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There have been some solid stories in Pokemon history, don’t get me wrong. N’s complex role as the antagonist of Black and White really knocked it out of the part and proved the games can handle more mature themes. Meanwhile, Sun and Moon did a nice job of bringing in fully developed characters, something that many previous Pokemon games have struggled with. But in Legends: Z-A, Pokemon managed to bring both a more complicated story and well-developed characters together for one of the best Pokemon stories of any game. Quite note: there will be some spoilers for the ending of Legends: Z-A ahead, though I will keep it vague and not give away too many big details.
Legends: Z-A Tangles with The Consequences of the Past & Redemption
Over the years, only a handful of main series games have gotten true sequels that follow up on the aftermath of prior installments. Black 2 and White 2 are notable examples, following up on the events of Black and White. But while Legends: Arceus revisited a previous region, its setting in the past meant it didn’t continue the story so much as expand it. With Pokemon Legends: Z-A coming after the events of X and Y, the writers got to tackle the aftermath of the previous games’ events. And they didn’t shy away from it.
From early trailers, fans knew that AZ and his Floette would be returning for Legends: Z-A. But another key character from Lumiose history returns as well in the form of L. Fans familiar with the antagonist of X and Y might immediately suspect the truth here. L is, in fact, Lysandre, the former boss of Team Flare and the primary villain of Pokemon X and Y. But the older version we encounter in Legends: Z-A is on a quite different path, as he seeks to atone for his past actions.
Lysandre sought to make a more beautiful world in a Thanos-esque move, where he would use the ultimate weapon to eliminate the greed of humanity. In the game, he speaks of this weapon’s creation by a powerful “King of Kalos.” This king is, of course, AZ, who at that point already regrets the Ultimate Weapon he created. But both men are still working to overcome and atone for their pasts in Legends: Z-A. This makes for a satisfying and complicated story, as the player must decide whether to trust that L has really changed, and how to handle the task of helping AZ finally rid the world of his weapon.
But these two aren’t the only characters navigating the shockwaves of the past. As players will learn late in the game, there is more aftermath to be dealt with. Former members of Team Flare are struggling to move on, as the city won’t accept them or forgive their past wrongs. Team Flare Nouveu adds even more complexity to the story, showing what can happen when people aren’t able to rejoin society due to their past mistakes. For a Pokemon game, this is a big theme compared to many entries, and it’s handled incredibly well.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A Has a Perfectly Climactic Ending That Challenges Expectations
