Darkrai (Pokémon): Difference between revisions

← #490: Manaphy

Pokémon

#492: Shaymin →

Darkrai ダークライ Darkrai #491
Artwork from D/P
Type Dark ' Unknown Unknown Blue-Striped Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown	Category Pitch-Black Pokémon
Ability Bad Dreams Blue-Striped -----	Exp. at Lv. 100 1,250,000
Regional Pokédex numbers Kanto #— Johto — Hoenn — Sinnoh — Unova Not in any regional Pokédex
Regional Browser numbers Fiore R— Almia R— Oblivia
Height 4'11" Imperial 1.5 m Metric 4'11"/1.5 m Red-Striped 0'0"/0.0 m Blue-Striped 0'0"/0.0 m
Weight 111.3 lbs. Imperial 50.5 kg Metric 111.3 lbs./50.5 kg Red-Striped 0.0 lbs./0.0 kg Blue-Striped 0.0 lbs./0.0 kg
Dex color Black	Catch rate 3 (0.4%)
Body style Blue-Striped	Footprint      Blue-Striped
Gender ratio Gender unknown Unknown Gender unknown
Breeding Undiscovered group 121 cycles* (30855 minimum steps)
EV yield HP 0 Atk 0 Def 0 Sp.Atk 2 Sp.Def 0 Speed 1 Base Exp.: 210 Battle Exp.: 2101*
External links On Smogon Pokédex: Generation IV Generation V Generation VI Generation VII Generation VIII Generation IX Artwork on Bulbagarden Archives

Darkrai (Japanese: ダークライ Darkrai) is a Template:Type2 legendary Pokémon. It was first officially revealed in February of 2007.

It is not known to evolve into or from any other Pokémon.

Biology

Physiology

Darkrai is a black, shadow-like creature. It has a small head with a white fog-like ghostly substance billowing from its head covering one of its bright blue eyes, and also has a red spiky growth around its neck. It has skinny arms and long black tatters hanging from its shoulders, similar to the tail of Raichu. It has the slight appearance of an hourglass figure and appears to be wearing an old, ripped cloak. It normally doesn't have any sort of legs, but it is able to extend stilt-like appendages in their place. In self-defense, Darkrai also appears capable of retracting its head and white "plume" into the pit atop its torso fringed by the aforementioned red growth.

Gender differences

Darkrai is a genderless species.

Special abilities

Darkrai is notable for its ability to cause nightmares and trap people in them. It can become a shadow to move quickly, but it is still susceptible to damage in this state. It is also capable of human speech. In The Rise of Darkrai, it was shown his power rivaled of that of Dialga and Palkia.

Darkrai is the only known Pokémon that learns Dark Void.

Behavior

This Pokémon "inhabits" people's dreams and causes them to have unending terrible nightmares. In Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, it is stated that the only way a person can wake from one of these nightmares is to be exposed to the Lunar Wing of Cresselia. Contrary to popular belief, this "unleashing of nightmares" is in fact a defense mechanism, rather than something of malicious intent.

In the 10th movie, Darkrai tried to protect Alamos Town from being destroyed by Dialga and Palkia and sacrificed itself in the process, although by the end of the movie it was revived. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 2, however, portrays a Darkrai with a much more evil character, who wants a world enshrouded in darkness, going to the edge of almost destroying time and space to accomplish that. However, after it is recruited, it shows surprising loyalty, even going as far as to say that it will never leave the player, no matter the danger. This is mainly due to the fact that Darkrai lost its memory when it was attacked by Palkia while trying to escape through a dimensional hole. It is worth noting that this Darkrai's personality after being attacked by Palkia is similar to the original Darkrai, who was very loyal to those it cared about.

As seen in its first appearance in an episode, Darkrai do not only cause nightmares. They are also attracted to them. They also go around objects they are attracted to several times, as seen in the mentioned episode and Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia.

Habitat

Whilst Darkrai isn't nesting in the realm of human dreams, it lingers around a lost island called Newmoon Island, which can only be reached by using a Member Card in Canalave City at the Harbor Inn above the Pokémon Center.

After the battle with Darkrai on Newmoon Island in Platinum, the following text appears on screen:

"...A voice called out from somewhere...

???: DARKRAI... Your power is strong. Though you don't will it, you make people and Pokémon around you see terrible nightmares... That is why you came here... Newmoon Island... There is no one but you here... There is none that can be drawn into your nightmare... If anyone were to fall into a nightmare, the Fullmoon Island is close by... ... ..."

This reveals that Darkrai chooses to inhabit Newmoon Island due to its immense, uncontrollable power, as well as because of the island's closeness to Fullmoon Island, the home of Cresselia, who is capable of healing those inflicted by Darkrai's nightmares. Though it is never revealed whose voice this was, it is possible that it was the effect of Cresselia's psychic powers. It also is speculated to be the voice of Arceus. The fact that Darkrai choses to protect others from its power is similar to Lugia and how it resides at the bottom of the sea in deep slumber in order to not cause unintended damage.

Diet

Main article: Pokémon food

Darkrai possibly feeds off of dreams, characterized by its association with never-ending nightmares and the ability to learn the move Dream Eater.

In the anime

Darkrai co-starred in The Rise of Darkrai as one of the protagonists, taking the task of ceasing the fighting between Dialga and Palkia upon itself.

Darkrai made its anime debut in Sleepless in Pre-Battle!. Unlike the Darkrai in the film, this Darkrai was causing nightmares, much like in the games. According to Officer Jenny, it comes at a certain time every year. In the episode, however, it came earlier due to Team Rocket's machine that was causing nightmares. Cresselia is normally in the same place as Darkrai to stop it giving nightmares but due to Darkrai's early coming, the people in Canalave City had nightmares for several days. One night, it was concealing itself when Cresselia used its abilities to reveal it from the darkness. The two then battled and Darkrai hid itself once more in the shadows.

Pokédex entries

In the manga

Darkrai appeared in the manga adaptation of The Rise of Darkrai. In this canon, Darkrai is portrayed as a good character, unlike its appearance in the anime. This is more in line with the events of the film.

In the TCG

Main article: Darkrai (TCG)

Other appearances

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Darkrai was rumored to be featured as one of the Poké Ball Pokémon in the Super Smash Bros. Brawl demo at Whobby 2008. However, it was later confirmed to not be in the final version, appearing as a trophy instead.

Trophy Information

A Pitch-Black Pokémon. It becomes active on nights of the new moon. This legendary Pokémon has the power to lull people to sleep and fill their heads with dreams. Proverbs say that Darkrai will make people have terrifying dreams on moonless nights. A Template:Type2 Pokémon, Darkrai uses the Dark Void move, along with Embargo, which stops foes from using held items.

Game data

NPC appearances

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

• Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 2: Darkrai is revealed to be the main antagonist of the game in the post-game story. He wants to cover the world in darkness, and was behind the collapse of the Temporal Tower in the main storyline of the game. His interference is also the reason the player was separated from Grovyle and turned into a Pokémon. In the post-game story, he turns his attention to distorting the fabric of space to cover the world in darkness.

Pokédex entries

Game locations

In side games

In events

Stats

Base stats

Pokéthlon stats

Type effectiveness

Template:DP type effectiveness

Learnset

Template:Learnset intro

By leveling up

|- style="text-align:center" | style="text-align:left" | dark | style="background:#624D4E" |  dark 

| style=" background:#FFF" | 4 | style=" background:#FFF" | 4 | style=" background:#FFF" | Darkrai | style="display:none; background:#FFF" | {{{6}}} Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Movelist/note

By TM/HM

Template:Movelisttm Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Movelist/note

By tutoring

Template:Tutor Template:Mtentry4a Template:Mtentry4a Template:Mtentry4a Template:Mtentry4a Template:Mtentry4a Template:Mtentry4a Template:Mtentry4a Template:Mtentry4a Template:Mtentry4a Template:Mtentry4a

|- style="background:#998B8C" | colspan="13" | Bold indicates a move that gets STAB
Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only from an evolution of this Pokémon
A colored initial indicates that the move is not available to be tutored in this game,
while a colored background indicates that the move is available. |} |}

By events

Template:Movelistspecial Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4special Template:Movelist/note

Side game data

Template:Side game

Evolution

Does not evolve Darkrai  Dark

Sprites

Gen	Game
I	Red	Blue	Yellow		Red (Ja)	Green	Back
	This Pokémon did not appear during Generation I.
II	Gold	Silver	Crystal				Back
	This Pokémon did not appear during Generation II.
III	Ruby	Sapphire	Emerald		FireRed	LeafGreen	Back
	This Pokémon did not appear during Generation III.
IV	Diamond	Pearl	Platinum		HeartGold	SoulSilver	Back
V	Black	White	Black 2	White 2			Back

For other sprites and images, please see Darkrai images on Bulbagarden Archives.

Trivia

• Darkrai is the only pure Template:Type2 Pokémon from Generation IV and currently the only Dark-type legendary.
• Darkrai and Weavile are the fastest Dark-types, both having a base Speed of 125.
  • Darkrai also has the highest Special Attack of any Dark-type, with a base stat of 135.
• Although it is clearly depicted as levitating in the anime and in the games, Darkrai does not have the ability Levitate and thus remains susceptible to Ground-type moves.
• Darkrai is the only legendary Pokémon and the only Dark-type that can naturally learn Nightmare.
• While in the tenth movie and Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia Darkrai is portrayed as a hero; in the main games, it's the only Pokémon truly portrayed as evil, in a sense, especially in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 2 (though the nightmare-inducing effects are merely a self-defense mechanism, as it was in The Rise of Darkrai and in Platinum's Pokédex entry).
  • Darkrai has similarities with Dusknoir. Both are villains in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 2, but are portrayed as misunderstood heroes in their debut appearances.
    • Also, both Dusknoir and Darkrai are used by Blake Hall in Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia.
• Darkrai has two different portrait pictures in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 2.
• The boy of the sailor who owns the boat that normally goes to Iron Island says "Dar... Dark... Is watching me..." It is assumed that he is talking about Darkrai, as it is known to give its victims horrific nightmares.
  • If Darkrai was the cause of the sailor's son's nightmares, it can be assumed Darkrai is aware that the player cured the boy using Cresselia's Lunar Wing: When the player takes the Member Card to the Harbor Inn, the innkeeper (presumably an illusion created by Darkrai) states that he has been waiting for the player's arrival.
• In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 2, Darkrai is referred to as male, despite being genderless in the main series.
• It is interesting to note that Darkrai was able to transform into its supposed opposite, Cresselia, in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 2.
• In the early Japanese versions of Diamond and Pearl, Darkrai can be caught with the surf glitch. However, this glitch was fixed in other language versions. Another glitch has been discovered that allows the players to reach Darkrai.
  • This has been remedied in Pokémon Platinum, however, as Darkrai itself will not appear on the island without the event ticket.
• Darkrai is one of the few Pokémon that can talk in the anime.

Origin

Resembling a shadow, Darkrai's appearance suggests it is based on the concept of nightmares. It may have been inspired by Arabic myths about genies (or djinn) and even by the Boogie Man.

Name origin

Darkrai's name is a combination of the word dark and 暗い kurai, the Japanese word for "dark".

In other languages

• German: Darkrai
• French: Darkrai
• Korean: 다크라이 Darkrai

Related articles

• Darkrai (movie 10)
• Darkrai (Mystery Dungeon 2 character)

External links

• Darkrai on Pokemon.com

Legendary Pokémon

Generation I

Generation II

Generation III

Generation IV

Generation V

Generation VI

Generation VII

Generation VIII

Generation IX

See also: Mythical Pokémon

← #490: Manaphy

Pokémon

#492: Shaymin →

This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon as a species.