Pokémon Fans Are Frantically Trying to Work Out How Pokémon Legends: Z-A Connects to Other Pokémon Games

Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Unveiling Mysteries and Fan Theories

This morning's Pokémon Presents offered an extended look at Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Game Freak's futuristic take on the Pokémon X/Y setting of Lumiose City. While features like rooftop traversal, battle changes, and Mega Evolution were showcased, many questions remain regarding the game's placement within the Pokémon timeline and the potential return of familiar characters.

Unlike most standalone Pokémon titles, the first Legends game incorporated time travel, revisiting locations from Pokémon Diamond and Pearl centuries in the past, featuring ancestral characters or even characters from other games inexplicably transported through time. This precedent fuels fan speculation about Z-A's temporal setting, potential time travel elements, and returning characters.

The trailer reveals AZ, granted immortality millennia before Pokémon X/Y, now seemingly running a Lumiose City hotel, seemingly happier after reuniting with his Floette.

az taller than a mf giraffe
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Subtle clues abound. The resemblance of an office shown in the trailer to the Looker Bureau from previous games suggests the presence of Looker or his apprentice, Emma.

Looker confirmed for Legends Z-A?
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Intriguingly, the protagonists bear a striking resemblance to Ethan and Lyra from Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, sparking theories of a time-traveling scenario.

am i going crazy or the new mcs are literally ethan and lyra
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Alternatively, their resemblance to Professor Sycamore and Grace (the protagonist's mother in Pokémon X/Y) suggests a familial connection, echoing the ancestral themes of the Legends series.

ZA protagonist relatives
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These theories aren't mutually exclusive. The game's placement within the timeline is unknown. Given the loose, sometimes alternate-reality-infused timeline of the Pokémon universe, and the precedent set by Legends: Arceus, multiple theories could hold merit. AZ's presence suggests a post-Pokémon X/Y setting, potentially centuries later given his immortality. Lumiose City's futuristic expansion implies a significant time jump. If so, protagonists and the Looker Bureau representative could be descendants of their apparent counterparts.

ITS A SEQUEL?!?
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Another point of interest is a mysterious woman resembling a Hex Maniac from Pokémon X and Y.

New hex?
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This character's presence is particularly intriguing due to the unsolved mystery of the "Ghost Girl" in Pokémon X and Y. Her reappearance fuels hope for resolving this long-standing enigma.

Further discoveries are anticipated as fans delve into the newly released footage and art. While the game's release is slated for late 2025, the wealth of information unveiled has already ignited significant excitement and speculation.