Scarlet & Violet’s new Poltchageist Pokemon has a horrific backstory
There are some pretty grim Pokemon backstories out there, with the new addition of Poltchageist being no exception. Up there with Drifloon kidnapping children, Gengar posing as your shadow and stealing your life, or Mimikyu trying to murder you by posing as Pikachu, Poltchageist is leaning into the darker side of the Pokeverse.
While we look ahead to the Pokemon Scarlet & Violet DLCs, we've just been introduced to Poltchageist. Gen IX has introduced us to a host of newbies, including Lechonk, Smoliv, and Legendaries like Koraidon and Miraidon, with the matcha-inspired Poltchageist joining The Teal Mask.
Poltchageist has a dark backstory
Coming on September 13, The Teal Mask takes us to the Kitakami region, which is inspired by traditional Japanese culture. We're introduced to Poltchageist in a new cinematic trailer, and considering Pokemon is supposed to be for kids, we're shocked at how dark its backstory is.
Here, we see a group of kids gather to hear the story of an uptight tea master who exiled himself from the village due to his strict demeanour. He died of exhaustion due to a broken tea caddy (go figure), and now, Poltchageist haunts that very caddy.
Similar to Polteageist from Gen IX, Poltchageist is effectively a Kitakami variant. Now, its powers include the ability to curse those who are rude to it and place them in a coma, as well as a mission to fix broken teacups. The official reveal says it's a "tale as old as matcha," which we're not sure is a great pun.
The Grass/Ghost-type's official description explains, how Poltchageist "takes up residence in old houses where it is sometimes known to patch up broken objects." As Polteageist fit Galar's British themes, it makes sense that the Japan-inspired region goes for matcha.
Fans are creeped out by Poltchageist
As you can imagine, Poltchageist has gone viral for its disturbing backstory. One worried gamer wrote, "The tea caddy has a body count and just killed a whole village’s next generation," while another added, "40 dead at local storytelling theater. More at 6."
There was plenty of love for the animation style of the reveal, with others demanding that future Pokemon reveals continue down this route. Someone else said, "As someone who loves matcha this is the best new Pokemon."
Not everyone was sold, with one calling out the design of Poltchageist itself, saying, "This isn't real, right? Some kid learning photoshop did this." Another critic grumbled, "That sh*t is not worth the reveal they gave it. Galarian Ponyta vibes." Love it or loathe it, everyone is talking about Poltchageist right now.
