The introduction of Paradox Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet gives players a greater glimpse into what some prehistoric Pokemon looked like. Outside fossils, players have never previously had the opportunity to see what Game Freak had envisioned for Pokemon's ancient world. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet offers the most comprehensive picture of Pokemon's distant past to date in thanks to its Paradox Pokemon. However, one of these behemoths in particular—Great Tusk—bears a striking resemblance to another ancient mon that is notably missing from the Paldea Region: Mamoswine.
Great Tusk is likely the first Paradox Pokemon players will encounter in Pokemon Scarlet. An ancient relative of Donphan, players will encounter Great Tusk, the Quaking Earth Titan in the Asado Desert while following the Path of Legends storyline. Given its clear mammoth inspiration and Ground typing, Great Tusk shares a lot in common with Mamoswine. This has led many to speculate on the relationship between these two creatures.
Mamoswine is a 10,000-Year-Old Living Fossil
Despite evolving from a modern-day Pokemon, Mamoswine has actually existed since prehistoric times. Several of its Pokedex entries note that a frozen Mamoswine was once dug up encased in soil dating back 10,000 years. This dating puts Mamoswine somewhere in the Pokemon world's equivalent of the ice age. Pokedex entries also note that its population began to dwindle as the temperatures rose at the end of the ice age.
It's very likely Mamoswine existed alongside Great Tusk during some era of Pokemon's ancient past. Both Pokemon share similar design elements such as the large tusks and fur reminiscent of a wooly mammoth. However, the existence of Great Tusk in Paldea and the absence of Mamoswine further fuel the mystery surrounding these creatures. How exactly these two are related and why Mamoswine survived in far greater numbers than Great Tusk is still a question open to speculation.
How Mamoswine and Great Tusk Fit into the Pokemon Tree of Evolution
In trying to piece together these prehistoric mysteries, looking at one of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's new mechanics might offer some insight for amateur Pokemon biologists. New mons following the scientific theory of convergent evolution were introduced in the latest generation as a new twist on the previously introduced regional variant mechanic. Convergent evolution occurs when two species occupy a similar niche, causing them to evolve similarly to each other over time. Pokemon like Wiglett and Toedscool in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet look very similar to Diglett and Tentacool while existing as separate species due to this phenomenon.
However, more Pokemon may follow the trend of convergent evolution than originally thought. It's possible that Mamoswine and Great Tusk are also beneficiaries of convergent evolution due to their similar appearance, shared era of existence, and similar niche. Both beasts developing large tusks and fur to survive during the ice age would make sense from an ecological standpoint, and perhaps they once shared a common ancestor even further back in time. This would also explain the lack of Mamoswine in Paldea as the region could have been the prehistoric home of Great Tusk who drove out Mamoswine during territorial disputes.
While there is not any official acknowledgment from Game Freak regarding the relationship between these two mons, it is possible theories like this may be addressed in a future DLC for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Paradox Pokemon continue to be one of the most interesting aspects of the new games, and adding on the layer of convergent evolution to this theory ties it nicely to another new mechanic introduced in Gen 9. Taking that into consideration, it would make sense for Game Freak to expand upon these newly established mechanics in the future. For now, fans will just have to speculate as the lore of the Pokemon world continues to grow.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for Nintendo Switch.