Player vs. Player: Reshiram & Zekrom

Thanks to Cart Boy and Wolfman Jew for help with edits, and MaurizioVit for the font used in the header.

Pokémon’s been all about making connections and rivalries since its inception, and it’s crafted some of the best multiplayer experiences in the medium to encourage that. Whether you’re working with friends to fill the Pokédex or against them in a heated battle, this series innovates the most when fostering these relationships. To this end, it almost always releases games in a pair, each with exclusive perks or features. It’s never been a popular trend, especially when substantial content finds itself locked behind one game, but that’s the point.

And that point is made clearest by the impressive creatures on each game’s cover art, usually exclusive to the games they headline. These version mascots tend to go beyond trainable pets or companions. They’re Legendary in title and mythos, architects for the regions around them, respected and desired by all…and irrelevant when the next games come out. They get more than enough exposure during their time in the spotlight, but immediately afterwards, they’ll retire to Bulbapedia’s growing list of Legendaries. In that regard, our subjects today aren’t anything special, but I would call them the greatest argument for the two-Legendary structure developer Game Freak’s ever made. They’re Yin and Yang, Truth and Ideals (whatever that means), Black and White, Reshiram and Zekrom.

Lately, of the Pokémon world’s rich lineup of regions, Black & White’s Unova has pulled ahead as one of its most acclaimed and beloved. Sporting the most species ever introduced in a “Generation,” so many memorable landmarks and towns, and the deepest cast of human characters thus far, its strengths as a setting are well-known. Moreover, it’s one we get to see evolve, courtesy of the only direct sequels the mainline games ever produced. Inspired by New York, Unova’s distinguished by the variety of lifestyles and cultures that call it home. The region’s expansive lineup of powerful Trainers, its Gym Leaders, portray this especially well. They all have occupations and duties beyond their gyms, respect and assist each other, and help stop whatever trouble brews.

Though its story is a bit confused, perhaps. The history and philosophies governing this society are ill-defined. The concepts of “truth” and “ideals” are often brought up as integral elements of Unova, but they’re never discussed beyond their dichotomy. That hardly subtracts from the plot at hand, at least, since this region lives in the present. And what a plot it is, breaking new ground for the series with a conflict that’s more nuanced than expected. For as one-dimensional and avaricious as much of the aggressive Team Plasma is, their king is one of the franchise’s strongest characters, let alone antagonists. And he doesn’t just capture his Legendary (conveniently, the one you can’t catch), he earns it. And that’s where these Legendary Pokémon, on top of being the only part of Unova to really intrigue with their origins, rise beyond their predecessors.

After previous Generations tasked players with stopping madmen in pursuit of planet-shaping, interdimensional titans, the tale of Natural Harmonia Gropius is a welcome change of pace. Better known as N, he was raised as an orphan to believe Pokémon needed liberation from humans. Allegedly, their unnatural union with humans is stunting their potential, and separation would be best for both parties. For years, his villainous caretaker Ghetsis molded N into a figurehead that could rally common grunts and ancient deities alike. His goals might be misguided, but the devotion and understanding he shares with the beasts are apparent. His drive to free the “enslaved” Pokémon is strong enough to defeat Unova’s Champion, and he plans to birth the region anew alongside a mythic dragon rumored to have done so before. If not for the will of his greatest rival, he would’ve succeeded.

Of course, that rival is…a blank slate. You the player, specifically. Unfortunately, the human-on-human rivalry is pretty one-sided, but the monochromatic monsters that support them pick up the slack. After Reshiram and Zekrom come to blows, the protagonist succeeds in protecting humans and Pokémon’s right to coexist, showing N the error of his ways, and dethroning the mastermind behind his delusion. Come the sequel, N returns from a journey with his draconic companion and helps ensure said mastermind never deceives anyone again.

Honestly, the perplexing part of N’s exceptional character arc is that his partner could be either Reshiram or Zekrom. In official material, his presence with one doesn’t outshine that of the other, so it’s hard to guess which of their themes applies to him. Reshiram embodies truth, while Zekrom embodies ideals, so which of these connects to a character whose motives aren’t influenced by the dragon he meets? To N, the irrefutable truth of the world is that Pokémon should be independent of humanity. With Reshiram, he can exert that truth and make others accept it as such. Conversely, N’s partnership with Zekrom helps him strive for what he believes is society’s ideal state. With its power, he can topple those in his vision’s way and provide Pokémon with the conditions they deserve.

Well, we are talking about Pokémon, which takes place in what’s practically a paradise. Humans find lifelong companions in the elemental critters, and any criminals at work are easily dispatched. Maybe the truth of this world is that it’s already reached its ideal form, and N’s made it his new goal to protect that balance? If so, both Reshiram and Zekrom complement him, as they represent opposing means to one end. Given they’re shared origins, that’s definitely fitting…

A common trend with many fictional works is that every myth heard in-universe ends up being true. Of course they all are, because why else would the plot devote time to them if they weren’t relevant? And yet, there’s something of a red herring for this pair—or, rather, trio—of dragons’ backstory. Upon reaching northern Unova’s Lacunosa Town, players learn of the fear its citizens hold for the nearby Giant Chasm. Apparently, the landmark was carved out by a meteor whose landing was followed by the people’s torment at the hands of a frozen behemoth. Investigating the chasm leads to an encounter with the enigmatic Kyurem, thought to be the creature that landed with the falling star. And yet, its similarities to the Black & White mascots were obvious.

It took until Black 2 & White 2 for us to learn more, but it turns out what fans dubbed the “Tao Trio” were once the same entity, an all-powerful dragon that aided a king in the unification of Unova. And once the monarch’s sons went to war, the Original Dragon split itself into Reshiram and Zekrom to support both heirs. Kyurem, then, is the unfortunate husk that was left behind, desperate to regain its scattered pieces. We’ve only ever witnessed its reunions with one counterpart at a time in the form of grotesque fusions, however, fueling fans’ imaginations and the desire to see all three come together. So, are they all aliens? Was Kyurem’s relation to the meteor a misconception? Whatever the answer is, all these tidbits and implications are enticing.

Reshiram and Zekrom’s lore and positions in their homeland’s hierarchy are fantastic, but how does that translate to gameplay? Pokémon’s hosted contenders with raw stats that match and even exceed these two since the beginning, so they need ways to stand out from the likes of Mewtwo or Rayquaza. To start, their type combinations are considerably rare and, back when they debuted, theirs alone. The Vast White embodiment of yang is a Dragon/Fire type, while yin’s Deep Black personification is Dragon/Electric. Dragon protects each of them against the other’s second typing, but they can still hit each other for super-effective damage via moves like Outrage or Draco Meteor. Unlike the duos that came before them, where one clearly outmatched the other in terms of type effectiveness, these adversaries are equally likely to get one over on their opposite.

Further distinguishing the dragons is how they deal damage; Reshiram excels in special attacks like Flamethrower and Extrasensory, while Zekrom specializes in physical moves like Wild Charge and Zen Headbutt. The most noteworthy parts of their movelists, though, are Reshiram’s signature Fusion Flare and Blue Flare, as well as Zekrom’s Fusion Bolt and Bolt Strike. The aforementioned “Fusion” moves interact in interesting ways, as the use of one strengthens the other if they’re used in succession. This intensifies bouts where the dragons are on opposite sides, but as expected of any good-natured rivals, this effect can be used to support each other if they’re cooperating. However, aside from the outlandish power-ups Kyurem can access by absorbing either of its missing halves, Reshiram and Zekrom don’t come with any gimmicks on their own. There aren’t any Mega Evolutions, Z-Moves, Gigantamaxes, or alternate forms of any sort here, making it hard for the Unovan drakes to keep up with these absurd spikes in power.

To say the pantheon of Legendary Pokémon is crowded would be the understatement of the Generation. Having so much variety’s not a bad problem to have, some of the property’s best belong to this fabled classification, but the overlap and forcibly shared significance are easy to notice. We’ve got creatures responsible for land and sea, life and “destruction,” time and space, and the scope just keeps expanding. Reshiram and Zekrom aren’t exempt from this scaling—they’re apparently tough enough to scorch ancient Unova and spark social change—but that’s far from some of their peers’ literal godhood. Personally, I love this simplicity. They’re fantastical enough to make gaining their trust an exciting prospect, but just grounded enough as to not feel ridiculous when a teenger recruits them. The mascots of Sinnoh are phenomenal, but their powers are too abstract and important to make for understandable catches (though, Legends: Arceus found a smart way to justify obtaining its namesake). Meanwhile, not only are Reshiram and Zekrom geared to recognize champions and fight on their behalf, but they’re also the first legends players need to capture in order to conclude the story.

This refreshing purity extends to the drakes’ awe-inspiring designs; they intimidate and endear. Their aspects also defy and adhere to yin and yang’s imagery in several key ways. For instance, while yin represents femininity and yang masculinity, the Legendaries contradict this with the fearsome Zekrom and elegant Reshiram. Nevertheless, the pair’s eyes glow with the color of their rival’s attacks, like how the concepts’ “heads” depict a bit of the opposite color. As an aside, Kyurem’s emptiness cleverly calls back to wuji, which is the absence of both yin and yang. Packed with even more symbolism, where Reshiram’s tail looks like a torch, Zekrom’s resembles a plug. I’d argue a torch dispels darkness and reveals truth, while a plug represents making progress toward one’s ideals. I might be stretching with that last point, but the care, restraint, and talent poured into these amazing titans are undeniable.

Following Reshiram and Zekrom’s transition to the sidelines, version mascots have been treated more like flavors of the month than ever. Xerneas and Yveltal shared the spotlight with Groudon and Kyogre’s new Primal Reversions, Solgaleo and Lunala contended with the Let’s Go games near the end of their run, and Zacian and Zamazenta were quickly overtaken by a wave of Sinnoh-themed nostalgia. That’s not to say these pairs needed more renown, they’re all more than famous enough, but we’re likely to not see them promoted for a while. I think that makes it easy to forget how outstanding some duos can be. These fiery and electrifying dragons, while far from underrated, are some of the most fascinating Pocket Monsters out there.

A consequence of their esteem is that players can have trouble making personal connections with specimens confined to the postgames of a few entries. And if someone’s first encounter with a Reshiram or Zekrom is through a simple Ultra Wormhole or Dynamax Adventure, they’ll completely miss out on what made them so special (not helped by the fifth Generation having never been rereleased, though fans inevitably hope for remakes). Oh well, there’s a reason all these mascots are practically inseparable from their homelands. In the dragons’ case, their history, designs, battle prowess, Trainers, and iconography perfectly encapsulate what Unova is. For many, me included, this region is mainline Pokémon’s zenith, a period where its depth, aesthetic, intrigue, and polish were at an all-time high. For as much as we want to see these polar opposites reunite, they seem better off as is. They might come to blows whenever they reawaken, but like a couple of friends playing their games, they’re just as likely to work together for the sake of this honest attempt at an ideal Pokémon installment.

If you’re looking for more Pokémon content, check out Cart Boy’s “Character Chronicle” entry on Paul!