The History of the Pokémon World · Chapter IX
Most of this history is legend even inside the games: told by elders, carved on ruins, sung by minstrels or written in old books. Every line below is quoted from a game or retold closely, and each one says where it comes from. Legends are captioned as legends, a character's guess as speculation, and where the games disagree with each other, the page says so.
The games rarely give dates, so the chapters run roughly from the oldest stories to the most recent, each placed by its main story. A chapter without a stated date says so. Quotes from older games are shown in modern capitalisation.
IXHisuiRecord
Almighty Sinnoh
A long-gone era · Hisui is Sinnoh in “a long-gone era”. No game gives the year.
Sinnoh when it was called Hisui. Two clans worship “almighty Sinnoh”, each meaning a different deity, until a space-time rift opens; afterwards the land is renamed Sinnoh.
Sinnoh, in a long-gone era, was called Hisui.
“...waaay back when people still called the region Hisui.”
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet · Perrin
“Long and longer yet ago, Celestica was here. But folk and town alike, both did disappear. In time, came new folk sailing, sailing 'cross the sea, called by their love for Sinnoh...”
LegendPokémon Legends: Arceus · A poem of Hisui
Two clans worshipped one name, each meaning a different deity.
“Almighty Sinnoh steers all time. It's said to have created the very universe using its power over time's flow.”
LegendPokémon Legends: Arceus · A Diamond Clan warden
“...the true almighty Sinnoh—the font of all creation and ruler of space!”
LegendPokémon Legends: Arceus · A Pearl Clan member
It was the age of the first Pokédex.
“Poké Balls are a recent invention, you see.”
Pokémon Legends: Arceus · Professor Laventon
“I was the one who gave you the chance to claw open that space-time rift, driving the deity of space and the deity of time mad so that you could drag the creator out from hiding!”
Pokémon Legends: Arceus · Volo
“...the Diamond and Pearl Clans would never have confused Dialga and Palkia with the creator, Arceus, had anything concrete been passed down.”
Pokémon Legends: Arceus · Cogita
When the rift closes, Commander Kamado gives the land a new name.
“It'd appear we're all being guided by the one called almighty Sinnoh. Hrrrm. It might be more appropriate to call this region the Sinnoh region.”
Pokémon Legends: Arceus · Commander Kamado
Sources
- Pokémon Scarlet and Violet · Perrin
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus · A poem of Hisui
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus · A Diamond Clan warden
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus · A Pearl Clan member
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus · Professor Laventon
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus · Volo
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus · Cogita
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus · Official site: “a long-gone era of Sinnoh”
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus · Commander Kamado
Dialga
Palkia
Giratina
ArceusThe rest of the history
- I · Sinnoh · In the beginningThe Original OneSinnoh's creation myth: a churning chaos, an Egg, and the Original One that made time, space and spirit, then slept.
- II · Sinnoh and Hoenn · Long agoThe Giant Who Moved ContinentsPokédex legends say Regigigas towed the continents with ropes and shaped Regirock, Regice and Registeel. In Hoenn, an ancient people sealed them away because they feared them.
- III · Hoenn · Thousands of years agoThe Primal ClashPrimal Groudon and Primal Kyogre clash until Rayquaza descends. A thousand years later a meteor makes Sootopolis, and Rayquaza Mega Evolves for the first time.
- IV · Kalos · 3,000 years agoThe Ultimate WeaponA war three thousand years ago. A king builds a machine to bring his Floette back, turns it into the ultimate weapon to end the war, and Floette leaves him.
- V · Galar · Long agoThe Darkest DayA meteorite falls on Galar 20,000 years ago. Long ago, the Darkest Day: a black storm ended by two young heroes whose sword and shield were really Pokémon. And Calyrex, a king of plentiful harvests.
- VI · Unova · UndatedTruth and IdealsOne dragon and the twin heroes found Unova. The brothers quarrel over truth and ideals, the dragon splits in two, and their sons' battle destroys Unova.
- VII · Kitakami · A long, long time agoThe Ogre's True StoryKitakami honours three heroes who fought an ogre. The mask maker's family kept the true story: the three stole the ogre's masks, and the ogre was Ogerpon.
- VIII · Johto · 1,500 to 150 years agoThe Burned TowerThe Ruins of Alph, about 1,500 years old. Two towers built 700 years ago. About 150 years ago lightning sets one ablaze for three days, and Ho-Oh revives three Pokémon that died in it.
- X · Alola · Long agoThe Blinding OneUltra Megalopolis's ancestors tried to control Necrozma's light, and it stole all the light it could find. Long ago it also battled the tapu in Alola.
- XI · Kanto · No year givenThe Mansion JournalsJournals in Cinnabar Island's Pokémon Mansion: a new Pokémon found deep in a jungle in Guyana, named Mew, and the newborn named Mewtwo.
- XII · Paldea · From about 2,000 years agoArea ZeroAn empire that sought the treasure of Area Zero, a nation unified 800 years ago, Heath's expedition 200 years ago, and a time machine that draws Pokémon from the past or the future.
A separate continuity
Anime & Movies
The anime and the films are a separate continuity. These stories are not part of the games' history above, and some contradict it. They are summaries of the films, not game text.
- Pokémon: The First MovieMewtwo is a clone, made by scientists from a fossilized eyelash of Mew.
- Lucario and the Mystery of MewSir Aaron seals Lucario inside his staff and gives his life to stop a war.
- Arceus and the Jewel of LifeArceus lends the Jewel of Life to Damos, and is betrayed.
- Hoopa and the Clash of AgesHoopa Unbound once ran rampant, and was sealed away in the Prison Bottle.