Pokémon Fans Are Frantically Trying to Work Out How Pokémon Legends: Z-A Connects to Other Pokémon Games

This morning, we got our first extensive look at Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Game Freak's futuristic Pokémon game set in the familiar Lumiose City from Pokémon X/Y. While the trailer showcased exciting features like rooftop running, revamped battles, and Mega Evolution, many questions remain about its placement within the Pokémon timeline and potential returning characters.

The Pokémon Legends series, unlike most standalone entries, incorporates time travel. Legends: Arceus featured locations from Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, set centuries in the past, with characters resembling ancestors from other games, or even a direct transplant from Pokémon Black and White. This raises anticipation for Legends: Z-A's temporal setting, potential time-travel elements, and familiar faces in Lumiose City.

Since the trailer's release, fans have been diligently searching for connections to other games—and uncovered surprising links. The most prominent is AZ, directly mentioned in the trailer. Given his immortality (granted 3000 years before Pokémon X/Y), his presence is plausible regardless of Z-A's timeline. In Z-A, he appears to run a Lumiose City hotel, seemingly happier after reuniting with his beloved Floette.

More subtle connections have emerged. The potential presence of the Looker Bureau is a fan favorite. Looker, a detective introduced in Pokémon Black and White, has appeared in several games. Fans have identified an office in the trailer strikingly similar to the Looker Bureau, suggesting Looker or his protégé, Emma, might be in Z-A's Lumiose City.

Another intriguing theory involves the protagonists' resemblance to Ethan and Lyra from Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, fueling speculation of a time-travel scenario where they're transported from Johto to a futuristic Lumiose.

Alternatively, some believe the protagonists resemble Professor Sycamore and Grace (the protagonist's mother in Pokémon X/Y). This theory, particularly the Grace connection, is less concrete but fascinating given the Legends series' focus on ancestry.

Interestingly, these theories might coexist. The game's exact placement within the timeline is unknown. The Pokémon timeline is loosely sequential, featuring alternate realities and, as seen in Legends: Arceus, time travel. AZ's presence suggests a post-Pokémon X/Y setting, potentially centuries later due to his immortality. Lumiose City's futuristic, expansive design in Z-A hints at decades of development. If this is the case, the protagonists and Looker Bureau personnel could be descendants of their look-alikes.

Another character sparking fan interest is a mysterious woman in the key art, resembling a Hex Maniac from Pokémon X/Y. This is particularly intriguing due to the unsolved "Ghost Girl" mystery in Pokémon X/Y. A Hex Maniac's appearance in a seemingly unrelated scene, disappearing after a cryptic statement, has baffled fans for years. Her presence in Z-A fuels hope for a resolution, possibly suggesting a ghostly presence lingering for centuries.

In the coming days, more discoveries and connections will undoubtedly emerge from the recently released footage, art, and news. Pokémon Legends: Z-A is slated for release in late 2025, but the wealth of new information provides ample material for speculation until then. You can find all the announcements from the Pokémon Presents, including Legends: Z-A news, mobile game updates, Pokémon Champions, and more, [ttpp]here[ttpp].