Lunala is the game mascot of Pokémon Moon, appearing on its boxart. Along with Solgaleo, it was initially shown, without a name or any data, in May 2016, but information on it was officially revealed on June 2, 2016.
Lunala is a large Pokémon resembling a skeletal, legless bat. It has a short snout, dark pink eyes with white centers, and a deep blue area on its upper head that shows a constantly changing starscape. A rigid raised hood wraps around its head in a crescent shape and drapes around its neck as well. The outside of the hood is yellow, while the inner part that curves around Lunala's head is white with deep blue streaks. Its torso resembles a ribcage with a slightly curved spike on each shoulder and three spikes extending from the bottom toward its tail. Its massive wings resemble a bat's wings with the skeleton exposed, except that Lunala's wings have a total of seven "finger bones": four running through each wing, one running along the edge to the outermost tip, and two pointing upwards that may act as claws that are more functional. The four "bones" in Lunala's wings are only visible in segments. The skin of Lunala's wings is an iridescent deep blue and a light blue light source appears to glow from behind its ribcage. A large, pale yellow crescent connects the outermost tip of each wing to the next two inner tips, and the remaining two innermost tips are adorned by yellow, four-pointed stars. The bottom of Lunala's tail is also lined by a yellow crescent with a ridge running up the middle of the tail towards the rib cage.
Lunala was known as "the beast that calls the moon" in ancient times.[1] It has long been honored as an emissary of the moon. It constantly absorbs light and converts it into energy, and when it spreads its wings, it glitters like a crescent moon and resembles a vast and beautiful night sky.[2] Its power is great enough to shroud daylight in darkness. Lunala's lunar energy can influence a Rockruff's Evolution into Lycanroc's Midnight Form.[3] It is said to live in Ultra Space and returns there when its third eye opens. It can create Ultra Wormholes to travel to and from Ultra Space, so it is used by the Ultra Recon Squad as their Ride Pokémon. Alongside its counterpart Solgaleo, it can create Cosmog, which it is said to be the female Evolution of. Together, they also possess the power to create Z-Crystals and restore Necrozma's light, allowing it to return to its true form. Lunala, similar to Solgaleo, is a being composed of light; because of this, it is relentlessly hunted by Necrozma, which seeks to devour its light to ease its ceaseless pain and reclaim its original form. This has resulted in an eternal conflict in which Necrozma repeatedly steals its boundless energy, only to be pursued by Lunala and Solgaleo as they attempt to recover the stolen light in an endless cycle.[4] When Necrozma takes control of Lunala, its body separates into pieces that attach to it like armor, possessing it and transforming itself into Dawn Wings Necrozma as the fragments continuously absorb Lunala's light. However, Lunala is also capable of coexisting willingly with Necrozma, regardless of fusion.[5][6] It loves Lunala Treats made by Snacksworth, who once encountered it in the past.
When Lunala enters its Full Moon phase, its third eye—a light red symbol of an eye—appears on its forehead, and the starscape turns to streaks of light. The skin of its wings glows a bright, light blue. It spreads its wings wide so that the golden parts on each wing are arranged in a circle. It enters this phase while using its signature move or traveling through Ultra Space.
Lunala's Full Moon phase
Concept art of Lunala's Full Moon phase for Pokémon Sun and Moon
Evolution
Lunala evolves from Cosmoem and is one of the final forms of Cosmog, the other being Solgaleo.
A Lunala appeared in The Opened Wormhole, where it was summoned by Tokio in order to suppress the power of Solgaleo and thus prevent Meja from using the latter as his superweapon's power source.
In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Lunala's Full Moon phase is absent from its signature move animations.
Lunala's Japanese name and its romanization were revealed early in documents relating to their trademark on March 22, 2016.[7] This romanization spells it with as "Lunaala" instead of "Lunala" (with a single A before the L), suggesting early naming.
Lunala's physical and special stats are the reverse of Solgaleo's.
Lunala appears to be based on a bat with a Moon motif. In particular, it might reference the two known Hawaiian bat species, the still living Hawaiian hoary bat and the extinct Synemporion, or the ghost bat. In Pokémon Moon, Lunala's verball makes the onomatopoeia of "Mahina-pea". The phrase may come from the words mahina (Hawaiian for moon) and ʻōpeʻapeʻa (Hawaiian for bat), following the moon and bat motif. In addition, mahina piha is Hawaiian for full moon and Mahina is a lunar deity found in Hawaiian mythology.
It could also be based on Ītzpāpālōtl, a skeletal Aztec goddess and star demon, often depicted with bladed bat wings; Camazotz, a Mayan bat god that was associated with the night, death, and sacrifice; Leutogi, a Samoan protector bat goddess; and Pe'a-pe'a-makawalu, an eight-eyed bat that Hawaiian demigod Māui snatched eyes from. This may also be a basis for Lunala's auxiliary eye in Full Moon phase. Its Ghost typing and association with the night may also connect it to Hine-nui-te-pō of Maori legend; goddess of the night and the receiver of the dead, and in myths is said to be the reason why the sky turns red during twilight, similar to Lunala's Shiny coloration. The combination of Lunala's skeletal appearance and bladed sickle-like wings may also bring to mind, the Grim Reaper, another personification of death. Its Shiny coloration may also be based on the reddish color of the Moon during a total lunar eclipse. Additionally, Lunala resembles a moon dog.
Name origin
Lunala may be a combination of luna (Latin for moon), ala (Latin for wing), and possibly lunula (which means something crescent-shaped).
↑Kazumasa Iwao: "These three are always struggling against one another in Ultra Space. Necrozma might steal the light of the others and flee, then Solgaleo and Lunala might give and take back the light back—and on and on it would go."
↑Lusamine: "It doesn't seem like Necrozma or Solgaleo are suffering in their current state. I suppose now that they have the light of our sync stone, they're able to coexist peacefully." (Pokémon Masters EX)
↑Lillie: "<player>, I know this may be sudden, but I hope you will consider what I ask of you. I want to entrust Nebby to you. I think Nebby should be with Necrozma. From what I've heard, Necrozma would not suffer as much or ache so for the light if it can remain close to Nebby..." (Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon)
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.