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Glastrier is an equine Pokémon with a white coat and has light-blue ice covering parts of its body. Its mane consists of ice spikes, with three rows behind its neck and a single large spike between its ears. Both have ice behind them, connecting to the mask of ice that covers its left face. Its eyes are white with no visible pupils. Its thin tail is covered in ice that has four spikes jutting out from the sides. Its legs have ice covering its hooves and fetlocks, with the front pair's ice extending to its knees.
Glastrier has a coat of ice covering its face which is 100 times harder than diamond. It emits extreme cold from its hooves and possesses incredible physical strength and extraordinary destructive power. Glastrier is noted to be an aggressive Pokémon that forcefully takes resources. While Glastrier cannot move fast, it can freeze the ground to allow to slide across the ice in a flash. Glastrier's legs allows to to travel through the snowiest of lands and worst of roads. It enjoy challenging any strong opponents it finds worthy of battling.[1]
It was also known to be very proud and arrogant, preferring to serve those it deems the strongest. Glastrier once ruled over the Crown Tundra as its lord.[2] It was known to terrorize the residents of Crown Tundra for invading its territory. This lasted until it was defeated and tamed by Calyrex using the Reins of Unity. It has a fondness for Carrot Seeds, particularly Iceroot Carrot.
Game data
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation VIII.
Glastrier and Spectrier are the only Pokémon introduced in the Crown Tundra that were not directly revealed to the public.
Origin
Glastrier may draw inspiration from the mythological Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Glastrier representing the white horse of Conquest given its belligerent nature and purported desire to take anything it wants by force. It may also be based on the white-colored knight chess piece.
Both Glastrier and its counterpart Spectrier's relationship with Calyrex appears to be based on the legend of Brian Boru and the Pooka. Legend has it that Brian Boru, the High King of Ireland, is the only person to have ever ridden a Pooka, a mischievous faery in the form of a black horse. Brian tamed the Pooka by using a special bridle that contained three hairs from the Pooka's tail and successfully staying on its back through a wild ride. The king then forced the Pooka not to torment Christian people and to never attack an Irishman ever again. This is similar to how Calyrex, a Pokémon known as a king, can only ride his loyal steed, Glastrier or Spectrier, using the Reins of Unity woven in part from hairs from the steed's mane and had to prove himself by riding through the steed's bucking. It also relates to how, in taming this steed, Calyrex stopped the steed Pokémon from tormenting the people of the Crown Tundra.
The appearance of Glastrier may be based on the unicorn, the national animal of Scotland – which is the country that the Crown Tundra is based on. The unicorn in mythology is also said to be extremely wild and can only be tamed by the pure of heart; Glastrier is noted to be very aggressive and only the graceful Calyrex was able to tame it. Spectrier and Glastrier may also be based on Liath Macha and Dub Sainglend, two chariot horses of the hero Cúchulainn of Irish Mythology.
Glastrier's name may also reference the Glashtyn, a water horse or goblin of Manx folklore. Some Glashtyn tales say that, like many other water horses, it tries to lure people onto its back, only to then gallop into a body of water where it will drown its victim or drag them to an underwater abode. The Glashtyn is sometimes called the "Howler", because its eerie cry is said to warn of approaching storms, which may be referenced by Glastrier's Ability, Chilling Neigh. The Glashtyn is also said to fear fire, which Glastrier is weak to due to its Ice typing.
Glastrier may also take inspiration from the nykur, the water horse of Iceland and the Faroese Islands. This water horse is said to be white in color, and according to Icelanders, the sound of ice cracking on frozen lakes is the sound of the nykur's neighing, which may also connect to Glastrier's Ability.
Alternatively, Glastrier may be based on Hengroen, a stallion owned by King Arthur in the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen.
Glastrier may also be based on Shire horses and Clydesdale horses, draft horse breeds from the UK. Glastrier's tail length may be a reference to these horse breeds often having low tail sets while its large ice-covered hooves may be a stylization of the horse breeds' large feathered hooves.
Spectrier together with Glastrier may also be based on the Horsehead Nebula, a horse-shaped nebula near the constellation Orion. This would correspond to Calyrex's possibly representing Lepus (constellation), the "hare" constellation near Orion and also Canis Major which may have inspired Zacian and Zamazenta.
Name origin
Glastrier may be a combination of glacier and destrier, a type of medieval war horse.
Blizzapos may be a combination of blizzard and ἵππος híppos (Greek for horse) or horse.