Absol is a quadrupedal, mammalian Pokémon with a primarily white feline-like body with some dark blue coloration. It has a ruff around its neck and chest and a tuft on the top of its head adorned with a single blue-black oval. Between the dark fur, the curvature of the white fur on its head, and the positioning of its horn, Absol's face vaguely resembles a wu wei symbol. It has a humanoid face with almond-shaped, red eyes, a scythe-like tail, and a scythe-shaped horn on the side of its head. Its broad feet are equipped with three claws each, and dewclaw-like spikes protrude from the heels of its hind legs and the elbows of its front legs. It walks with a pacing gait like that of a bear.
Absol lives in the mountains far from civilization, and it rarely ventures down from its alpine home. Using its horn, Absol is able to sense even subtle changes in the sky and the land to predict when a disaster will occur and will try to warn people when one is approaching. In addition to its divination powers, Absol's horn can be extended and used in battle. Absol is also known to protect fields from natural disasters as well. This often has the unfortunate effect of Absol itself being blamed for the disaster, notably by the elderly. The hatred for Absol was started years ago by superstitions surrounding about it. Despite this, others are interested in its ability to predict disaster. Absol has been referred to as a bringer of doom. Absol can move as swiftly as the wind. Absol is said to have a lifespan of up to 100 years. As mentioned in the Sleep Style Dex, the powers of Absol's horn remains active even when it sleeps. Due to this, Absol can strongly detect danger even when not awake.
As Mega Absol, its fur is longer overall, and the increased energy coursing through its body makes the fur at the back of its mane stand on end so that it appears to have wings.[1] The spikes on its heels and elbows grow larger, and the fur in these areas becomes longer as well. Its sickle-shaped horn widens, while an additional, smaller horn appears on the opposite side of its head. Its tail now has a more saw-like shape, and the oval marking on its forehead is now a rounded triangle.
Mega Absol emits a fearsome aura that has been known to kill fainthearted people from shock. It directs this aura at its opponents by beating its "wings", which are not capable of flight. However, Absol apparently detests assuming this form, as it normally dislikes fighting in the first place. Mega Absol can create wind attacks to launch at foes and dark shockwaves around itself.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: An Absol trails the rescue team around the Frosty Forest and confronts them after the defeat of Articuno. Absol is initially suspicious of the player and partner from the beginning but eventually decides to join the rescue team and helps in the journey up Mt. Freeze.
Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon: Absol returns as a friend of Ninetales, who will be recruited at the same time as Ninetales. Absol will reference the player and the partner from Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team as well as having an "adventure" with them.
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation III.
Every time Absol appears before people, it is followed by a disaster such as an earthquake or a tidal wave. As a result, it came to be known as the disaster Pokémon.
Absol has the ability to foretell the coming of natural disasters. It lives in a harsh, rugged mountain environment. This Pokémon very rarely ventures down from the mountains.
It sharply senses even subtle changes in the sky and the land to predict natural disasters. It is a long-lived Pokémon that has a life-span of 100 years.
Every time Absol appears before people, it is followed by a disaster such as an earthquake or a tidal wave. As a result, it came to be known as the disaster Pokémon.
Absol has the ability to foretell the coming of natural disasters. It lives in a harsh, rugged mountain environment. This Pokémon very rarely ventures down from the mountains.
Its curved, bow-like horn remains vigilant even while Absol sleeps. It's said that this Pokémon's ability to detect danger is strong even as it slumbers.
Absol debuted in Jirachi: Wish Maker, where it showed up to take Jirachi back to Forina. However, Absol wasn't evil as Ash and his friends were initially led to believe, and it helped Jirachi once it returned to Forina.
Absol made its animated series debut in Absol-ute Disaster. The people of a town were blaming Absol for all of the bad things that were happening to their town during the past month. Ash, his friends, and Nicky went out to verify the accusations. They found out that Absol was actually warning the town about a flood.
Absol, the Disaster Pokémon. Absol live in steep mountainous regions, and rarely venture down into areas inhabited by humans, but should an Absol be seen by humans, it is said that catastrophe is soon to follow.
Absol, the Disaster Pokémon. A Dark type. Absol appears when it senses a disaster is about to happen. As a result, people mistake it for a catastrophic omen.
GOTCHA!
An Absol briefly appeared in GOTCHA!, under the ownership of Sidney.
Absol debuted in Assaulted by Pelipper II. It first appears to Ruby, who shudders in fear immediately. Absol is also present in the feud between Kyogre and Groudon.
In Scizor Defends, Y encountered an Absol on Route 15 and battled him in order to capture a Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution. He made no attempt to resist her efforts and let himself be captured after Y asked him to help battle Team Flare, which he was nicknamed Solsol. Later, he was given an Absolite, enabling him to Mega Evolve into Mega Absol.
Absol reappears at the start of this arc, where it was perched atop of a building, foreshadowing another disaster coming to Hoenn. It later appeared in front of Gabby and Ty, warning them of the upcoming disaster, and has the two ride on its back to head off to somewhere else.
Absol appeared in Battle in a Bitter Cold Land!!. When it first saw Ginji's scar, it was scared of him because Gengar told it that Ginji will destroy the world, but after Ginji explained that he is going to see Ninetales to find out the truth, Absol tells him that everyone thinks that it's causing the natural disasters and that they don't like it because of that misunderstanding. It then helps Ginji and Mudkip in their battle against Articuno. It appears again in Tears and Emotions - It's the Final Chapter! where it, along with several other Pokémon, help Ginji, Mudkip, Tyranitar, Charizard, and Alakazam defeat Groudon.
Notably, Absol's Pokédex entries in these games specify that it can sense natural disasters, such as those caused by Groudon and Kyogre when they're awakened by the aforementioned villainous teams.
In Platinum, Absol appears on Mt. Coronet in places that one can first access when heading to the Spear Pillar, before Giratina is released by Team Galactic.
In Black and White, Absol can be found at the Giant Chasm, a place where disasters are said to befall Trainers, and Route 13, 13 being known as an unlucky number. Two years later, the Giant Chasm is where Team Plasma makes their stand.
In Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Absol is the subject of the first Rogue Mega Evolution the player encounters. This very same Absol also joins the player after being saved and is the only Pokémon affected by Rogue Mega Evolution to do so.
Absol may be based on the Bai Ze (白澤) of Chinese mythology, whose name literally translates to "white marsh." It is generally described as a white beast, distinguished by having one or two horns on its head. Considered to be an intelligent beast, Bai Ze is gifted with the ability to understand human speech and the knowledge on the forms and habits of 11,520 types of supernatural creatures in the world. In legend, Bai Ze shared its knowledge to the Yellow Emperor, which was subsequently compiled in a book called Bai Ze Tu. Few of its supposed fragments survive today. In Japan, it is known as the hakutaku (白沢) and is said to resemble a cat or lion. In a related legend, a similar creature known as the kutabe predicted that a plague would sweep through the Toyama Prefecture of Japan. It is also sometimes said to have an extra eye on their head or back, which may be represented by the oval that appears on Absol's forehead.
Absol's head may be modeled after a Taijitu symbol. Absol's humanized face and feline appearance may also be a homage to the sphinx. Its ruff resembling long human hair and a male lion's mane and the white fur on the top of its head loosely resembling the headpiece of an Egyptian sphinx also suggests this. Its scythe-shaped tail and horn resemblance the Western personified depiction of Death, who is related to destiny and disaster. It may have also been inspired by the black cat superstition. Its feline appearance and the fact that it is usually seen in mountains resemble the natural behavior of felines such as the snow leopard and the cougar.
Mega Absol's wings and elongated fur give it the appearance of an angel, with its wings also being reminiscent of Greek portrayals of sphinxes and furthering the connection to sphinxes noted above. It also resembles a lamassu, an Assyrian creature with a human's head, wings, and sometimes with the body of a lion. The lamassu was a protective spirit, much like how Absol attempts to warn people of danger.
Name origin
Absol may be derived from absolute or absolution (setting free from guilt), as well as 危ない abunai (dangerous) and possibly 物騒 bussō (dangerous) or 恐る osoru (to fear). It may also be a combination of the Latin prefix ab- (away from) and sol (Latin for sun).
In other languages
Language
Title
Meaning
Japanese
アブソル Absol
From absolute or absolution, 危ない abunai, and 物騒 bussō or 恐る osoru, as well as ab- and sol
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
Life Orb (5%)
For other sprites and images, please see Absol images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
