Pokemon Sword and Shield features a rich lore that reads like an Arthurian legend - fitting for the setting. Before proceeding further, it is worth noting that there will be discussion about the climax of Pokemon Sword and Shield, so players should finish up the game first before proceeding. MAJOR SPOILERS LIE AHEAD. The box art Pokemon for the two games, Zacian and Zamazeta, play a crucial role in the history of the Galar region, but the story is a bit hard to follow at some points. Toss in the evil legendary Eternatus, and the game all of a sudden turns into this grand conflict, but here is how the three legendary Pokemon tie together with the Galarian lore.

The Galarian Legend

Throughout Sword and Shield, the player is slowly given more and more pieces about the Galarian legend of the two heroes who saved the world from the Darkest Day. The players are introduced to the legend through a statue of a singular hero who wields both a sword and a shield. The hero of legend saved Galar from the Darkest Day, when the skies turned black and Pokemon began Dynamaxing causing chaos in the region. The cataclysmic event nearly brought the end of the beautiful Galar region.

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However, the legendary hero fought back the giant Pokemon and put and end to the Darkest Day. From then on the hero was never seen again, though the legend was passed down from generation to generation. As players progress through the game and uncover the lost parts of the legend,it's clear that much of the original legend is wrong. There were two heroes, and they weren't human - they were Pokemon.

pokemon sword shield galar legend banners

Zacian and Zamazenta: The Two Heroes

Zacian and Zamazenta are the two heroes of legend. They wield the sword and shield spoken of in history. When the Darkest Day arrived, Zacian and Zamazenta took up arms and fought side-by-side to put an end to the wildly Dynamaxing Pokemon. Dynamaxing is a new feature in Sword and Shield, where Pokemon grow rapidly in size to face off in massive battles at a grand scale.

Dynamaxed Pokemon are incredibly powerful, and with the evil legendary Pokemon Eternatus causing Pokemon to wildly Dynamax, Galar region was in danger of being destroyed. However, with Zacian and Zamazenta fighting against Eternatus, the two heroes were able to defeat the Dynamax-causing Pokemon and seal it away. Having defeated Eternatus, the two heroes retreated to the Slumbering Weald to rest until the day they were needed again. Unfortunately since Zacian and Zamazenta are version exclusive Pokemon, players may not get the full picture just through the in-game Pokedex without trading.

pokemon sword shield zacian zamazenta

Dynamaxing, Eternatus, and the Darkest Day

Throughout the entirety of Sword and Shield, the Darkest Day was mentioned in passing as a black storm that caused Pokemon to grow in size and nearly destroy the Galar region. As Chairman Rose's plan came to fruition, players learned that the Darkest Day was caused by the Pokemon Eternatus, a dragon whose core absorbs energy from the Wishing Stones that fall in Galar.

Eternatus radiates Dynamax energy, which can in turn create Dynamax and new Gigantamax Pokemon without warning. In Galarian history, Zacian and Zamazenta used the sword and shield relics that players find in the Slumbering Weald to fight off Eternatus, thus sealing away the powerful dragon and saving Galar.

eternatus gigantamax battle pokemon sword shield

Rose sought to release Eternatus to gather the energy it released in order to power the Galar region for thousands of years, then use the unbeatable Leon to defeat Eternatus and thus save the region. Since Leon is one of the most powerful trainers in the world, Rose sought to use this time to guarantee that Eternatus would be defeated - though clearly Leon alone was not enough and the player and Hop had to step in with the aid of Zacian and Zamazenta and a team full of new Pokemon. Thankfully, with Eternatus captured, the Darkest Day is no longer a threat and Galar is finally safe. With Eternatus captured and either Zacian or Zamazenta at the player's side, Galar is all set to have a prosperous future now that Rose is behind bars.

Pokemon Sword and Shield are available now exclusively for Nintendo Switch.

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