NOTE: This article is based on facts and information currently available, as such it should be treated as purely speculation.
Since the reveal of Pokémon Sun & Moon fans have been discussing the significance of the small rhomboid (diamond shape) in the two logos for the games. Many have hypothesized about the game debut of the “Burst” feature from the Pokémon ReBurst manga (which combined trainers with their Pokémon), while others have simply dismissed it as something unimportant.
With the release of Pokkén Tournament and the latest Magearna movie trailer, some interesting observations can be made that could point towards something very interesting for what’s to come in Sun & Moon.
Magearna Trailer
In the latest trailer for the movie Pokémon: Volcanion & the Mechanical Magearna, Jarvis (who is assumed to be the main villain) is seen holding a staff that features a Mega Evolution symbol form on top, with a small diamond-shaped stone in the centre. It is assumed that this staff causes Alakazam and Glalie to undergo some sort of Mega Evolution. When they Mega Evolve the two Pokémon do so in a manner that hasn’t previously been seen and take on a ‘darker’ appearance than their usual Mega Evolutions.
It’s impossible to say at this point exactly what is happening, but there’s an excellent link to Pokkén here: the diamond in Jarvis’ staff.
Pokkén Tournament
This is where some of the more interesting details come into play. Pokkén 
is set in the Ferrum region in which humans and Pokémon are said to be connected thanks to the effects of mysterious rocks called Synergy Stones. In gameplay, when the player successfully fills the “Burst” gauge they are able to enter Burst Mode and use Burst Attacks that deal more damage than normal. In some cases, this allows Pokémon to Mega Evolve (such as Charizard), whilst some remain the same.
Synergy Stones seem to allow Pokémon and humans to reach a heightened sense of connectivity. This mechanic seemingly shares similar traits with Ash’s Greninja in the anime series, where Ash’s Greninja gains an increased speed and attack after undergoing an evolution “similar to Mega Evolution”.
Remember the darker appearance Mega Alakazam and Mega Glalie take on in the movie trailer? Well, let’s take a look at Shadow Mewtwo in Pokkén… Mewtwo is said to have taken on a Shadow form due to a corrupted ‘Shadow Syngery Stone’. When Mewtwo changes into its presume Burst form, it looks incredibly similar to the Mega Evolution of Alakazam and Glalie and even features a Mega Evolution symbol. So is Shadow Mewtwo actually capable of a new form of Mega Evolution achieved through use of a Synergy Stone?
Synergetic Evolution, a new mechanic?
Remember: the below is purely speculation!
So… what actually is synergy? The Oxford Dictionary defines it as: “the interaction or cooperation of two or more organisations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.” This phrase alone perfectly sums up what happens when Greninja ‘evolves’ into Ash-Greninja, but also explains what the Synergy Stones allow trainers in the Ferrum region to achieve.
Could we see “Synergetic Evolution” make an appearance in Sun & Moon? It could be a mechanic that allows Trainers and Pokémon to form a special connection during battles that eventually leads to a power boost and the possibility of Mega Evolution. Not only that, but the concept of forced, or possibly Shadow Synergy could even play into the plot as well.
Synergetic Evolution (or whatever it ends up being called) would be an interesting progression of the Mega Evolution mechanic. It could also link into Professor Sycamore’s theory of Mega Evolution only being possible if there is a strong bond between Trainer and Pokémon, by allowing Trainers to form a strong bond with Pokémon not capable of Mega Evolution and instead having them reach new levels of power through a Synergetic Evolution, of sorts.
It’s probably important to note that this speculation is not suggesting humans and Pokémon fuse, like in ReBurst, but instead the form a mental connection that allows the effects of “Synergetic Evolution”, or whatever it could be called.
So, there it is. What do you guys think of this speculative theory? Could Synergy Stones and Synergetic Evolution or something similar make an appearance in Sun & Moon, or do you have another theory?
Let us know what you think! Don’t forget to REACT with the Sewaddles below 😉