Terminology of Primal Reversion

The terminology of Primal Reversion explains how terms such as "Primal Reversion" and "primal form" have been used in Pokémon media.

Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre

In the core series games

"Primal Reversion" (Japanese: ゲンシカイキ Primal Regression) refers to the transformation. The same English name but a different Japanese name refers to the transformed version: "Primal Reversion" (Japanese: ゲンシカイキのすがた Primal Regression Form), which appears as the name of this form of Kyogre and Groudon in the Pokédex, including in Pokémon HOME.

In the game dialogue from Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, "Primal Reversion" (Japanese: ゲンシカイキ), "Primal Kyogre" (Japanese: ゲンシカイオーガ), and "Primal Groudon" (Japanese: ゲンシグラードン) are repeatedly mentioned.

In addition to title-case "Primal Reversion", the lowercase "reversion" appears once in the dialogue:

"It hasn't even finished reversion, and it still has this much power!!!" (Archie)

The term "Primal Pokémon" appears once:

"Rayquaza's power overwhelmed that of the two Primal Pokémon, and peace returned to the world." (Zinnia)

However, "primal form" and "primal forms" are written in lowercase instead. Some examples:

"So in the ancient world, their primal forms once held this much power…?" (Steven Stone)
"Absorb all the power resting in this Blue Orb, and reclaim yourself! Revert to your primal form!" (Archie)
"I will use the Red Orb to awaken Groudon, revert it to its primal form, and put an end to all else!" (Maxie)

The title-case "Primal Reversion" and lowercase "primal form" are also seen in the battle dialogue. In Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, the "primal form" was changed to "primal state" in the battle dialogue, but the Japanese version remained the same.

English versions:

"<nickname>'s Primal Reversion! It reverted to its primal form!"^ORAS
"<nickname>'s Primal Reversion! It reverted to its primal state!"^SMUSUM

Japanese version:

<nickname>のゲンシカイキ! 原始(げんし)の姿(すがた)を取(と)り戻(もど)した! (<nickname>'s Primal Regression! It reverted to its primal form/primal state!)^ORAS^SMUSUM

Some other variations:

"The wild <nickname>'s Primal Reversion! It reverted to its primal form!"^ORAS
"The opposing <nickname>'s Primal Reversion! It reverted to its primal form!"^ORAS
"The wild <nickname>'s Primal Reversion! It reverted to its primal state!"^SMUSUM
"The opposing <nickname>'s Primal Reversion! It reverted to its primal state!"^SMUSUM

Primal Reversion verb

Several verbs are used to describe this transformation:

"The Blue Orb is capable of releasing Kyogre's full power, of reverting it to its primal form." (Maxie)
"Those old folks at Mt. Pyre did say something about that... That the Red Orb would unleash Groudon's primal powers... And trigger a Primal Reversion." (Archie)
"Where is it getting so much power from? And how much more will it gain when it does undergo Primal Reversion..." (Maxie)

Comparison with evolution

Sometimes, Primal Reversion is compared to Pokémon evolution in the game dialogue:

"Primal Reversion is a possible form of Evolution, like and yet not like Mega Evolution... Or so it has been theorized. But it has never been achieved by any Pokémon other than the super-ancient Legendary Pokémon, and so it has been largely forgotten as a method of Evolution." (Weather Institute professor)
"Primal Reversion is a potential of Pokémon Evolution, a potential different from Mega Evolution. Mega Evolution is made possible by the energy of people and Pokémon. Primal Reversion is made possible by natural energy. In Primal Reversion, Groudon^OR/Kyogre^AS absorbs natural energy into its body, thereby increasing its power dramatically. Both states significantly enhance Pokémon's power: the difference lies in the source of the required energy." (Project AZOTH)
"Mega Evolution... Primal Reversion... And who knows what other forms of Evolution that may have become lost in the passage of time… Many evolutionary possibilities may have come and gone since Pokémon first appeared in our world…" (Professor Birch)
"But no! In the end, the only one I can depend on is you, Kyogre! Absorb all the power resting in this Blue Orb, and reclaim yourself! Revert to your primal form! This is the time to take back the great Evolution you lost in the ancient past!" (Archie)
"In the end, there is only one being upon which I can depend! Now, Groudon! Absorb all of the power resting in this Red Orb, and reclaim yourself! Revert to your primal form! This is the time to take back the great Evolution you lost in the ancient past! Reclaim the possibility you once held!" (Maxie)

Other uses of "primal"

In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the lowercase word "primal" is also sometimes in other ways like "primal age", "primal times", "primal world", "primal power", and "primal powers" in the context of talking about the history of Kyogre, Groudon, and Rayquaza:

"Do you feel anything in particular when you look up at this wall? A primal world, lost thousands of years in the past… A Legendary Pokémon of tremendous power became humanity's greatest threat..." (Steven Stone)
"In its transformed state, Rayquaza's power was more devastating than ever before, overcoming even the super-ancient Pokémon with all their primal power." (Elder)
"We'll be heading to that ancient tower, sealed since primal times, the Sky Pillar." (Zinnia)
"Thousands of years ago, in the primal age long lost, the world was overflowing with natural energy. Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre fought over that energy in endless, furious clashes." (Zinnia)
"The wind and emerald light visibly sapped the power from Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre. Drained of their primal powers, the two vanished into the depths of land and sea." (Zinnia)

In the spin-off games

Pokémon GO

Main article: Mega Evolution (GO)

In Pokémon GO, the Primal Reversion is treated as a special type of Mega Evolution. Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon are both available.

As in the core series games, both the title-case "Primal Reversion" and the lowercase "primal form" are used in this game. For instance:

"Primal Reversion temporarily changes a Pokémon’s appearance and increases their power. Pokémon in their primal forms can be used in Gym battles, raids, and Trainer Battles."

The word "Primal" appears in some game mechanics related to the Primal Reversion, such as the Primal Energy (Kyogre Primal Energy and Groudon Primal Energy), Primal Level, and Primal Raid.

Trivia

In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time, Darkness, and Sky, Primal Dialga is a notable antagonistic character introduced two generations before the Primal Reversion. However, Primal Dialga's Japanese name is 「やみのディアルガ」 (Dark Dialga) instead, having no connection with Primal Reversion besides the use of "Primal" in the English localization.