Speculation Speculation Sunday #3: Volcanion

[Bolt the Cat]

Welcome to Speculation Sunday
This is a weekly discussion topic where we talk about specific theories, leaks, ideas, and rumors involving the future of Pokemon.

This week we'll be talking about Volcanion, the currently unreleased event Pokemon. What will happen to Volcanion this generation? What game will he show up in? Will he get a new form or Mega Evolution?

Feel free to share your own ideas or comment on other people's ideas. Remember to give detailed responses and explain your choices. And as always, keep the discussion civil.

Spoiler: Previous Speculation Sunday Topics

The Future of HMs
Changes to the Kalos Region

 

[Scattered mind]

With Hoopa's new form and Diancie's Mega evolution, I think we will definitely see a new form or Mega evolution.
Perhaps a Primal evolution to distinguish Volcanion from either of them?

 

[Bolt the Cat]

I actually do have an interesting theory about Volcanion that I posted a few months ago, I think it'll get multiple forms. It's pretty typical for the last event Pokemon in the generation to have more than one form (Deoxys, Arceus, Genesect), and I think Volcanion's concept could be expanded to include multiple forms based on different power sources. This lines up very nicely with the locked doors in the Power Plant, which carries a similar theme. Going off that, the new forms would probably be Fire/Grass, Fire/Electric, Fire/Flying, and Fire/Ground.

Whatever the case, I agree that it probably won't be a standard Mega Evolution or form change since Diancie and Hoopa have already done that.

 

[StarlightSearcher]

There was a rumor floating around that Volcanion is supposed to the cause behind the Lumiose City blackout.

Steam powered electricity; steam power was a popular way to generate electricity before more modern methods were discovered through the infinite march of technology.

 

[CF1994]

Volcanion may get an item to alter its' Type Combo, or at least, a specific signature move, a la, Techno Blast and the Drives.

Unlike normal Diancie or Hoopa Confined, Volcanion is pretty much perfect enough to hold its' own offensively and defensively in combat without a new form or Mega Evolution.

Role in the Anime: In the next movie, I reckon that Volcanion's gonna blow up the ecosystem under the commands of a new villain, unless Volcanion itself is the antagonist of the movie, and that's the time where Zygarde will make its' move to go Perfect Cell against Volcanion to repair the damage it has done to the ecosystem.

Role in the Games: As ORAS perfectly demonstrates, there is a solid possibility for both new Mega Evolutions, new Attacks, new Forms and new Abilities. Volcanion can either get the Genesect or Arceus treatment, or a mix of both. We will have to wait and see, though.

 

[Mitja]

This week we'll be talking about Volcanion, the currently unreleased event Pokemon. What will happen to Volcanion this generation? What game will he show up in? Will he get a new form or Mega Evolution?

I'd like to point out the possibility that it might not even be an event Pokémon.
I know it is highly likely that it is one (coming after the other 2 events of this generation in the dex and not being anywhere in XY), but it would be an interesting twist.

It could be just a regular legendary that's simply kept secret until the sequel-games, and of course it'd have to be last in the dex in this case too, since Diancie and Hoopa were revealed and distributed before it. It would be the first time a new non-event Pokemon was pseudo-introduced mid-generation.

I'm not betting on it though obviously, as it fits perfectly into the 1-event per release (XY->Diancie, ORAS->Hoopa, "Z"->Volcanion), but it would be neat. (and it would allow us to use it competitively in the same way Cresselia, Heatran, Latios etc can be).

The Deoxys from ORAS is also relevant to this point, as it was the first event-Pokémon (the reason it's banned in competitive play) that became obtainable in regular gameplay.

Personally I wish they'd treat all event-legends this way. Not encessarily make them obtainable without an event, but at least when you get them, there should be an actual encounter in an appropriate setting instead of it being handed to you by the Mailman <,<


As for forms... there is also Genesect, whose forms are extremely minor, and Keldeo whose form is basically aesthetic and more symbolic than an actual form.

I can see Volcanion getting a Mega, but not forms in the likes of Hoopa Unbound or Deoxys. The biggest form-shenanigans in the next games is clearly going to be about Zygarde, and maybe even Xerneas/Yveltal in some way. I don't see Volcanion playing as big a role as Hoopa did this round.


I also see a connection between Volcanion and Heatran (quadruped metallic creature about hot concepts granting them primary Fire-types: boiling VS melting), and wish it would somehow manifest itself once Volcanion becomes official.

 

[Unyubaby]

My theory is similar regarding the Z game. Since Zygarde is stated to be the balancer of nature in a way, and Volcanion is said to destroy mountains, I think it's likely the two will be enemies and clash. Lysandre is still at large after all, and Volcanion does fit with his motif of Team Flare.

 

[Mitja]

Zygarde and Volcanion clashing sounds like one of those movie-plots, Mewtwo vs Genesect, Darkrai vs Dialga/Palkia, Keldeo vs Kyurem etc..
In other words, I can see them pulling something like that for M16, but I absolutely doubt there'd be any relation between the two legends in the actual games.

 

[silversalamence10]

Personally I wish they'd treat all event-legends this way. Not encessarily make them obtainable without an event, but at least when you get them, there should be an actual encounter in an appropriate setting instead of it being handed to you by the Mailman <,<

You mean like it was in Platinum when players can get the event item to battle Darkrai and Shaymin. (Shame the Azure Flute was never officially distributed)

 

[Mitja]

You mean like it was in Platinum when players can get the event item to battle Darkrai and Shaymin. (Shame the Azure Flute was never officially distributed)

Exactly!

I remember reading in some interview that they just hand them to us because it could be too difficult for kids to figure out how to make use of the events otherwise... and that just made me really sad.

Just being handed a powerful and extraordinary event legendary ruins the whole idea behind it for me. I mean how cool would it have been if (instead of getting Diancie) we would have gotten a special Carbink, and when we brought it to that rainbow-shined secret part of Reflection Cave, where it would trigger a Diancie showing up that we would actually have to catch like any other legendary?

I mean sorry but, if someone isn't able to figure out how to get to the place where the event triggers a legendary, then you don't deserve having it in the first place..

The Azrue Flute is also the best example, because all you have to do is take it to the top of Spear Pillar. The story itself demands that you went there at least once, so I don't see how getting there a second time is too difficult. Ugh.