pokemon to even witness, let alone catch. Mew possesses the DNA
of all Pokemon, essentially being the catalyst of Pokemon as a species in the Pokemon
world. Mew is a curious and playful Pokemon, but when push comes to shove, you know they are
on the side of good. In all of its many cameos across the series, Mew has been shown to be a
heroic Pokemon. To name just a few instances, it fights its clone sibling Mewtwo to stop him
from destroying the planet in Mewtwo Strikes Back, serving as a guardian of the Tree of
Beginning in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, and rescuing Ash and Goh’s Pokemon captured by
Team Rocket in the episode Dreams Are Made of These! Mew’s altruistic nature is a reason
why it garners a high spot in this list.
Coming next is Suicune, the Aurora Pokemon and a
stand-out member of the Legendary Dogs. Suicune is capable of walking across water, as well as
being able to purify water that is contaminated by disease and filth. It travels across the land
in search of waters to cleanse. In the anime, it is regularly encountered by Ash and company,
fighting alongside them from time to time. Goh has even caught a Suicune very recently, putting
it up there with one of the legendaries that has directly worked with the protagonists as one of
their Pokemon. Suicune’s presence as one of the protagonists’ Pokemon, as well as its powers
to purify one of the world’s most important natural resources, puts it up close as one of
the most useful and good Pokemon on this list. Next is the sweet little Nebby – I mean,
Cosmog as well as their evolved forms, Cosmoem, Solgaleo, and Lunala. Cosmog’s a genuinely sweet,
curious little Pokemon. It is incredibly naïve, which puts Cosmog at risk of being taken
advantage of. It then evolves into Cosmoem, a motionless cocoon state, before finally
transforming into either Lunala or Solgaleo. Lunala and Solgaleo were worshipped in
ancient Alola as deities of the moon and sun. In the anime and the games, Cosmog and their
evolutions directly work with the protagonists, being raised by Lillie. This causes it to have
some of the most direct cooperation with the good guys in the entirety of Pokemon,
earning a rather high spot on this list for being good. However, Cosmog loses some
points because it just can’t get in the bag… Next is Celebi, the Time-Travel Pokemon. This
little green timelord is known for being the guardian of Ilex Forest in the Johto Region,
using its powers over the timestream in order to fix anomalous activity and promote a prosperous
future. Celebi is typically depicted as a good Pokemon at heart, such as when it rescues
a Zoroark from Kodai in the movie Zoroark: Master of Illusions, or when Celebi works
with your team in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky to stop
Dialga and undo the bad future. Celebi’s inherent protective and kind personality
ears her a spot pretty high up on this list. Next, we have Landurus, the Guardian of the
Fields. While Landurus may look scary on the outside, this Pokemon’s behavior tells
a different story. Alongside Enamorous, Landurus is an integral part of giving the Pokemon
world fertile soil for crops. When its sibling Pokemon Tornadus and Thundurus – two Pokemon
that both bring horrible storms – start to clash, causing untold devastation on the land,
Landorus comes in to quell the conflict, sort of like an older brother breaking up its
two younger brothers. Landurus’s protection from storms and its critical involvement in the
harvest seasons makes it rank rather high. Next is the Melody Pokemon, Meloetta. A muse
for the musical arts, Meloetta is a mythical Pokemon born for the stage. Using Relic Song, its
signature move, Meloetta can shift between its more music-oriented Aria form and its graceful,
dance-focused Pirouette form. Meloetta’s music has inspired many famous songs, giving the
Pokemon a direct connection to the culture of the Pokemon World. While it may be not the most
physically helpful Pokemon of the legendaries like Landurus and Celebi, Meloetta is a Pokemon
that has done nothing but contribute to the one of the most important parts of human culture.
It is just a good Pokemon, through and through. Next is Cresselia, the Lunar Pokemon. Cresselia is
a Pokemon that is said to bring pleasant dreams. Cresselia possesses skill with healing and warding
off nightmares, and actively opposes its nightmare counterpart, Darkrai. In Pokemon Mystery Dungeon:
Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky, Cresselia even serves as a teammate in the later game dungeons
as it works with the protagonist and their partner to fight Darkrai. Cresselia’s role as a
protector of rest puts it up high on this list. Next is the Rainbow Pokemon, Ho-Oh. Ho-Oh is well
known for its ability to create gorgeous rainbows as it flies overhead. Ho-Oh’s appearance is said
to invoke eternal happiness, and has had a hand in creating the three Legendary Dogs, Entei,
Raikou, and Suicune. Ho-Oh is worshipped in the Johto region as a guardian of the skies
and a symbol of rebirth, rumored to have the ability to resurrect the dead. These supposed
powers of rebirth has even caused a religious movement centered around it to form within
Ecruteak City. Ho-Oh’s positive connotations and impact in Johto’s culture is what puts it a
little closer towards the good side of this Flist. Funnily enough, next up is Lugia, the compliment
to Ho-Oh. the guardian of the seas, and the leader of the Legendary Birds. Lugia isolates itself
far off in the middle of the ocean due to its volatile storm powers. Lugia can cause tornadoes
and hurricanes that last for weeks with just a little twitch of its wings. While it may be a
very solitary Pokemon, Lugia serves the important role of breaking up Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres
when they squabble over territory, preventing tiny disputes from spilling out into highly brawls,
such as what had happened in the movie, The Power of One. Lugia is placed here purely for the
fact it serves as a mediator between the legendary birds as well as seemingly having the forethought
to protect others from powers it can’t control. Next up is Victini, the victory Pokemon. This
little ball of energy is said to bring victory to any Pokemon that owns it, carrying nearly
an infinite amount of energy it can spread through a touch. Victini is a Pokemon that
literally radiates positivity and does nothing but try to help the trainer it partners with.
Victini simply exists to give energy to others, and that’s ultimately a good thing for anyone.
Everyone needs a little pep in their step! Up next is Shaymin, the Gratitude Pokemon.
Shaymin has two forms – its Land Forme and its Sky Forme. In Land Forme, Shaymin
is incredibly shy and fearful of others, while in Sky Forme, which it transforms
into by touching a Gracidea flower, it is open and playful. Shaymin flock to places
with large amounts of gratitude, which causes the flowers on its body to bloom. It can use
these flowers to dissolve pollution in the air, causing new flowers to bloom. Shaymin’s a very
feel-good Pokemon, and poetically repays others gratitude and kindness with the beauty of nature,
putting it up in the good portion of our list. Magearna, the Artificial Pokemon, is next
on the list. Despite clearly being a robot, Magearna is far from unemotional.
Magearna’s sphere in the center of its chest is known as its ‘soul-heart,’ a
condensed ball of life energy taken from other Pokemon. The soul-heart is the
very culmination of Magearna’s being, connecting it directly to other Pokemon and
allowing it to feel their emotions, thoughts, and desires. This heightened empathy also has
the unfortunate side-effect of making it feel the pain of others, making it try as hard as it
can to help other Pokemon– if not just to protect Magearna itself. Magearna’s empathy puts it
alongside the neutrally good Pokemon on this list. Next up is the Sky High Pokemon, Rayquaza. High
up in the ozone layer sleeps this legendary beast, resting and feeding off of water and other
particles at high altitudes. Rayquaza also eats meteoroids in the stratosphere, using them
to fuel its Mega Stone-like organ in its body, giving it the ability to mega evolve without a
physical stone. Rayquaza serves multiple functions in protecting the planet – it regularly destroys
and consumes the meteors entering the atmosphere, and serves a critical role in stopping
Kyogre and Groudon from fighting and causing an end-of-the-world scenario,
as seen in Pokemon Emerald. However, Rayquaza doesn’t appear to really be doing
these good deeds out of any good will on its part and is mostly doing these acts
to ensure it has a habitat to live in, which is more morally neutral. It also seems
to have a temper, if its paranoid actions in the conclusion of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red/Blue
Rescue Team is anything to go off of, but it does do good for the world. It will rest comfortably
at the outer fringes of the good category. Next up is Xerneas, the Life Pokemon. This is a
strange one. This stag-like Pokemon possesses the power to grant immortality to those who interact
with it, and is able to free those who have been petrified by its counterpart Pokemon, Yveltal,
the Destruction Pokemon. There isn’t much to really say about Xerneas outside of the fact that
it doesn’t seem to be aggressive, and its role in the cycle of life and death with Yveltal is very
important for the Pokemon world’s ecosystem. Without Xerneas, Pokemon would only have their
life force taken away by Yveltal, which puts it up strictly as a force of good purely for its role
as part of this balance. However, without Yveltal, nothing will ever pass on, which can lead to all
kinds of awful situations. An example of this was when Lysandre tries to use Xerneas’s leftover
power to make everyone immortal in Pokemon X when his headquarters is crumbling on top of them.
The fragile balance that needs to be struck puts Xerneas just a little more towards the neutral
side of the good spectrum than other Pokemon. Slithering on in is the Order
Pokemon, Zygarde. Zygarde is a very weird Pokemon. Zygarde is a Pokemon
that transforms depending on how ‘complete’ it is; its completed body is made up of up to five
Zygarde ‘Cores’ and hundreds of Zygarde Cells. Zygarde’s Cores are essentially its brains, and
when the Cores and Cells are separate, they are helpless without being merged to form Zygarde. At
10% completion, it becomes a doglike Pokemon that focuses on brutal close-range combat and uses a
single core to control itself. At 50% completion, it takes on its more iconic cobralike appearance.
It is in this state that Zygarde starts to actively monitor the ecosystem around it and will
actively start to defend it. At 100% completion, when every Cell and Core is obtained and
fused together, Zygarde becomes an enormous megazord-like entity. This state only comes to
be when Xerneas and Yveltal are put in danger, and will actively seek out and eliminate
any threats to the ecosystem. Think of 100% Zygarde as the planet’s immune response – a
last resort that is called upon should the concept of life and death is put in jeopardy.
Zygarde’s existence is not only important, but an absolute necessity for safeguarding the
physical embodiments of Life and Death in the Pokemon universe. However, Zygarde’s immense
power makes controlling it a major issue, as shown by the amount of damage Zygarde was able to
inflict when it was actively being controlled by Team Flare in the Pokemon anime. While Zygarde’s
existence is wholly good, its immense power and potential for destruction in the wrong hands
puts it in the more neutrally good categories. Hailing from Galar is Kubfu and its evolved form,
Urshifu. The small Kubfu is like a typical martial arts anime protagonist, training its mind and
body day and night to perfect its fighting spirit. Depending on the techniques Kubfu masters, Kubfu
then evolves into either the Fighting/Dark ‘Single Strike’ Urshifu or ‘Rapid Strike’ Urshifu. Single
Strike Urshifu is a ruthless combatant, focusing on defeating the opponent in a single, well-placed
punch. Single Strike Urshifu’s vicious method of battling has led to some calling the Pokemon
the ‘Embodiment of Rage.’ Rapid Strike Urshifu, however, is a far more calm and patient creature.
Using a fighting style reliant on anticipating and avoiding enemy attacks, Rapid Strike Urshifu wears
down the enemy with counterattacks. Rapid Strike Urshifu has been known to banish evil from the
hearts of others with a glare. Kubfu’s evolutions represent the two directions its life can go;
either down the path of ruthlessness and violence, or patience and understanding. Kubfu and Urshifu’s
wildly changing paths and story of self-discovery and betterment causes it to remain solidly
in the neutrally good category of this list. Drifting in from the deep blue is Manaphy, the
Seafaring Pokemon. Manaphy is a Pokemon made up of 80% of water, and on the rare occasion
it is located, it is found drifting in the sea in an attempt to return to the place it
was born. Manaphy is a very empathic Pokemon, using its signature move Heart Swap to bond with
other Pokemon. Because Manaphy’s liquid body is sensitive to its environment and its powers focus
almost exclusively on allowing it to connect to Pokemon on a heart-to-heart level, Manaphy tends
to lean towards a more pacifistic type of means of managing conflict. Thus, Manaphy sticks up there
with the more peaceful Pokemon on this list. Diancie, the Jewel Pokemon, rises up to
take the next spot on this list. Diancie is considered to be an extremely rare evolution
of Carbink, and is capable of instantly creating diamonds by compressing carbon in the air
between its hands. In its mega evolved form, the Diancie is known as the “Royal
Pink Princess” because of its elegant, noble stature. In the movie The Cocoon of
Destruction, Diancie is shown to be in charge of overseeing and preserving the hidden Diamond
Domain, preventing trespassers from claiming its riches. Diancie, like many legendaries
on this list, is simply trying to keep to its own devices and means no harm, landing
it squarely in the neutral good spectrum. Coming up next is Latios and Latias, the Eon
Duo. This duo of Pokemon is found flying at high speed across the world, and barely
anyone has ever really came in contact with them. Using their glassy feathers, they
refract light in order to become invisible and prevent discovery. Latias and Latios are
both highly intelligent and can actually understand human speech. Because these
two Pokemon typically keep to themselves and ultimately peaceful Pokemon at heart, they
bookend the neutrally good portion of our list. Dashing in is Raikou, the Thunder Pokemon.
Tending to appear from thunderstorms and when other Electric-types are in danger,
Raikou swiftly jumps in and summons storm clouds. Raikou in both the games and the anime
is shown to be incredibly distrustful of others, running at a moments notice and even
becoming hostile if approached. Because Raikou typically keeps to itself even more so
than Suicune, its an incredibly neutral Pokemon. Following Raikou is Entei, the Volcano Pokemon.
When an Entei is born, a new volcano is said to appear, and when it roars, a volcano is
said to erupt somewhere in the world. Entei, similar to Raikou and Suicune, running across
the globe due to the very chaotic nature of its powers over fire. Entei ranks a little
below Raikou because of its control over fire, which is a little less controllable and
destructive than just electricity. Entei also has the unique position of being the main
antagonist of Spell of the Unown, even if Entei’s heart was in the right place. Ultimately,
Entei leans towards the more neutral spectrum. Reshiram and Zekrom are next. Reshiram is the
Dragon of Truth, capable of releasing such heat from flames in its tail that it could cause
climate change. According to mythology, Reshiram would go to kingdoms that had ignored truth
in favor of greed and burn them to the ground. Zekrom, contrasting Reshiram, is the Dragon of
Ideals, capable of using its mighty electrical output to create thunderstorms. Zekrom would go
from town to town, destroying the kingdoms of those who had lost sight of the righteousness
in their hearts. Reshiram and Zekrom have the unique position of both being incredibly powerful
and incredibly esoteric in what they represent; it’s hard to really explain what makes a ‘true’
or ‘ideal’ world in the eyes of Reshiram or Zekrom. They fight for truth and ideals, but they
themselves are inherently destructive and can be manipulated towards fighting for evil causes,
such as when N gets control over one of these two for Team Plasma in either Pokemon Black
or Pokemon White. It’s for this reason they push towards the more neutral side of our
list, while still representing good morals. Next Volcanion, the Steam Pokemon, makes the next
spot on this list. Volcanion has the power to generate steam inside itself and expel it through
the engine-like mechanisms on its back. With this power, Volcanion gains enough momentum to blast
through a mountain. However, when it does this, it needs to reload using another water
source. It is a Pokemon that hasn’t had a lot of notable appearances in the series, but
served as an deuteragonist in Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel, portrayed as a guardian
of Magearna and its Soul-Heart. However, it possessed a resentment towards humanity for
hunting Pokemon back in ancient times. This helps insinuate that Volcanion is a Pokemon that, while
it wants to keep to itself and away from humans, it ultimately protects other Pokemon. This
pushes it towards the good side of our list. Next on our list is the Swords of Justice: Keldeo,
Virizion, Cobalion, and Terrakion. According to Unovan mythology, these four Pokemon fight to
protect other Pokemon from humans who endanger Pokemon territory, after witnessing two warring
human armies burn down a forest they called home. From the fire, Virizion, Cobalion, and Terrakion
adopted Keldeo and together they swore that when the next time humans ever threatened Pokemon, they
would be there to put a stop to it. The cool and stoic Cobalion serves as the de-facto leader of
the group. Terrakion serves as the group’s muscle and is said to have been able to destroy castle
walls with its strength. The swift and graceful Virizion confounds enemies with their speed and
agility. Keldeo, their youngest member, served as the group’s resolute heart and soul before leaving
the group without any of them understanding why. In total, all four of the Swords of Justice
have the good of all Pokemon in their hearts, but their methods lead them into heavily
distrusting and becoming hostile towards humans. With the Good Section wrapped up… we now move into
more Neutral territory. This is the Grey Area. Next, we have the Space and Time Pokemon,
Palkia and Dialga. Palkia and Dialga were born from the mighty Arceus at the beginning
of the universe, with Palkia controlling space and Dialga controlling time. Their vast amounts
of power led to them being deified in ancient Sinnoh mythology, creating the Pearl Clan,
which worshipped Palkia, and the Diamond Clan, which worshipped Dialga. These two Pokemon are
also integral to the very fabric of the Pokemon World’s reality. As long as Dialga’s heart beats,
time keeps ticking. As long as Palkia breathes, space grows to be more stable. Wholly, Palkia
and Dialga do good purely by existing. However, it is when they fall into the wrong hands, like
they very often tend to do, things get incredibly backwards. There have been many times in the
anime where Dialga and Palkia have been ensnared by the Red Chains by the likes of Team Galactic
and Alternate World Team Rocket and forced to change reality for the worst. Dialga has also
been shown to be able to be corrupted entirely, such as in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of
Sky/Darkness/Time, where a bad timeline exists where Dialga went mad and caused the universe to
freeze in time due to Darkrai’s influence. Dialga and Palkia are good Pokemon, and are important
for maintaining the stability of the universe, but have powers that can be misappropriated in ways
that can have terrible consequences for everyone. Next is the Legendary Birds, Zapdos, Articuno,
Moltres, and their three Galarian counterparts. Articuno has control over ice and can
cause snowfall with its mere presence, and appears to doomed travelers in the mountains.
Its Galarian counterpart is a Psychic type, using illusions and immobilizing psychic blasts to
neutralize prey. Moltres has dominion over fire, can heal itself by roosting in a volcano, and
its approach is said to foretell the coming of spring. Moltres’s Galarian form is a Dark
type, whose flames are said to incinerate the souls of those who approach it, invoking severe
fatigue. Finally, Zapdos can harness electricity, and is said to appear from thunderclouds.
Zapdos’s Galarian form is a Fighting type, who runs at a fast enough speed that it
generates the sound of electricity. One of the first legendary trios in the series, the Kantonian
Articuno and Moltres are said to have used their powers over ice and fire to create the oceans,
while Kantonian Zapdos used its electricity to create the currents and streams. As mentioned
earlier, the Kantonian birds have been known to squabble violently over each others territory
in the past, and have required their leader, Lugia, to come to break them up. These fights
have lead to massive amounts of storms and damage to the regions in which they fought. This
territorialism even extends to other Pokemon, such as in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon:
Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team, where Moltres, Articuno, and Zapdos each
fight the protagonist when they step into their lairs. This fervent territorialism pushes
them hard against the neutral part of this list. Next is Enamorus, known as the Love-Hate
Pokemon. This Hisuian Pokemon is known as the “Herald of Spring,” and is said to appear
at the end of Winter to signal the beginning of springtime. Enamorus’s love of life is
quite literally contagious; when it appears, it is said to encourage the formation of
new life in the surrounding area. However, Enamorus is not necessarily a peaceful
Pokemon. When one disrespects or otherwise stalls the cycle of life, Enamorus will come
down and smite that irritant personally, not unlike its vengeful sibling Pokemon,
Tornadus and Thundurus. However, its role as a harbinger of springtime makes
it lean towards the neutral part of this list. Rising from below is Heatran, the Lava Dome
Pokemon. Heatran is a Pokemon that lives at the center of volcanic craters. According to legend,
Heatran was created from magma deep inside Mount Coronet. It is so connected to the Pokemon World’s
mantle that magma actually runs through its veins, and its body creates such heat that Heatran’s
metal exoskeleton is actually meting from the heat it gives off. Heatran’s heat makes
it very hard to trust Heatran to reliably survive peacefully in the surface world,
since if its so hot it can melt itself, you can’t trust Heatran to not accidentally
start wildfires by walking through a forest. However, Heatran itself is not a very
evil Pokemon and just wants to be left alone. Next on our list Mewtwo, the Genetic Pokemon.
Created by Team Rocket scientists on Cinnabar Island, Mewtwo was raised to become one
of the most powerful Pokemon ever created. After potentially years of experiments, Mewtwo
destroyed the hideout and fled. It is one of the most elusive, only showing itself to worthy
trainers. Mewtwo, according to the Pokedex, is said to not have been born with a compassionate
heart – its only concern is growing stronger and not having to answer to anyone. In Mewtwo
Strikes Back, Mewtwo goes out of its way to capture and clone a bunch of trainers’ Pokemon
and force them to fight clones of themselves, to prove who is stronger. However, the series has
shown that Mewtwo is at least not unsalvageable. In Mewtwo Returns, it is shown to have become
the guardian of the island where Mewtwo Strikes Back took place, protecting its fellow
clones. In Genesect and the Legend Awakened, after being attacked by a bunch of Genesects,
Mewtwo still offers their leader friendship. Mewtwo is a Pokemon whose harsh personality
is a result of Team Rocket’s experiments, and even though it wasn’t born with a kind
heart, its shown to have at least taken steps to move past its trauma. Mewtwo is a neutral
Pokemon, but not as cruel as it once was. Zipping to the next spot is Zeraora, the
Thunderclap Pokemon. Zeraora’s body gathers electricity from outside of itself, like a
battery, which it uses to create electromagnetic field around itself and power up its claws
with high-voltage electricity. These claws even generate sparks that harm the opponent should
they evade the initial strike. Zeraora’s speed is unmatched, being described as ‘moving at the speed
of lightning,’ and is said to cause thundercrashes as it moves. Zeraora is a rather brutal Pokemon,
being described as tearing enemies limb from limb with its high-speed attacks. In The Power of Us,
its debut movie, Zeraora develops a distrust of humans after being attacked by poachers, growing
incredibly violent and dangerous to approach, but it is shown to have the potential for kindness
after its faith in humanity is restored by Ash. Zeraora’s electrical powers and brutal tactics
makes it an incredibly deadly and formidable adversary when you’re on its bad side. Zeraora
leans towards the neutral side of this list. Rolling on in is Genesect, the Paleozoic
Pokemon. Revived from a 300 million year-old fossil by Team Plasma and upgraded
with a powerful, modifiable laser cannon, Genesect is a force to be reckoned with. Even
before its transformation into what it was today, it was considered to be a formidable predator.
After Team Plasma was taken over by N after the fall of Gensis, N terminated the Genesect project,
feeling Pokemon shouldn’t be modified by science, but one scientist managed to continue the
project in secret. In the Movie Genesect and the Legend Awakened, a group of Genesect named the
Genesect Army went on a rampage in New Tork City, believing the city to be their original
hunting grounds and fighting Mewtwo in the Process. Being incredibly territorial
Pokemon, the Genesect rampaged through the city before finally being talked down by Ash,
Mewtwo, and company into seeing them as friends rather than enemies. Genesect is ultimately
a fish out of water, outfitted with dangerous weapons it didn’t use to have and put in a
situation it doesn’t know how to process. It is shown to be capable of friendship and showing
compassion, and because of this, it is hard to say Genesect itself is evil. Because of this,
Genesect takes a neutral stance on our list. Rounding out the good end of our spectrum is
Jirachi, the Wish Pokemon. Jirachi hibernates for extreme periods of time, forming a protective
shell around itself and even sleep-fighting if it senses it is in danger. Every 1000 years, it
awakens for several days to grant any wish that is written on the notes on its head. Jirachi
itself is a very kind and playful Pokemon, as seen in its debut movie, Jirachi: Wish Maker.
Jirachi’s place on this list is derived from the fact that it doesn’t have control over what people
write on it – similarly to a genie, Jirachi will carry out whatever wishes it is asked as long as
you can meet with it while its awake. This can lead to a good-hearted person healing the sick or
bringing good fortune onto others, while a person with ill intentions can use the wish in order
to obtain power or abuse the wish in some way. Jirachi itself is a good Pokemon, but its massive
cosmic power causes it to be considered neutral. Next is Gladion’s signature Pokemon, Type:
Null, and its evolution, Silvally. Designed by the Aether Foundation to combat and apprehend
Ultra Beasts, Type: Null is a synthetic Pokemon who has cells taken from all types. Type: Null
possesses an RKS system that, when paired with a hard drive of a specific type of Pokemon, allows
Type: Null to change its type on the fly. However, Type: Null and its prototypes initially
rejected their RKS Systems, causing stress and forcing them into a frenzy, causing them to
have limiter helmets put on their heads in order to quell the angering effects. Once Type: Null
evolves, it loses its mask and becomes Silvally, finally strong enough to use the RKS System to
its full potential. Silvally is known for being staunchly loyal to its trainer, and this makes
it so that its allegiance is highly dependent on the trainer who leads Silvally, making
it take a more neutral spot on this list. Next, we have Deoxys,
the DNA Pokemon. Originally a regular space virus, Deoxys was exposed
to a laser beam that mutated it into the dichromatic humanoid we see it as today. Deoxys
is a Pokemon that shifts between its Normal Form, an Attack Form, a Defense Form, and a Speed Form,
which it uses to adapt to dangerous situations. Its not entirely clear what Deoxys’s motives
are, as it seems to just travel through space, and only every once in a while battles Rayquaza
while the latter is eating up meteors. In fact, in Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire, the Delta
Episode’s final battle involves Deoxys riding a meteor that was going to destroy the Hoenn
region if not the world. Its unsure whether Deoxys had a hand in causing this meteor to head
towards the Pokemon world, or if it was simply hitching a ride. Because of this uncertainty,
Deoxys falls under the neutral category. The true neutrals of this list are every single
Regi – Regirock, Regice, Registeel, Regileki, Regidrago, and their leader Pokemon, Regigigas.
Regigigas is said to be so strong that it towed continents. According to legend, Regigigas
single-handedly created Regirock, Regice, Registeel, Regileki, and Regidrago in its own
image, and is hypothesized to have created even more. Each Regi, aside from Regigigas, who appears
to be a living creature, is made of non-living materials, such as rock, ice from the Ice Age,
steel, condensed electricity, or ‘hardened draconic energy.’ The Regis, while all made of
different materials, all seemingly share the same traits; they all lack a brain and a heart, making
them a biological miracle that they even live at all. They all live solitarily, often inside of
mountains or deep in ruins, and are typically only a threat if they are directly attacked.
Even Regigigas spends its days slumbering in Snowpoint Temple, only reacting to outside
stimuli when this slumber is disturbed. Because they keep to themselves and don’t seem to live
on the same wavelength as people or even other Pokemon seem to do, one can only rationalize that
a Regi is purely neutral at heart. They just vibe. Next is Zarude, the Rogue Monkey Pokemon. Zarude
are rare, social Pokemon and stick together in big packs. Together, they frighten Pokemon away
from their groups and will brutally assail anyone who isn’t a part of their pack, showing a very
territorial and aggressive side. However, some Zarude have been known to adopt human children and
protect them, leaving their packs to operate solo. This is the case for the Zarude named Dada,
a unique Zarude wearing a cloth that debuted in Secrets of the Jungle. Zarude are a group of
Pokemon bent towards being territorial, but are capable of showing genuine kindness, pushing
them towards the neutral side of this list. Next on our list is Marshadow, the Gloomdweller
Pokemon. One of the most secretive and cautious Pokemon on this list, Marshadow dissolves into
shadows in order to keep itself hidden. It is because of this that Marshadow doesn’t appear
before humans, and it doesn’t even appear in the Pokedex in its Main Series debut in the anime.
Marshadow uses its powers of concealment in order to spy on others, learning their combat moves
and seemingly using them better than those it set out to copy. Marshadow also possesses
the ability to understand others’ feelings, giving it a heightened state of empathy compared
to other Pokemon. In I Choose You!, in the movie Marshadow debuted in, Marshadow is
shown to serve as a servant of Ho-Oh, judging those who come to meet Ho-Oh and
see if they are pure of heart. However, Marshadow was temporarily turned evil after
the Rainbow Wing was corrupted by Cross, turning Marshadow incredibly violent and a
vector through which the Rainbow Wing could corrupt other Pokemon. During this brief stint,
Marshadow and the corrupted Pokemon teamed up to kill Ash Ketchum. No, really, they killed him.
Disintegrated him. Marshadow is one of the few Pokemon in the Pokemon canon to have actually
killed Ash – even Mewtwo never got that far, having turned him to stone and technically just
froze Ash. However, since this is an isolated incident, and Marshadow didn’t kill anyone else,
It’s hard to tell whether the corrupted Rainbow Wing directly controlled Marshadow or it made
it act more aggressively than it otherwise would have, seeing Ash as a threat. Because of this,
Marshadow just caps the neutral side of this list. And with our Gray Area wrapped up… We now get to the Dark Side. These Legendary
Pokemon are The Bad and The Evil. Starting the Evil side of our list is Spectrier
and Glastrier, the Swift Horse and the Wild Horse Pokemon respectively. Spectrier is a Pokemon
that desires silence and isolation, only leaving its hideaway at night in order to steal the life
force from sleeping individuals, fighting anyone who gets in its way. Glastrier, however, is an
incredibly active and aggressive Pokemon, using its incredible physical strength to take resources
from other Pokemon. Both of these Pokemon are very arrogant, only serving those who they deem the
strongest in the land. In ancient times, they worked for Calyrex, who rode them like steeds as
Calyrex protected the weak and innocent. Despite their work with Calyrex, Spectrier and Glastrier
are ultimately very hostile Pokemon. They listen to no one, and are some of the few Pokemon that
will readily hurt anyone who tries to tame them. Groudon and Kyogre, take up the next slot
in this list. Three thousand years ago, Groudon and Kyogre were born from the powerful
primal energy that was shaping the regions we see today. Groudon and Kyogre battled, the clash
of land and sea creating the Hoenn region before being quieted by Rayqyaza. This alone should help
give you an idea of the primordial strength these two Pokemon possess. Groudon possesses the power
to cause massive droughts and volcanic eruptions, expanding the land by sapping the land of
its moisture and oceans. Kyogre, in contrast, is said to bring water and rainstorms with
its mere presence, and is worshipped as a god for creating the oceans and causing downpours.
When these two Pokemon meet, those same battles that created the Pokemon region are raged
again, causing massive devastation to the ecosystem. Kyogre and Groudon are natural enemies,
embodiments of nature that cannot be controlled, which is exactly what Team Magma and Team Aqua
are forced to learn when they try to harness their potential for their own ends. Because of their
destructive power and their reckless, inherent animosity for each other, Kyogre and Groudon both
take a place in the evil portion of our list. Next on our list is Hoopa, the Mischief Pokemon,
as well as the Djinn Pokemon. In its tiny form, Hoopa is merely a troublemaker at heart, using its
hoops to gather things that it likes and somehow teleport them to a secret place. However, this is
simply its ‘confined’ form. In its ‘unbound’ form, unlocked by using the Prison Bottle item in the
games, Hoopa realizes its full potential. In this state, Hoopa is capable of summoning
and capturing objects as big as castles, and it is known to warp space in order to evade
capture. In the anime, Hoopa’s Unbound Form, which is described as Hoopa’s ‘shadow,’ served
as a separate personality for the Pokemon. It was a malevolent force, created by years of Hoopa
being sealed within the Prison Bottle, that would possess anyone to get revenge for being sealed
away. While in this state, Hoopa could summon other Legendaries, exerting its will onto them and
forcing them to fight. While Hoopa in its confined state is ultimately a harmless thief, Hoopa’s
Unbound form has been shown to be one of the most deadly and hostile forces in the Pokemon canon,
putting Hoopa in the evil portion of our list. Rising up from its slumber is Eternatus, the
Gigantic Pokemon. One of the largest ever recorded Pokemon, Eternatus, much like Deoxys, is
a Pokemon that came from the dark depths of space 20,000 years ago. When Eternatus touched down on
Earth, it landed in the Galar region and caused the Darkest Day, a day where Dynamax energy causes
Pokemon to Dynamax and rampage uncontrollably. However, it was stopped by Zacian and Zamazenta,
broken up into pieces, and scattered among Galar in the form of Wishing Stars. Eternatus
itself has control over Dynamax energy and is capable of either forcing or preventing
Pokemon from being able to Dynamax themselves. Eternatus is capable of entering a step further
beyond Dynamax called ‘Eternamax.’ In this state, it grows to over 328 feet tall (100 meters) in
height, gains the ability to warp space and time itself, and creates a nigh-infinite source of
energy. Eternatus is directly responsible for nearly ending the world twice due to the Darkest
Day, and was only stopped by the efforts of the protagonists, Zacian, and Zamazenta on both
occasions. It is hard to tell what motives Eternatus has for going on a rampage as it has
in the past, but it can be inferred that the Pokemon simply doesn’t know better. In the
Pokedex, its Eternamax state is described as being ‘power overload,’ so one can suppose
it doesn’t want to be in that state any more than Galar does. However, because of the sheer
damage that Eternatus can create when released, Eternatus ranks alongside the other deadly
forces of nature in the Evil category. Continuing our descent, we have Tornadus and
Thundurus. These two Pokemon are part of the Forces of Nature, right next to Landurus. Tornadus
is capable of generating winds at 200 MPH (or 320 kilometers per hour,) giving it the ability to
blow down houses and cause widescale property damage. Thundurus has the power to summon
thunderbolts, which it uses to cause forest fires. While they do serve an important purpose in
stirring up and enriching soil, much like Landurus does, they both are hated for what their powers
ultimately do to the surrounding area. They are both very quick to anger, can appear anywhere
at any moment thanks to their incredible speed, and get into violent clashes in the span of
seconds, causing massive hurricanes that can ruin surrounding towns and landscapes. The only reason
these two aren’t actively causing end-of-the-world scenarios is because Landurus keeps breaking them
up. Tornadus and Thundurus’s frequent outbursts, coupled with their radically deadly nature
abilities, puts them high up in the evil spectrum. Descending from on high is the Grim Reaper of the
Pokemon world, Yveltal. Serving as the embodiment of death itself and the counterpart to Xerneas,
Yveltal has the ability to steal the life energy around it through its wings. When it reaches the
end of its life span, it steal life force before going into a cocoon-like state, revitalizing
itself. Yveltal’s power is ultimately selfish, in that it steals the life of other Pokemon
in order to rejuvenate itself. However, it is the reason things die at all in the Pokemon
world. As we mentioned before, without Yveltal, Xerneas would have nothing to counterbalance its
immortality-giving properties. Without Yveltal, we would be forced to live with the effects of aging
and our bodies giving out without ever having the ability to pass on. However, at the same time,
without Xerneas, Yveltal would have no one to stop it from stealing the life of everyone on the
planet, rendering it completely dead. Yveltal is ultimately a parasitic Pokemon, but the only thing
keeping it from the far end of this list is the fact that we need Yveltal to keep us from living
forever. It is a very tenuous relationship, in many ways more so than with Xerneas. This is what
pushes Yveltal towards the evil part of this list. Next is the elusive Darkrai. Darkrai has the
terrifying ability to control nightmares, and can induce them in any individual that it
wishes, human or Pokemon. While Darkrai tends to only uses these powers for self-defense, it even
feeds off of victims through these nightmares, which is particularly unnerving. Throughout
continuity, Darkrai’s allegiances have been hard to pin down. In its debut movie, Rise of Darkrai,
the dark Pokemon strikes a protagonist role, helping fend off Dialga and Palkia and supporting
Ash as he tries to stop the Creation Gods from destroying a town. However, Darkrai really hit
its evil stride in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky, where
the Pokemon tries to cover the world in darkness by manipulating both Dialga and Palkia.
Darkrai’s shifting stance on the alignment scale, as well as its incredibly sinister powers, pushes
Darkrai towards the more evil side of our list. Claiming the The Bronze Medal of Evil is
the ice dragon, Kyurem. In many respects, Kyurem is a Pokemon with a lot of issues. It is
incredibly hostile, and, according to old legends, would try to eat humans and Pokemon alike when
they would wander around at night. By itself, the Pokemon is merely a hollow shell, requiring
either Reshiram or Zekrom to be fused with it in order to reach its full potential. This
Pokemon also has the dubious honor of being one of the few Pokemon to nearly
kill a protagonist in Black 2/White 2, after being told by Ghetsis to do so and not even
hesitating. While one could make the argument that Kyurem isn’t evil at heart and is more of a
wild animal even compared to most other Pokemon, Kyurem’s track record for causing harm to
others warrants the Bronze Medal of Evil. Nabbing the The Silver Medal of Evil is the
god of antimatter, Giratina. A terrifying Dragon-Type from another dimension, Giratina is
essentially the Pokemon world’s version of the man downstairs. Giratina was supposedly banished
to the Distortion World by Arceus themself, and being stuck there has only made them incredibly
irritable… and desperate to get out. Oftentimes, when Giratina breaks through to the Pokemon
world, it involves the Distortion World and the Pokemon World merging in some way,
causing catastrophic damage to both. In fact, in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Giratina serves as
an antagonist. In the game, Giratina reates a space-time distortion that kickstarts the main
conflict throughout the story, driving Dialga and Palkia into a frenzy and sending the
Noble Pokemon into their Lord/Lady states, causing serious trouble for the player character.
In the final confrontation with Volo, a merchant who wants to attack and dethrone Arceus themself,
Giratina appears to fight the player after the player defeats Volo. Giratina’s potential
for threat to the entire Pokemon world, as well as its vengeful nature at being cast out by
Arceus, makes it deserve the Silver Medal of Evil. Finally, earning the Gold Medal of Evil is
Necrozma, one of the few Ultra Beasts on our list. Hailing from Ultra Space, Necrozma
was originally capable of emitting light, but was injured by the ancestors of the
Ultra Recon Squad in order to steal its light. In the battle, Necrozma was left damaged
and incomplete, creating a Pokemon that hungered for the light it could no longer create. Necrozma
subjugated and consumed the light of Ultra Space, rendering the world a lifeless wasteland. The
ravenous Necrozma supposedly did the same to countless other worlds and eating the light
from creatures such as Lunala and Solageo, reduced to a cosmic parasite. It is only when the
protagonist of Pokemon Sun and Moon stops them that this eldritch abomination was finally
recontained and light was returned to the worlds that it had stolen from. Long story
short, Necrozma is the closest the Pokemon games ever got to creating Cthulhu. Necrozma’s
mindless hunger and the interstellar magnitude of the damage it caused up until it was stopped
is why it easily wins the Gold Medal of Evil. The Gluttony Medal goes to Kyurem.
People tell stories of how Kyurem eats man and Pokemon, and is one of the few, if only, times people are mentioned as
being a Pokemon’s main source of prey. The Pride Medal goes to Mewtwo. For
the longest time, this guy rode the idea that he’s the strongest Pokemon
to ever live. He’ll only appear before people who he believes may pose a challenge;
if that’s not arrogance, I don’t know what is. The Sloth Medal goes to Regigigas and their
smaller Regi counterparts. They just stand and wait for years until something pops by to bother
them. Regigigas is also always seen sleeping. The Envy Medal goes to Giratina, for harboring
such a grudge against Arceus that it is ready to sacrifice the entire world Arceus had made
just for its chance at taking the throne. The Greed Medal goes to Hoopa.
This little guy has stolen whole castles with his hoops just to snag the
riches inside! Don’t be a thief, Hoopa. The Wrath Medal goes to Thundurus
and Tornadus. These two have been fighting since the beginning of time,
more so than more famous duos like the Legendary Birds or Kyogre and Groudon.
And they do it way more frequently. The Lust Medal goes to Enamorus. Their
whole point is the idea that they, ahem, ‘encourage new life’ in the region it visits. But let us know in the comment section if
you agree with our ranking. Which do you think is the most noble Legendary Pokemon?
Make sure to hit that notification bell to binge more of our Pokemon videos. Thanks
for watching; we’ll see you next time!
