Hisuian Zorua are deceased Unova Zorua reborn through hatred toward humans

Nintendo and The Pokémon Company released a new trailer today that provides more information about Hisuian Zorua and Zoroark, which will appear in January’s Pokémon Legends: Arceus game.

On top of getting a glimpse at the Pokémon’s in-game models, we’ve learned some disturbing backstory details on how these Pokémon came to exist within the lore of the world.

Hisuian Zorua, as mentioned on the official Pokémon website, were originally Unova Zorua that were driven away from other lands by humans who shunned the Pokémon for its illusion ability. As an outcast, Zorua found its way to Hisui but was unable to survive its harsh climate, dying in the process.

Zorua’s lingering soul was reborn as the Hisuian Pokémon we see today, making it a ghost of malice that exists out of spite. That’s pretty dark for what is effectively a kid’s game.

The theme of death and rebirth is present in a lot of the new Pokémon being added to the Arceus game. Basculegion, a Pokémon that’s the combination of a bunch of Basculin souls that perished, is another example of how dark this game can be.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is set to become available on the Nintendo Switch on Jan. 28, 2022.