Pokémon fans think Winds and Waves’ adorable widdle starters might evolve into mythological calamities

Browt, Pombon, and Gecqua are rapidly becoming one of Pokémon's most popular starter trios. Fans adore the Bean Chick, Puppy, and Water Gecko Pokémon's designs, and many can't help but wonder what their final evolutions might look like. If a fan theory is true, they might be some of the coolest in Pokémon history. We've known for a while, thanks to leaks, that Pokémon's 10th generation takes place in a region inspired by Southeast Asia. Winds and Waves' official trailer has all but confirmed that. Drawing from this, fans looked to Southeast Asia's rich cultural history for inklings of what the region's starters' ultimate forms might look like, and a fan on X thinks they may have cracked the code.Pokémon Winds and Waves starter Pokémon may not stay cute and cuddly for long Screenshot by Destructoid The theory, rapidly gaining traction among Pokémon fans, posits that each of Winds and Waves starters' final stages will resemble a legendary beast from Southeast Asian folklore. Each is a terrifying herald of calamity with deep roots in local legend, firmly connecting this set of starters to their native region.https://twitter.com/NipahDUBS/status/2027477067806244890 Let's start with Browt, whose final evolution could be based on the Minokawa, a winged beast from Philippine mythology resembling a bird-like dragon or a dragon-like bird, depending on the story. According to legend, every feather on the Minokawa's wings is a steel sword, and its merciless eyes reflect light like stainless mirrors. Based on that charming description, Browt's final evolution could be a Grass/Steel-type. Pombon clearly draws inspiration from a Pomeranian, one of the most popular dog breeds in Indonesia, but Nipha's theory posits that its last form may resemble the Arimaonga, a creature from Maranao legend. The Maranao people model the Arimaonga after lions, tigers, and dragons, fearing and revering it equally. Fairy-type Pokémon love to draw influence from sugary sweets, so if Pombon's clear connection to bonbons is anything to go by, its third stage might be a Fire/Fairy type. Gecqua, the Water Gecko Pokémon might become a sea serpent based on the Bakunawa. Another beast from Philippine myth, the Bakunawa heralds storms, tidal waves, and earthquakes. The Water/Dragon-type would suit this Pokémon perfectly, but since the Minokawa and Arimaonga are also dragon-like, all three starters could end up getting the Dragon-type by the end, which will make it even harder for most of us to choose which one we want.Pokémon Wind and Waves' starters' final forms might foreshadow a cosmic-scale story Screenshot by Destructoid If the theory holds true, Browt, Pombon, and Gecqua's ultimate evolutions could be some of the most ferocious we've seen from the franchise in years. The Minokawa, Arimaonga, and Bakunawa are all man-eating harbingers of calamity, but they also share one other terrifying trait that might hint at things to come in Winds and Waves' story. A common theme throughout Southeast Asian myth is the celestial predator: a beast that hunts the Sun and Moon across the sky. The Minokawa, Arimaonga, and Bakunawa all fall under this category. When eclipses blocked out either celestial body, people assumed their local Sun/Moon eater had finally caught its prey. If Game Freak is modeling Winds and Waves' starters after celestial predators, it's possible that an eclipse will play a huge role in the game's plot. An impending celestial event is an epic story catalyst and a fantastic backdrop for any climax. It would also be pretty impactful to see our starter defy the legends that inspired their final evolution, fighting to save the region from a threat blotting out the sky. As a fan who prefers my starters on the "beasts of raw elemental fury" side, I really hope Nipah's theory about Winds and Waves' starters holds true. More information will surely come out before the game launches in 2027, so only time will tell if Game Freak's really putting the animal back into their Starter trios. The post Pokémon fans think Winds and Waves’ adorable widdle starters might evolve into mythological calamities appeared first on Destructoid.

Mar 5, 2026 - 05:51

Pokémon fans think Winds and Waves’ adorable widdle starters might evolve into mythological calamities

Browt, Pombon, and Gecqua are rapidly becoming one of Pokémon's most popular starter trios. Fans adore the Bean Chick, Puppy, and Water Gecko Pokémon's designs, and many can't help but wonder what their final evolutions might look like. If a fan theory is true, they might be some of the coolest in Pokémon history.

We've known for a while, thanks to leaks, that Pokémon's 10th generation takes place in a region inspired by Southeast Asia. Winds and Waves' official trailer has all but confirmed that. Drawing from this, fans looked to Southeast Asia's rich cultural history for inklings of what the region's starters' ultimate forms might look like, and a fan on X thinks they may have cracked the code.

Pokémon Winds and Waves starter Pokémon may not stay cute and cuddly for long

Screenshot by Destructoid The theory, rapidly gaining traction among Pokémon fans, posits that each of Winds and Waves starters' final stages will resemble a legendary beast from Southeast Asian folklore. Each is a terrifying herald of calamity with deep roots in local legend, firmly connecting this set of starters to their native region.

https://twitter.com/NipahDUBS/status/2027477067806244890 Let's start with Browt, whose final evolution could be based on the Minokawa, a winged beast from Philippine mythology resembling a bird-like dragon or a dragon-like bird, depending on the story. According to legend, every feather on the Minokawa's wings is a steel sword, and its merciless eyes reflect light like stainless mirrors. Based on that charming description, Browt's final evolution could be a Grass/Steel-type.

Pombon clearly draws inspiration from a Pomeranian, one of the most popular dog breeds in Indonesia, but Nipha's theory posits that its last form may resemble the Arimaonga, a creature from Maranao legend. The Maranao people model the Arimaonga after lions, tigers, and dragons, fearing and revering it equally. Fairy-type Pokémon love to draw influence from sugary sweets, so if Pombon's clear connection to bonbons is anything to go by, its third stage might be a Fire/Fairy type.

Gecqua, the Water Gecko Pokémon might become a sea serpent based on the Bakunawa. Another beast from Philippine myth, the Bakunawa heralds storms, tidal waves, and earthquakes. The Water/Dragon-type would suit this Pokémon perfectly, but since the Minokawa and Arimaonga are also dragon-like, all three starters could end up getting the Dragon-type by the end, which will make it even harder for most of us to choose which one we want.

Pokémon Wind and Waves' starters' final forms might foreshadow a cosmic-scale story

Screenshot by Destructoid If the theory holds true, Browt, Pombon, and Gecqua's ultimate evolutions could be some of the most ferocious we've seen from the franchise in years. The Minokawa, Arimaonga, and Bakunawa are all man-eating harbingers of calamity, but they also share one other terrifying trait that might hint at things to come in Winds and Waves' story.

A common theme throughout Southeast Asian myth is the celestial predator: a beast that hunts the Sun and Moon across the sky. The Minokawa, Arimaonga, and Bakunawa all fall under this category. When eclipses blocked out either celestial body, people assumed their local Sun/Moon eater had finally caught its prey.

If Game Freak is modeling Winds and Waves' starters after celestial predators, it's possible that an eclipse will play a huge role in the game's plot. An impending celestial event is an epic story catalyst and a fantastic backdrop for any climax. It would also be pretty impactful to see our starter defy the legends that inspired their final evolution, fighting to save the region from a threat blotting out the sky.

As a fan who prefers my starters on the "beasts of raw elemental fury" side, I really hope Nipah's theory about Winds and Waves' starters holds true. More information will surely come out before the game launches in 2027, so only time will tell if Game Freak's really putting the animal back into their Starter trios.

The post Pokémon fans think Winds and Waves’ adorable widdle starters might evolve into mythological calamities appeared first on Destructoid.

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