In this recurring series, I’ll analyze the origins of Pokémon designs, their culture, and their historical allusions to British culture.
Glastrier
Found in the Crown Tundra, Glastrier is based on a wild horse who has an affinity for the cold. Its body is a snowy white, with iceberg horseshoes. Its furry mane is sharp and inflexible like icicles. Glastrier’s name is a combination of “glacier” and “destrier“, a medieval warhorse that carried knights into battle.
Glastrier emits intense cold from its hooves. It’s also a belligerent Pokémon–anything it wants, it takes by force.
Glastrier has tremendous physical strength, and the mask of ice covering its face is 100 times harder than diamond.
Spectrier
Found in the Crown Tundra, Spectrier is based on a swift horse. Its body is dark, with wisps of ghostly energy emanating from it. Its mane consists of long waves of purple hair which cover its eyes. Spectrier’s name is a combination of “specter”, a ghost, and “destrier”.
It probes its surroundings with all its senses save one–it doesn’t use its sense of sight. Spectrier’s kicks are said to separate soul from body.
As it dashes through the night, Spectrier absorbs the life-force of sleeping creatures. It craves silence and solitude.
Calyrex
Calyrex is the King Pokémon. It is a Psychic and Grass-type and it hovers in the air with a large bulbous crown that it holds onto using its ears. Its name is a combination of “Calyx“, meaning bud, and “Rex”, an ancient Latin title meaning king.
Calyrex is a merciful Pokémon, capable of providing healing and blessings. It reigned over the Galar region in times of yore.
Calyrex is nown in legend as a king that ruled over Galar in ancient times. It has the power to cause hearts to mend and plants to spring forth.
Through the story of the Crown Tundra, the player collects the Reins of Unity for Calyrex. With this item, the player can merge together Calyrex and one of the two horses to become a single Pokémon.
The Ice Rider Calyrex is a Psychic and Ice-type, and it gains the ability As One, which allows it to simultaneously have the ability Chilling Neigh and Unnerve.
According to lore, this Pokémon showed no mercy to those who got in its way, yet it would heal its opponents’ wounds after battle.
It’s said that this Pokémon once moved a large forest–and all the Pokémon living there–to a new location overnight.
The Shadow Rider is a Psychic and Ghost-type, and it gains the ability As One, which allows it to simultaneously have the ability Grim Neigh Ability and Unnerve.
It’s said that Calyrex and a Pokemon that had bonded with it ran all across the Galar region to bring green to the wastelands.
Legend says that by using its power to see all events from past to future, this Pokémon saved the creatures of a forest from a meteorite strike.
There is some interesting lore that gets subtlety mentioned in the Pokédex. It seems like there was once a forest at the crash site where the meteor carrying Eternatus crashed 20,000 years ago. Its psychic powers allowed it to foresee this disaster and swiftly take action to save everyone.
Conclusion
Calyrex and its mount are the legendary Pokémon that represent the Crown Tundra. Although the story is not too long, it gives the player the opportunity to be immersed in legends very similar to those of British folklore. A region based on Great Britain needs a kingly figure to be complete. With Calyrex and its riders, it finally is.
Let us know your opinion about Calyrex, Glastrier and Spectrier, as well as Calyrex’s two combined forms in the comments below or on Discord!
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