On February 27 the Pokémon Direct has finally revealed the next chapters that will introduce theeighth generation, two titles to be released by the end of the year and which in a few hours have really talked about them. And although, in truth, the trailer aired during the live did not explicitly show who knows how much information about it, as you may well know the community dedicated to the brand is certainly not immune to the power of fantasy and imagination.
The dust of rumor that arose after the Direct was in fact extremely substantial, and even after a week from the broadcast of the event, this climate of general ferment continues to churn out theories, hypotheses and probable conjectures. Users continue to fantasize, proposing ideas that can somehow relate to possible themes that in those few minutes of video were actually barely mentioned - and that can only be "captured" through a careful observation of the map, and through an analysis of the logos and titles of the upcoming games.
Pokémon Sword and Shield Pokémon, with names perhaps a little bizarre and out of tune to the ear, are therefore and unquestionably among the most talked about games at the moment, especially for the numerous references to the British world, its historical past and its mythology. And it is precisely of mythology, a fascinating topic that continues to stimulate and divide the web, what we would like to talk about in today's deepening, proposing however a comparison between the theories supported by fans of Norse mythology, and those instead developed by the avid mythology. Celtic.
Norse mythology and the advent of Ragnarok
As for the references to the alleged Norse mythology, for some fans the source of both the plot and the concept of some Pokémon (of the legendaries in the first place), it is possible to address the discourse by dwelling specifically on four points, or key concepts.
First of all, logos and names with which the titles were presented. Pokémon Sword and Shield, at first glance, can refer to a relatively ancient world, in which warriors are the masters. After all, the image of a shield and a sword inevitably leads to think of a figure as a knight, or perhaps a Viking - after all, those were the weapons that were available in those days. Above the sword and shield, however, it is possible to see two animal heads - for the first time in Pokémon history, by the way, two apparently identical animals for both versions of the game.
According to sympathizers of Norse mythology, there could be two possible inspirations related to canine figures. A first hypothesis would see protagonists Hati and Skoll, two wolves linked to some legends and some Nordic poems that would symbolically indicate the moon and the sun - a hypothesis that relies above all on the reference to the games of the seventh generation, thus proposing a new (umpteenth) dichotomy that sees light and darkness, good and evil.
A second hypothesis, however, would be the most accredited one. The wolf heads inserted in the Pokémon Sword and Shield logo would actually be depictions inspired by wolves Geri and Freki, the two beasts of Odin. The greater papacy of this theory in this case is given above all by two clues that can be traced both in mythology and in some historical illustrations.
First of all, the name of Geri (sometimes called Gere) in Old Norse would mean "stingy", while Freki (or Freke) would have the meaning of "greedy": what follows, then, is that these peculiarities of the character of the two creatures could be metaphorically linked to the sword, which would indicate a more aggressive attitude tending to greed and conquest, and to shield, symbolically linked to the act of defense, not only of oneself but also of one's possessions - and hence the alleged avarice. And again, the Pokémon of Sword would therefore recall the attitude of Freki, while that of the Shield version would hide a reference to the wolf Geri.
Furthermore, in a famous illustration, Odin's mythological wolves are emblematically represented one to the right and one to the left of the god's throne, that is, one next to his sword and the other next to the shield; this symbology, according to the many supporters of a similar theory, would therefore be a rather convincing proof that the legendary Pokémon of the two versions of the eighth generation can really be inspired by the world of Norse mythology.
The other point that would seem in favor of the "Norse Team", would directly concern the region of Galar itself and the motto with which the titles were presented. The map, as you all well know, seems to be clearly inspired by Great Britain - so much so that it is possible to find fairly faithful reproductions of places and landscapes taken from cities like London, Manchester, and even some English football stadiums. But more than the appearance of the region and its inspiration from the real world - which we remember not being directly influential on the mythology that is inserted in the Pokémon games, and an obvious example is the sixth generation Kalos - it would actually be the name that it was donated to make fans mull over.
And in fact, as has already been hypothesized by several users, the very name of Galar could derive from the Swedish verb “gala”. And coincidentally, the motto with which the games themselves are presented is precisely "Open a path to glory!" - “Forge a path to greatness” in English. By better connecting the dots, therefore, this "glorying", this attaining "greatness" could refer to the glory that the bravest Nordic warriors attained by entering the kingdom of Valhalla, otherworldly world in which only the champions who had made honor in battle could be accompanied by the Valkyries, daughters of Odin.
A similar discourse could be symbolically and metaphorically translated on the path that one must successfully take to become Pokémon champion, thus earning the glory of the region's title once you beat the Alloy.
The third point called into question in favor of this theory focuses on the runes and on the strange drawing appeared on a hilly area of Galar. Anyone who has taken a careful look at the presentation trailer, in fact, will surely have noticed these two interesting elements: the runes, which appear several times in some clips of the trailer, and a mysterious geoglyph which was also reproduced on the map.
As for the runes, we know that they belonged to an alphabetic system common to the Scandinavian populations called Futhark, and which were used by the populations present throughout the North European area. The Norse tradition attributes to Odin the dominion of the runes, as tools and sources of magical powers and wisdom. Therefore, believing that they possessed by divine attribution this strong link with the supernatural, the runes were often used to perform spells of various kinds, and were often engraved, as a good omen, on the wooden beams of ships.
This singular attachment that the runic writing system entertains with divinity and its powers, therefore, it may have been somehow taken up in Pokémon Sword and Shield as a tool to be exploited to allow the awakening, or the invocation, of some legendary creature. After all, one of the points where it is possible to notice the presence of the runes in the video trailer shown in the Direct is right near the ancient remains similar to Stonehenge, next to that strange figure drawn along the hill behind the ruins.
This mysterious figure immortalized in the geoglyph is, among other things, also very significant. As can be seen from both the trailer and the Galar map, in fact, the geoglyph shows a colossal creature humanoid that throws lightning bolts at humanity, hitting some beings under its feet. Such a figure with a threatening appearance and behavior, which could in all probability be linked to the legendary of the region, is easy to relate to the advent of the Ragnarok, according to whose legend, the rise of the advocate Surtr, a fiery giant, will allow the annihilation of the world to be accomplished.
According to the Norse tradition, this sort of Scandinavian genesis represents the final battle between the forces of light and order (led by the sun god Freyr) against those of darkness and chaos (for which Surtr himself takes part), a battle won by darkness and the colossus who will set the world on fire with his sword. As a result of this impact, however, the whole world will be destroyed, consumed by flames, but subsequently regenerated with new life.
Precisely this mythological tradition would also be able to connect the history of the sixth generation region, also a background of events and Pokémon inspired by Norse mythology, with that of Galar, which could be seen in a certain sense as the counterpart of Kalos; between the two regions, therefore, would have occurred a very long war, followed by a phase of destruction first, and then of rebirth and development, in both localities - one refounded according to the principles of peace and beauty, and the other instead on the industry and competition.
Finally, a final point of interest taken in support of Norse mythology is the figure of dragon which can be traced both at the entrance to the mysterious fortress in the center of the region, and on the column erected within the surrounding walls. In particular, the golden head placed at the top of the tower would particularly recall the aspect of oriental dragons, with a snout characterized by long lateral "whiskers", and a generally more tapered aspect.
In the Scandinavian mythological tradition, it would be possible to find a connection with such a creature in the figure of Fafnir, a snake-like dragon - similar to those of oriental mythology -, very greedy and protector of his father's treasure. A treasure composed, according to some legends, both of precious gems, and of weapons and armor, among which the swords of noble warriors, a helmet and a coat of gold stand out.
Celtic mythology and the Arcturian cycle
As for Celtic mythology, many fans of the Pokémon brand have suspected a strong reference to the world of Galar as soon as they have had the opportunity to admire the trailer shown in the Direct. And indeed, even in the case of the British tradition it is possible to find some clues that would reconnect the eighth generation games with a world made of druids, magic and paganism. But let's go in order.
Starting our analysis once again starting from the logos and names of Pokémon Shield and Sword, it is possible to immediately notice a probable reference to the world of medieval knights. The sword and the shield, moreover, are well-known emblems as regards the common imagination of knight. However, since Galar is obviously inspired by Great Britain, it becomes easy to associate the sword with a particular weapon: it is obviously a matter of Excalibur, belonging precisely to King Arthur, a legendary figure who, according to a cycle of medieval stories, led the defense of Great Britain against the Saxon invaders between the end of the fifth and the beginning of the sixth century.
However, the Arthurian cycle is well known to the European public also for the adventures that the famous warrior king (not infrequently possessor of supernatural powers, according to some legends) had to face together with his trusted companions, the knights of the round table. Among these, in particular, the figure of Sir Galahad, among the most valiant knights in the service of the king, and whose personal history would be linked to the conquest of an emblematic white shield with an imprinted red cross, and upon the discovery of the Holy Grail. In general, however, all the knights who worked in defense and in favor of Arthur and his kingdom, possessed shields with royal emblems, and this detail would therefore be traced back to the shield inserted in the logo of the Pokémon titles.
Furthermore, precisely with regard to the logos of the eighth generation titles, even in the case of the British tradition it is possible to find some references to the figure of the wolf, not only considered sacred and often used as a "disguise" by some deities to interact with the world of men. , but also the protagonist of the legend of Cormac mac Airt. According to tradition, Cormac was one of the supreme kings of Ireland, and his birth would somehow be traced back to that of our Romolo e Remo. In fact, according to some ancient legends, the king was taken away by a she-wolf when he was still very small, to be then raised together with his cubs in the caves of Kesh.
In addition, if we consider the possibility that those Pokémon heads are not necessarily inspired by wolves, but rather by dogs, it would be possible to trace a connection with the legend of Bran and Sheolan, trusted companions of the legendary Irish warrior Fionn mac Cumhaill. Intelligent and skilled in hunting, the two dogs are well known as the protagonists of some legends handed down over time, especially the more traditional one that sees them related to Fionn. In fact, Bran and Sheolan would actually be the children of the warrior's aunt, Tuiren, a woman who was turned into a dog, just when she was pregnant, due to a Sidhe spell.
Taking now into consideration again Galar as the second key point, it is also worthwhile in this case to dwell, as we did before, on the name of the region. According to supporters of Celtic mythology, in fact, the name of Galar would develop two hypotheses very interesting. The first, sees the word "Galar" as anagram of "Grail", the sacred treasure linked both to the story of King Arthur and to that of his knight Galahad.
The second, instead, juxtaposes the name of the region to a more prophetic meaning, trying to dig deeper into the etymology. In fact, while translating "Galar" directly from Celtic would offer us the meaning of "disease, pain, suffering" - a decidedly unattractive name for a Pokémon region, right? - on the other hand it is possible to go back to the root of the word, as it was done with the translation from Swedish. And then, the name of the region can be broken down in various ways: first of all taking into account that the root would be "Galu", and that in Celtic means "to call, pray, ask for help", it is also possible to use terms such as "Galu-ar" , whose meaning would be "calling upon" (to appeal, invoke, exhort), "Galu-og", which would indicate "the great caller" (the chosen one, in a sense), and "Galaru", which means "an action of an high call ".
The name of the region, therefore, could be linked to the mysterious Holy Grail, or more prophetically to the act of invoking, praying and calling upon awakening a legendary creature, perhaps precisely the oi Legendary Pokémon of this beautiful region.
Regarding the motto used by The Pokémon Company to promote the eighth generation titles, however, the reference to "opening a path to glory" could be linked once again to the figure of King Arthur, the king who brought glory and honor to the nation by defeating numerous enemies from beyond Sleeve.
Or, as another hypothesis credited by supporters of the "Celtic Team" explains, this type of expression could hide a reference to the medieval British world and its tournament system, in which the knights participated to enter the favor and the presence of the most influential kings. After all, in the mysterious castle fortress, right on top of its highest tower, a structure has been built that is very reminiscent of a crown, the quintessential symbol of the monarchy.
As regards the third point, however, also in this case both the mysterious geoglyph - after all, it is also quite spectacular - and the runes have been carefully taken into consideration. The Celtic runes, perhaps even more famous than the Scandinavian ones, are based on a different alphabetical system, compared to the Norse ones. The name of the alphabet is in fact Futhorc, descended from the ancient Nordic Futhark, but of more recent development and with even a few more symbols. More than to pass on their writings to posterity, the runes were also and above all used by the Celtic people as divination and magical instrument, masterfully mastered by the mysterious druids.
Il Druid, who essentially carried out a priestly function, was the one who held the power to interpret reality, to fulfill the rituals of worship in honor of the deities (especially in temples and in the nemeton, the sacred wood, a place often mentioned in the Arthurian cycle), and was the repository of infinite wisdom - a quality also attested by the etymology of the term, composed of "duir", which means oak, and "vir", a word which means "wisdom".
If we combine the pieces analyzed so far, therefore, it becomes easy to associate the runes, found around the remains of an ancient cult building, and endowed with magical powers, with the act of invoking, through "Galaru", a possible legendary entity , most likely represented in mysterious geoglyph.
In fact, even in Celtic mythology, as it was possible to do for the Norse one, it is identifiable a mythological being who may in some way have inspired the figure drawn on the hill of Galar. In the case of the pagan tradition of the British peoples, it is possible to suggest a connection with the figure of Taranis, the god of thunder revered both by the Celtic peoples of Gaul (present-day France) and in Ancient Britain; a basically benevolent god, to whom, however, they were often paid human sacrifices.
Symbolically associated with the Celtic wheel (and of wheels, in the trailer, if you really see a lot), his name means "thunderer", he who throws lightning bolts, the one who creates lightning. And not surprisingly, looking closely at the strange creature of the geoglyph, it is clearly evident that the giant is somehow throwing lightning bolts at those below, as if he intended to exterminate them. It is also interesting to note that Taranis is also master of mythological dogs which in some legends are linked to the world of the Underworld, and which are often sent to earth to carry out actions to the detriment of men and other divinities.
Finally, the last and fourth point takes up again in the case of Celtic mythology the folkloristic figure of dragon, an animal depicted both at the entrance and on top of the small tower of the fortified castle. In particular, the theory considered most likely by supporters of Celtic mythology seems to be linked to the image depicted on the flag of Wales. In fact, in the national banner it is possible to find the mythological figure of Y Ddraig Goch, the red dragon protagonist of numerous legends of British tradition.
According to Welsh mythology, Y Ddraig Goch is the protagonist of a long and heated battle fought against an invading white dragon, a battle that he manages to win only after a very long time. Merlin, witness in the legend of this epic clash, explains to King Vortigern present there with him, that what they witnessed has prophetic value: the red dragon would symbolize the Welsh kingdom, while the white creature would be the symbol of the Saxons, a this attribution aimed at predicting the fate of the two peoples and the definitive dominion of one over the other.
Furthermore, this legend would also allow us to refute the possibility that the animals drawn on the Pokémon Sword and Shield logo are canids, rather than dragons; in fact, if you look at the profile of Y Ddraig Goch, there is a certain similarity with the profile of the two creatures, except for the red dragon's tongue. The ears tilted back, the shape of the muzzle, the pointed nose, the teeth and even the points placed along the nape, would share the features of the mysterious Pokémon with those of the legendary animal emblem of Wales.
These, therefore, are currently the theories most supported by the passionate community of the saga dedicated to Pokémon. Theories, speculations, conjectures, or whatever you want to call them, which propose eighth generation titles as a background (which we recall were announced as coming out by the end of 2019), two very interesting mythological branches, and which undoubtedly weave some threads in common with what is shown by The Pokémon Company in the Direct trailer.
Always well underlining that it is nothing more than mere hypotheses carried forward by the imagination (and why not, also by culture) of the fans of the videogame saga, even if these theories were to be somehow founded, it is not possible to predict with certainty how Game Freak has decided to integrate them into the storyline of the games, nor to what extent they can really influence the lore of the legendary Pokémon and the characters present in the titles.
Anyway, all this rumble about two titles announced just a week ago, confirms how eagerly the public is waiting not only for the release of Pokémon Sword and Shield, but also for the release of further information regarding the gameplay, the novelty and story that will be introduced by the next two video games - making thegeneral hype of the brand's fan base.
