Legendary Pokémon

Legendary Pokémon|伝説のポケモン|Densetsu no Pokemon|literally, "Pokémon of Legends"}}, or Pokémon Illusions (幻のポケモン) are extremely rare and (often) powerful Pokémon that are often associated with legends of creation and/or destruction within their endemic regions.

Due to their power, Legendary Pokémon are often the target of organizations that seek to control or change the world within both the anime and the games; in the latter, thwarting such attempts has been integrated into each game's plot since Generation III.

Generation I
The first generation Legendary Pokémon (伝説のポケモンの第一世代) are the first legendary Pokémon introduced in the Pokémon series. These Pokémon first appeared in the Kanto region and as such are often associated with the area.

Kanto introduced the less legendaries out of any generation, with five Legendary Pokémon appeared in the Kanto region: Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, and Mewtwo.

The Legendary Birds (伝説の鳥) are a trio of Legendary Pokémon that resemble birds, consisting of the Ice/Flying-type Articuno, the Electric/Flying-type Zapdos, and the Fire/Flying-type Moltres.

Articuno first appeared in the games Pokémon Red, Green and, outside of Japan, Blue Versions hidden within the Seafoam Islands. Zapdos could be found at the Kanto Power Plant, while Moltres could be captured in Victory Road. Pokémon Yellow featured the trio in their previous locations, while later games featuring Kanto moved Moltres to different areas: in FireRed and LeafGreen, the Flame Pokémon was at Mt. Ember; in Mt. Silver in HeartGold and SoulSilver. Pokémon Platinum featured the Legendary Birds as roaming Sinnoh after the player defeats the Pokémon League. In Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, the three legendary birds appear as Shadow Pokémon and are originally used by Grand Master Greevil. In Pokémon X and Y, one of the birds may be found roaming Kalos after defeating the Pokémon League, with the Pokémon depending on the player's starter. If the player chooses Chespin, they will encounter Articuno; if they have Fennekin, they will see Zapdos; and if they picked Froakie, they may catch Moltres. The bird must be encountered 11 times, however, before they will retreat to the Sea Spirit's Den and become available for capture.

In the anime, all three Legendary Pokémon appear in the film The Power of One, where they reside at Shamouti Island. Local legend claimed that if the three began fighting, only Lugia could calm the birds. Each Legendary has also been shown in the anime episodes, which are listed chronologically below.

In a similar vein to several other Legendary Pokémon, the Legendary Birds are part of a trio, with Lugia serving as a trio master.

Their names come from their controlling element and the numbers one, two and three in Spanish: "Arctic", referring to the geological area, and "uno", one; "Zap", a strike associated with electricity, and "dos", two; and "Molt", from molten and "tres", three.

In the manga Pokémon Adventures, Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres are fused into one Pokémon known as Zapmolcuno.

The Legendary Birds (伝説の鳥) are a trio of Legendary Pokémon that resemble birds, consisting of the Ice/Flying-type Articuno, the Electric/Flying-type Zapdos, and the Fire/Flying-type Moltres.

The Mew Duo (ミュウデュオ) or the DNA Duo (DNAのデュオ) consists of the two Legendary Pokémon Mew and Mewtwo.

Mew and Mewtwo originally appeared in Pokémon Red, Green and Blue as an event-only Pokémon and as a hidden Pokémon, respectively. Legitimately, Mew could only be obtained through a Japan-only event, but there are exploitable glitches within copies of the original game that would allow the player to otherwise obtain Mew. Mewtwo could be found within Cerulean Cave after completing the Pokédex.

In the anime, Mewtwo serves as the titular Pokémon in Mewtwo Strikes Back and Mewtwo Returns; in the former, it is revealed that Mewtwo is a genetically-enhanced clone of Mew commissioned by Giovanni. After being controlled by Giovanni, Mewtwo sets out to control the world with its own clone Pokémon. Mew appears in this movie as a foil of Mewtwo and defends itself from the latter's attacks while it was enraged, but does not appear in Mewtwo Returns. Both Pokémon appear in several episodes, which are listed below.

In Generation VI, Mewtwo was given two Mega Evolutions, Mewtwo X and Mewtwo Y, which feature different stats and abilities. The stones necessary to cause the evolution are Mewtwonite X, which evolves Mewtwo into Mewtwo X, a /-type, and Mewtwonite Y, which evolves Mewtwo into Mewtwo Y, which remains. The stones could originally be found in Pokémon X and Y, respectively; both can be located in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.

Ironically, despite existing prior to Mewtwo, Mew is listed as #151 in the Pokédex while Mewtwo is #150.

The Legendary Beasts (伝説の獣) consist of the Pokémon Raikou, Entei and Suicune.

The three Legendaries were originally unidentified Pokémon trapped and killed within the Brass Tower when it burned down due to lightning. Ho-Oh revived the trio with each Pokémon acquiring an attribute of the accident: Raikou, an Electric-type, symbolized the lightning that had struck the tower; Entei, a Fire-type, was the flames that had engulfed the tower; and Suicune, a Water-type, represented the rain that put out the blaze. Those that witnessed the accident and revival of the trio feared their power, causing the beasts to flee. As a result, they are the first roaming Pokémon the player encounters.

In Pokémon Gold and Silver, the trio will individually wander the Johto region after the player first encounters them in the Brass Tower. In Pokémon Crystal, the player is also required to force Team Rocket to vacate the Radio Tower and acquire the Clear Bell to meet Suicune in the Tin Tower. In Pokémon Colosseum the trio was captured by Cipher and transformed into Shadow Pokémon; each are owned by different Admins. In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, one member may be found roaming Kanto after defeating the Pokémon League; if the player chose Bulbasaur they may find Entei; if the starter Pokémon is Charmander, then Suicune is roaming; if the player has Squirtle, then Raikou can be found. The encounters in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver the circumstances are similar to those in Crystal; however, Suicune must be followed throughout the Kanto region until it stops at Route 25, outside Bill's house, where it may be battled. Notably, Eusine chases Suicune throughout the game but is constantly eluded.

All three members of the trio have appeared as a major character of separate movies and in episodes of the anime. An Unown-produced Entei served as an antagonist-turned-protagonist in Spell of the Unown, while a Suicune helped heal a Celebi by purifying a lake's water in Celebi: Voice of the Forest. Shiny versions of each member also appeared in Zoroark: Master of Illusions, where they attempted to defeat a Zoroark.

he Tower Duo (タワーデュオ) is the two bird-like Pokémon Ho-Oh and Lugia.

Known as the "guardian of the skies" and "guardian of the seas", respectively, Ho-Oh and Lugia formerly resided in Ecruteak City, claiming the Tin Tower and Brass Tower. When lightning struck the Brass Tower and burned the building, Lugia escaped to the Whirlpool Islands. Ho-Oh remained long enough to revive three Pokémon that had been trapped within the tower, creating the Legendary Beasts, but left in search of a pure-hearted Trainer; thus, Ho-Oh is considered their trio master.

Both Pokémon appear in the Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions; their method of encounter varies between the games. In Gold, the player may capture Ho-Oh, a Fire/Flying-type, at the Tin Tower once acquiring a Rainbow Wing after Team Rocket leaves the Goldenrod Radio Tower, and locate Lugia, a Psychic/Flying-type, at the Whirlpool Islands once given a Silver Wing from a citizen in Pewter City. In Pokémon Silver, this is reversed: the player is given the Silver Wing once Team Rocket leaves the Radio Tower, and the Rainbow Wing in Pewter City. In Pokémon Crystal, the player must capture Raikou, Entei and Suicune to gain the Rainbow Wing, and visit the Pewter City resident to gain the Silver Wing. Both Pokémon reappear in FireRed and LeafGreen, as well as Pokémon Emerald, but must be gained through an event; they may be found at Naval Rock if the player has a MysticTicket. Ho-Oh can be caught in Pokémon Colosseum if the player purifies all Shadow Pokémon in the game, while Lugia can be caught as a Shadow Pokémon in Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. Contrary to initial belief, this Lugia is capable of being purified. Ho-Oh and Lugia return again in HeartGold and SoulSilver and may be acquired under similar circumstances, though the player must also have a Clear Bell and Tidal Bell for each Legendary.

Both Pokémon have appeared within the anime, though only Lugia has made an appearance in a film, The Power of One. In the film, Lugia was the only creature capable of quelling the three Legendary Birds, Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres, making Lugia their trio master. Ho-Oh, however, was the first Legendary Pokémon to appear in the anime, debuting at the end of the first episode of the series. At the time Ho-Oh had not been officially announced nor was it identified in the episode, being endemic to Johto.

he Golem Trio (ゴーレムトリオ) consists of the three Legendary golem Pokémon: Regirock, a Rock-type Pokémon, Regice, an Ice-type Pokémon and Registeel, a Steel-type Pokémon. According to legend, the three were shaped by their trio master, Regigigas. As their names and typing suggest, Regirock was formed from rocks, Regice from ice, and Registeel from steel.

The trio make their first appearance in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, as well as in Emerald. Finding the golems is similar in each game: the player must first travel to the underwater Sealed Chamber, found by diving in Route 134 with a Relicanth and Wailord in their team. Upon completion of the task, each golem will be unlocked and may be found throughout Hoenn. Specifically, Regirock is within the Desert Ruins of Route 111, Regice is in the Island Cave on Route 105 and Registeel inside the Ancient Tomb, in Route 120. Each comes with their own specific tasks and requirements: in Ruby and Sapphire, to gain Regirock, the player must read the inscription then move right twice, down twice, and use Strength; to find Regice, the player must read the inscription and wait two minutes without interacting with the game; to fight Registeel, the player must read the inscription, then use Fly in the center of the room. In Pokémon Emerald, the player must instead use Rock Smash, run around the chamber while staying next to the walls, and use Flash for Regirock, Regice and Registeel, respectively. In Pokemon Platinum, Regirock may be found at the Rock Peak Ruins, Regice at the Iceberg Ruins and Registeel within the Iron Ruins; however, they are event-only. In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the method of acquiring the golem trio is the same as it is in Ruby and Sapphire.

All three of the trio have appeared in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, as guardians of the Tree of Beginning. A Regirock, Regice and Registeel also belonged to Pyramid King Brandon in the anime.

The Eon Duo (イオンデュオ) is formed by the twin Pokémon Latios and Latias.

Both Pokémon are Dragon/Psychic-type Pokémon, identified as the "Eon Pokémon"; in all instances, Latios are male and Latias are female. Both are roaming Pokémon in their first appearance, with Latios appearing in Pokémon Ruby and Latias appearing in Pokémon Sapphire. In Emerald, the player selects which Pokémon will roam Hoenn after defeating the Pokémon League. In all three games, if the player has the Eon Ticket, they may encounter the other Pokémon on Southern Island. Both reappear in HeartGold and SoulSilver as roaming Pokémon, with Latias appearing in HeartGold and Latios in SoulSilver; they will only roam the Kanto region in these games. Once the player has defeated the Pokémon League and obtained the National Pokédex, they may use bring the event-only item, the Enigma Stone, to Steven Stone in Pewter City. He will identify it as a Soul Dew and the Eon Pokémon that does not roam the Kanto region will attack the player. Should they fail to capture the Pokémon, it will continue returning to the same spot it was encountered.

As of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, both Pokémon are capable of Mega Evolving using Latiosite or Latiasite. In addition to aesthetic changes, each Pokémon's stats and abilities change upon evolution.

Both Pokémon appear in the film Heroes: Latios and Latias as guardians of Alto Mare. The film focuses on the Soul Dew, which the film confirms as a Latios'/Latias' crystallized soul. Tobias used a Latios during the Lily of the Valley Conference.

The Weather Trio (天気トリオ), also known as the Ancient Trio (古代トリオ), is composed of the Water-type Kyogre, the Ground-type Groudon and the Dragon/Flying-type Rayquaza.

Hoenn's legends claim that Kyogre could call upon rain and created the sea, while Groudon used heat to repel rain and expand the continents, creating land. These two Pokémon clashed whenever they met and could only be stopped by Rayquaza, who lived in the atmosphere. As such, Rayquaza is considered the trio master.

In their original appearances, Groudon could only be caught in Ruby and Kyogre in Sapphire, with both being found at the Cave of Origin. Rayquaza could be caught in all three games, at Sky Pillar; in Ruby and Sapphire it could be found after defeating the Elite Four, while in Emerald it was battled prior to fighting the Pokémon League. In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the player could use the Blue Orb (HeartGold) or Red Orb (SoulSilver) at the Embedded Tower to call either Kyogre or Groudon and battle them. If the player had a Kyogre and Groudon native to HeartGold or SoulSilver, and brought them to Professor Oak, he would give the player the Jade Orb, which could be used to summon Rayquaza in the same manner. Groudon and Kyogre make similar appearances in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire; however, when the player battles them, they have undergone Primal Reversion and have signature moves, Precipice Blades and Origin Pulse, respectively. Rayquaza has also gained a Mega Evolution and its own signature move, Dragon Ascent, which is necessary for Mega Evolution in lieu of a Mega Stone.

All three Pokémon have appeared in the anime and in movies. A fake Groudon was shown in Jirachi: Wish Maker, a Rayquaza played the role of antagonist in Destiny Deoxys, and a Kyogre made a minor appearance in MS009: Pokémon Movie - Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea.

The Lake Guardians (レイクトリオ), is named for the tendency of its members, Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf, to remain in the vicinity of their respective lakes within the Sinnoh region.

All three members are purely Psychic-type, and all three were created by Arceus to protect and embody certain concepts, and later, taught humans these traits. Uxie, who remains at Lake Acuity, represents knowledge, Mesprit, who is close to Lake Verity, symbolizes emotion, and Azelf, who is tied to Lake Valor, is spirit or willpower. Thus, Arceus is considered the master of Lake Guardians.

The Lake Guardians originally appear in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, where they are captured by Team Galactic's commanders so Cyrus may use their powers to create a Red Chain, which will allow him to take control of either Dialga or Palkia, in Diamond and Pearl respectively. In Platinum, he intends on chaining both Pokémon; in this case, the Lake Guardians appear before Cyrus to stop him but are too weak, causing Giratina to open the Distortion World.

The three lake guardians plays a major role in the Generation IV video game series. In the Pokémon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum game series Team Galactic's commanders captured the lake guardians for their leader Cyrus and he uses their powers to craft a Red Chain in order to take control of Dialga in Pokémon Diamond and Palkia in Pokémon Pearl and both of them in Pokémon Platinum and recreate the universe without spirit.

In all Generation IV games, the Lake Trio will reappear at their individual lakes. Uxie and Azelf may be captured upon encountering them, but Mesprit will flee from the player and begin roaming Sinnoh.

The Creation Trio (クリエイション·トリオ), also known as the Crown Dragon Trio (クラウンドラゴン·トリオ) consists of Dialga, Palkia and Giratina.

According to Sinnoh legend, when the universe began, Arceus created Pokémon to craft the universe. When Dialga was born, time began; space expanded when Palkia came to be; and Giratina was formed to control antimatter. As such, Arceus is considered the trio master of the Creation Trio.

In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Cyrus plans on summoning and controlling either Dialga or Palkia at Spear Pillar so he may recreate the universe; the player may interrupt and capture the Pokémon instead. In Platinum, he attempts to summon both but is interrupted by Giratina, who takes Cyrus into the Distortion World for intending to enslave the other members of its trio. The player may enter the Distortion World and capture Giratina after defeating the Pokémon League.

In the video games, Cyrus tries to take control of Dialga and Palkia which depends on the Diamond or Pearl series, it contains both at the same time in Pokémon Platinum in order to remake the universe without spirit, a thing that Cyrus despises. Dialga or Palkia can be captured at Spear Pillar which depends on the video game. In Pokémon Platinum, Giratina takes Cyrus into the Distortion World after that he was trying to take control of Dialga and Palkia. Giratina can be captured in the Distortion World but Dialga and Palkia can be captured after defeating the Pokémon League, at the Spear Pillar.

All three Pokémon appear in one or more films, and in the anime. Dialga appeared in The Rise of Darkrai, Giratina and the Sky Warrior and MS012: Pokémon - Arceus and the Jewel of Life. Palkia appeared in MS010 and MS012, while Giratina was shown in MS011 and MS012. All three Pokémon appeared in the same episode of the anime.