Biology
Tapu Lele is a vaguely butterfly-like Legendary Pokémon. Tapu Lele has a black upper body and head with a few small white markings. Its eyes are blue with a pink line through the middle of each iris. Below each eye is a curved white line and above each is a curved pink line separated into three segments. On its upper body is another, thicker curved white line. Its thin arms have digitless hands and puffy pink bracelets on each wrist. On top of its head is a mass of dark pink, tentacle-like hair. Two longer strands of hair frame its face. Encasing its dark pink lower body and on top of its head is a shell resembling an insect.
Tapu Lele's shell is primarily light pink. The portion on top of its head is conical with a white diamond marking in the center and a white half-diamond marking below that. Both diamond shapes are framed in black. The shell around its lower body mirrors these diamond markings and has an additional half-diamond on the back. On each side is a hexagon marking consisting of five dark pink triangles and one light pink triangle all outlined in black. These resemble the compound eyes of many insects. There are also projections on the back of the shell that resemble butterfly wings and a small black bump on the bottom similar to a curled proboscis. When closed, the shell resembles a bug's head with small wings.
The people of Akala Island worship Tapu Lele. This guardian of Akala Island is known to scatter glowing scales, which affect others by stimulating and healing their bodies; however, these scales are also dangerous if too many are touched at once. Some consider it to be guilelessly cruel for the way it destroys others as it scatters its scales for its own amusement. This has resulted in Tapu Lele being described as an incarnation of nature, the reason being it does not feel remorse for its cruel actions. An old legend says that Tapu Lele ended a war between Alola's islands by healing the tired warriors with its scales, but rumors point to a more disturbing truth behind this story. Its strength comes from the energy stored within its shell. If Tapu Lele finds itself at a disadvantage in battle, it will prioritize not outright losing as opposed to trying for a decisive victory.[1] It is said to gain energy from the scent of flowers. Tapu Lele is known to defend its home from the Ultra Beasts. As seen in Revealing the Stuff of Legend!, Tapu Lele and the other tapu can transform a Z-Ring into a Z-Power Ring.
Tapu Lele and the other guardian deities are the only known Pokémon capable of learning the move Nature's Madness. They are also the only known Pokémon capable of using the Z-Move Guardian of Alola.
Game data
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation VII.
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Generation VII
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Alola S M : #286
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Alola US UM : #384
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Kanto #—
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This Pokémon has no Pokédex entries in Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.
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Sun
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This guardian deity of Akala is guilelessly cruel. The fragrant aroma of flowers is the source of its energy.
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Moon
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As it flutters about, it scatters its strangely glowing scales. Touching them is said to restore good health on the spot.
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Ultra Sun
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It heals the wounds of people and Pokémon by sprinkling them with its sparkling scales. This guardian deity is worshiped on Akala.
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Ultra Moon
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Although called a guardian deity, Tapu Lele is devoid of guilt about its cruel disposition and can be described as nature incarnate.
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Game locations
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation VII.
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In side games
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation VII.
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Generation VIII
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This Pokémon is unavailable in Generation VIII side games.
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In events
Held items
Stats
Base stats
Stat
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Range
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At Lv. 50
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At Lv. 100
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70
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130 - 177
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250 - 344
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85
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81 - 150
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157 - 295
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75
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72 - 139
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139 - 273
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130
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121 - 200
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238 - 394
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115
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108 - 183
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211 - 361
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95
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90 - 161
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175 - 317
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Total: 570
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Other Pokémon with this total
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- Minimum stats are calculated with 0 EVs, IVs of 0, and (if applicable) a hindering nature.
- Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and (if applicable) a helpful nature.
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Type effectiveness
Under normal battle conditions in Generation IX, this Pokémon is:
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Learnset
Tapu Lele is available in Sword and Shield Version 1.3.0+.
Generation VIII
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Other generations:
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VII - IX
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- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Tapu Lele
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Tapu Lele
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Generation VIII
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Other generations:
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VII - IX
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- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Tapu Lele
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Tapu Lele
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Generation VIII
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Other generations:
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VII - IX
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- Moves marked with an asterisk (*) must be chain bred onto Tapu Lele in Generation VIII
- Moves marked with a double dagger (‡) can only be bred from a Pokémon who learned the move in an earlier generation.
- Moves marked with a superscript game abbreviation can only be bred onto Tapu Lele in that game.
- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Tapu Lele
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Tapu Lele
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Generation VIII
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Other generations:
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VII - IX
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- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Tapu Lele
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Tapu Lele
- Click on the generation numbers at the top to see Move Tutor moves from other generations
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By transfer from another generation
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- Transferred Pokémon only retain these moves in Pokémon Sword and Shield
- A striped background indicates a generation in which the move can only be obtained via event or as a special move
- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Tapu Lele
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Tapu Lele
- × indicates a move that cannot be used in Sword and Shield
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Side game data
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Pokémon Rumble Rush
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Walking Speed: 1.5 seconds
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Base HP: 53
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Base Attack: 83
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Base Defense: 58
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Base Speed: 60
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Evolution data
Sprites
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation VII.
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This Pokémon is unavailable in Generation IX.
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In animation
Main series
Major appearances
Tapu Lele debuted in Partner Promises!, where Ash encountered it along with Pikachu. It was seen floating over the ocean, and scattered its glowing scales on Ash to heal the wounds he got while rescuing a trapped Wimpod, after which it took off into the sky. After Ash returned to Professor Kukui's house, Rotom identified it as Tapu Lele. It made many further appearances throughout the rest of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon.
Minor appearances
Pokédex entries
Episode
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Pokémon
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Source
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Entry
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SM020
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Tapu Lele
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Rotom Pokédex
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Tapu Lele, the Land Spirit Pokémon. A Psychic and Fairy type. Tapu Lele playfully flutters around while scattering its mysteriously glowing scales. It's said whoever touches its scales is instantly healed.
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GOTCHA!
A Tapu Lele briefly appeared as a silhouette in GOTCHA!.
In the mangaIn the TCGTrivia
Origin
Tapu Lele appears to be based on a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. When its mask is closed, it resembles a stylized butterfly head. Its overall design is also similar to a tiki statue. It may also be inspired by Kāne, one of the four major Hawaiian gods. Kāne is a creator god, bestowing life into the first human in Hawaiian mythology.
Name origin
Tapu Lele may be a combination of tapu (Hawaiian for sacred or holy) and pulelehua (Hawaiian for butterfly).
Kapu-Tetefu may be a combination of kapu (Hawaiian for sacred or holy) and てふてふ tefutefu (an old way of writing butterfly).
In other languagesRelated articlesReferencesExternal links
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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.
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