Unveiling the Mind-Blowing Extraterrestrial Origins of Pokémon

Summary

Clefairy's association with the Moon is not just a myth in the Pokémon anime; they actually have a desire to travel to the Moon and may be native to it.

In the anime, Clefairy steals various items to construct a spaceship, successfully launching into space and suggesting their extraterrestrial heritage. The presence of extraterrestrial Pokémon such as Clefairy, Deoxys, Beheeyem, and the Ultra Beasts prompts inquiries about the true definition of being categorized as a Pokémon and their ultimate origins.

Pokémon lore is often viewed as unreliable by fans. However, there is one instance in the anime where a Pokémon's claimed extraterrestrial origins were actually proven true. This raises questions about what it truly means to be a Pokémon.

Clefairy, a Pokémon associated with the Moon, has a long history of evolving with a Moon Stone and participating in monthly celebrations under the full Moon, even in its natural habitat. In the anime, Clefairy takes this association a step further by expressing a desire to travel to the Moon. The episode "Clefairy Tales" introduces a group of Clefairy who resort to stealing items from a nearby town in order to construct a spaceship that would potentially transport them back to their lunar home.

Do Clefairy Really Come From the Moon?

During the episode, the Clefairy steal various items, including Ash's Pikachu, with the intention of constructing a spaceship. Surprisingly, at the end of the episode, their makeshift spacecraft successfully launches, and the Clefairy seemingly depart for outer space, accompanied by one of Ash's friends. This same group of Clefairy reappears in a later episode called "Wish Upon a Star Shape," where their spaceship crashes in Johto. With the assistance of Pikachu, they manage to salvage parts from a Team Rocket robot to repair their ship, allowing it to take off once again, presumably reaching space as they are never seen again.

While Clefairy is associated with the Moon in the games, its purported lunar origin is unique to the anime and is not supported by any Pokédex entries (although Cleffa's entry implies they descend to Earth riding meteors). Clefairy is considered rare, suggesting that they may not be native to the Pokémon world. This raises intriguing questions about the nature of Pokémon, their origins, and the possibility of their evolution occurring independently across different regions or even planets. Other extraterrestrial Pokémon, such as Deoxys and Beheeyem, who is shown piloting a UFO in another episode, further contribute to this discussion. Moreover, the Ultra Beasts, despite their alien-like appearances, are classified as Pokémon, despite being considered extradimensional entities.

What criteria must an organism meet to be classified as a Pokémon, considering that they can come from space and Earth? The presence of ordinary animals in early episodes indicates that Pokémon is not simply a generic term for "animal." Perhaps, being able to shrink down and be captured in a Poké Ball is the main requirement for being a Pokémon, and if Clefairy can meet that criterion, its origin becomes irrelevant. Alternatively, it is possible that all Pokémon originated from outside Earth, as hinted in certain spinoff series. In any case, the remarkably intelligent and seemingly extraterrestrial Clefairy raises significant unanswered questions in the world of Pokémon.