Pokémon 10 Unanswered Questions We Still Have About Ghost Pokémon
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Pokémon 10 Unanswered Questions We Still Have About Ghost Pokémon
Are Ghost-types the spirits of the dead, or are they just related to death? Do Ghost Pokémon have corporeal forms or are they on another plane? Ghost-type are a strange group of creatures. Many of them have bizarre strange lore surrounding them, or all-around unsettling vibes that lead to questions that the world of Pokémon never answers. More generally, the Ghost-type itself is steeped in unexplained phenomena. Are Ghost-types the spirits of the dead, or are they just related to death (or other unsettling things?) This is never really cut-and-dry clear. Do Ghost Pokémon have corporeal forms in every case, or are they on another plane of reality? Their immunity to Fighting and Normal also raises questions about why they aren't immune to other "physical" types. There are too many questions to wrap your head around, so here are just a few of them. THEGAMER VIDEO OF THE DAY Ice Punch
This is a simple one. Why can Gastly learn Ice Punch? Not only is this Pokémon not Ice-type (which technically isn't required to learn Ice Punch, but still) but it doesn't have any fists! It's not just that though, it doesn't have any body parts at all beyond the sphere with its floating gaseous substance. Furthermore, Pokémon like Kyurem, which literally has a giant icy arm in its fusion forms, cannot learn Ice Punch. Is there something more to Gastly than we realize? Mimikyu
Mimikyu quickly became a fan-favorite after being introduced in Generation VII. This small Ghost/Fairy-type is not the puppet with the strange face it's depicted with. It's actually a unique Pokémon underneath the disguise so terrifying that it killed a researcher who saw it. It uses the disguise to make itself look like Pikachu, so people will love it, which is honestly pretty sad. But, what is under that disguise? If it's something so horrific that the sight of it will kill you, it must be pretty awful. Lost Children
Ghost-type Pokémon seem to always be associated with unsettling Pokédex entries. From Gengar's dimension-bending antics to Spiritomb's history of unspeakable crimes, Ghost-types frequently have unsettling descriptions and stories. But, why is it that so many of them like to eliminate children? Take for example Drifloon, which looks like a balloon and uses its appearance to lure children, so it can carry them off. It's said that Banette is an abandoned doll that became a Pokémon and seeks revenge on its former child owner. Are They Dead or Not
It's never quite clear if Ghost-type Pokémon are the spirits of dead people or Pokémon. Some seem to be, based on their Pokédex entries, but it's usually prefaced with "some believe..." or "it is said that..." Often, it's unclear if these Pokémon are actually the spirits of the dead. Gengar is apparently confirmed in the Pokédex to be a dead human, as is Yamask, but many others are not. Furthermore, many Ghost-types don't seem to be (or aren't claimed to be) spirits. Pokémon like Dragapult and Decidueye don't seem to have any connection to death or the afterlife, but they're still Ghost-type. The lore is inconsistent in many places. Morty s Team
Game Freak really took their time introducing Ghost-type Pokémon into the series. In Generation I, the Ghost-type had only the Gastly family as its representation. These three, Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar, were also dual-types with a secondary Poison-typing, meaning there was no pure Ghost rep. In Generation II, Game Freak only introduced a single Ghost-type — Misdreavus. At this point in time, there were really only two Ghost-type lines. Despite this, Johto features a Ghost-type gym, with Gym Leader Morty, who doesn't even have a Misdreavus. Petting
In Pokémon-Ami and Refresh, you can pet your Pokémon, which will increase their happiness and affection. Many Ghost-types have a "haunted effect," which will trigger when you pet them but not prevent you from doing so. It's clear their bodies are not corporeal in the way we typically understand. The question here is, how can you touch these supposed ghosts at all? Their immunity to Normal- and Fighting-type moves implies they are like real-life ghosts and pass through physical objects. So, how does your hand not pass right through them? Eating
Other than lost children, allegedly, what do Ghost-types eat? First of all, they may or may not be dead spirits, which wouldn't need to (or be able to?) eat human/Pokémon food. Second, would they even be able to? Again, many of them are corporeal apparitions, so wouldn't food just fall right through them? In Sword and Shield, your Ghost-types are more than happy to chow down on some curry. It's not clear how this would be possible, or even necessary. Yet there they are, happily indulging on a healthy meal. Hatching
How do Ghost-types get hatched from eggs? If Yamask is used as an example, the image becomes really strange. Yamask is all but confirmed to be a dead person's spirit. If this is true, how would a Yamask breed and have a child? Other Pokémon, like Phantump, are said to be created when a child dies in the forest. It seems like these types of beings shouldn't be able to hatch from eggs. Type Interaction
Generation I was full of glitches and errors. Pokémon was still a very, very young game franchise and getting itself together took time. One of the more infamous problems was that Psychic-type Pokémon were completely immune to Ghost-types. This is part of what made . It's said that this was a glitch too, especially considering in-game NPCs and real-life guidebooks all stated Psychic-types should actually be weak to Ghost moves. There are still some interactions that seem weird, though. Why is Ghost resistant to Bug- and Poison-moves, instead of immune like with Normal and Fighting? These types of things should not affect a ghost, yet they do (albeit poorly). It's all very strange. Ownership
It's pretty well-established by now that Ghost-types are truly bizarre. Aside from their child-ending ways, they also have a terrifying fascination with stealing souls. Froslass, Shedinja, and Palossand are all said to steal souls or life force from living beings. One of the most terrifying, however, is Litwick. This charming little candle attracts people with its flame, and once they're fixated, begins to drain their life force and absorb it. How could a player safely own one of these creatures? This seeming-disaster is exemplified by a woman in Sword and Shield, and tells the player how she finds it very calming.