Player vs. Player: Mewtwo & Mew

Thanks to Cart Boy for help with edits, and PhantomZ2 for the header.

In my six years of writing for this site, I’ve talked plenty about Pokémon and its many regions. The mainline games and beyond have plenty of worthwhile topics, with Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova usually being my favorites. That being said, as someone who clearly favors the older games, it’s surprising that I’ve never spotlighted Kanto. It’s the first setting in the series and by far the most iconic, but that was probably the problem. Game Freak’s overreliance on it really got on my nerves a while back; Let’s Go, Pikachu & Eevee were the straw that broke the Camerupt’s back (don’t ask me how I ended up writing a Melmetal article). There was definitely something wrong with my assessment, because I couldn’t deny how obsessed I was with bold-faced fanservice like Mega Charizard X or Alolan Raichu, but I still preferred to condemn Gen 1 and pretend it was the source of all the franchise’s modern problems.

Nowadays, I realize that I actually love Kanto and its signature monsters! The real culprit behind my frustration was probably how sanitized it’s felt in recent years. I enjoy it for its unhinged anime and unique feel, not GO’s blandness or Eevee’s marketability. Places such as Lavender Town and the loose “science-gone-wrong” aesthetic gave the region a sense of eeriness and intrigue, both of which are absent from its recent depictions (such as the Journeys series and, again, LGPE). To an extent, those flavors held an otherwise basic continent together and made it worth revisiting. Fortunately, Kanto’s mystique and sci-fi edge are kept alive by two of its greatest mascots and the subjects of this celebratory “Player vs. Player”: the Genetic Pokémon Mewtwo and New Species Pokémon Mew!

To address what little background lore there is, these two debuted in Pokémon Red & Green in 1996. First heard about on the late-game Cinnabar Island, diary entries recount how researchers discovered Mew deep in the jungles of South America. A few months later, the cryptid gave birth to Mewtwo, and a few months after that, the newborn grew too powerful and escaped its captors, never to be mentioned again. Upon becoming the Champion and exploring the previously gated Cerulean Cave, players can catch Mewtwo for themselves, at which point they’ll find that its famously broken Psychic type, unmatched stats, and wide movepool make it easily the strongest Pokémon in the game. Conversely, Mew was nowhere to be seen, sparking countless playground rumors about ways to obtain it and finally catch all 151 Pokémon.

After this understated introduction, adaptations and remakes steadily fleshed out the duo’s backstory. After some retcons, real-world locations and childbirth were phased out, and Mewtwo’s actual origins as a lab experiment were pushed to the forefront. Meanwhile, Mew’s status as the first of many event-exclusive Mythicals took away from its prestige. On the bright side, its place as the ancestor of all Pokémon is an interesting tidbit that makes us question its relation to Arceus and the like. But what really kept the Psychic pair afloat in later years were their roles in all sorts of films and spin-offs. It’s thanks to The First Movie that they even have personalities, though I’m also nostalgic for stuff like Lucario and the Mystery of Mew and Smash Bros. Melee (my first Smash was actually Brawl, but I had to try the prequel if Mewtwo was in it).

Having jumped on the Pokémon train around Emerald, I honestly wasn’t around for Mewtwo and Mew’s prime. Supposedly, they were some of the biggest faces behind Pokémania, and the topics of all those aforementioned rumors. We’ve all heard of Mewthree and the Mew under the truck, but what’s crazy about these legends is that they didn’t go away as Generations passed and the internet became more widespread. Personally, I recall being convinced that Platinum’s Honey Trees could spawn Mewthree. And years later, I was sure a Mew collectible was under a certain truck in, of all games, Fallout 4. It just goes to show that, even as new powerhouses joined the cast and succeeded the originals, they remained on top courtesy of their iconicity and elusive quality.

Although I skipped the latest Mortal Kombat, it caught my eye with the inclusion of secret ninja Floyd. Between him and Mew, I guess pink makes for good hidden characters?

But Mewtwo and Mew stayed relevant due to more than just their backstories, since they’re as great in a fight as you’d expect from Kanto’s finest! Admittedly, despite the latter’s well-rounded stats being an inspiration for fellow Mythicals, they wouldn’t be enough in today’s power-crept meta. Fortunately, Mew’s got private access to every TM ever made, giving it some of the best moveset variety in the business. Swords Dance, Will-O-Wisp, Roost, and Stealth Rock are all seemingly non-Mew-like moves, but the kitty wields them all and more to great success. Meanwhile, Mewtwo forgoes its donor’s utility and simply blows targets away. Its special attacks—Psystrike, Aura Sphere, Ice Beam, Earth Power, just to name a few—are backed by world-class numbers. In fact, Mega Evolve it into either its X or Y form, and it’s suddenly tied with Mega Rayquaza for the highest (playable) base stats in the series. Mew’s later-Gen goody, on the other hand, was one of Alola’s exclusive Z-Moves. It’s not nothing, but it left far less of an impact. In any case, while these espers aren’t packing unusual gimmicks or outlandish abilities, their evergreen talents are more than enough to keep them in the fray.

Mew’s first-ever sprite, classic artwork, and current artwork, as gathered by @DrLavaYT. Thanks to Ken Sugimori’s trademark art style, the middle one’s my personal favorite.

Just as important to the pair’s histories are their designs, which saw plenty of tweaks and revisions. Shigeki Morimoto created and stealthily slotted Mew into Red & Green, though he’s only behind its endearingly hideous sprite. Ken Sugimori was in charge of refining it into the look we all know today, on top of designing Mewtwo and countless other icons. While modern Mew suits its role as a precursor, I miss the old-school flair provided by the hot-pink paws. Regardless, the end result looks great and maintains its relation to genetics. On the flip side, Mewtwo has one of Kanto’s wildest designs! Ditching its counterpart’s charm and naivety, it sports a gray body, purple tail, and constant scowl. Its most memorable features include that weird tube connecting its head and spine, as well as those three-fingered hands. It’s interesting how Mewtwo and Mew, despite being wholly unique, laid the groundwork for so many others. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mewtwo’s success was one reason humanoid Pokémon became more common, and all the cutesy Mythicals have Mew to thank for the blueprint.

I know I said “constant scowl,” but this Evolutions scene was refreshing. The Pokémon Company seems to like having fun with Mewtwo, and it’s nice seeing it mellow out after its capture.

On the topic of reasons I like these two, I’ll just admit that Mewtwo is my clear favorite. Although I appreciate Mew and its roles in games like Super Mystery Dungeon, its copy casts too long a shadow. No Pokémon is quite like Mewtwo, given its villainous streak and the angsty persona it picked up in its film. Unlike all the other monsters, this one’s an actual character—not a species whose members could vary wildly. Even so, a bunch of stuff featuring the lab rat have tried crazy things with it, so it’s far from rigid. The First Movie aura farmed with Armored Mewtwo, X & Y introduced both brawny Mewtwo and brainier Mewtwo, Pokkén graced us with my beloved Shadow Mewtwo, Detective Pikachu flashbanged us with old man Mewtwo (we could’ve done without this one), and Smash’s version deserves another mention. When it was revealed to be making a comeback as the series’s first-ever DLC character, I was ecstatic! Greninja was already on track to becoming my main, but I think Mewtwo’s teaser played just as big a part in what’s become a life-long Smash obsession.

All that being said, Mew still holds its own in the nostalgia department. As a last-minute addition to the original games, it’s the sorta thing that naturally sparks your imagination. And back in the early days, it was already setting itself apart with standout showings in, for instance, Snap (a spin-off I only ever tried at a friend’s house, but the Mythical encores in the sequel) and that weird Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon special (where it dies a comically quick death). However, my favorite Mew memory might just be that time I caught one in Yellow’s Virtual Console release. Abra, the Nugget Bridge, a Trainer near Cerulean Cave, and a bit of precision are all you need to battle it, and when I did, I couldn’t believe it. Finally, a Mew rumor that sounds fake, but actually delivers! It’s conspicuously close to Mewtwo’s domain and at a perfectly catchable level, furthering how surreal the glitch feels. It’s too bad LGPE’s equivalent to this was paywalling Mew behind a gimmicky controller, but that controversy is itself ancient history. Basically, the older games’ janky nature and Mew’s evasiveness were a match made in heaven, and I’m glad we saw something so memorable before the main series got its act together.

Though, all these solo outings make me wonder something about Mewtwo and Mew’s rivalry: are they even rivals? Whenever they happen to costar in a game, they stay in their own corners and never seem aware of the other’s existence! My comrade Cart Boy suggests this is because privacy is one of the only things they both enjoy, which is a good point. Regardless, it’s odd, considering their “whimsical original vs. edgy double” dynamic sounds like a slam dunk. Sonic, Kirby, and Kid Icarus are proof of that, but Pokémon doesn’t go any further with it than in that debut movie. To be fair, a Scarlet & Violet event saw players’ legions of Mew tackling a Mewtwo raid boss, but when that’s their biggest bout in recent memory, there’s clearly something wrong with their beef. Maybe they simply squashed it? After all, present-day Mewtwo are only bad guys when under Team Rocket’s control, and Mew are as unbothered by the world’s problems as ever (ignore the fact that Japanese Mew was racist toward clones). Apparently, they grew past the need to test each other, but remain an iconic duo since they represent much more for the franchise than some old feud.

As discussed in an older piece, the best Pokémon designs are the ones that balance cuteness with coolness. Pikachu’s wide appeal is what let it steal the mascot role from Clefairy, and even the likes of Charizard or Lucario aren’t too badass for a pat on the head. Granted, I’d never wanna spot Eternatus in the sky nor Lugia in a deep-sea trench, but their intimidation matches their places in the pantheon. Though, if we’re talking icons as prevalent as our subjects, Mewtwo’s definitely lacking in cuteness and Mew’s short on coolness. In that case, why are they regularly marketed alongside the more flexible ‘mons? It all circles back to why they really are perfect counterparts and true rivals: they’re two halves of a Legendary whole! Mewtwo embodies the intense side of its world, Mew represents the playful side, and both bring plenty of the series’s signature background lore to the table. This way of splitting qualities between two similar things is a Pokémon staple, hence its obsession with releasing games in pairs.

At this point, we’ve talked Mewtwo and Mew’s past at length, but what’s their future looking like? Lately, TCG Pocket’s made sure they’re going as strong as ever, so I doubt they’ll be taking a backseat like they did in Gens 4 and 5. Namely, they headlined the Genetic Apex and Mythical Island expansions, scoring tons of rare cards in the process. My favorites are definitely their Immersives, giving us snippets of Mewtwo’s dramatic escape from Cinnabar and Mew’s innocent take on the world. As usual, they have little to do with each other, aside from Mew making a cameo in its clone’s cutscene (and Celebi’s, for good measure). That aside, I’m confident in Mewtwo’s X and Y forms securing it a spot in Legends: Z-A. The game’s reveal made it clear that Mega Evolution is coming back, and I’d be shocked if that didn’t include all the existing ones. But on the topic of Legends games—which seem to be our recurring excuse to revisit old regions—I’d love to see a Kanto-centered one that revives its creepier undertones. Let’s finally get our Mewtwo game, featuring a moodier Lavender Town, dystopian elements, and maybe even Mewthree! Not gonna happen, but it’s fun to envision.

Mewtwo’s Mega Evolutions lack the original’s staying power, but I like the Y form and its Mew-esque design. It’s also cool how its red eyes contrast the X form’s blue eyes.

Before we wrap up, there’s something I’ve been wondering about Mewtwo for over a decade: if Mega Stones were created thousands of years ago, why does the recently conceived Genetic Pokémon have a pair of its own? It’s obviously just due to popularity, but there might be an in-universe explanation if we stretch hard enough. First of all, an interesting addition to Mewtwo’s lore was the soft confirmation that Team Rocket’s related to its creation. Up until Gen 7, that was an anime-only thing, but now Giovanni never goes anywhere without his deadliest weapon. He even Mega Evolves it in the Ultra games and Masters, so maybe his grunts are behind the power-ups? Genesect and the Legend Awakened stars a Mewtwo that can access its Y form without a Stone or Trainer, but I doubt we’ll get anywhere unraveling this forgettable movie or its oddly feminine take on the telepath. Honestly, the answer’s probably as simple as Kalos continuing to form new Mega Stones over time, and Mewtwo’s presence in the region causing some matching rocks to emerge. But the Rocket theory’s more compelling, so that’s what I’m going with…

And with that, we’ve gone over all the Mewtwo- and Mew-related topics I felt like spotlighting. My sudden interest in them was thanks to some lucky Pocket pulls, and it happened to line up with the Legendary’s birthday, so I just went from there. That being said, they’re definitely the most well-known duo I’ve ever talked about, so I tried to add as much of my own voice as possible. Whether the sudden tangents and references to unrelated games got that across is up in the air, but I’m satisfied with how this turned out! More than my primary “Dream Smasher” series, “Player vs. Player” is a more in-the-moment sort of thing, so I have no idea which subjects are next. But as for Mewtwo and Mew, I’m confident we’ll be seeing more of them as we approach Pokémon’s thirtieth anniversary. On top of being nostalgic goldmines, they’re all-time classics that deserve their encores. Granted, Mew’s recent appearances haven’t been as dynamic as Mewtwo’s, so I hope the Mythical gets something cooler than yet another giveaway. Until then, I’m looking forward to finally seeing Legends Z-A, and after that, Pokémon’s inevitable Switch 2 debut!