Well it's not like we went looking for a "pattern".
At least myself I was hoping Zygarde would do something as original as Kyurems gimmick was, not actually repeat the same one... And I haven't even seen anyone make the agrument that Zygarde would go Kyurem-style BECAUSE Kyurem did it... rather than because of the hidden moves being two and both clones of the existing Zygarde sig-move (the fact they're clones with added effect pretty much implies that Lands Wrath CHANGES to one of them upon form-change rather than those being moves it can learn additionally), it's even more obvious than for Kyurems case, because its form-sig-moves (Ice Burn/Freeze Shock) are merely counterparts, while replacing a weaker unique signature move (Glaciate), whereas Zygardes are all variations of the same move.
But all it means is that Zygarde will get 2 new designs, not how or what kind of changes they'll be.
Two designs however implies 2 versions a second time around. I was surprised that they would repeat it with the third mascot having 2 designs (when BW2 happened, I thought gen 6 would also do 2 sequels, but that they'd have 2 "third mascot" legends prepared instead of just one)...especially when XY didn't even do anything noteworthy in terms of version differences etc...
And relation to Xerneas/Yveltal also isn't due to expecting "patterns", but rather comes from speculating about the moves themselves. Arrows hits airborne pokemon by throwing arrows in the sky (Y-axis), whereas Waves expands a horizontal wave (X-axis) trapping grounded opponents.
This is likely intentional, but doesn't necessarily mean a repeat of fusions...at most it might imply confrontation with one of the other mascots, which happens to fit its theme about bringing balance.
tl;dr
there are no predictive patterns and there never were - and it's not the reason we expect 2 designs and mascot confrontation.
At least myself I was hoping Zygarde would do something as original as Kyurems gimmick was, not actually repeat the same one... And I haven't even seen anyone make the agrument that Zygarde would go Kyurem-style BECAUSE Kyurem did it... rather than because of the hidden moves being two and both clones of the existing Zygarde sig-move (the fact they're clones with added effect pretty much implies that Lands Wrath CHANGES to one of them upon form-change rather than those being moves it can learn additionally), it's even more obvious than for Kyurems case, because its form-sig-moves (Ice Burn/Freeze Shock) are merely counterparts, while replacing a weaker unique signature move (Glaciate), whereas Zygardes are all variations of the same move.
But all it means is that Zygarde will get 2 new designs, not how or what kind of changes they'll be.
Two designs however implies 2 versions a second time around. I was surprised that they would repeat it with the third mascot having 2 designs (when BW2 happened, I thought gen 6 would also do 2 sequels, but that they'd have 2 "third mascot" legends prepared instead of just one)...especially when XY didn't even do anything noteworthy in terms of version differences etc...
And relation to Xerneas/Yveltal also isn't due to expecting "patterns", but rather comes from speculating about the moves themselves. Arrows hits airborne pokemon by throwing arrows in the sky (Y-axis), whereas Waves expands a horizontal wave (X-axis) trapping grounded opponents.
This is likely intentional, but doesn't necessarily mean a repeat of fusions...at most it might imply confrontation with one of the other mascots, which happens to fit its theme about bringing balance.
tl;dr
there are no predictive patterns and there never were - and it's not the reason we expect 2 designs and mascot confrontation.
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