Pokémon players realize there are HMs in Scarlet and Violet after all

Hidden Machines, or HMs as they’re most commonly known, were a staple of the Pokémon series until Sword and Shield. Those games did away with HMs, making classic moves that were formerly both used to reach new areas and attack in battle into purely battle-focused moves you could teach your Pokémon.

Instead, the Pokémon series began introducing rideable Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Scarlet and Violet. While Arceus showcased several different Pokémon that could get you around, through, and over difficult terrain, SV lumped all those attributes into Koraidon and Miraidon, the Legendaries that accompany you throughout the newest games. 

And it’s pretty clear how the leveling-up process for Koriadon and Miraidon works similarly to the old HM system in the game. As you progress through the Path of Legends, your Legendary Pokémon will gain more movement abilities with each Titan Pokémon you defeat. That lets you get to areas of the map you couldn’t reach before, much like learning Surf for the first time in one of the older Pokémon games and being able to travel to islands and across other bodies of water.

And the way your Legendary learns those movement abilities? Why, by eating the Herba Mystica of course. Wait a second…

Yep. HMs were right in front of your face the whole time.

Understandably, many Pokémon fans are freaking out about this revelation. It’s so dumb and so obvious, but the majority of fans didn’t come to the realization themselves, even if they understood that Koraidon and Miraidon generally took the place of HMs in the new games. 

In addition to solving the problem of the “HM Mule” that arses in many Pokémon games, where players carry around a Pokémon with useless late-game moves like Cut and Rock Smash in order to access areas they need to get through, it turns out the Path of Legends storyline also hides a little reference to HMs for the long-time players out there. 

Now go forth and eat your Herba Mystica, safe in the knowledge that you don’t need to keep a Zigzagoon or a Bidoof in your party at all times.