Skeledirge is a large, red, crocodilian Pokémon covered in rectangular scales. Its belly is angular and has a white coloration flanked by black stripes on either side, resembling an open suit jacket and dress shirt. It also has various white-colored patterns on its head, lower jaw, neck, back, shoulders, arms, legs, and the cylindrical tip of its tail. The white coloration on the top of its head resembles a lute. Skeledirge has three black claws on each foot, and while it usually walks on all fours, it is capable of standing on its hind legs. Its head is delineated with a black circular shape at the top. It has black eyes with yellow irises and red eyelids, serrated jaws with purple insides, and various square and triangular patterns that come in red, orange, yellow, and purple. A wreath of solid orange-and-yellow fire energy emerges from the back of Skeledirge's jaws, which circles around its head.
Skeledirge has a meddlesome but caring personality. Its singing is gentle but powerful and full of vitality, capable of soothing the souls of all who hears it. Opponents hearing its singing will feel warm and fulfilled inside, losing their will to battle. There is an orange fiery bird resting on top of Skeledirge's head, which is a separate, independent entity from the Pokémon. This bird is spherical, with a yellow face, white eyes, a short crest and tail, and a singular tiny pointed "foot" it balances itself on. The bird was born when the egg-shaped fireball Skeledirge had as a Crocalor gained a soul, which also gave it its Ghosttype.[1] It can sometimes be seen pecking at Skeledirge's jaws, supposedly cleaning its teeth. Skeledirge burns its enemies by unleashing flames that exceed 5,400 °F (3,000 °C). When it sings, its bird transforms into a microphone, growing its "foot" longer until it reaches the ground. The bird is then powered up by Skeledirge's singing, growing larger and flying towards its target. As shown in Pokémon Sleep, Skeledirge and its pre-Evolutions are known to sometimes sleep with an eye open. The fiery bird on Skeledirge's head occasionally moves about and even plays pranks on it when its sleep is shallow. An excellent caretaker, it never gets angry no matter what's done to it and continues sleeping.[2]
The fireball on its head has gained a soul, and when Skeledirge's sleep is shallow, the fireball moves around and sometimes plays pranks. Skeledirge is an excellent caretaker and never gets angry no matter what's done to it. It just keeps sleeping.
Roy's Crocalor evolved into Skeledirge in HZ119, during his battle against Drayton. In the same episode, he Terastallized into a Firetype for the first time as a Skeledirge.
Skeledirge is the first fully evolved Fire-type first partner Pokémon to be quadrupedal.
In a trademark filed by The Pokémon Company on November 7, 2022, Skeledirge's Japanese name was romanized as "Loudbone" instead of "Laudbon".[3] The name "Laudbon" was trademarked a month later on December 19, 2022.[4]
Skeledirge resembles a crocodile with a skull pattern or a calavera on its forehead. In Pokémon Sleep, Skeledirge and its pre-Evolutions are revealed to sleep with one eye open, just like real-life crocodiles. Skeledirge's association with singing and "suited" appearance in general resembles a singer such as those in rock music, mariachi, or opera; or a conductor. Its Fire typing and signature move may be inspired by the fact that crocodiles release excess heat through their mouths.
Skeledirge may be a reference to some crocodile legends in the Iberian Peninsula, notably the Drac de Na Coca, whose preserved body with an exposed skull may have inspired Skeledirge's skeletal appearance, and whose presence in pyrotechnical correfoc festivities may have inspired Skeledirge's Fire type. It may also reference other legends such as the ghostly Cocollona; or the Cucafera, depicted as a crocodilian dragon creature with the dome-shaped body of a turtle.
The "hatched" fiery bird on its head may be based on trochilus, a legendary bird (speculated to be a Egyptian plover or a Spur-winged lapwing) depicted as having a cleaning symbiosis relationship with a Nile crocodile. The location of the bird might also be inspired by the bulbous protuberance at the tip of male gharials' snouts, which enables them to produce certain sounds.
Skeledirge's Ghost type may also be inspired by Mexican holiday of the Day of the Dead, with its face resembling a calavera and the fire energy around its neck resembling Mexican marigolds put on display to honor the dead. Its colorful look may be based on alebrije, a form of Mexican sculpture art depicting fantastical creatures in brightly colored patterns, or trencadís.
Name origin
Skeledirge may be a combination of skeleton and dirge (a song or hymn performed in mourning, such as during funerals).
Laudbon may be a combination of laúd (Spanish lute, a musical instrument), loud, and bone.
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.