The Pokemon series of games that has been running since 1996 has spawned many bizarre spin-offs and has sold millions of copies across the globe. Fortunately, the popularity of the franchise (and all of the content and characters it contains) means that it's great for video game conspiracy theorists.

While some Pokemon fan theories are more over the top than others, some are actually a little bit believable. Keeping that in mind, here is a list of the weirdest and wildest ideas that Pokemon players have come up with:


Pokemon Takes Place After a Massive War

One of the oldest Pokemon fan theories is that Pokemon Red and Blue take place after a huge war killed most of the adults in the Kanto region. The player character has no father, the majority of the other characters are children, and adult male NPCs are often very old. There are also lots of hospitals and Gyms but there is nothing to do for entertainment.

Pokemon Red and Blue Gym leader Lt. Surge says to players "Hey kid! What do you think you're doing here? You won't live long in combat!" and that "electric Pokemon saved me during the war!" So if a war didn't really happen, why would Surge bring it up?


The Gym Guide is Your Dad

Even if the player character's father didn't pass in the 'Pokemon war', there are still questions about his whereabouts. One theory is that the Gym guide, who shows up at every Gym to encourage the player character and give them helpful tips, is actually their dad.

As the theory goes, the father feels bad for abandoning the mother and so to make amends, he follows his child around to support their dreams. That would also explain why the Gym Guide doesn't seem to help any of the other Gym competitors.


Mimikyu is a Porygon in Disguise

Pokemon Sun and Moon: Six New Pokemon Revealed - Mimikyu

Pokemon Sun and Moon character Mimikyu wears a costume in order to look like Pikachu. The character grew jealous following the rise of Pikachu merchandise 20 years ago, but does its backstory go deeper than that?

In 1997 (20 years ago), the Pokemon Shock episode of the Pokemon anime caused over 700 Japanese children to have seizures. The episode was shelved and Porygon, the Pokemon that was featured in the episode, went missing. Its Pokedex entry also explains that a researcher that tried to look under Mimikyu's costume died from "shock," reinforcing the character's possible connection to the anime.


Ditto is a Failed Mew Clone

pokemon-go-update-added-ditto-shiny-pokemon

While Mewtwo is the result of a successful clone of Mew, there's evidence that the lovable pink blob that is Ditto, is the result of a failed clone experiment. There are lots of Ditto on Cinnabar Island (the rumored location for the clone tests), both Mew and Ditto are capable of asexual recreation, and both Pokemon weigh 8.8lbs too.

The fact that Mew is the ancestor of every other Pokemon and contains their DNA, while Ditto can reproduce with any other Pokemon, also supports this (actually quite feasible) fan theory.


Cubone is a Baby Kangaskhan

Pokemon Cubone

Speaking of believable Pokemon relations, some think that Cubone is just a baby version of Kangashkan. Cubone wears the skull of its deceased mother and at night it cries as a means of mourning the loss, while some believe that it wields its bone weapon to defend itself now that its mother has gone.

Supporting this theory is the fact that the baby Pokemon in Kangaskhan's pouch resembles a Cubone without its mask and the Cubone mask resembles a Kangashkhan's skull. Cubone has a move called Bonemerang (referring to boomerangs), while Kangaskhan's name refers to kangaroo and both borrow from Australian culture.

Additionally, 'M, a scrapped prototype of Marowak (which Cubone evolves into) can also evolve into Kangaskhan, strengthening the connection and the weird fan theory.


Gengar is Clefable's Shadow

Clefable Gengar theory

Another plausible (but unconfirmed) connect is between Clefable and Gengar, which is believed to be the pink Pokemon's shadow. Side by side, the resemblance between the two is uncanny and Gengar is a 'Shadow Pokemon' whose name is likely a shortened version of the word 'doppelganger' (a double of a person).

Moreover, as Clefable is Normal-type and Gengar is Ghost-type, they are immune to each other which is how shadows work too.


The Real Reason Blue Came to Lavender Town

MONDAY: 10 Scariest Moments in Non-Horror Games - Pokemon Red and Blue Lavender Town

After defeating Blue's Raticate in Pokemon Red and Blue, the next time players see him is at the burial tower for deceased Pokemon in Lavender Town. Blue doesn't have his Raticate with him here, either, suggesting that the player character was the one who killed his beloved Pokemon.


Komala is a Sentient Block of Wood

Pokemon Sun and Moon: All the New Pokemon - Komala

Many Pokemon are inspired by real-life creatures (as highlighted by Kangashkhan) and Komala is no different. It looks like a koala clinging onto a eucalyptus tree. But some fans suspect that the sentient, attacking part of the Pokemon is the block of wood, not the koala lookalike.

Supporting this is the fact that Komala's walk animation uses the log to walk and the shiny variation of the Pokemon changes the color of the log. Komala is a Normal-type Pokemon too, but is that just a coincidence or because it's just a normal log?


Pokemon is in a Multi-Verse

In a post-game quest in Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the player character works with a woman called Zinnia to stop an asteroid from causing mass destruction. One possible plan is to tear a hole in the universe so that the asteroid can pass through, but Zinnia warns that it will just hit a version of the planet in another dimension.

Zinnia doesn't outright say that the other version is the Game Boy Advance's Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire – but it's heavily implied. This theory would explain why Mega Evolutions don't exist in the original Ruby and Sapphire and also why each main Pokemon game has two versions.


While these Pokemon fan theories are both weird and wonderful, they may only be the beginning. Future of the series, including the Pokemon game on Nintendo Switch, will only introduce even more things for fans to discuss and even more fuel for their outlandish speculation.