Groudon

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Groudon
Image:Groudon.png
National
Kyogre - Groudon (#383) - Rayquaza
Hoenn
Kyogre - Groudon (#199) - Rayquaza
Japanese name Groudon
Stage Basic
Evolves from None
Evolves to None
Generation Third
Species Continent Pokémon
Type Ground
Height 11 ft 6 in (3.5 m)
Weight 2094.0 lb (950 kg)
Ability Drought

Groudon (グラードン Gurādon?) is one of 493 fictional species of the Pokémon franchise. It is #383 in the National Pokédex and #199 in the Hoenn Pokédex. Groudon is one of a trio of legendary Pokémon known informally in fan circles as the "Trinity", and represents Pokémon Ruby in particular, since it is depicted on the cover art. In the legend surrounding the "Trinity", Groudon is the Pokémon of the Earth, along with Kyogre as the Pokémon of the Ocean, and Rayquaza as the Pokémon of the Sky.

Its name probably originates from the words ground and don, similar to the suffix of many dinosaur names (like the Iguanodon), owing to Groudon's dinosaur-like design. Don in fact means "tooth" in Latin (many dinosaurs have been named for the characteristics of their teeth. Don is also Spanish for "lord," which would make Groudon the "Lord of the Ground."

Contents

[edit] Characteristics

Groudon is a giant, stylized theropod with a layer of outer skin composed of a warm red, rocky substance and a stylized sloped tail with “tines” on the end like a rake; it is curved upward, making Groudon's contour look somewhat like an "S" shape. It also has narrow ridges on his head, long white claws, a serious face, yellow eyes, sharp teeth, and a grey chest. When it is angered, its black markings glow blue. Groudon also resembles Godzilla in some respects as well.

The heaviest of all Pokémon, Groudon represents the primal force of the land, as opposed to Kyogre (the primal force of the oceans), and Rayquaza (the primal force of the sky), and as such it has the power to scatter rain clouds and make water evaporate with light and heat. It is part of the creation myth of the Pokémon world: according to legend, it came as a savior to people who had been suffering from terrible floods by waging a titanic battle with Kyogre, creating the land and the oceans, and the two were sealed beneath their respective elements.

Groudon and Kyogre have a relationship similar to the Behemoth and Leviathan in Jewish mythology. In Jewish mythology, Behemoth is the primal unconquerable monster of the land, just as Leviathan is the primal unstoppable monster of the oceans. Rayquaza is also based on Ziz, another creature of Jewish mythology, as according to one Jewish myth the meat of the three creatures is to be served at the banquet at the End Times. Their appearances, however, are quite different from the traditional depictions of the creatures from Jewish myth: Groudon is a sloped, heavily-built dinosaur-like biped with a particularly powerful tail while the Behemoth is often portrayed as a massive ox-like creature, Kyogre is a stylized whale while the Leviathan is usually depicted as a giant sea serpent, and Rayquaza is a Chinese dragon whereas Ziz is a massive bird.

[edit] In the video games

Sheimi is Groudon's final no. link pokemon. With Groudon's ability to make rich soil and land, Sheimi consantly hides itself in the flowers of the land. Sheimi relies on sun to live, so Groudon's Drought ability helps it grow it's "flowers."

[edit] Storyline

Team Magma want to capture Groudon to increase the world's land mass - the opposite of Team Aqua, who want Kyogre to increase the size of the world's oceans. However, in Pokémon Ruby, after Groudon is released, their plan goes awry: it causes the entire region to suffer sweltering heat, which is only stopped when the player captures or defeats Groudon.

[edit] Availability

Groudon is only available in Pokémon Ruby and Emerald. For other versions, the player must trade from the above listed games. In Ruby, Groudon can be found in the Cave of Origin after Maxie has released it from the Seafloor Cavern and is at Level 45. In Emerald, players must go to the Weather Institute, where a scientist will list one of some routes where there have been droughts recently. The player must then search on that route for the Terra Cave. Groudon is at Level 70 this time round and knows the moves Rest and Fissure, making him much harder to catch than in Ruby. Groudon also appears as a boss character in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. He was also rumored to have an appearance in Sapphire at Level 70 via special event, but they replaced it with a Latios at Level 50. This pokemon's latest appearance is in Pokemon Ranger in which it can fire powerful beams from its mouth, and create earthquakes to try and damage the Capture Styler.

[edit] In the anime

As in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, in the anime, Team Magma seeks to capture Groudon and expand the land, while their rivals, Team Aqua, seek to awaken Kyogre and expand the oceans. In the episodes "Gaining Groudon" and "The Scuffle of Legends", this conflict climaxes when the orbs that control Kyogre and Groudon fall in the hands of their respective Teams, and the two Pokémon are made to wage a battle against each other. At the end of the second episode, Team Aqua’s opposing plans are foiled by Ash and Lance, and Groudon and Kyogre return to their respective elements after calling a truce. It also appeared as part of the legend in "The Spheal of Approval" and "Unfair Weather Friends."

The fake Groudon as seen in the movie, Jirachi Wish Maker.
Enlarge
The fake Groudon as seen in the movie, Jirachi Wish Maker.

Groudon also plays a pseudo-role in the sixth Pokémon movie, Jirachi Wish Maker. In it, Butler, former Team Magma member and magician, wants to leave a permanent impression on his peers by creating “a living and breathing Groudon”. To achieve this, he must use an omnipotent energy that cannot be found anywhere, and the solution presents itself in the myth of Jirachi and the Millennium Comet. So after Butler forces energy out of Jirachi, he uses it to create a Groudon from scratch, but it ends up in a titanic, anomalous being of evil that although vaguely resembles Groudon, has no relation to the true Groudon (the differences are in its eyes, tentacles, mouth, and belly). Another difference is that it shows no signs of having relations to the Blue Orb. This Groudon mutant sucks the life out of the environment around it and sucks in many humans and Pokémon in the area. Realizing his mistake, Butler teams up with Ash Ketchum to reverse the process and destroy the evil false Groudon in order to save the Pokémon and the forest sanctuary.

[edit] In the card game

Groudon has appeared quite a few times in the TCG:

  • EX Team Magma vs. Team Aqua (as Team Magma's Groudon)
  • EX Hidden Legends (as Groudon EX)
  • EX Hidden Legends (as a secret holographic)
  • EX Emerald
  • EX Emerald (as a holographic)
  • EX Delta Species (as Groudon "Star")

Groudon EX has the Mark of Antiquity Poké-Body that prevents it from attacking Kyogre EX or Rayquaza EX, which which seems to conradict the events of the video games.

[edit] References

Publications
  • Barbo, Maria. The Official Pokémon Handbook. Scholastic Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0-439-15404-9.
  • Loe, Casey, ed. Pokémon Special Pikachu Edition Official Perfect Guide. Sunnydale, CA: Empire 21 Publishing, 1999. ISBN 1-930206-15-1.
  • Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon FireRed Version & Pokémon LeafGreen Version Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., August 2004. ISBN 1-930206-50-X
  • Mylonas, Eric. Pokémon Pokédex Collector’s Edition: Prima’s Official Pokémon Guide. Prima Games, September 21 2004. ISBN 0-7615-4761-4
  • Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon Emerald Version Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., April 2005. ISBN 1-930206-58-5

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../g/r/o/Groudon.html"