Some of the most memorable moments in the Pokemon games are seeing one's favorite Pokemon evolve. Some undergo subtle changes, while others blossom into stunning and powerful creatures that are vastly different from their unevolved forms. Whatever the case, each evolution serves to improve the Pokemon's combat potential, whether that be through added bulk or increased strength.

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Unfortunately, however, not every evolution works out aesthetically. In fact, some so-called "evolutions" make players question how those changes came to be in the first place. Size, limb count, and even color scheme differ from one stage to the next. In these instances, Pokemon change in such a drastic fashion that it's enough to make Charles Darwin roll over in his grave.

Updated April 11, 2022, by Tom Bowen: The Pokemon series has always made a bit of a mockery of the theory of evolution, even at the best of times. The way that creatures can suddenly change at the drop of a hat is more than a little ridiculous, but it's easy to overlook this on account of it being a children's series that's primary purpose is to entertain and make money. That said, some of the series' evolutions are really pushing it, either due to their nonsensical shifts in design or the dramatic alterations they make to the unevolved Pokemon's type or physical abilities. These are the strangest evolutions from the first eight generations of Pokemon games, though more will surely follow when Pokemon Scarlet & Violet finally arrive in late 2022.

12 Magikarp Into Gyarados

Magikarp evolves into Gyarados in the Pokemon games

When it comes to unusual Pokemon evolutions, they don't often come much stranger than Magikarp into Gyarados. The little red fish, which is arguably just as hapless as it is helpless, goes on to evolve into one of the most powerful creatures from the first generation Pokemon games, without even as much as an awkward middle phase. The Pokemon also changes from red to blue, but that's just a small part of what makes this evolution such a bizarre one.

The massive leap in strength that Magikarp's evolution brings about is more than a little strange, as too are the Pokemon's dramatic changes in both appearance and typing. As a Water/Flying-type with an affinity for Dragon-type attacks, Gyarados could hardly be more different than its flailing first-stage form, while its intimidating appearance is a far cry from the endearing expressions employed by most Magikarp that Pokemon players meet.

11 Machoke Into Machamp

Machoke evolves into Machamp in the Pokemon series

Another unusual Gen 1 evolution, Machoke into Machamp might not be anywhere near as unusual as Magikarp into Gyarados, but it will likely still have many supporters of Darwin's theory of evolution scratching their heads. This is because, for whatever reason, Machoke sprouts a couple of extra arms upon evolving into Machamp. That's not the only strange thing about this unusual evolutionary line either though.

Upon evolving into Machamp, Machop appears to gain both a pair of black pants and a black and gold Power-Save Belt. While it's possible that the pants are just an illusion caused by the Pokemon's crotch area changing color after it evolves, there can be no disputing that the belt is a brand new addition to the Pokemon that comes about as a direct result of it evolving. With that in mind, it begs a very serious question about how Pokemon evolution really works (as too does Kadabra getting hold of a pair of spoons after evolving from Abra).

10 Graveler Into Golem

Pokemon Graveler Golem

Both Graveler and its Alolan variant share a similar design. Building off of Geodude's simplicity, they become hefty boulders sprouting an extra set of arms and two legs. Going forward, however, this concept gets replaced with something more reptilian; the result is Golem, which looks more like a stony tortoise than a living rock.

Even more bizarrely, the Alolan form of Golem even gains a railgun-like protrusion upon evolving, making even less sense to many players. This transition has stumped veteran Pokemon fans for years, though it's doubtful that a proper explanation will ever come to light.

9 Inkay Into Malamar

Pokemon Inkay Malamar

While not quite as confusing as Graveler's change, Inkay's evolution still falls into a similar category of absurdity. After reaching level 30, Inkay evolves when the game system of choice (whether it be the 3DS or the Switch) is held upside-down.

Malamar definitely looks the part, as the squid-like tentacles that acted as Inkay's legs now appear as hair. Everything else flips around, as well. Somehow, though, the simple act of flipping over causes the Pokemon to grow three feet taller. Perhaps it took a page out of Voltorb's book?

8 Pupitar Into Tyranitar

Pokemon Pupitar Tyranitar

Larvitar and Tyranitar definitely look enough alike to be related. Pupitar, however, fits into the mold of "awkward middle evolution." One would think rock monsters didn't need to envelop themselves in a cocoon like some sort of stony butterfly, but apparently, that assumption is wrong.

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Most interestingly, Pupitar nearly grows a whole three feet in height when evolving into Tyranitar; the weight difference between the two, however, is only 110 pounds. Still, the Hard Shell Pokemon carries some serious heft, as well as decent base stats to boot.

7 Galarian Linoone Into Obstagoon

Pokemon Galarian Linoone Obstagoon

To their credit, Galarian Linoone and its evolution Obstagoon share very similar designs aesthetically. The real crime in this transformation comes from Linoone's transition from a badger to something straight out of a KISS concert. Obstagoon, while powerful and threatening in its own right, goes through such a crazy change.

It's a little hard to believe that the developers thought Linoone, of all Pokemon, should be the one to transform into this beast. Was a different Pokemon meant to take its place, is there a missing middle stage, or were the developers just pressed for time?

6 Feebas Into Milotic

Pokemon Feebas Milotic

This meek fish's transformation into a graceful sea creature is obviously a classic "Ugly Duckling" story, but that doesn't make the transition any less jarring. Aside from their tail fin's base color being vaguely similar, Feebas and Milotic have absolutely nothing in common. Not even their Abilities match up!

For as impressive and powerful as Milotic is, it doesn't make sense for it to evolve straight away from such a horrid fish. And with how difficult it was to catch Feebas in its debut generation, it's unlikely that many trainers saw that transformation for themselves.

5 Cosmoem Into Solgaleo/Lunala

Pokemon Cosmoem Solgaleo Lunala

The Cosmog line is one of the most interesting in Pokemon history. This is primarily because it is one of the only Legendary Pokemon to evolve, the others being Type: Null and the more recent Kubfu. Its journey to becoming Solgaleo or Lunala is just as interesting.

Cosmoem, which acts as a sort of cocoon stage, stands at four inches tall. Somehow, this galactic egg transforms into a massive beast, either a gallant lion or an ethereal bat. Aside from a few shared properties, Cosmoem's evolution is possibly one of the most drastic and bizarre.

4 Dragonair Into Dragonite

Pokemon Dragonair Dragonite

Dratini and Dragonair both have serpentine designs with small fins or wing-like appendages on the sides of their heads. How, then, do they finish by becoming a large orange dragon with tiny bat-like wings on its back?

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The only things that transfer over from Dragonair's design upon evolution are its horn and its round nose. Everything else about Dragonite makes it feel like its own Pokemon separate from the Dratini line. At the very least, Dragonair probably enjoys its newfound limbs.

3 Torracat Into Incineroar

Pokemon Torracat Incineroar

As a general trend that has yet to be broken, it seems that the final evolution of the fire starters will always turn out bipedal, regardless of how many legs its previous iterations walked on. Fans were mildly disappointed to find that the same held true for Litten's final evolution, Incineroar.

While Torracat's design made sense as a step up from Litten, Incineroar took the changes a bit too far to look natural. Thankfully, however, this wrestler fanatic didn't end up being another Fire/Fighting type.

2 Clamperl Into Huntail/Gorebyss

Clamperl Huntail Gorebyss

As any aspiring marine biologist knows, a pearl does not transform into an eel. With the existence of Clamperl, however, it becomes clear that the people working at Game Freak are not marine biologists. The "pearl" part of Clamperl could be construed as a fish egg, but even then, its evolution shows a drastic amount of changes.

Not only do Huntail and Gorebyss lack the shell that held Clamperl in the first place, but only Gorebyss bears any resemblance to the "pearl" itself, sharing its pink coloration. Otherwise, Clamperl looks more like a Shellder knock-off than a pre-evolution to these two.

1 Remoraid Into Octillery

Remoraid Octillery

Remoraid's evolution is quite possibly one of the most egregious in all of Pokemon. When it hits level 25, this small fish becomes... an octopus? Remoraid's affinity for projectile attacks makes it similar to an archerfish, and its design plays off of firearms like pistols.

Similarly, Octillery follows the militant theming with its loose tank inspirations. Even there, though, the shared lineage is too much of a stretch. Not even a middle-stage evolution could possibly connect these two Water-types to one another.

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