History of the Pokémon world

There are many stories and legends surrounding the history of the Pokémon world as it is known to us today. Nobody knows if such legends are true or not, but there are many clues in the games, anime and manga that suggest that they are.

Below is a timeline of events in the history of the Pokémon world, primarily those established in the canon of the Pokémon games since these apply most to other forms of canon. There is also a separate timeline of events for the Pokémon anime.

Please note that the below timeline is based of of speculation and possible information from different aspects of the Pokémon franchise.

Timeline

Beginning of the universe

This information is based primarily on the mythology of both the Hoenn and Sinnoh regions.

• In a vortex of complete chaos and nothingness, a single egg comes into being, which then hatches into Arceus, the first Pokémon to be in existence. Arceus creates Dialga, Palkia, and possibly Giratina, which appeared among the two, and Arceus then gives Dialga and Palkia the abilities to control time and space, respectively. Giratina is banished to another dimension for its violent and agressive behavior. Then, during very early formation of the world, possibly sooner, Arceus creates Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf to create knowledge, emotion, and willpower respectively, things that are in all modern humans and Pokémon. This trio dives to the bottom of present-day Lake Acuity, Lake Verity, and Lake Valor, respectively, dubbing the team "the lake trio". Around this time, Mew was thought to have came into being by itself, containing the DNA of every Pokémon to exist and exist in the future.

• Kyogre is formed by the pressure in the deep sea trenches, Groudon is formed deep inside the Earth, likely from hardened magma and earth, and Rayquaza is formed by the minerals of the ozone layer. Rayquaza proceeds to fly around in the ozone layer, occasionally coming to rest at Sky Pillar. Kyogre and Groudon then proceed to fill the sea and create land, respectively. A chance meeting turns the two into rivals, and a conflict for dominance over the Pokémon world begins. This battle continues until Rayquaza quells it, causing Kyogre and Groudon to retreat to special caverns, where they rest until the events of Generation III many years later. The Red and Blue Orbs are created to prevent the reawakening of Kyogre and Groudon, and are left at Mt. Pyre for safekeeping. At this time, Mew may have been plentiful and lived in large numbers.

• Landmasses such as Mt. Coronet are created, and Regigigas move the continents, forming the regions. The Sinnoh region is created around Mt. Coronet. During this violent procedure, Stark Mountain is created due to shifts in the crust of the world and Heatran is formed in a pool of lava. Arceus creates the Adamant, Lustrous and Griseous Orbs before falling into a deep sleep.

Prehistory

This information is based primarily on the study of fossils and other archaeological remains. Some of this information is also based on scientific research.

• Millions of years before Generation I:
  • Earliest known prehistoric Pokémon exist. It is possible that the Mew population may have decreased at this stage, as they slowly gave way to other Pokémon species.
  • First humans appear in the Pokémon world.
  • During the Ice Age, humans use ice from the South Pole to create Regice.
    • After the Ice Age, the Mamoswine population decreases due to an increase in temperature.
  • During the Stone Age, humans gather rocks from various locations and construct Regirock.
  • During the Iron Age, humans build Registeel. Some researchers believe that Registeel was created from a metal not of the planet.
    • At some point after the Iron Age, Regigigas is sealed away in Snowpoint Temple, and Regirock, Regice and Registeel are sealed away at various points across the Hoenn region.

• 1500 years before Generation I:
  • The earliest known system for writing is developed and used at the Ruins of Alph, Tanoby Ruins, and Solaceon Ruins. Archaeologists are currently unsure whether the nearly identical Unown preceded or succeeded the writing system, but it is assumed they share some sort of connection.
  • The Farfetch'd population decreases due to overhunting.
  • Magikarp population mutates and becomes weaker.

Recent history

This information is based on historic records.

Ecruteak City

• c. 700 years before Generation I:
  • Tin Tower and Brass Tower are constructed in Ecruteak City, and Lugia and Ho-Oh perch at their tops.

• c. 500 years before Generation I:
  • The first Spiritomb is sealed in the Hallowed Tower for its unforgivable misdeeds.
  • The Cianwood City Pharmacy is built.

• c. 400 years before Generation I:
  • Azalea Town in Johto is struck by a long-term drought wave. After bringing the rain back once again by yawning, Slowpoke gains an honorable position in that town.

• c. 150 years before Generation I:
  • Brass Tower burns to the ground, killing three Pokémon inside. Lugia flees to the Whirl Islands, Ho-Oh resurrects the three as the legendary beasts and flies off in search of a pure-hearted Trainer.
  • The first Pokémon League competitions take place.

• 1969:
  • First humans land on the Moon.

• 1990s:
  • The ferry S.S. Tidal is constructed.
  • The first Pokémon created by scientific engineering, Porygon, is created.
  • Rotom inhabits an abandoned mansion in Sinnoh.

Contemporary history

From the Pokémon games:

• Some years prior to Generation I:
  • Mewtwo is genetically engineered from Mew, and later escapes and destroys Cinnabar Island's Pokémon Mansion.
  • Sabrina's gym is declared the official gym of Saffron City after a Pokémon battle between Sabrina and the leader of the Fighting Dojo.
  • Giratina returns to the Pokémon world.
  • The Battle Frontier opens in Hoenn.

• Generation I/Generation III:
  • The events of Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, LeafGreen, Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald:
    • Red//Leaf leaves Pallet Town on his/her Pokémon journey after their rival, Professor Oak's grandson, Blue. After getting the eight badges of Kanto, defeating Team Rocket along the way, he/she challenges Kanto's Elite Four, then its current champion, none other than Blue himself. After defeating Blue, Red/Leaf becomes the champion, then ventures to the Sevii Islands to eradicate Team Rocket and help Celio to connect his Pokémon Net Center to the Hoenn region.
    • Brendan/May leaves Littleroot Town on a Pokémon journey shortly after moving to the Hoenn region from Johto by saving the local Pokémon professor from an attacking wild Pokémon. At first, there is a deep-seated rivalry with Professor Birch's son/daughter, however, later on, the rivalry is with Wally instead. After defeating Hoenn's eight Gym Leaders and, with the help of Rayquaza, calming both Groudon and Kyogre, released from their banishment by Team Magma and Team Aqua, respectively, he/she challenges and defeats Hoenn's Elite Four and current champion, becoming the champion him/herself, much to the astonishment of Birch's child.

• Between Generation I/Generation III and Generation II/Generation IV:
  • The events of Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon Ranger.
  • Eruption of volcano on Cinnabar Island causes destruction of areas on the island.
  • Blue takes the position of Gym Leader in the now empty Viridian Gym.
  • Red leaves to Mt. Silver, training day and night, leaving Lance to act as Champion, while Lorelei returns to her home in Four Island, and Agatha retires from her position as a member of the Kanto Elite Four. This leaves three vacancies on the roster for Elite Four.
  • Two of these vacancies are filled by Karen and Will. The other is filled by Koga, who abdicates his position as Gym Leader to his daughter, Janine.
  • Extensive research confirms the existence of Steel and Template:Type2s in the region of Kanto.
  • Safari Zone Warden leaves on a trip, closing down the Kanto Safari Zone. Pal Park is opened in its place.
  • Miracle Cycle moves from Cerulean City to Goldenrod City.
  • Groudon and Kyogre retreat to the region of Fiore to rest after their battle.
  • Giratina returns to the Distortion World.
  • A new Battle Frontier is built in Sinnoh and Johto.

• Three years after Generation I/Generation III (Generation II/Generation IV):
  • The events of Gold, Silver, Crystal, Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold and SoulSilver.
    • Gold/Kris/Kotone leaves New Bark Town on an errand for Professor Elm, bonding with his/her starter Pokémon on the way. A red-haired boy steals one of Elm's three Pokémon, and challenges him/her as Gold/Kris/Kotone's journey across Johto continues. A revived Team Rocket, using plans formulated three years prior, enrages many Gyarados, including a red one, at the Lake of Rage as they proceed to take over the Johto Radio Tower in a desperate attempt to contact Giovanni. As they are defeated, the leader vows to never again re-form Team Rocket, and Gold/Kris/Kotone continues to gather Johto's badges, eventually gaining all eight and traveling to the Pokémon League at the Indigo Plateau in Kanto. After defeating the Elite Four and their champion, Lance, Gold/Kris/Kotone then heads to the Kanto region to challenge its eight gyms, which have changed from three years prior. After gaining all eight of their badges, for a total of sixteen, Professor Oak declares him/her ready to travel to Mt. Silver, where he/she meets and defeats Red.
    • Lucas/Dawn and Pearl leave Twinleaf Town in an attempt to see a Pokémon like the recently reported red Gyarados in the nearest of Sinnoh's lakes, Lake Verity. After being attacked by a wild Starly at the lake, and using one of Professor Rowan's Pokémon to fend off the attacker, (apart from in Platinum canon, where they receive their starter Pokémon before actually reaching the lake) their journey begins in earnest, and both Lucas/Dawn and Pearl challenge the Sinnoh region's eight gyms to gain the badges necessary to challenge the Pokémon League. Along the way, however, Lucas/Dawn is brought into many conflicts with Team Galactic, whose leader, Cyrus, wishes to remake the entire universe in his image with the powers of the legendary Pokémon Dialga and Palkia. Defeating the team and calming Dialga/Palkia (or Giratina in Platinum canon), Lucas/Dawn challenges Sinnoh's Elite Four and champion, Cynthia, and becomes champion him/herself.
  • Hayley, a friend of Bebe, opens up a Pokémon Ranch.

• Two years after Generation II/Generation IV:
  • The events of Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness.