A key feature of Greavard from both the found-footage trailer and the dedicated in-game spotlight video is the fact that this Pokemon hides its incorporeal body underground with the exception of a lit candle stuck on its head, which is always shining purple light. Ghost-type Pokemon are often portrayed with purple flames engulfing them or parts of their bodies, with another very recent example coming from Ceruledge, which also happens to be a Fire-type and the Violet-exclusive counterpart of Armarouge. However, in the case of Greavard, the lit candle on its head almost feels like The Pokemon Company is teasing fans of another beloved evolution line that’s allegedly not in Gen 9.
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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Greavard Could Be a New Chandelure
According to multiple sources, Chandelure and its pre-evolutions won’t make it into Gen 9 games, to the point that a leaker known as Riddler Khu stated that seven fan-favorite Pokemon will return in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, excluding Gen 5’s Fire/Ghost candelabra. According to Khu, this list includes the most popular critter from each generation of Pokemon games from the first to the eighth, and the only odd one out is Chandelure, which is not in the base game. This news alone was grim to some long-standing fans, even if Gen 9 has its own Fire/Ghost hybrid in the form of Ceruledge.
Some believe that the reason why the Chandelure evolution line is not in the games is to blame on Terastallization, which could have spawned all sorts of memes for placing a fiery candelabra on top of this Pokemon’s head. While it makes sense to a degree to have major new features dictate which pocket monsters come back and which don’t, the Terastallization theory doesn’t seem all that likely now that Greavard has been revealed. In fact, it could run into the same issues as the Chandelure line with a candle on its head that looks a lot like Litwick, the base form of the Gen 5 evolution line.
As such, the fact that Chandelure won’t be in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet seems all the more a way to tease its fans now that there doesn’t seem to be a sound reason to remove it. Still, it’s worth mentioning that this is very likely a coincidence based on the new standard of the so-called “Dexit,” or Pokedex cut, with Gen 9 games apparently only hosting a total of around 300 returning species out of over 900 as of Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
Chandelure could still be added to Gen 9 games with the rumored DLC, which is also set to include the third Legendary for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet and other critters that were cut from the base game. Greavard’s addition could change the discourse around Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s version exclusives, as both of its reveal trailers star a Naranja Academy character, leading to the hypothesis that the new Ghost-type dog is in fact only available in Scarlet. Overall, there’s also a chance Chandelure fans will get a little something if Greavard’s evolution taps into similar themes, perhaps building upon the candle as a main aesthetic feature.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet release on November 18, exclusively for Nintendo Switch.
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