Pokémon Fans Are Frantically Trying to Work Out How Pokémon Legends: Z-A Connects to Other Pokémon Games

Pokémon Legends: Z-A Unveiled: A Deep Dive into Fan Theories and Mysteries

This morning's Pokémon Presents offered an extended look at Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Game Freak's futuristic take on the Pokémon X/Y setting of Lumiose City. While the trailer showcased rooftop traversal, battle system changes, and Mega Evolution, it also sparked a flurry of fan speculation regarding the game's timeline and potential returning characters.

Given the time-travel elements of Pokémon Legends: Arceus and its connections to past games, fans are intensely curious about Z-A's temporal placement and potential character reappearances.

The trailer’s most obvious link is AZ, confirmed to be present and seemingly running a hotel in Lumiose City. His immortality, established 3000 years prior to Pokémon X/Y, makes his appearance plausible regardless of the game's setting. His reunion with Floette appears to have brought him happiness.

az taller than a mf giraffe
byu/sam_90_ inpokemon

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Subtle clues abound. The resemblance of an office in the trailer to the Looker Bureau from previous games suggests the possible presence of Looker or his protégé, Emma.

Looker confirmed for Legends Z-A?
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A striking theory proposes that the protagonists resemble Ethan and Lyra from Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, hinting at a potential time-travel scenario involving their displacement to a futuristic Lumiose.

am i going crazy or the new mcs are literally ethan and lyra
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Alternatively, another compelling theory suggests a familial connection between the protagonists and Professor Sycamore or Grace, the mother of the Pokémon X/Y protagonist. This theory, particularly the connection to Grace, is more speculative but aligns with the ancestral themes of the Legends series.

ZA protagonist relatives
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The intriguing possibility exists that several of these theories could be simultaneously true. The game's placement within the Pokémon timeline remains uncertain, with the series' history featuring loose sequential timelines, alternate realities, and time travel. AZ's presence suggests a post-Pokémon X/Y setting, potentially centuries later, given his immortality. The futuristic, expansive Lumiose City in Z-A further supports this theory, implying decades of development. If this is the case, the protagonists and Looker Bureau personnel could be descendants of the characters they resemble.

ITS A SEQUEL?!?
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Adding to the intrigue is a mysterious woman in the key art, resembling a Hex Maniac from Pokémon X/Y. This character's presence connects to the unresolved mystery of the "Ghost Girl" from Pokémon X/Y, a Hex Maniac who briefly appears and disappears without explanation. Her reappearance in Z-A fuels speculation about the resolution of this long-standing enigma.

New hex?
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The release of Pokémon Legends: Z-A is slated for late 2025, leaving ample time for further discoveries and analysis of the revealed footage and art. The wealth of new information promises ongoing excitement and speculation within the Pokémon community.