In the Pokemon world, no one monster stands alone. There's remarkable traits about every creature in the Pokemon world, and they all have some significance in the lives of humans. That goes for Mythical Pokemon, too. Even though Mythical Pokemon generally have nothing to do with the game's plot and tend to require special events to get, if they're obtainable at all, they still have unique roles to play in the lore of Pokemon. Darkrai is a perfect example of this overarching rule. It may not have been the star of a core Pokemon game, but its varying roles as a protagonist or antagonist in Pokemon anime adaptations and spin-offs showcase Darkrai's significance.
Darkrai made its debut in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl as one of the Sinnoh region's Mythical Pokemon, only obtainable by players who visited Newmoon Island using a Member Card during a special event. Although this means Darkrai is a fairly old Pokemon, with four generations gone by since its debut, it remains a fan favorite thanks to its striking design and complicated interactions with humanity. Now that fans know that they can get a Darkrai in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, the Pitch-Black Pokemon has returned to prominence. Fans have good cause to reflect on the various stories Darkrai inspires and its place in the Pokemon world.
Darkrai's Lore in Pokemon
The most important thing to know about Darkrai is its heavy association with sleep and nightmares. Darkrai has the power to induce horrible dreams in humans and other Pokemon. In fact, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl tease Darkrai's presence through Canalave City sailor Eldritch's son, who becomes afflicted with endless nightmares and murmurs Darkrai's name in his sleep. While Darkrai can inflict nightmares on command, it doesn't always do so. On the contrary, as a reclusive creature, sometimes Darkrai accidentally traps others in nightmares as a defense mechanism, free of bad intentions.
Darkrai notably isn't the only Sinnoh Pokemon associated with sleep and dreaming. It's one part of the lunar duo, and the other part is Cresselia. In a lot of ways, Darkrai and Cresselia are opposites that balance each other out. Cresselia is active during the crescent moon, while Darkrai is associated with the new moon. In contrast to Darkrai's power to inflict nightmares, Cresselia can cure Darkrai's influence, and its feathers inspire positive dreams. The two Pokemon are sometimes depicted as rivals, especially in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness, where Darkrai plays an antagonistic role.
Although Darkrai appeared as a villain in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon and a couple other situations, it's not necessarily evil. In fact, when it debuted in the Pokemon movie The Rise of Darkrai, it was actually a protagonist who proved to be a huge help to Ash and his friends. It's also worth noting that Darkrai is seemingly rather intelligent, as it speaks in The Rise of Darkrai. Between these different depictions and the Pokedex's implication that Darkrai just wants to be left alone, it seems that the Pitch-Black Pokemon has a pretty nuanced relationship with the rest of the Pokemon world.
Darkrai's Return in the Hisui Region
Since Darkrai is such a well-liked Mythical Pokemon and has such a well-developed place in the Pokemon world, it's great to hear that it's available in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. However, it's a bit of a shame that players have to have Pokemon Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl data on their Switch to get it.
Hopefully Game Freak will release a special event or DLC giving players some other way of finding Darkrai somewhere in the Hisui region, presumably in the ancient version of Newmoon Island. Whether Game Freak does that or not, though, Darkrai's confirmed appearance certainly serves up a little additional nostalgia for fans of the original Diamond and Pearl.