Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s epilogue may give Kieran’s Applin a greater purpose

Kieran is one of those characters you love to hate in the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC, but the upcoming epilogue may change all that with a subtle romantic gesture from him to your character via his beloved apple Pokémon.

By the end of The Indigo Disk DLC, Kieran is nowhere to be found, even after making amends during the whole Terapagos incident in Area Zero. But rumor has it the purple-haired boy will make his return in the Mochi Mayhem epilogue, which is dropping on Jan. 11. Datamines point to Kieran trading an Applin to you in Blueberry Academy’s League Club Room in this epilogue, just like how other Special Coach NPCs can trade you their signature Pokémon.

At first glance, it might not seem like a big deal for Kieran to trade an Applin to you. After all, Hydrapple, Applin’s final evolution, is his signature Pokémon throughout The Indigo Disk, and he could just want to spread the love for his apple dragon. However, one player pointed out in a Jan. 4 Reddit thread that giving Applin to another person is seen as a romantic gesture, according to an NPC’s dialogue in Gen VIII’s Sword and Shield.

The NPC in question says, “There’s a rumor that if you give the one you like an Applin, you’ll be together forever!” Could this suggest Kieran wants to be with you forever? It would make sense, given the boy’s previous interactions.

During The Teal Mask, for example, he acts like the shy boy who gets nervous around his crush, aka the player. The two of you become close friends until the Ogerpon incident sends him into the villain arc we see in The Indigo Disk. Kieran eventually lightens up, and giving you an Applin could be a sign that he never wants to lose you as a friend ever again.

If this is the case, you have to give the kid credit for learning to accept a friend who stole not one but two Legendary Pokémon from him. Some players even went as far as rubbing their friendship with Ogerpon in Kieran’s face during an all-important battle, and although he was quite upset at the time, the boy still ultimately chose forgiveness. If datamines are correct and he does give you an Applin, it’s proof of his character growth and desires to maintain a close relationship with you rather than close himself off as he had in the past.