History VideoGame / PokemonBlackandWhite

* PinkGirlBlueBoy: Though every female except [[PokemonRubyAndSapphire May]] has a pink version of whatever the Pokégear expy is of the game, Black and White takes it to new extremes. Hilbert has a blue bicycle, fishing rod, badge case, and Xtransceiver, as well as a red Pokédex and red Pokéballs when the latter is shown being used in the overworld. Hilda, on the other hand, has a pink overworld bicycle (though it's red in the item bag), pink rod, Xtransceiver, badge case and Pokédex, as well as pink Pokéballs when she uses them to summon a Pokémon in the overworld. Oddly enough, the Pokéball on her vs. mugshot is still red.

* DiscOneNuke: If you chose Snivy as a starter, you get a pre-evolved Simipour, one of the only Pokemon known to man kid that gets the 80 Power 100 Accuracy Scald, which has a chance of burn damage. The same pokemon can be found by luck in a later area, after the second gym.

** Excadrill was the most feared Sandstorm sweeper in the OU metagame as a result of its high Attack, great coverage, and basically a free Agility in the Sand. Especially because the ubiquitous Sandstorm triggerman Tyranitar is useful for more than just Sandstorm. Every team so badly needed an Excadrill check and Excadrill tended run Jolly natures and hold Air Balloons in order to beat opposing team's Excadrill.
*** As of October 2011, Excadrill was [[KickedUpstairs voted Uber]] by Smogon.
** Thanks to Speed Boost, Blaziken became this. And with Hi Jump Kick and a multitude of powerful Fire STAB, he was [[KickedUpstairs voted Uber]] by Smogon. [[FridgeLogic Even the less threatening ones with Blaze.]]
** A literal LightningBruiser would be Thundurus. Not only does he hit hard with 125 Special Attack and 111 Speed, he even has priority for non-attacking moves like Substitute, Thunder Wave and Nasty Plot. One Nasty Plot, and he'll be ready to tear your shit apart if you lost your Special wall. It's no wonder he got KickedUpstairs to Ubers.

** The Dark/Dragon Deino and its first evolution, Zweilous. Their Hustle ability increases attack, but lowers the accuracy of all attacks, making them inconsistent and unreliable to use. Once Zweilous evolves into Hydreigon, though... this ability is swapped out for another. Ironically, this means that without Hustle's attack boost Hydreigon doesn't do much more physical damage than Zweilous did before it, because it actually prefers ''special attacks'', of which Hydreigon learns few.
** Emolga can be a good example. With Agility, it doubles its Speed and can fire off a more powerful STAB Electro Ball (which is more powerful depending on how much faster you are than your target)

** Most GlassCannon 'Mons are this.

** Another example would the pure [[PsychoElectricEel electric eel/lamprey]] Pokémon Tynamo whose main feature is no elemental weaknesses (thanks to its "Levitate" ability eliminating Electic's sole weakness to Ground). Poor stats, access to only four moves (Tackle, Spark, Thunder Wave and Charge Beam) and unable to learn any [=TMs=]. It evolves at level 39 into a much better Eelektrik, which can then be evolved via a Thunderstone to the lamprey Eelektross who has decent bulk, no weaknesses, good Attack and Special Attack, and able to learn a variety of [=TMs=] (though, like most elemental-stone evolutions, doesn't learn any new moves by level).

** Scrafty with a Dragon Dance set and Moxie is a very powerful and bulky fighter. Not only does it hit extremely hard, but it's also very difficult to defeat.

* FemaleSuccessIsFamily: Professor Juniper is the first female Pokémon Professor. She's also the first Pokémon Professor stated to have learned her trade from her father.

Not to be confused with ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Red and Blue]]'', which were ''in'' black and white since they were for the original [[GameBoy Game Boy]]. Also not to be confused with the simulation game ''BlackAndWhite''.

** When you reach the PokeTransfer Station in the English version, the first scientist you meet says [[Webcomic/{{Homestuck}} you have all the badges. All of them.]]

** And the entire "catch poor little creatures, trap them inside balls and make them fight each other!" principle that is the entire ''premise of the franchise''!

The fifth generation of ''{{Pokemon}}''. In this installment, Game Freak shakes up a number of series traditions: the player characters are older, the resident Professor (Juniper) is a woman, Pokémon Centers and Pokémarts have been merged into one building, there are ''no'' Generation I-IV Pokémon in the regional Dex, [=TMs=] can be used an infinite amount of times, there's no Game Corner or Safari Zone, and the new Unova region isn't based on a region of Japan but on New York City (and a little New Jersey as well).

Unlike the previous NintendoDS installments, Black and White support the more-secure-than-WEP WPA encryption, as well as the revised [=WPA2=] encryption, when playing online; this requires a [=DSi=], [=DSi=] XL, or [[{{Nintendo 3DS}} 3DS]], however, as the original ("Phat") DS and DS Lite do not have hardware support for WPA.

Not to be confused with ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Red and Blue]]'', which were ''in'' black and white since they were for the original [[GameBoy Game Boy]].

* BadAss: [[spoiler:N surpasses Eusine and actually manages to catch the legendary Pokémon he was after. Then he sweeps the Pokémon League with it. ''Then'' he summons a ''giant freaking castle'' out of the ground. When you finally catch your legendary dragon, N challenges you to a battle and leads with his own.]]

* BadAss: [[spoiler:N surpasses Eusine, Archie, Maxie, and Cyrus and actually manages to catch the legendary Pokémon he was after. Then he sweeps the Pokémon League with it. ''Then'' he summons a ''giant freaking castle'' out of the ground. When you finally catch your legendary dragon, N challenges you to a battle and leads with his own.]]

* [[spoiler: TheDragon]]: [[spoiler: Reshiram or Zekrom, to N. Depending on the version. Also a literal example.]]

* Eagleland: Invoked with Braviary.
** Its German name is Washakwil, from Washington and the Latin word aquila, meaning eagle.

* YinYangClash: Quite literally with [[DragonsUpTheYinYang Reshiram and Zekrom]], who once fought around Unova's founding according to legend. [[spoiler:This battle is later invoked once more between the player and N, though which one wins varies with the version- Yang in Black, and Yin in White.]]

** Thanks to Speed Boost, Blaziken became this. And with Hi Jump Kick and a multitude of powerful Fire STAB, he was [KickedUpstairs voted Uber]] by Smogon. [[FridgeLogic Even the less threatening ones with Blaze.]]

* AnAxeToGrind: The dragon Haxorus has two axe blades for its ''tusks''.
* BadassBeard: Emboar, Tepig's final evolution, has a '''fire''' beard.
** DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: "It can throw a ''fire'' punch by setting its fists on ''fire'' with its ''fiery'' chin."
** And Beartic has an '''ice''' beard. Now all we need is an [[FireIceLightning electric beard...]]
* BadassMustache: Oshawott's final form, Samurott, has one.
** As do Stoutland and male Jellicent. Funnily enough, Jellicent's mustache makes him [[http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/5853/cantbeunseen.png look like the Pringles guy]].
* BeautifulAllAlong: In the vein of ''The Ugly Duckling'', Ducklett when it evolves into Swanna.

* BlindingBangs: Woobat, which led to the confusion of some people thinking that its nose was one big eye.
** Subverted by Deino and Zweilous -- those two actually ''have no eyes and cannot see'', instead relying on their sense of smell. It does justify their Hustle ability (increased attack power, lowered accuracy) quite well.
* BlueBlood: Snivy was designed with this in mind.
* BlueOniRedOni: Throh and Sawk.
** Darmanitan and its Zen Mode too.
** Basculin enters in this category too. The calm-looking blue striped ones and angry-looking red striped ones are always fighting.

* CatsAreMean: Judging by its name, Dex entry, species name ("Devious Pokémon"), and Dark typing, Purrloin.
** Its evolution, Liepard, is called the "Cruel Pokémon".
* ChestMonster: Foongus and Amoongus are mushrooms with Poké Ball-colored caps. Since item sprites on the overworld look like Poké Balls... just like the Voltorb from Generation I! (Fortunately for you, at least they aren't an ActionBomb....)

* CoolShades: The Sandile line, culminating in Krookodile's [[TengenToppaGurrenLagann Kamina shades]].

* DragonsUpTheYinYang: The Dragon legendaries follow the ''taijitu'' theme: The white one (Reshiram) is exclusive to ''Black'', and the black one (Zekrom) is exclusive to ''White''. The grey one, Kyurem, could represent Balance, particularly due to having an Ice secondary type, which is normally [[ElementalRockPaperScissors super effective]] on dragons; Nothingness, with the cold of the absence of energy contrasting with the Fire and Electric energy sources; or the process of ''cold'' fusion, a developmental energy concept far from the traditional energy sources of fire and electricity.
** Given Kyurem's Pokédex description as one who is "empty," it seems likely that it represents the concept of "Wuji," the absence of yin and yang.

* DumbMuscle: Timburr, Gurdurr, and Conkeldurr, judging by the names.
** [[SubvertedTrope Subverted, actually.]] They showed humans how to make concrete, so they're probably not as stupid as they seem.

* ElegantGothicLolita: The Gothita line.
* EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs: Archen and Archeops.
* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys: The monkey trio (Pansage, Pansear, Panpour) and their evolutions.
* EverythingsCuterWithKittens: Subverted by [[CatsAreMean Purrloin]].
* EverythingsPreciousWithPuppies: Lillipup, an adorable little Yorkshire Terrier puppy. As it evolves, it grows a bigger and bigger BadassMustache.
* EverythingsWorseWithBears: Beartic, which is named [[{{Tsundere}} Tsun]]bear in Japanese.
* EverythingsWickedWithWeasels: Subverted by Mienfoo and Mienshao; both of them are of the typically honorable Fighting-type, and not Dark-type.

* FeatheredFiend: Archeops the prehistoric bird is very scary with its massive Attack and high Special Attack and Speed. Of course, its ability "Defeatist" is its AchillesHeel...
* FireIceLightning: Kyurem (Ice) fits in with Reshiram (Fire) and Zekrom (Lightning) pretty well.

* [[FourLeggedInsect Four Legged]] [[GiantSpider Spider]]: Joltik and Galvantula have four legs instead of eight.
* FrogsAndToads: Seismitoad.
* FunWithAcronyms
** '''Saws'''buck, whose first 4 letters represent '''S'''ummer/'''A'''utumn/'''W'''inter/'''S'''pring.
** Say Elgyem and Beheeyem's names out loud -- they're the common alien epithets [=LGM=] (little green men) and [=BEM=] (bug-eyed monsters).
* FunnyAfro: Bouffalant. Its signature move is even called "Afro Break" in Japanese translations (in English, it's called Head Charge).
* GangstersAreCool: Scrafty is based on a gangster with baggy pants and a hood, and Krookodile is probably based on a burglar. Unsurprisingly, they're both part Dark-type. Their evolutionary lines are used by the thugs on Route 9, too.
** Possibly also Basculin, which isn't a Dark-type. See "DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything" above.
* GiantMicrobes: Reuniclus and its pre-evolutions.
* GiantSpider: Galvantula. Oddly, pre-evolution Joltik (the smallest Pokémon) is about the size of a real life tarantula. Alternatively, Joltik may be based on a [[UglyCute tick]], making it much bigger than its real life counterpart. [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter AS WELL AS BEING ADORABLE.]]

* GhostLights: Literally, in the case of Litwick and its evolved forms, Lampent and Chandelure. So far, they are the only three that are of both the [[OurGhostsAreDifferent Ghost]] and [[PlayingWithFire Fire]] types. Frillish and Jellicent may be inspired in part by a jellyfish-like will-o-wisp youkai.
* HealingFactor: The Pokémon Tangrowth, Slowbro, Audino, Mienfoo, and Mienshao can have the ability Regenerator, allowing them to recover a third of their health upon switching out.
* HenshinHero: Bisharp looks like one. It can't learn [[KamenRider Jump Kick]]) though.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: The Fighting-type line consisting of Timburr, Gurdurr and Conkeldurr [[CarryABigStick wield]] a wooden beam, an iron girder and ''[[DualWielding two]]'' ''concrete pillars'' respectively.
** Think that's bad? The water starter uses ''half a scallop'' as a lethal weapon ([[DualWielding two]] when it evolves). Though they become distinctly more sword-like when it becomes Samurott.

** And Swoobat is called "Rhinolove"[[hottip:*:the "rhino" is obviously Latin for "nose" and not from "rhinoceros", but...]]. Do a Google Image search for the name, I dare you.
* InstantAwesomeJustAddMecha: Genesect. Golett and Golurk also qualify, despite their odd typing.

* MakeMeWannaShout[=/=]DanceBattler: The secret legendary Meloetta has a form for each of these, the former being her default.
* MasterOfIllusion: Zoroark, who can disguise itself as other people and Pokémon.
** ThisWasHisTrueForm: The illusion breaks after Zoroark takes any direct damage.
* MeaningfulName: As with most generations before.
* MetalSlime: Audino are worth ''a lot'' of experience points, but only occur where you see grass rustling (which itself is a random occurence separate from the usual RandomEncounters). Their skill sets specialize in healing other Pokémon instead of attacking; depending on their level, a wild Audino may even execute a move that heals ''your'' HP instead of affecting status or inflicting damage.

* MonkeyMoralityPose: Pansage, Pansear, and Panpour are based off this, with Pansage being "Say no," Pansear being "Hear no," and Panpour being "See no." Of course, Pansage evolves into a ruffian, Pansear into a biker, and Panpour into--um, a hippie.
* MonsterClown: Conkeldurr.
* MultipleHeadCase: Klink, Vanilluxe the ice cream cone, and Zweilous the double-headed dragon. Then Zweilous becomes Hydreigon, whereupon it grows a ''third'' head, and the two previous heads act like its ''hands''.
* {{Mummy}}: Cofagrigus, though it's more a haunted sarcophagus than a mummy. Its exclusive ability is named "Mummy", though, [[TheVirus which turns the opponent's ability into Mummy if they use an attack that makes contact with Cofagrigus]].
** This can make Slaking usable if you give Cofagrigus Eject Button, and as its opponent contacts Cofagrigus, not only will the foe become Mummy, but Cofagrigus will also go back to you, and then you can send out Slaking and use Pursuit to make Slaking lose its crippling ability.
* MushroomSamba: Musharna is a smoke-spewing monster that transports the player into one of your Pokémon's dreams.

* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: Golurk is a HumongousMecha-{{Golem}}. Which is possessed by a ghost.
** [[TheIronGiant And can fly.]]
* NoPronunciationGuide: Unless you decipher its name etymology, you're likely to get stumped on how to pronounce Cofagrigus. The correct pronounciation is supposedly "KOFF-ah-GREE-gus" (sar'''cophag'''us + [[{{Egregious}} e]]'''[[{{Egregious}} gregious]]''').
* OneGenderRace:
** Rufflet and Braviary are male only, while their version counterparts, Vullaby and Mandibuzz, are female only.
** The adorable plant Petilil and its evolution, Lilligant, are female-only as well. Makes sense for something that looks like a little girl (and its evo looks like a SouthernBelle). Or at least it makes sense in a way that Pokémon seem to be based on our culture.
** Throh, Sawk, and the kami trio are all also male-only.
* OurHomunculiAreDifferent: Reuniclus, who looks more like a [[GiantMicrobes plant cell]] or a [[BlobMonster green Jello monster]] than a 'little man.' If you looks at its pre-evolutions, the first one is the Cell Pokémon, and the second is the Splitting Pokémon; the Reuniclus line is most likely a representation of cell reproduction.
* PatrioticFervor: You know it's {{Eagleland}} when one of the Pokémon is Braviary, a red-white-and-blue eagle with feathers like a Native American headdress. Its prior evolution, Rufflet, is known in Japan as Washibon, an obvious take on the name of [[GeorgeWashington the Father of the Nation himself]].
* PinataEnemy: Audino, which thanks to thee new "Shaking Grass" mechanic can be easily found on any route. They drop far more experience than almost anything else you can find in the wild and have quickly become the preferred method of LevelGrinding in the games. It's implied that Audino helps Trainers purposely, as they often know Heal Pulse and recoil moves.
* PinkGirlBlueBoy: The jellyfish Frillish and Jellicent. See TertiarySexualCharacteristics below.
* PsychoElectricEel: The Tynamo line. There are also electric flounders in the form of Electric/Ground Stunfisk.

* SecretCharacter: Keldeo, Meloetta, and Genesect haven't been officially revealed yet, and it's probably going to be years before they are.
** TheNotSecret: However, that didn't stop people from knowing about them ''[[BeyondTheImpossible before the games were even released.]]''

** A shout-out to ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann''. Druddigon's Japanese name, "Crimgan," translates to "crimson face," which is roughly what "Gurren Lagann" translates to.
* [[TheSixthRanger The Fourth Ranger]]: Keldeo in keeping with TheThreeMusketeers theme.
* SmugSnake: Snivy is believed to be such. It even had the nickname "Smugleaf" right when it was revealed in Japan, thanks to its little smirk.
** WordOfGod seems to back this up, claiming that Snivy's evolutionary line were based on [[BlueBlood European aristocrats]], particularly [[LEtatCestMoi French royalty]].
** StealthPun: Its final evolution is an actual snake.
* SpikesOfDoom: Ferroseed and its evolution Ferrothorn are covered in them. It's definitely not a good idea to make physical contact when attacking them, especially with usually-physical Fighting-type moves, one of their two weaknesses... but unfortunately for them, they also have a 4x weakness to the mostly special-oriented Fire type.
** SpikeBallsOfDoom: Both Ferroseed and Ferrothorn ''are'' spiky balls (for the most part).
** There's also the Rugged Helmet item, which does damage to an opponent Pokémon making contact with the holder.
** Druddigon is also covered in spikes, and its Rough Skin has a similar effect on those who make contact with it.

* StrongAnts: Durant the Iron Ant. 109 Attack, 109 Speed, 112 Defense and its Bug/Steel typing make it arguably better than its predator, the fire anteater Heatmor. One of its abilities also increases its attack power by 1.5.
** Although Durant does have a 4x weakness to Fire, Heatmor's type. Possible reference of ants' and anteaters' natural relationship.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Some of the new Pokémon can be seen as reimaginings of older ones, such as:
** Alomomola for Luvdisc.
** Bouffalant for Tauros.
** Audino for Chansey.
** Tympole for Poliwag.
** Blitzle and Zebstrika as an Electric-typed Ponyta and Rapidash.
*** Additionally, Blitzle learns Flame Charge, a Fire-type move, and Ponyta learns Wild Charge, an Electric-type move.
*** Blitzle's evolution Zebstrika can also learn Overheat, one of the most powerful Fire-type moves in the game.
** Woobat/Swoobat for Zubat/Golbat/Crobat. Flying cave-dwelling ComMons based on bats - Woobat are much less annoying, though - the GoddamnedBats role is for Patrat.
** Three stage evolution, third stage obtained by trade, shared typing:
*** Conkeldurr line for Machamp line
*** Gigalith line for Golem line, minus the Ground part
*** Chandelure line for the Gengar line, minus the Poison part
** Then there's version-exclusive Pokémon, pairs possessing a common type but serving different roles:
*** Psychic: Gothitelle vs Reuniclus - really similar, yet the latter is much better at everything
*** Flying: Braviary vs Mandibuzz - the former is a Normal MightyGlacier, the latter is a Dark tank
*** Grass: Whimsicott vs Liligant: the former is a support with a huge movepool, the latter is a potential gamebreaker with the combination of Quiver Dance to raise her Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed all at once, Own Tempo, which prevents confusion in all instances whatsoever, and Petal Dance, which gives two to three turns of STAB base-120 damage, but cannot be cancelled and confuses the user -- the latter of which is cancelled out by the aforementioned Own Tempo ability. Sap Sipper is the only thing that can stop her.
*** Tornadus and Thundurus the djinns. Their base stats are identical, they're both at least part Flying type, and their sprites are nearly the same. In fact, the only difference between the two is Thundurus's Electric typing and a couple of moves only one or the other can learn.
* SwansASwimming: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Swanna]], natch.
* TertiarySexualCharacteristics: Female Jellicent (the Water/Ghost jellyfish) are [[PinkGirlBlueBoy pink]], lack a mustache, and have eyelashes and lipstick. Males are blue with a mustache.
** There's also Mandibuzz, a female-only vulture Pokémon with a bow and a skirt both made of bones, as well as prominent eyelashes.
* TurnsRed: Darmanitan has this as a secret ability. When its health drops below half, its stats move around so that it changes from a Physically Attacking [[GlassCannon Glass]] [[FragileSpeedster Ninja]], to a Special Attacking MightyGlacier.
** And the [[InvertedTrope polar opposite]] happens with Archeops. When its health drops below half, its Attack and Special Attack get cut in half!
** During Poké Transfer, after catching five out of the six Pokémon, the last one starts going faster than usual.
* TurtlePower: Tirtouga and Carracosta.
* UnfortunateCharacterDesign: Beartic and ''Reshiram''. (Of course, with Reshiram, it could [[YuGiOh be]] [[http://i.ytimg.com/vi/P_n0Cqy5goY/0.jpg worse...]])

* TheVirus: The Coffin Pokémon Cofagrigus has the "Mummy" ability. Whenever an opponent attacks Cofagrigus, their ability becomes Mummy, so that ''they'' can, in turn, spread the effect.
* VSign: Victini is ''based'' around this, so of course it flashes the VSign.
* WasOnceAMan: Yamask. And it is well aware.
* WholesomeCrossdresser: The Gothita line, if they're male.

** Cheren mentions seeking a [[MortalKombat flawless victory]] at one point.

** Four of the legendaries are based on ''TheThreeMusketeers''. (If you're wondering why there are ''four'' guys based on a ''trio'', read the book. Or at least the trope page.)

** A shout-out to ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann''. Druddigon's Japanese name, "Crimgan," translates to "crimson face," which is roughly what "Gurren Lagann" translates to.

** Golurk is a HumongousMecha/Golem. And it's [[FullMetalAlchemist possessed by a ghost.]]