Time travel

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If you were looking for the e-Reader application, see Time Travel (e-Reader).
Ash, his friends, and Sheena traveling through time in Arceus and the Jewel of Life

Time travel is an infrequent theme in the Pokémon franchise and has been depicted in several canons, including the games, the anime, and various manga. In general, stories in which a character travels through time focus on the repercussions of traveling into the past or the future. Usually, the motivation for time traveling comes from the need or desire to change history. Characters who interfere with the timeline will generally notice an altered present upon their return.

Overview

Three notable Pokémon possess time travel abilities. These are the Mythical Celebi, which is known as the Time Travel Pokémon and has been shown to physically travel into different time periods, the Legendary Dialga, the Temporal Pokémon that can travel at will through past and future and has the power to send humans and Pokémon to specific points in time. Additionaly, the Legendary Terapagos, the Tera Pokémon, appears to be capable of using its Terastal energy to transport Pokémon or humans across different time periods, though this has not been confirmed.

In the games

In the core series games

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In the spin-off games

In animation

Pokémon the Series

Pokémon movies

Sam was sent 40 years into the future after meeting Celebi in Celebi: The Voice of the Forest. There, he encountered Ash and his friends. It is unknown if the events in the future and Sam's eventual return to the past directly altered the original timeline, but it is hinted that it might not have and these events were already present in the original timeline.

Ash, Dawn, Brock, and Sheena traveled through time via Dialga in Arceus and the Jewel of Life. Events in the past affected the original timeline, though not immediately; the changes went into effect only when Arceus remembered that Ash had rescued it in the past.

Pokémon Chronicles

Ritchie and Sparky were sent into the past via Celebi in Celebi and Joy!. Events in the past directly altered the original timeline, with Ritchie assisting in the rescue of Nick and his father from certain death. Nick is now the mayor of Marion Town in the present day.

Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire

Calista traveled through time via an ancient magic circle activated by her Baltoy and an alternate self in Me, Myself and Time. It was a case of meeting one's younger self. It is unknown if the events in the past directly alter the original timeline.

May, her Squirtle, and Meowth traveled through time via Edna's locket in Time Warp Heals All Wounds. Events in the past directly altered the original timeline, including the continued service of the Fuchsia City train station and Jonathan now being alive.

Pokémon the Series: Black & White

Ferris traveled through time via a portal in A Restoration Confrontation! Part 1 and Part 2. It was a case of arriving in the distant past as opposed to the recent past. It is unknown if the events in the past directly altered the original timeline.

Pokémon the Series: XY

In Facing the Grand Design!, the three evil Malamar escaped to the future with the help of large energy crystals.

Ash, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie traveled ten years into the past via Rotom and an elevator in Rotom's Wish!. Events in the past directly altered the original timeline. Weston had originally lost his battle and the ownership of the Lost Hotel to Mantle, but the group revised this and Weston was now in charge of the hotel, which no longer looked abandoned.

Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon

In A Timeless Encounter!, Ash and his Torracat were accidentally sent back in time by a Celebi to when Professor Kukui was five years old. Ash's talks about Pokémon Leagues and Gyms inspired Kukui and led to him creating the Alola League in the present day.

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Gold, Silver & Crystal arc

The Masked Man desired Celebi's time-traveling ability to reunite himself with his two dead Pokémon. He wound up disappearing into the crack of time inside the Ilex Forest shrine, only being released from it years later.

Ruby & Sapphire arc

Ruby's Celebi altered the events of the final battle, reviving Norman, Steven, and Courtney, who had died during the conflict.

Pokémon Pocket Monsters

Red and his Pokémon time traveled in The Ancient Pokémon Discovery!, Find the Legendary Pokémon!!, and PMDP27.

Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys

Eusine used Bill's Time Capsule to send his Pikachu to the past, where it became friends with Gold. Later, when the appearance of the Black Tyranitar threatened to alter the future, Pikachu almost vanished.

See also