Being part of a fandom can be a mixed bag. Being neck deep in a community filled with like-minded yet unique people who love all of the same things as one does can be a validating and fulfilling experience. Especially when one’s fandoms tend to be a bit more niche. However, the hive mind asked of some fandoms where the objects of the collective desire can do no wrong leaves a sour taste in my mouth that can alienate me from the fandom experience. And though each fandom has its gatekeepers, purists, and obsessions; there is still good to be found in all of them. The best thing a fandom can provide is fan theories.

When something has existed as long as the Pokémon series, fan theories, conspiracies, and other things are bound to arise at some point. Between the games, shows, and films, plots holes have arrived, unexplained changes have occurred, and some questions have simply remained unanswered after all of these years. That is where the fans come in. The internet is absolutely brimming with dozens of fan theories which attempt to patch up those pesky plot holes, fill in those inconsistencies, and answer every question and consideration that canon has left alone for all of these years. That is the best part of fandom: they answer the questions that the developers never did. So, without further ado, here are twenty-five Pokémon fan theories that solve some of the universe's biggest questions, plot holes, and curiosities.

25 Why No One Mentions The Pokémon War

Aside from a brief mention by Lieutenant Surge in Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow, the infamous Pokémon Wars are never mentioned. Which has left a lot of people wondering what exactly went down during those battles. A common theory as to why these battles are never mentioned is that the majority of people who would have braved the front lines (on the other side of the war) were eliminated and never returned home. Once the Pokémon took part in the battle, no one stood a chance and few returned home in one piece. Therefore, it is a bit of a sensitive subject which remains untouched.

24 Father, Where Art Thou

Okay, I have to ask, where is our father? Our mother dotes on us, sends us gifts, and spends our money. But where is our father? There are several theories which try to explain his whereabouts. The first theory states that he is one of the many adults that perished in the Pokémon war. Some people believe that our father abandoned us and that our mother is doing double duty raising us solo. While others believe that our father is probably an office worker or a salaryman, who works long hours in town with a lengthy commute.

23 The Legend Of Ghost Girl

The Pokémon series are some the most family-friendly games in existence, but that doesn’t mean that some weird things don’t happen. Take, for example, the Ghost Girl who appears in Pokémon X & Y. This girl is only on screen long enough to tell you that you are not the one she is looking for. Fans have been scrambling in an attempt to figure out who she is and what she could want. The most commonly accepted theory states that she screens everyone who enters that room, searching for a specific trainer ID. No one has any idea what she will do when she finds the right one...

22 Misty And Ash: Starcrossed Trainers

Ships as old as time, OTPs since I was five... Misty and her Ash. Everyone wanted them together and there are dozens of theories which try to explain their sordid love story. The most popular theory states that Misty was secretly in love with Ash since the moment she met him, but did not want to reveal her true feelings because she felt like they could stand in the way of his ambitions. Unable to cope with keeping her true affections a secret any longer, she abandoned him and Brock in order to be alone and allow them to continue unburdened by her.

21 Inhumane Delicacies

Look, I know it’s not something we want to think about. I mean, come on. The Pokémon are our friends. But, in the original show, there were a few clips that looked as if the creators were hinting that some Pokémon might play double duty as both friend and food. Many theories go into greater detail about just where each and every Pokémon is on the food chain, which Pokémon are off limits and which are obviously delicious, and whether or not there are Pokémon rights activists.

20 Second Nurse Same As The First

Have you ever wondered why each and every nurse you encounter in the entire Pokémon universe looks the exact same? Well, so have a lot of people. Theories, fanfictions, creepypastas, and conspiracies have been created over the years in an attempt to solve the mystery as to why every single hospital we have ventured to throughout each and every world has been manned by Nurse Joy. My favorite theory details a factory that pumps out a new nurse every five minutes, on the dot. Like clockwork. Even jobs in the Pokémon world aren’t safe from the robotic takeover.

19 Team Rocket's Worst Nightmare

I mean, I think we can all agree that every single appearance that Team Rocket (namely Jessie and James) has in the Pokémon universe is bookmarked with failure. Any success they achieve is short-lived at best. And one theory which has been floating around the internet attempts to explain why this destructive duo had been doomed to live a life of failure. This theory explains that Jesse and James are actually trapped in purgatory for sins committed during their lives and are doomed to this state of repetitive and catastrophic failure for the rest of eternity.

18 Empty Your Pockets

You know how in games like BioShock or Grand Theft Auto, players can empty the pockets of fallen NPCs and gather their loot. Remember all of those times that you found some nifty supplies just laying around the many worlds within the games? How do you think that they got there? Do you think that some Poké-supply retailer simply dropped a perfect pack while delivering his shipment or do you think that some fallen trainers left their worldly possessions behind and you just happened to stumble across them?

17 Ash And The Ho-oh

Yet another theory which tries to explain Ash’s ageless state. You have to admit, even for cartoon standards, it’s a little weird. This theory explains that Ash’s encounter with the mystical Ho-Oh in the show's first episode sealed his fate for the rest of time. The Pokédex explains that anyone who sees the creature is promised eternal bliss. All Ash wants is to become a Pokémon trainer (the very best Pokémon trainer)… so he gets to spend the rest of eternity doing exactly that.

16 A Shadow Of A Fairy

This theory may or may not blow the hat clean off your scalp. So hold on tight. You see, the Pokédex explains that Gengar is a shadow Pokémon… but shadows are usually attached to concrete objects. So what is Gengar the shadow of? Well, this theory states that Gengar is Clefairy’s shadow. Mind = blown. I mean, it makes perfect sense. They are the exact same size and shape. Minus Gengar’s spikes. But those spikes may be part of his gothic aesthetic and self-expression, so let’s not judge his choices, okay?

15 The Eerie Music Of Lavender Town

For those of you who play the Pokémon games with the sound on, do you ever find yourself unsettled and afraid after entering the infamously eerie Lavender Town? Something about that town is just… off and very few people were able to properly explain the feeling of unease that comes over them when they enter that creepy little town. One theory states that the type of music used in the town's theme combined with the strategic use of binaural beats (music that excites the brainwaves) creates a feeling of unease in those who hear it.

14 Team Rocket's Failed Experiments

Some of the saddest creatures in the Pokémon world are the tragic duo that is Weezing and Koffing. Have you seen those poor monstrosities? They look like the mere concept of existing is draining the life force out of their deformed bodies every second of the day. And there is a theory that attempts to explain the constant misery that those creatures are under. The theory states that they were created by Team Rocket after several failed attempts to capture Pokémon from the Ghost family. They tried their best, but like every other thing they have ever tried to do in their lives, it failed.

13 Go With The Times Or Get Left Behind

One thing that has always put the lumps back in my potatoes is the people who feel the need to let everyone know that they quit Pokémon after the first generation because there are “too many to keep up with nowadays.” I mean, what is wrong with having more little friends to take with on your adventures? There is a theory floating around that says that even Nintendo got sick of these people and decided to parody them within their own series through the aged and cynical character of AZ who appears in Pokémon X and Y.

12 Misty's True Fate

What happened to Misty from the original series? She was our faithful companion for years and then one day, she just up and leaves. I mean, it could just be her growing up and moving on. Or maybe the writers simply had no use for her character anymore. But what if something more sinister kept her away? This theory states that, in the original series, Misty finds herself in the midst of an unwanted encounter with a Haunter. And, according to the Pokédex, anyone who ever falls victims to one of these attacks will have their “life force stolen from them.” So maybe that’s why she had to say a hasty farewell.

11 The Failed Clones

You know how Mew contains the basic DNA structures for each and every single Pokémon in existence? Well, so does Ditto. Or at least, we can assume that he does due to the fact that he can turn himself into each and every single Pokémon in the entire Pokédex. But why? One theory explains Ditto’s existence by saying that Pokémon scientists were determined to make a more lethal and powerful version of Mew and that they would stop at nothing until they did. They eventually did create Mewtwo, but there were rejects along the way. One of those rejects was Ditto.

10 Face Off With Professor Oak

The best video games have the young protagonist face off with the mentor that has guided them safely through each and every level. Well according to this theory which has been circulating online forums, Pokémon was very nearly one of those games. This theory states that after players achieve each and every possible thing that they can at the end of the game, instead of receiving a little diploma they would have to face off with Professor Oak himself. And I have to ask myself why this wasn’t included in the original (or future) game(s) or at least patched in at some point.

9 The Sum Of All Creatures

Did you know that the Greek symbol which is used to represent the population mean (a.k.a. average) is Mu? Hey, now that I think about it, Mu sounds a lot like Mew when said aloud. Well, there might be a reason for this. There is a theory which states that Mew is actually the mean of each and every single Pokémon in existence. According to this theory, Mew contains all of the DNA of the other creatures of its species within its body as is the creature from which all other Pokémon are derived.

8 Haunting In Pokémon

Haunter has the power to possess other creatures and Pokémon. And though the change is virtually seamless, one can always tell when a Haunter has possessed another Pokémon if they only look into that poor creature's eyes. You see, when a Haunter possesses another Pokémon, the shell of said Pokémon possesses Haunter’s angular eyes. So, why do Voltorb and Haunter have the exact same eyes? A theory, which has been floating around the interwebs, states that this is due to the fact that the Pokémon we know as Voltorb is nothing but a Poké Ball which has been possessed by a Haunter.

7 A Turn As A Rival

It is pretty safe to assume that the characters which we play as in any given game are the good guys, unless stated otherwise. But there are some odd events that occur in Sun and Moon that make us question whether we are the actually the rivals this time around. First off, Hau’s endless joy drives our character bananas and causes us to want to get back at him. Second, we are always one step ahead of him in a way that casts us as a constant obstacle in his journey. You either quit as an Ash or play long enough to see yourself become Team Rocket.

6 An Army Of Ash

Have you ever wondered why Ash has been giving everything he has to be the very best (like no one ever was) for the past twenty or so years and has not aged a single day? The simple answer is: the magic of cartoons, but the people of the internet have a different theory. This theory states that Ash is simply one of many clones created by his grieving mother. A mother who could not stand the thought of losing her one and only child, so she created enough clones of her son that she could simply replace him anytime his adventures landed him in hot water.