It’s no secret that the Galar region featured in the most recent Pokemon games (Sword & Shield) is heavily inspired by the United Kingdom. Locals eat fish and chips, speak in an approximation of a London cockney accent, and even in places wear tartan. The battle league uniform is reminiscent of golf tournaments, and Pokemon resembling sheep, foxes and the Queen’s corgis roam the tall grass.
However, it isn’t just modern Britain that influenced the creation of Galar — plenty of historical and mythological references made it in, too. Here are ten folkloric Pokemon that you may have missed.
10 Zacian And Zamazenta
The two legendaries of the main game of Sword & Shield, Zacian and Zamazenta, are a pair of very good dogs. There is no prize for working out that they are carrying a sword and a shield.
Various Celtic mythologies have a concept of the Wild Hunt; a wild chase led by a supernatural figure and their ghostly armor. Two of the more famous leaders, the psychopomp Gwyn ap Nudd and Norse Allfather Odin, ride with a pair of hounds. Odin’s giant wolves (like the legendaries) are called Geri and Freki, while Gwyn ap Nudd’s hounds are heralds of impending death.
9 Impidimp
In Lincoln Cathedral in England, there is a grotesque — think a gargoyle, without the water fountain — known as the Lincoln Imp. According to a story from the 14th century, the devil sent two imps to do his evil bidding in the city. While one was turned to stone by a local bishop, the other returns every night, circling the cathedral to find his companion.
Carvings of similar imps can be seen all over England and Scotland, and they all bear a stark resemblance to a new Galarian Pokemon named Impidimp. Since its Pokedex entry says that it “sneaks into peoples’ homes, Impidimp seems likely that Gamefreak took some inspiration from the legend.
8 Galarian Ponyta And Rapidash
Every now and again, Gamefreak redesigns a Pokemon to better suit the region they’re from. Sword & Shield came out with some really popular new looks for a few fan favorites.
Galarian Ponyta and Rapidash have a brand new pastel color scheme and a fabulous, flowing mane and tail. They also have unicorn horns; a reference to the National animal of Scotland. It was first introduced to the Royal Crest in the 1500s, as unicorns are fiercely independent and difficult to conquer. Much like Scots, and these now fairy-type Pokemon.
7 Sirfetch’d
New generations of Pokemon can be a chance to surprise players with new information about old favorites. Seeing as Farfetch’d is carrying a leek — the national emblem of Wales — it’s no surprise that it got both a fresh design and a new evolution.
Sirfetch’d is very likely a reference to King Arthur, Camelot, and the Knights of the Round Table. The earliest reference to King Arthur is a 6th-century Welsh poem, and Camelot is theorized to have been located in South Wales, among other places. Arthur's more famous Knights include Sir Gawain, Sir Lancelot, and Sir Percival...and perhaps, Sirfetch’d.
6 Nickit
Of the new Pokemon introduced in the Galar region, one particularly charming one is the “Fox Pokemon”, Nickit. Although most obviously styled after the archetype of crafty, thieving foxes, it’s possible that the creators also had another inspiration; Old Nick.
One name for the Devil in some Christian folklore is Old Nick. There’s a couple of theories as to why, including the story of Beowulf. But the Devil and other tricksters are also commonly associated with red foxes; some stories even speak of the Devil turning into a fox to tempt hunters. There is also a Scottish folklore figure of a "tod" or fox, Lowrence, from the Morall Fabillis poems.
5 Runerigus
Before Britain was the country it is today, it had some very different residents: Romans, Celts, Anglo-Saxons, Normans, and, yes, Vikings. The people of Scandinavia brought their runic alphabet with them and often carved it into boulders called runestones. Most of these surviving stones can be found in Scandinavia, but one famous set tells the tale of the Swedes’ experiences in England.
As the runes are said to have been gifted to the Vikings by the god Odin, it raises an interesting question about the new evolution of Yamask, Runerigus, that is based on one of these stones. Did the Pokemon equivalent of the Norse worship them in olden times? Or is there a one-eyed warrior legendary Pokémon out there somewhere?
4 Corviknight
One new Galarian Pokemon that features very heavily in Sword & Shield is the final evolution of Rookidee, Corviknight. Resembling giant raven-like birds that are big enough to ride, these majestic Pokemon function as a taxi service around the region of Galar.
A perpetual sight at the Tower of London is the ravens; there are always at least six captive ones living on the grounds. They are well-tended by the Ravenmaster of Her Majesty’s Royal Palace. But there is a legend that should the ravens ever leave the Tower, Britain and its Queen will fall. Could Corviknight play a similar role in Galar?
3 Spectrier
The Crown Tundra DLC of Sword & Shield introduced a handful of new legendary Pokemon, amongst them a horse-like Ghost-type called Spectrier. There are a good number of folk stories in Britain based around creepy and faerie horses, but it’s likely that Spectrier is inspired both by kelpies, and the tale of Brian Boru and the Pooka.
A kelpie is a Scottish creature resembling a beautiful horse that — if ridden — will entangle its rider in its mane and drown it. In Ireland, there is a similar shape-shifting creature called a Pooka, which often resembles a black horse. The only person who was ever able to ride the Pooka was Brian Boru, the High King of England, which is similar to how Spectrier can be tamed by Calyrex via the Reins of Unity.
2 Cramorant
One species of marine bird commonly spotted in Britain is the cormorant; a fish-eater known for plummeting deep into the sea in search of dinners and drying out its wings in the sun. The Pokemon Cramorant resembles one closely, including its penchant for having other Pokemon in its beak. But this bird also has some strange superstitions around it.
In Ireland in particular, seeing a cormorant perched on a church steeple is a sign of bad luck. In Norway — the people of which have historically interacted with Britain — three cormorants carry a message from the dead. In Liverpool, England, there is a legend of the mythical Liver Bird which (much like Cramorant) is a cross between a cormorant and a sea eagle.
1 Orbeelte
The Galar Pokemon Orbeetle (the final evolution of the new Blipbug line) resembles a very angry ladybird. Though it has a knight-like visage like many Galarian Pokemon, its design may also have been influenced by British nursery rhymes.
“Ladybird Ladybird” — an English song dating to the 18th century — is a cautionary tale telling a mother to return home and rescue her children from a fire. It has some religious connotations, and there is a practice in Britain of reciting the poem and making a wish if a ladybird lands on your hand. With Orbeetle being one of only two Pokemon to have the Bug/Psychic-type pairing, hopefully, it will hear the warning.