Pokemon Scarlet and Violet feature a number of events where the players can increase their friendship with some of the game's cast, including Director Clavell. Clavell is the one in charge of the Academy, which the player enrolls in at the start of the game; shortly after this, he will call the player into his office in an optional event to ask about this peculiar term.
But what is "Cheugy," and what does it mean? No doubt many players might have been confused by the use of this term in the game since it has nothing to do with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, or the Paldea region. Indeed, it's a somewhat obscure piece of slang. In this guide, players will learn what Cheugy means and whether telling the Director the truth is worth the trouble.
What Does Cheugy Mean?
Cheugy is a piece of slang meaning, essentially, "Old and Outdated," and has indeed become this itself. The phrase trended on TikTok for a while during 2021 and has been around since roughly 2013. The TikTok popularity surge was reported on by the New York Times, adding to its brief increase in popularity as a term.
Unfortunately, as is often the case with internet trends, the term fell back out of popular use before long, and so the inclusion of it in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet led to quite a bit of confusion when the Director decided to ask about it. The argument could certainly be made that his asking about a term that is itself already "Old and Outdated" enhances the gag about him trying and failing to relate to his students in this way, though that may not have been the intention.
Why Cheugy is Important
When triggering the friendship event with Director Clavell early in the game, he calls the player into his office to ask them about the meaning of the word "Cheugy." Answering correctly by selecting "Old and Outdated" will boost their friendship with the Director, though, unlike other friendship values, this does not appear to have any meaningful effect on the rest of the game since his final friendship gift is instead given at the conclusion of the Team Star storyline: "Operation Starfall."
Indeed, it may be more amusing to intentionally misinform the poor Director for the sake of comedy. Director Clavell is heavily involved in the Operation Starfall plotline, which involves defeating the various leaders of Team Star.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for Nintendo Switch.