Paradox Pokémon

Illustration of Great Tusk, a Paradox Pokémon in the Scarlet Book that resembles Donphan.

Illustration of Iron Treads, a Paradox Pokémon in the Violet Book that resembles Donphan.

Paradox Pokémon (Japanese: パラドックスポケモン Paradox Pokémon) are a group of Pokémon found in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. They have two subgroups: one made of Pokémon resembling ancient relatives of contemporary Pokémon^S, and one resembling futuristic relatives of contemporary Pokémon^V. They are all gender unknown and unable to evolve or breed, and — with the exceptions of Koraidon and Miraidon — their names do not follow regular naming conventions. All of them share the category of Paradox Pokémon.

They are also known as unidentified creatures and Enigmas of Paldea by researchers and Occulture magazine articles, respectively. Professor Sada^S/Professor Turo^V are the head researchers on the Paradox Pokémon. The professors also refer to the Paradox Pokémon as ancient Pokémon^S/future Pokémon^V.

History

The first recorded sightings of Paradox Pokémon were documented 200 years ago in Area Zero within the Great Crater of Paldea located in the center of the Paldea region. A member of the Area Zero expedition team, an author and historian named Heath, wrote about these sightings in the Scarlet Book^S/Violet Book^V. Area Zero would be occupied by scientists researching the Paradox Pokémon and the Terastal phenomenon. During the expedition, a member of the team was fatally injured by a Great Tusk^S/Iron Treads^V that attacked them, and another survey team member managed to take a photograph of the encountered Paradox Pokémon. At some point, the team's sketch artist made a drawing inspired by the Paradox Pokémon they had seen, imagining what other species in the crater might look like, which resembled a combined version of the Legendary beasts^S/Swords of Justice^V. Walking Wake^S/Iron Leaves^V would later appear, resembling the sketch, but their connection is unknown. It is unclear how these first Paradox Pokémon arrived in Paldea.

Eventually, a paranormal magazine called Occulture published articles on these sightings and theorized about what the Paradox Pokémon could be. At the time, the Paradox Pokémon were believed to have been fabricated by Heath, thus not being considered real. As a result, Heath and his team were widely discredited. The Paradox Pokémon faded into obscurity and research on them ended for a time.

Ten years ago before the events of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the Paradox Pokémon from the ancient past^S/distant future^V were brought into the present using a time machine built by Professor Sada^S/Professor Turo^V. The Professor used the time machine to send Poké Balls to different points in the timeline. The Poké Balls then caught the Paradox Pokémon, before bringing them into modern time. The reason the professor created the time machine was because they were fascinated with the Paradox Pokémon after reading about them from the Scarlet Book^S/Violet Book^V.

The professor conducted research on these Pokémon, with the ultimate goal of establishing a sanctuary in which they would be able to coexist with modern-day Pokémon. This goal would be called Project Tera. At some point, the professor created an AI version of themselves, to assist in research on Paradox Pokémon, using the very same Terastal energy that helped create the time machine. However, due to how dangerous they were to the ecosystem of Paldea, the Paradox Pokémon were kept locked away in Area Zero. At some point, security blocks and a Poké Ball Lock System were created to help both protect the time machine and Paradox Pokémon.

The player's Koraidon^S/Miraidon^V was the first of the Paradox Pokémon to be brought into the present; a second specimen was later brought into the present as well, but it proved to be far more aggressive than the original and drove it away in a territorial dispute. It is later revealed that the professor was killed by the second specimen while defending the first. Because of this, eventually the Paradox Pokémon would continue to arrive in the present and eventually form their own population in Area Zero. Meanwhile, the Professor AI counterparts realized that the project was a mistake and that their creators' dreams were doomed to failure; however, their programming prevented them from doing anything that might stop the project directly.

Later, during the events of Scarlet and Violet, a Great Tusk^S/an Iron Treads^V somehow escaped and became a Titan Pokémon that roamed the Asado Desert. The player and Arven defeated it, putting an end to its rampage.

During the events of The Way Home, the player, Arven, Nemona, and Penny encountered several Paradox Pokémon while heading deeper into Area Zero. At Research Station 2, they encountered a Scream Tail^S/an Iron Bundle^V, which Penny mistook for an ordinary Jigglypuff^S/Delibird^V until it became hostile. At Research Station 3, they encountered a Great Tusk^S/an Iron Treads^V, like the one fought in the Asado Desert. Then, outside the Zero Lab, the second Koraidon^S/Miraidon^V was encountered before the group was ambushed by a group of Paradox Pokémon: Great Tusk, Brute Bonnet, and Flutter Mane^S; or Iron Treads, Iron Hands, and Iron Jugulis^V. The AI Sada^S/Turo^V fights the player against their will using seven Paradox Pokémon in an attempt to defend the time machine, only for the player and their Koraidon^S/Miraidon^V to put a stop to it. The time machine that summoned the Paradox Pokémon was then shut down when AI Sada^S/Turo^V used it one final time to travel into the ancient past^S/distant future^V.

Afterward, the rest of the Paradox Pokémon can be found in Area Zero during the post-game, including Roaring Moon^S/Iron Valiant^V and the second Koraidon^S/Miraidon^V. Walking Wake^S/Iron Leaves^V have only appeared in special Poké Portal News event Tera Raid Battles. Great Tusk^S/Iron Treads^V have also appeared in special Tera Raids.

In the games

Ancient Pokémon

These Pokémon look like ancient relatives of contemporary Pokémon. They all share the Protosynthesis Ability, with the exception of Koraidon, which has Orichalcum Pulse. Their Abilities involve the effect of harsh sunlight in battle.

Ndex	Paradox Pokémon			Contemporary Relative
	Image	Type	Description	Image	Type
#0984	Great Tusk	Ground  Fighting	Great Tusk: A Living Relic of the Dinosaur Era?! In one arid corner of Paldea, there have been reports of a mysterious life-form. It's said to resemble a Donphan at first glance, albeit one with gigantic tusks, tough scales, and an aggressive disposition. Leading theories hold that this being is nothing less than a living relic of the dinosaur era, but no one can say for sure. Apparently, it's called Great Tusk after the name of a strange being that was written about in the mysterious Scarlet Book.	Donphan	Ground
#0985	Scream Tail	Fairy  Psychic	Scream Tail: A Billion-Year-Old Jigglypuff?! Somewhere in a Paldean forest, it's said, lurks Scream Tail—a being with Jigglypuff's own endearing puffball appearance but also a ferocious aggression that leads it to attack anyone who comes near. Its primitive appearance and savage nature have prompted rumors that it could be a Jigglypuff from one billion years ago. It's named after a creature in the Scarlet Book that is described as having a distinctive tail and scream.	Jigglypuff	Normal  Fairy
#0986	Brute Bonnet	Grass  Dark	Brute Bonnet: Amoonguss Meets Dinosaur? This bizarre creature is said to combine traits of dinosaurs with those of the Pokémon Amoonguss. It's named after a fierce mushroom creature of matching description that appears in the renowned Scarlet Book. Brute Bonnet certainly resembles Amoonguss, though with its own unique twists: its gigantic stature and seemingly low intelligence combine to make it a savage, powerful fighter.	Amoonguss	Grass  Poison
#0987	Flutter Mane	Ghost  Fairy	Flutter Mane: A Ghostly Pterosaur?! Flutter Mane—a name taken from a strange creature with a matching description appearing in the Scarlet Book—is said to float around the sky at night with its long hair writhing about it. Eyewitness accounts describe it as resembling a giant Misdreavus at first glance, albeit a highly fierce and aggressive one. Some believe that it's a ghost of a pterosaur from a long-gone era.	Misdreavus	Ghost
#0988	Slither Wing	Bug  Fighting	Slither Wing: A Prehistoric Volcarona, Revived?! There have been precious few sightings reported of the ultra-mysterious Slither Wing, a being whose name is taken from that of a similar-seeming creature described in the ever-puzzling Scarlet Book. Slither Wing shares traits with Volcarona, so some theorize that it may have been revived from fossils from a prehistoric era that we have discussed in these pages. However, no Volcarona fossils of that era are known to have been found.	Volcarona	Bug  Fire
#0989	Sandy Shocks	Electric  Ground	Sandy Shocks: A Magneton with a 10-Thousand-Year Lifespan?! Some scientists claim that this mysterious being is a Magneton that has lived for 10 thousand years. It has been sighted numerous times in Paldea's more arid regions, but there are no reports of it ever having been caught. It's said that Sandy Shocks is an aggressive sort and that some people who've seen it have been attacked as well. It takes its name from a beast with a matching description in the era-defining Scarlet Book.	Magneton	Electric  Steel
#1005	Roaring Moon	Dragon  Dark	Roaring Moon: A Primeval Salamence?! This elusive creature is called Roaring Moon after a similarly described being in the Scarlet Book. It looks similar to Salamence when they undergo a certain phenomenon elsewhere in the world, but it's unclear if there is any connection. This creature scatters feathers as it flies around at high speeds seeking prey. It's thought to be more savage than Salamence, and if you should encounter one, it's imperative that you avoid actual contact.	Mega Salamence	Dragon  Flying
#1007	Koraidon "Winged King"	Fighting  Dragon	Pokédex entries This seems to be the Winged King mentioned in an old expedition journal. It was said to have split the land with its bare fists. This Pokémon resembles Cyclizar, but it is far burlier and more ferocious. Nothing is known about its ecology or other features.	Cyclizar	Dragon  Normal
#1009	Walking Wake	Water  Dragon	An Imagined Pokémon A drawing of a fantastical Pokémon as envisioned by our sketch artist. The size and ferocity of the strange Pokémon that dwell in Area Zero's lower reaches tickled the artist's imagination, prompting this sketch of what other species that inhabit these depths might look like.	Suicune	Water

Future Pokémon

These Pokémon look like futuristic relatives of contemporary Pokémon. They all share the Quark Drive Ability, with the exception of Miraidon, which has Hadron Engine. Their Abilities involve the effect of Electric Terrain in battle.

Ndex	Paradox Pokémon			Contemporary Relative
	Image	Type	Description	Image	Type
#0990	Iron Treads	Ground  Steel	Iron Treads: An Alien Weapon?! In one arid corner of Paldea, there have been reports of a mysterious life-form. It's said to resemble a Donphan at first glance, albeit one that can abruptly assume a spherical shape and launch into a swift rolling attack. Rumors say this being is some kind of weapon using technology not of this world, but no one can say for sure. Apparently, it's called Iron Treads after the name of a strange being that was written about in the mysterious Violet Book.	Donphan	Ground
#0991	Iron Bundle	Ice  Water	Iron Bundle: An Ancient Civilization's Robot?! The mysterious Violet Book makes reference to a being called Iron Bundle, which was said to look like Delibird and to possess a spherical apparatus from which it would fire huge blasts of ice to propel itself through snowy lands. Plenty of theories about it have been floated. A leading one suggests it is the product of a long-gone civilization—a notion supported by ancient writings that describe the design and usage of machines resembling Iron Bundle.	Delibird	Ice  Flying
#0992	Iron Hands	Fighting  Electric	Iron Hands: Secretly a Cyborg?! This being's name comes from the one given to an iron-handed entity in the mysterious Violet Book. It is said to have fists that move independent of its body and to be capable of throwing large, fast-moving vehicles. A leading theory holds that Iron Hands was once an athlete who became mortally wounded but was kept alive by being made into a cyborg. Why it so strongly resembles Hariyama, however, remains unanswered.	Hariyama	Fighting
#0993	Iron Jugulis	Dark  Flying	Iron Jugulis: Pokémon or Machine?! This flying life-form bearing a resemblance to Hydreigon has been seen in a certain corner of Paldea. It was reported to have razed an entire building with a high-energy blast, then flown off as if to find its next objective. Iron Jugulis is theorized to be a sort of machine-Hydreigon hybrid, as it combines the former's ruthlessness with the latter's ferocity. It takes its name from a similarly described entity in the Violet Book.	Hydreigon	Dark  Dragon
#0994	Iron Moth	Fire  Poison	Iron Moth: A UFO Sent to Spy on Humankind?! The name Iron Moth was borrowed from that of a flying object described in the era-defining Violet Book. It was said to resemble Volcarona and would descend from the skies, following people around and occasionally even attacking them. Some point to Iron Moth's aggression as a sign that it is, in fact, a UFO of sorts being controlled by alien life. Perhaps something out there is using Iron Moth to observe us, waiting for the moment to mount an invasion...	Volcarona	Bug  Fire
#0995	Iron Thorns	Rock  Electric	Iron Thorns: A Tyranitar of the Distant Future?! A strange being called Iron Thorns has been sighted in a certain cave in Paldea. This being bears a strong resemblance to Tyranitar, but it apparently displays great coolheadedness and prefers to avoid unnecessary fights. It appears to be highly intelligent and clad in metallic armor, causing some to speculate that it may be a Tyranitar as it would appear a billion years from now. Its name comes from a similarly described entity that appears in the Violet Book.	Tyranitar	Rock  Dark
#1006	Iron Valiant	Fairy  Fighting	Iron Valiant: An Experiment Gone Wrong?! This oddity's name is borrowed from that of an object described in the Violet Book. One theory holds that it is in fact a robot—the product of a mad scientist's efforts to create the most powerful psychic Pokémon of all. According to its few eyewitnesses, Iron Valiant appears similar to both Gardevoir and Gallade. It's also said to be cruel enough to take its brilliantly shining blade and cut down anyone confronting it without hesitation.	Mega Gardevoir	Psychic  Fairy
				Mega Gallade	Psychic  Fighting
#1008	Miraidon "Iron Serpent"	Electric  Dragon	Pokédex entries Much remains unknown about this creature. It resembles Cyclizar, but it is far more ruthless and powerful. This seems to be the Iron Serpent mentioned in an old book. The Iron Serpent is said to have turned the land to ash with its lightning.	Cyclizar	Dragon  Normal
#1010	Iron Leaves	Grass  Psychic	An Imagined Pokémon A drawing of a fantastical Pokémon as envisioned by our sketch artist. The compactness and cruelty of the strange Pokémon that dwell in Area Zero's lower reaches tickled the artist's imagination, prompting this sketch of what other species that inhabit these depths might look like.	Virizion	Grass  Fighting

Base stats comparison

Pokémon	Great Tusk	Scream Tail	Brute Bonnet	Flutter Mane	Slither Wing	Sandy Shocks	Roaring Moon	Koraidon	Walking Wake
HP	115	115	111	55	85	85	105	100	99
Attack	131	65	127	55	135	81	139	135	83
Defense	131	99	99	55	79	97	71	115	91
Sp. Attack	53	65	79	135	85	121	55	85	125
Sp. Defense	53	115	99	135	105	85	101	100	83
Speed	87	111	55	135	81	101	119	135	109
Total	570	570	570	570	570	570	590	670	590

Pokémon	Iron Treads	Iron Bundle	Iron Hands	Iron Jugulis	Iron Moth	Iron Thorns	Iron Valiant	Miraidon	Iron Leaves
HP	90	56	154	94	80	100	74	100	90
Attack	112	80	140	80	70	134	130	85	130
Defense	120	114	108	86	60	110	90	100	88
Sp. Attack	72	124	50	122	140	70	120	135	70
Sp. Defense	70	60	68	80	110	84	60	115	108
Speed	106	136	50	108	110	72	116	135	104
Total	570	570	570	570	570	570	590	670	590

Trivia

Imaginary Paradox Pokémon from the Scarlet Book that resembles Walking Wake.

Imaginary Paradox Pokémon from the Violet Book that resembles Iron Leaves.

• All future Paradox Pokémon have "Iron" (or the equivalent in other languages) in their names.
  • The use of "Iron" may be a reference to the final phase of stars. All of the future Paradox Pokémon ability names (Quark Drive and Hadron Engine) also happen to be similar to some of the key components sustaining the lives of main sequence stars. Iron production in the core is the final phase before stellar core collapse.
  • While this doesn't explicitly apply to Miraidon, its alternate name is "Iron Serpent", as mentioned in its Pokédex entry from Pokémon Violet.
  • Despite them all having "Iron" in their names, only Iron Treads is actually part Steel-type.
• Donphan, Volcarona, and Cyclizar are the only Pokémon to have multiple Paradox Pokémon counterparts.
• Every contemporary relative of Paradox Pokémon that is unevolved can evolve further using an Evolution stone.
  • Every Paradox Pokémon that is based on unevolved Pokémon is an ancient Paradox Pokémon.
• No Paradox Pokémon based on a version-exclusive Pokémon is available in the same game as its present-day counterpart in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
  • Of these, Flutter Mane is the only one not based on a pseudo-legendary Pokémon.
• Iron Valiant is the only Paradox Pokémon to be based on more than one Pokémon.
• Roaring Moon and Iron Valiant can be considered counterparts of each other:
  • They share a base stat total of 590 instead of the 570 found in most other non-Legendary Paradox Pokémon.
  • Both are separated from the other non-Legendary Paradox Pokémon in Paldea Pokédex and National Pokédex numbering.
  • Both are not covered in any editions of Occulture magazine in the Naranja Academy^S/Uva Academy^V entrance hall, with the editions covering them being found in the lab on Poco Path instead.
  • They are both the final and highest-leveled Pokémon used by Professor Sada^S/Professor Turo^V in their first battle, as well as the only Pokémon on their team with the held item Booster Energy.
• Roaring Moon, Iron Jugulis, and Iron Thorns are the only Paradox Pokémon to have a lower base stat total than their contemporaries. This is because their counterparts are all pseudo-legendary Pokémon, each with base stat totals of 600 (or higher in the case of Mega Salamence, which has a base stat total of 700).
• All Paradox Pokémon are dual-type.
  • All Paradox Pokémon share one of their types with their apparent relatives and have another type that the relative lacks.
  • All types except Normal are represented by at least one Paradox Pokémon.
  • Fighting is the most common type for Paradox Pokémon to have, with five Paradox Pokémon having it.
  • Iron Moth is the only Paradox Pokémon to not share at least one type with another Paradox Pokémon.
• Excluding Koraidon and Miraidon, all ancient Pokémon have odd-numbered base stats while all future Pokémon have even-numbered base stats.
• All ancient Pokémon are taller than the Pokémon they are based on, while all future Pokémon (except Miraidon) are shorter.
  • Furthermore, all ancient Pokemon weigh more than their present-day relatives except Sandy Shocks, which weighs the same as Magneton.
• The cries of all Paradox Pokémon except Koraidon and Miraidon sample the cries of their contemporary relatives. Furthermore, all ancient Pokémon share a unique whistle-like sound frequency in their cries, while all future Pokémon cries share a unique electronic, mechanical noise.
• All moves learned by Paradox Pokémon via leveling up are learned at levels which are multiples of 7.
• In their battle against the player, Professor Sada^S/Professor Turo^V uses every Paradox Pokémon available (before the 1.2.0 update) in that version of the game, except Great Tusk^S/Iron Treads^V.
• In the Scarlet and Violet Books, there is a sketch of an imaginary Pokémon based on Paradox Pokémon found in Area Zero. The drawing in the Scarlet Book resembles a fusion of the three Legendary beasts, while that of the Violet Book resembles a fusion of the three Swords of Justice. These designs are seemingly meant to to be of Walking Wake and Iron Leaves, though instead of being counterparts of just Suicune and Virizion respectively, these sketches combine traits from all members of their respective trios.
• Generation II has the most Paradox Pokémon counterparts of Pokémon that debuted during it, with six. Generation IV has the fewest (of generations with at least one), with only one (Gallade).
• No Pokémon from Generations VI, VII, or VIII have Paradox Pokémon counterparts.
  • However, Roaring Moon is based on Mega Evolution, which was introduced in Generation VI.
• The Paradox Pokémon (excluding Koraidon and Miraidon) and Type: Null are the only Pokémon to have Spanish and Italian names different to their English names.
• The Pokédex entries for each group of Paradox Pokémon in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet share a common theme depending on the version:
  • Scarlet's entries regarding ancient Pokémon and Violet's entries regarding future Pokémon cite an "expedition journal" or an "old book", referring to the Scarlet Book^S/Violet Book^V.
  • Violet's entries regarding ancient Pokémon and Scarlet's entries regarding future Pokémon cite a "paranormal" or "dubious" magazine, referring to Occulture.
• The term "Paradox Pokémon" may be a reference to Animalia Paradoxa.
• Koraidon and Miraidon are the only Paradox Pokémon with a signature Ability.
• Koraidon, Miraidon, Walking Wake, and Iron Leaves are the only Paradox Pokémon with signature moves.
• Walking Wake and Iron Leaves are the only Paradox Pokémon whose modern day counterparts are currently unavailable in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
  • They are also the only Paradox Pokémon to not be in the Paldea Pokédex.
• The Paradox Pokémon share similarities with the Ultra Beasts, another group of Pokémon.
  • Both only consist of Pokémon that cannot evolve in their debut games.
  • Both play a role in the main story of their debut games.
  • Both groups consist only of gender unknown Pokémon that are unable to breed.
  • Both are connected to Legendary Pokémon.
  • Both have base stats themed around a certain type of number, with the ancient Paradox Pokémon having odd-numbered base stats and future Paradox Pokémon having even-numbered base stats, while Ultra Beasts have base stats themed around prime numbers.
    • Additionally, the levels they learn moves at are themed around numbers, with Paradox Pokémon learning moves around multiples of seven, while Ultra Beasts learn moves around prime numbers.
  • The majority of Pokémon in both groups have a base stat total of 570.
  • Every non-Legendary Paradox Pokémon and every Ultra Beast has an Ability that boosts its most proficient non-HP stat.
  • Promotional material for both groups' debut games did not refer to them as Pokémon or reveal any of their types prior to the games' releases.
  • Characters in the games are initially unsure whether the members of either group are actually Pokémon.

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 悖謬寶可夢 Buhtmauh Pokémon Mandarin 悖謬寶可夢 / 悖谬宝可梦 Bèimiù Bǎokěmèng French Pokémon Paradoxe German Paradox-Pokémon Italian Pokémon Paradosso Korean 패러독스 포켓몬 Paradox Pokémon Spanish Pokémon paradoja

See also

• Terastal phenomenon
• Legendary Pokémon
• Ultra Beast
• Scarlet Book
• Violet Book
• Great Crater of Paldea
• Area Zero
• Occulture
• Paradox duo