Summary
Pokemon Scarlet and Violetbring several fresh concepts to thePokemonformula, with each game’s primary feature being the close bond the player shares with the box art Legendary, Koraidon or Miraidon. These new Dragon-types introduce newfound functionality as bicycles, making their mark on franchise history, but the presence of Legendary Dragon-types inPokemonhas been around for decades. Multiple generations of Legendaries predate last year’s release ofPokemon Scarlet and Violet, comprising some of the most powerful and iconic Pokemon of all time.
There may have been severalPseudo-Legendary Pokemonof the Dragon type over the years, but only after a couple of generations did Game Freak truly start fully incorporating the typing that was once exclusive to the Dragonite family. Dragon types were extremely rare prior to Gen 3, but they have become a common sight at the forefront of the series as Legendary Pokemon ever since
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Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire
Hoenn was the first generation to introduce legendary Dragon-type Pokemon, but there wasn’t much special about them beyond that. It wouldn’t be until Gen 4 and Gen 5 that the abundance of legendary Dragon-types would emerge. However, because Rayquaza and the Eon Duo are the first, they can be seen as the start of a growing trend.
Pokemon Diamond and Pearl
Sinnoh would see the introduction of the Creation Trio, Legendary Pokemon going beyond conventional nature and representing metaphysical concepts of time, space, and dark matter. Featuring more experimental designs and backstories, the Dragon-type Legendaries of this era continued Pokemon’s journey into a heavy presence for the archetype.
Pokemon Black and White
The Unova regionpushed the 2D era of Pokemon to its limits, and its Legendary Dragon-type Pokemon see the series lean even further into complicated designs. A single ancient dragon was split into the Tao Trio seen on Gen 5’s box art, Dragon-types representing the concepts of Yin and Yang.
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Pokemon X and Y
Gen 6 may have brought the series into 3D with the Kalos region, but it also introduced the lowest number of new Pokemon. A surprising number of the few turned out to be Dragon-types, but only one Legendary of the type made it. This generation saw the introduction of Fairy typing in an effort to provide a counter for the overbearing strength of Dragon-types, and it essentially took until the next generation for them to recover.
Pokemon Sun and Moon
Alola brought Pokemon into a tropical setting and experimented with the core formula of the franchise, but a Dragon-type still managed to make it into the lineup of Legendaries. However, unlike Gen 4 and Gen 5, their presence was not as demanding or as core to the story.
Pokemon Sword and Shield
Galar saw Legendary Dragon-types mostly take a step back in favor of the Hero Duo, but its ultimate antagonist Pokemon brought a rare type combination to the forefront in the late game.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
Paldea has brought Dragon-types back to the forefront with the Paradox Duo that are closer to the player than ever. Both of the mascots are companions to the player while traversing the world, the biggest role a Pokemon of this archetype has ever played. With future updates on the horizon, even more Dragon-type Legendaries could even have the potential to appear as well.
Pokemon ScarletandVioletare currently available on the Nintendo Switch.
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