Nintendo andPokemonfans will soon be able to return to the France-inspired region of Kalos in the upcomingPokemon Legends: Z-Ain late 2025. Here, players will be able to explore an urban redeveloped Lumiose City set after the events of 2013’sPokémon XandYalongside three classic starters: Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile. While only a small group of non-starter Pokemon have been revealed so far forPokemon Legends: Z-A, the game will see the return ofXandY’s rather underutilized tertiary legendary Pokemon Zygarde. However, Game Freak may want to take a different approach to Zygarde compared to its larger role seen inPokemon Sun,Moon,Ultra Sun, andUltra Moon.
The History of Zygarde Explained
WhenPokemon XandYwere first announced in 2013 for the Nintendo 3DS, fans were excited to finally see a mainlinePokemongame realized in a complete 3D world.Pokemon XandY’s titles were even chosen in reference to the series better utilizing the x, y, and z-axis used in analyzing 3D environments. However, when the legendary box art Pokemon of Xerneas and Yveltal were revealed, many players expectedGame Freak to eventually release aPokemon Zgamesimilar to howPokemon EmeraldandPlatinumwere released previously featuring a tertiary legendary creature. Despite many fans’ theories and historical expectations, aPokemon Zgame was never released for the Nintendo 3DS.
Pokemon XandYweren’t without their tertiary Kalos legendary Pokemon, however, as players could find and catchthe Order Pokemon in Terminus Caveafter becoming Champion. This was Zygarde’s only appearance inXandY, though the Z-shaped monster did later have a larger role in the anime season,Pokemon the Series: XYZ. Zygarde saw more prominence in the next mainlinePokemongames,Pokemon Sun,Moon,Ultra Sun, andUltra Moon. Here, it was revealed that Zygarde’s snake-like appearance inXandYwas only its 50% Forme and that Zygarde is actually made up of 95 small Zygarde Cells and five Zygarde Cores.
How to Catch Zygarde in Other Pokemon Games
If players have one Core and 10 Cells inPokemon Sun,Moon,Ultra Sun, andUltra Moon, they can merge them to createthe dog-like Zygarde 10% Forme. The more Cores and Cells collected will allow players to form the 50% form and eventually the titanic, red, blue, and green Zygarde Complete Forme. Zygarde returns inPokemon SwordandShield’s The Crown Tundra Expansion when completing a Dynamax Adventure in the Max Lair.
If players don’t have the expansion, Zygarde can also be transferred toSwordandShieldvia thecloud servicePokemon HOMEafter transferring the legendary creature toPokemon Bankfrom the Alola games. Zygarde is unobtainable inPokemon Brilliant Diamond,Shining Pearl,Legends: Arceus,Scarlet, andViolet.
Potential Alternate Ways to Encounter Zygarde in Pokemon Legends: Z-A
GivenPokemon Legends: Z-A’s green Z-focused title, the upcoming game may finally be Zygarde’s time in the spotlight the Order Pokemon has long deserved. In the Pokemon Day 2025 trailer forZ-A,only Zygarde’s 10% Forme and one Cell are shownlooking over Lumiose City, but its other forms are expected to appear in the game as well. OnZ-A’s official website, it’s stated that Zygarde has taken a special interest in the player and that its role in the story is currently a mystery. All three of the Zygarde Formes are shown with mention of its many Zygarde Cells and Cores, but it’s not explicitly stated if players will have to collect the Cells and Cores inZ-A, similar to the Alola games.
With Zygarde’s suggested prominence inPokemon Legends: Z-A, Game Freak may want to skip the collectathon method of accessing all of Zygarde’s forms. Many players saw the method of acquiring Zygarde by searching for Cells as somewhat tedious in the Alola games, so Game Freak may want to instead have acquiring Zygarde linked directly toZ-A’s story. Based on the similarities betweenZ-A’s title and AZ’s name, Game Freak could haveZygarde’s exponential growth be tied to AZin some form. Since AZ is 3,000 years old, he could grant the player knowledge of how to easily change Zygarde’s Formes. This narrative focus on Zygarde could better shed light on the Order Pokemon’s history and mythology rather than regulating it to side content as the 3DS games did.
Xerneas, Yveltal, and Zygardeare said to be all based on Celtic and Norse mythology, with Xerneas suggested to be based on Eikþyrnir, Yveltal on The Morrígan, and Zygarde on Fenrir, Jörmungandr, and Hel.
