Pokémon-X (webcomic): Difference between revisions

This article is about the webcomic. For the Pokémon that was known as "Pokémon X", see Lugia (Pokémon).

If you were looking for the CD, see Pokémon X.

Pokémon-X is a sprite-based webcomic by Recon Dye that follows the adventures of Brendan, May and Wally around the island of Hoenn. It started being based on the storyline of Ruby and Sapphire up until the appearance of Scott after the events in Slateport City's Oceanic Museum, when it set Pokémon Emerald as its base.

The comic is usually updated three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The first issue was published on June 2, 2003, and the most recent panel was published in February 2011. Over this six-year period, over 1000 comics have been published. It should be noted that the date of the most recent comic published does not match the actual date of publication; Recon Dye has stated that this is because he lists the date as the date he intended the comic to be published. School and other activities have caused him to fall over a year behind schedule, and he is attempting to catch up as soon as possible.

The comic is aimed at mature audiences due to its use of moderate language and mature situations. Recon Dye uses sprites from Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald to make character sprites and wild Pokémon battles, and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team sprites for Pokémon during trainer battles (though he started off using the regular sprites from Ruby and Sapphire, along with a few custom sprites). He also uses custom sprites in rare instances.

It has been hinted that the Pokémon-X is a creature or an item.

Plot

The plot is largely the same as that of Emerald: a new boy in town saves a Pokémon professor from a wild Pokémon and is given a Pokémon as a reward. He meets the professor's child and travels around the region battling Gym Leaders. A friendly rivalry is struck between the two. Along the way, a third child is met, and two rival, villainous teams battle for control of the region. The trio of Trainers travel to each location in the same order as in the games, and with the same intents and purposes (deliver letter for Steven, take Wally to Verdanturf, etc.). The most recent chapter of the comic has Monty Zuma leaving the comic due to his death in the chapter entitled 'Monty Zuma's Revenge'.

There are, naturally, some key differences from the games. Each of the characters has a unique personality, such as Brendan seeming dull and dim-witted at many points. Brendan and May travel together, and Wally is part of the group for longer than he is in the games.

Characters

Brendan Richards

Brendan Richards

Brendan is based on the male playable character of Ruby and Sapphire. He has recently moved to Littleroot Town from Ecruteak, Johto. As such, he is familiar with the Pokémon native to his region, but not the species that inhabit his new home. May is often in disbelief when he mentions the Pokémon not found in the Hoenn region. After using Torchic to rescue Professor Birch from an angry Poochyena, he deems him worthy enough to travel the land and complete the Pokédex.

Brendan is believed to be fairly dim-witted, although he has knowledge about certain sciences like thermodynamics, and can often say things of very high intelligence. Although he is the hero, he is driven by selfish desires and meager rewards. He does however seem to care about his Pokémon and uses them with some good strategic plans.

Brendan travels through Hoenn with Birch's daughter, May and the sickly Wally. He competes for Badges at various Gyms along the way. His motivation for this is to become rich and famous (with a couple of chicks on the side). He has been smitten with May since first seeing her topless in an early comic.

At the beginning of the comic, Brendan had developed a fear of tall grass. He usually went to grass by screaming and running through it. This, however, had faded sometime during the journey, and Brendan no longer has any problem walking in grass anymore. However, his old way of going through grass was adopted by Monty on his journey to get revenge on the group.

His Pokémon include, Rocky, a Poochyena (later Mightyena) that was infected with two strains of the Pokérus, making him shiny and giving him the ability to speak; and his starter Torchic which evolved into Combusken in the Dewford City Gym. While Torchic was Brendan's first, Rocky is his strongest Pokémon and best friend.

Brendan also seems to hate Geodude ever since he challenged the Rustboro City Gym as every trainer in the gym had at least one Geodude and was angry when May caught a Geodude in Granite Cave and battled him with it.

Brendan's surname is not given in any canon media; as such "Richards" is an invention of Recon Dye. He states in a note accompanying one comic that he chose it because it is a fairly common name.

Pokémon

Of all the main characters, Brendan has owned the most Pokémon. Aside from Rocky (see below), these include:

• Combusken: Received from Professor Birch as his starter Pokémon while still a Torchic. It evolved after battling a trainer in the Dewford Gym. It was taught both Cut and Rock Smash by Brendan.
• Dustox: Captured as a Wurmple in the Petalburg Woods. It evolved into Cascoon after Brendan's first double battle. It later evolved again after being given a Rare Candy.
• Hariyama (Makit): Received in a trade for his Slakoth while still a Makuhita. It evolved after defeating both of Victor Winstrate's Pokémon. It frequently disobeyed him until after winning his second badge. It is one of Brendan's strongest Pokémon, and has been used in every gym battle.
• Golbat: Captured as a Zubat in the Granite Cave. It evolved after battling a rival trainer's Wingull.
• Nosepass: Given by Steven Stone after protecting him from a pair of Team Magma grunts.
• Abra: Captured in the Granite Cave after two failed attempts, due to Abra's Teleport. It was left in the Day Care to be raised.
• Mawile: Captured by Wally in the Granite Cave. Received in a trade for his Oddish. It is notable for not having won a single battle against an opposing trainer.
• Magikarp: Captured while traveling on Mr. Briney's ship. It was left in the Day Care to be raised.
• Ninjask: Evolved from Wally's Nincada. Received in a trade for his Roselia.
• Torkoal: Captured on the Fiery Path. It used to be part of the same clan as Flannery's Torkoal.
• Machop: Caught by May on Route 112. Received in a trade for his Wingull. He says he wants to evolve it and give it to his mom. This is because of an event early in the comic. Unfortunately for Brendan Machop is a female pokémon and his mom wants a male.
• Egg: Given by an old lady in Lavaridge Town.

Fantasy Pokémon

These are the Pokémon that Brendan had in his dream shortly after beating Flannery:

• Beefy: A blue mold Tauros found in Brendan's dream as a living Pokémon. Known as Brendan's little friend. Was the first object to disappear in Brendan's dream.
• Missingno.: A regular Missingno. caught by Brendan with the help of Mr. Quackers.
• Mr. Quackers: An oddly colored Psyduck that helped Brendan capture Missingno.

Rocky

The fourth member of the traveling party is Rocky, Brendan's Mightyena.

Rocky was the Poochyena that terrorized Professor Birch at Route 101, and was later saved by Brendan at the top of Route 103. While recovering at a Pokémon Center, he was infected with two strains of the Pokérus thanks to Team Magma and Team Aqua. This gave him the ability to talk, above average strength, and the ability to use Random, a move that behaves like a combination of Metronome and Mimic (using a random move out of all of them, keeping it for the rest of battle, and forgetting it afterwards). He also gained the coloration he would have had if he were shiny.

Like Ash's Pikachu, Rocky has an irrational fear of being inside a Poké Ball and would rather be covered in vomit than return to his Ball.

Rocky also hates Wingull because of Peeko barfing on him on the way back from Dewford and didn't like it when Brendan caught one while fishing on Mr. Briney's ship and because he had to battle it.

Rocky evolved into a Mightyena following a battle with Team Magma in Granite Cave, where he single-handedly defeated the villainous team without his Trainer, though he imagined that Brendan was there.

When the group battled the Winstrate family, Vicki, the oldest member of the family, had bad eyesight and thought that Rocky was a trainer and battled him. Rocky battled using the same trick that he used in Granite Cave. Throughout the battle, the imaginary Brendan kept saying things that the real Brendan wouldn't normally say in battles, such as saying a different Pokémon's name, or even talking in a different language. Despite these mishaps, Rocky managed to win the battle.

May Birch

May is based on the female player character of Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. As Brendan takes the role of the main protagonist, May assumes a position similar to that of the games' pseudo-rival.

May is the daughter of Professor Birch, and is traveling with Brendan so they can complete their Pokédex. She is shown to be handy with technology, and manages to link the three Pokédex of the traveling party so that they can achieve their goal easily. She dislikes Brendan's immaturity, and can be seen as the sensible leader of the group. May also hacked Brendan's and Wally's Pokédex so that she gets the money they earn after they win a battle.

May started with a Mudkip that later evolved into a Marshtomp in Slateport City after defeating a pair of Team Aqua Grunts.

May usually tries to keep Brendan from challenging gyms, although the badge is later revealed to be required to do something the group has to do, such as Rock Smash being required to break the rocks in Rusturf Tunnel so that Brendan and May can go back to Littleroot, only to be given another task.

Pokémon

May's Pokémon include:

• Marshtomp: Received from Professor Birch as her starter Pokémon while still a Mudkip. It evolved after battling a pair of Team Aqua grunts.
• Linoone: Given by Nurse Wrath while still a Zigzagoon. It evolved after battling another Zigzagoon in a double battle.
• Beautifly: Captured as a Wurmple in the Petalburg Woods. It evolved into Silcoon after May's first double battle. It later evolved again after battling a rival trainer's Makuhita.
• Whismur: Captured in Rusturf Tunnel because it was injured.
• Aron: Captured in the Granite Cave.
• Geodude: Captured in the Granite Cave, much to Brendan's dismay.
• Oddish: Captured on Route 110.
• Sableye: Captured by Wally in the Granite Cave. Received in a trade for her Electrike.
• Spinda: Captured on Route 113. Quickly released when the other Spinda wanted it back, because this Spinda was their queen.
• Wingull: Captured by Brendan while traveling on Mr. Briney's ship, after it attacked Rocky. He caught it much to Rocky's dismay. It was used in his Gym battle against Wattson, but was quickly defeated due to its type disadvantage. Received in a trade for her Machop.
• Egg: Given by an old lady in Lavaridge Town. Wanted by Wally as it was a green egg, and as such, May promised to trade it to Wally if it hatched into a green Pokémon.

Wally Anderson

Wally was first encountered in Petalburg City, just as Wally is encountered in the games. A frail and sickly child, Wally has an obsession with the color green, and any Pokémon that have green on it, such as Nincada, as well. The biggest reason for his sickness is his mother who thinks he is sick when he isn't. He travels with May and Brendan so that he can get to Verdanturf Town where the air is clearer and healthier.

At some points, Wally acts like he is possessed. His eyes glow and refers to other people as if they where not even the same species as himself, calling them mere mortals etc.

In one of Wally's flashbacks, which May and Brendan didn't really listen to, on Mr. Briney's ship, he drowned and was apparently rescued by a green Pokémon.

After finally arriving in Verdanturf, Brendan, May and Rocky left him there. He was then met again in Mauville City, where he decided to travel with them again.

His starter Pokémon, given to him by May, was a Treecko (which was actually meant for Monty) which later evolved into Grovyle, but the first Pokémon he caught was a Ralts (which, like in the games, Brendan helped him catch), which later evolved into Kirlia.

Pokémon

Wally's Pokémon include:

• Kirlia: His first Pokémon, captured with the help of Norman's Zigzagoon. It evolved after battling Vivi Winstrate's Numel.
• Grovyle: Given by May as his starter Pokémon while still a Treecko. It evolved after battling a wild Zigzagoon.
• Shroomish: Captured in the Petalburg Woods. It was taught Flash by Wally so it could help navigate through the Granite Cave.
• Shedinja: Captured as a Nincada on Route 116. It evolved after battling a rival trainer's Doduo.
• Gulpin: Captured on Route 110.
• Electrike: Captured by May on Route 110. Received in a trade for his Sableye.
• Oddish: Captured by Brendan on Route 110. Received in a trade for his Mawile.
• Roselia: Captured by Brendan on Route 117. Received in a trade for his Ninjask.
• Lombre: Captured on Route 114.
• Egg: Given by an old lady in Lavaridge Town.

Recon Dye

Recon claims he is the author in human form. He has super powers and commonly abuses people. He is usually the main character of special event strips and has many jobs, such as a truck driver and a repairman. He is also Wally's doctor and when he told Wally's mom that Wally had an underdeveloped nervous system, she started overreacting saying that Wally was going to die, no matter how many times Recon told her it wasn't fatal. When Wally grew sicker, Recon knew that it was because of his psychotic mother. This later led Recon to develop a plan to get Wally far away from Littleroot Town.

Monty Zuma

An original character, named Monty Zuma, was originally intended to be the Trainer of the third starter Pokémon. He has a somewhat stalker-esque relationship with May, which is why she gave Treecko to Wally instead and becomes Professor Birch's assistant. He learned about this when Brendan had an interview, making him now hate May and Brendan. May also persuaded Wally to hate Monty by telling him he hates green, while in reality, he actually likes green, however, a different shade of green than Wally likes. Monty is also revealed to have stolen four Pokémon from Professor Birch and registered them under his ID. As of the latest chapter, he prepared for his revenge. He was challenged by Wally to a Pokémon battle, using his four stolen Pokémon, due to him having no Poké Balls to catch others. Due to Monty being who he is, all of his seen Pokémon were weak Pokémon found in the beginning routes of Hoenn. These Pokémon were still in their first evolution stages, due to Monty going through the grass by screaming and running as fast as he can, which he learned from Brendan, who had done that in the beginning of the comic. All of his Pokémon (Zigzagoon, Wurmple, Poochyena, Taillow) were easily defeated by Wally's Grovyle and May's Marshtomp. However, even if he loses, he still treats the battle as if he won. Brandan solved this conflict without the use of Pokémon by punching Monty in his face.

Death

In the 999th comic it was revealed that Monty is from another planet. He then transported away with the letters PX-999 appearing to simulate the 999th comic. Because of Recon Dye's known hatred for Monty he revealed that Monty was killed on the way back to his home planet thus ending the characters appearances.

Minor characters

Professor Birch, his assistants (Specifically Igor), Mr. Briney, Steven Stone, Brendan's parents and Wally's family have all appeared in the comic. The first five Gym Leaders have appeared in their traditional roles. Team Aqua and Team Magma take antagonistic roles.

Jim Gui is also a minor character. This character is based on the unnamed character seen in every Gym that gives advice to the player. He prefers to be called "Gym Guy".

• Full list of characters

Humor

Much of the humor in Pokémon X is derived from discrepancies or otherwise unexplained events in Ruby and Sapphire, and other Pokémon games. Whenever Brendan mentions Johto, or any of its native Pokémon that aren't in the Hoenn Pokédex, May, Wally and most other characters seem confused and appear to have not have heard of it (emphasizing the incompatibility between Generations II and III). It also explains what happens to fainted Pokémon and who places the hidden items on routes, both times at Brendan's expense. Brendan is also known to hold an item in the air while it glows (much to the dismay of anyone looking at him at the time) and a mysterious voice appears to tell what he obtained, much like in The Legend of Zelda. He is completely oblivious of himself doing this.

The humor also seems to highlight things within the game, such as the misspelling of Mawile's name in its Ruby Pokédex entry. This was shown after Wally's encounter with a Mawile in Granite Cave, when Brendan checks out the Pokémon's entry with his own Pokédex.

Trivia

• Recon Dye's ex-girlfriend, BAM, sometimes drew guest strips.
• On November 3^rd, 2006, Recon published a comic where, using different environments and over world people sprites from Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald, he recreated several scenes of the TV series Lost, which he described as "a show I like to watch".
• While Brendan and May were biding farewell to Wally upon arriving to Verdanturf Town, an unknown character was singing The Time Has Come (Pikachu's Goodbye) in the background.
• Most of the Nurse Joys are named after the seven deadly sins.
• The ending of the storyline "Monty Zuma's Revenge" is a reference to The Simpsons Season 8, Episode 14 where the makers of Itchy and Scratchy find a quick way to get rid of Poochie.

External links

• Pokémon-X

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