Summary
Though there has been a lot of speculation and even potential leaks surroundingPokemon Legends: Z-A, there’s a case to be made for its Fire-type starter Pokemon to be none other than Gen 1’s own Charmander. As the first of a new kind ofPokemongame in the franchise’s mainline series,Pokemon Legends: Arceusbroke from tradition by featuring the return of three previous starter Pokemon from past generations, and then it went a step further with all-new regional forms for their final evolutions. As the game’s successor,Pokemon Legends: Z-Ais expected to follow a similar formula with its own trio of returning starter Pokemon.
Ever sinceLegends: Z-Awas announced, fans have been hard at work online trying to predict what the game could have in store, with speculation ranging from what the urban redevelopment of its Lumiose City setting might mean toLegends: Z-A’s theorized starter trio. However, sinceLegends: Z-A’s reveal hinted at the return of Mega Evolutions andPokemon XandYoriginally included the Gen 1 starters, this raises questions about whetherLegends: Z-Awill follow suit. Between Charizard’s ongoing popularity and its rare status of having two Mega Evolutions, it seems more than likely that Charmander will be part ofLegends: Z-A’s starter trio.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A May Have to Include Charmander
Even thoughLegends: Z-Amay feature other starter Pokemonand not Charmander, the Fire Pokemon’s inclusion seems virtually guaranteed given the line’s history and status. Though most Gen 1 Pokemon are held in high regard by thePokemoncommunity, its starter trio have become immortalized as fan favorites, leading these Pokemon to be consistently given special treatment with new Mega Evolutions inXandYor Gigantamax forms inPokemon SwordandShield. But out of these three, Charizard has consistently had the spotlight as the series' most popular Pokemon appearing in every generation ofPokemongames.
But whileLegends: Arceusdidn’t include any Gen 1 Pokemon in its starter trio,Legends: Z-A’s connections toXandYmay leave it in a different position considering things like Professor Sycamore gifting the player a Gen 1 starter Pokemon or the potential return of Mega Charizard X and Charizard Y. Ultimately, if leaks are to be believed and all previous Mega Evolutions are returning, thenLegends: Z-Amay have no choice but to include Charmander. However, these same leaks claim thatLegends: Z-Awill feature other starter Pokemon such as Totodile, Torchic, and Snivy instead of the likes of Charmander.
Charmander Would Be Perfect as Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Fire Starter
Since it seems thatLegends: Z-Amay have no choice but to include Charmander alongside the other Gen 1 starter Pokemon, it might as well take advantage of the situation and continue the series' focus on Charizard. Similar toLegends: Arceus, many fans already expect thatLegends: Z-Awill feature new starter Pokemonforms, something which could carry over to Charmander with an all-new regional Charizard adding to its existing Mega Evolutions and Gigantamax forms. The list below outlines just a few examples of how Charmander’s return as the Fire-type starter Pokemon could be explored inLegends: Z-A.
Moreover, futurePokemongames likeLegends: ArceusandLegends: Z-Awill continue to have a limited pool of returning starter Pokemon to choose from, especially when considering that each new generation only adds three new options. Even ifLegends: Z-Adidn’t include Charmander in its starter trio, it may only be a matter of time until another prospectivePokemon Legendsgame will, so Game Freak has even more reason to make Charmander its Fire-type starter Pokemon thanks to its connection withXandY. Until Game Freak officially confirmsLegends: Z-A’s trio line-up,fans of the Charmander evolution linecan still hope for its starter comeback.
