Are Legendary Pokémon Consider To Be Deities?

[Bartmanhomer]

I just thought of something very interesting of Pokémon. I know in Generation 4 of Pokémon. Arceus a Legendary Pokémon Consider to be a deity of all Pokémon. But there have been some theories of the first Generation of Pokémon that Mew is the ancestor of all Pokémon and consider a deity itself. So my question is are Legendary Pokémon consider to be deities?

[KillingAScarab]

I think it is worth considering that Shinto has a strong influence on Pokémon. There are little gods all over the place, so the idea of slightly more powerful ones doesn't seem that Farfetch'd.

Puns aside, Bulbapedia notes that Mythical Pokémon (https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Mythical_Pok%C3%A9mon) are distinct from Legendary Pokémon (https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Legendary_Pok%C3%A9mon), at least in Japan.

[DataNinja]

This would probably be something better asked in the general Pokémon thread.

However, to answer the question, it's a solid... maybe. It's very much left open to interpretation. Yes, they are very powerful, and as the generations go on and on, newer ones have much more overt supernatural themes (Compare Gen I, where they're mostly just big elemental birds, with the exception of the pretty much informationless Mew; to Gen 3, where they include the ability to control storms/droughts across a region, plus one that grants wishes; then we just go further from there: ones controlling time, space, the concept of victory, life, death...)

In no media are they specifically acknowledged as deities, but there are definitely reasons that they could be considered that, and it's a common fan interpretation.

So, essentially, it's all based on what you consider, really.

[Lord Fullbladder, Master of Goblins]

Throughout Sun/Moon and UltraSun/UltraMoon, the four Tapus (Tapu Koko et al) are explicitly referred to as the islands' guardian deities. Fickle ones, at that, given the account of Tapu Lele ending a war by sending both sides into berserker fury until they could no longer fight, or Tapu Bulu destroying a village and turning part of an island into a desert because people built a shopping mall on sacred ground.

As you have stated, Arceus is thought of as a creator god, and likewise Groudon and Kyogre have myths surrounding their creation of land and sea. The imps Azelf, Mesprit, and Uxie are said to have gifted humanity with emotion and intelligence. I may be recalling incorrectly but I believe the Regis are said to have been created as a means of worshipping Regigis, itself eventually sealed away by mankind. In terms of less powerful deities from folklore, Reshiram and Zekrom appear to and align themselves with Heroes who have dedicated themselves to Truth or Ideals, in times of conflict.

Most of that's been in the pokedex at one point or another. Not all the legendaries, probably, but a good chunk of them as the generations have progressed.

[Mando Knight]

I think it is worth considering that Shinto has a strong influence on Pokémon. There are little gods all over the place, so the idea of slightly more powerful ones doesn't seem that Farfetch'd.

Puns aside, Bulbapedia notes that Mythical Pokémon (https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Mythical_Pok%C3%A9mon) are distinct from Legendary Pokémon (https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Legendary_Pok%C3%A9mon), at least in Japan.

Several Legendary Pokémon are definitely considered as divine beings in a (very) Shinto-like polytheism. Not all of them are--Mewtwo and Silvally are counted among the Legendary Pokémon, but are both artificial--but several of the minor Legendary Pokémon are called guardian spirits (i.e. gods in the original Japanese, according to the Shinto sense of the word): the Tapus of Alola are the most prominent in their respective games compared to previous entries, but also the lake guardians of Sinnoh and the Forces of Nature of Unova (also commonly called the Kami trio, after the Japanese word for such gods). Some of them even have shrines and monuments built in their honor (Sinnoh's Spear Pillar, Landorus and the Abundant Shrine, Celebi and the Forest Shrine, Solgaleo/Lunala and the Altar/Lake of the Sunne/Moone), hinting at their relative importance in the region.

[DataNinja]

Throughout Sun/Moon and UltraSun/UltraMoon, the four Tapus (Tapu Koko et al) are explicitly referred to as the islands' guardian deities.

Oops, I did forget about them specifically being called out as deities. Which I shouldn't have. Mea culpa.

[KillingAScarab]

However, to answer the question, it's a solid... maybe. It's very much left open to interpretation. Yes, they are very powerful, and as the generations go on and on, newer ones have much more overt supernatural themes (Compare Gen I, where they're mostly just big elemental birds, with the exception of the pretty much informationless Mew; to Gen 3, where they include the ability to control storms/droughts across a region, plus one that grants wishes; then we just go further from there: ones controlling time, space, the concept of victory, life, death...)

Several Legendary Pokémon are definitely considered as divine beings in a (very) Shinto-like polytheism. Not all of them are--Mewtwo and Silvally are counted among the Legendary Pokémon, but are both artificial--but several of the minor Legendary Pokémon are called guardian spirits (i.e. gods in the original Japanese, according to the Shinto sense of the word): the Tapus of Alola are the most prominent in their respective games compared to previous entries, but also the lake guardians of Sinnoh and the Forces of Nature of Unova (also commonly called the Kami trio, after the Japanese word for such gods).Genetic engineering was a theme in Generation I. Combine this with the mostly dinosaur-like nature of the starters, and it feels a little Jurassic Park to me. Blastoise only counts after Jurassic World, though. With that context, while I can see an interpretation of Mewtwo as something more than "What has Science dooooone?!" that is my primary one. Sure, it's descended from Mew but... Science! Also, Zapdos, Articuno and Moltres are allowed to just chill out around their favorite haunts, but Mewtwo is almost sealed like a demon. Moltres also saves Blaine.


Some of them even have shrines and monuments built in their honor (Sinnoh's Spear Pillar, Landorus and the Abundant Shrine, Celebi and the Forest Shrine, Solgaleo/Lunala and the Altar/Lake of the Sunne/Moone), hinting at their relative importance in the region.I don't know what the source is, but I noticed the Bulbapedia entry for Spear Pillar states in the trivia section that it is inspired by a Shinto creation myth. Also, Generation II has a shrine to Bellsprout, of all things. How often do real monks meditate on carnivorous plants, let alone dedicate an entire building to them?