The Unown Pokemon are a mysterious species that first appeared in Gen 2 of the Pokemon games. They are small, black creatures that resemble letters of the alphabet. Even more, these Unown have 28 different forms, representing a letter of the alphabet or a punctuation mark.
Yet, these Unown Pokemon could possibly predate the written language. They are also said to have the power to control the minds of humans and Pokemon. Unown can also bend reality, use telepathy, and create illusions. In the anime, the Unown combined their powers with the dreams of a young girl named Molly Hale. We won’t spoil anything here but you might have to watch the movie.
However, in the games, they aren’t really the strongest Pokemon in battle. The Unown also have really low HP and Defense. Even Shedinja, considered as one of the weakest Pokemon, has an attack stat of 90 compared to the Unown’s 72. They are also weak to Bug, Ghost, and Dark-type Pokemon, which means they won’t last long in high-level battles.
However, the Unown Pokemon can only learn the move, Hidden Move. The Hidden Move is unpredictable and can also cause damage to the Pokemon in your party in double battles. They also cannot learn any moves by tutoring. You also cannot breed Unowns because they have no gender.
What is the Purpose of Unown Pokemon?
The purpose of the Unown is, well, unknown. Some believe they are an ancient form of writing. According to the Pokedex entries, this might be undoubtedly true. The entries also state that they look like ancient hieroglyphs on tablets and they always stick to walls. Yet, one of the interesting entries is from Pokemon Black and White:
“When alone, nothing happens. However, if there are two or more, an odd power is said to emerge.”
Pokedex Entry | Pokemon Black and White
Many also speculate whether or not written language came first or the Unown. However, it could also be a unique literary symbolism in the game. After all, Unown do resemble the letters of the alphabet. A letter, alone, does not have much meaning. Yet, if you put them together in a sentence, they have great power.
The Unown Pokemon could also be an easter egg to the lost civilization of the real world. Some theories state that, before we learned to communicate with words, we were able to use telepathy. However, it might be a long shot and a tinfoil-hat theory. After all, these are just Pokemon from a game. Or are they?
Whatever the purpose of the Unown are, they are extremely fascinating as a Pokemon species. So much mystery surrounds them and their unique and powerful abilities.
Where Can I Find Them?
You can typically find Unown Pokemon in many different locations across the regions of the Pokemon world. Even more, you can also find them in ruins, caves, and forests. However, be careful when catching one. You will never know what their Hidden Move can do, and you’ll be knocked out in a flash. Here’s a list of where you can find them in the Pokemon games:
- Gold and Silver – Inside of Ruins of Alph
- Crystal – Inside of Ruins of Alph
- FireRed and LeafGreen – Inside Tanoby Chambers
- Diamond and Pearl – Inside of Solaceon Ruins
- Platinum – Inside of Solaceon Ruins
- HeartGold and SoulSilver – Inside of Ruins of Alph
- Omega Ruy and Alpha Sapphire – Inside of Mirage Cave, South of Route 107
These are the only places where you can catch Unown Pokemon. You shouldn’t have to worry too much about their rarity because they are common in those areas. However, the other games, like Ruby and Sapphire or Black and White, can only get Unown through trades.
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