Zapdos
Morphs [Oak Catalog #]
- Zapdos [#145]
Physical Descriptions
Zapdos is a large avian Pokémon that stands as tall as the average man. It is immediately recognizable from its yellow and black plumage, its cranial feathers which flare out in a jagged frill and its large wings and tail feathers, whose pinions resemble lightning bolts or thunderheads when spread. The creature possesses dark patches around its eyes and a long thin beak, giving it a distinctive and ferocious appearance. Notably, Zapdos’s feathers are constantly crackling with electricity, more so in flight than when at rest.Lore and History
Zapdos has long been venerated by the inhabitants of Kanto and the Orange Islands as the Avatar of Lightning, being superior to Moltres, Avatar of Flame and inferior to Articuno, Avatar of Frost. In this way, the three birds form a sacred Triad of Fire, Ice, and Lightning that preserves the equilibrium of the world; should their balance be disrupted, a great cataclysm would befall our world.Zapdos is seen as both a benefactor and a destroyer. When it is in balance with its siblings, its storms bring rain to parched lands to end droughts or provide vast amounts of electrical power, and its coming heralds the onset of summer and fall; when the balance is disrupted, however, it descends upon the world of men at the head of horrific storms and hurricanes, and its lightning bolts scour the earth clean of everything in its path. Perhaps as a result of the immense power it wields, Zapdos is the proudest and most volatile of the Triad, and it is quick to visit its wrath upon anyone who does not pay it the proper respect.
Known Sightings
As it spends much of its time on the wing, Zapdos is rarely seen by the populace at large. While it is typically sighted only within large storm fronts, there was a well-known incident where the Avatar of Lightning was drawn to the raw electrical power generated by Kanto’s Route 10 Power Plant and took up residence there, filling the facility with numerous electrical Pokémon and preventing anyone from safely entering the edifice until a certain trainer braved the hazards and caught Zapdos.Red was not able to handle Zapdos’ fierce pride or volatile temperament, however, and was forced to release the creature into the wild; it has not returned to the Power Plant since. In the years that have passed since its defeat, the Avatar of Lightning has been witnessed roaming the skies of distant Sinnoh on several occasions, and it was believed to have been involved with the Cipher incident in Orre several years ago; since that time, Zapdos has become increasingly violent and hateful of humans, and Pokémon Rangers have had little success in calming the creature’s rage.
Diet (if any)
Although Zapdos’ fearsome countenance, sharp beak and grasping talons would indicate that it is a predator, the bird has never actually been observed while feeding; this, combined with its tendency to frequent areas of immense electrical power, has given rise to the theory that it sustains itself on electricity itself, causing storms for the sole purpose of consuming the resulting thunderbolts.Abilities
Zapdos’ body continuously generates an intense electrical current, and its pinions act as external capacitors in order to avoid a catastrophic and fatal build-up of energy; because of this, every flap of the creature’s wings is accompanied by the crackle and snap of static discharge, rapidly altering the barometric pressure of the immediate area and causing intense storms. These storms erupt with no warning and vary wildly in intensity; some are simple rainshowers with the occasional rumble of thunder, while others rapidly become f-5 tornadoes.
In addition to its astonishing meteorological abilities, Zapdos has displayed numerous electrokinetic powers that range from generating intense static fields which numb the muscles of all creatures within its vicinity, projecting potent bolts of lightning from its wings, and even calling thunderbolts down from the heavens. As with most other legendaries, it also displays potent psionic powers which it uses to increase its agility and speed, throw up telekinetic barriers to weaken special attacks, and even read an opponent’s mind to determine what action they will take next, and react accordingly in order to evade them.
Additionally, Zapdos appears to emit a strong presence of regal might, a trait it shares with its siblings. Simply put, Pokémon who are ordered to attack any member of the Legendary Birds will only do so reluctantly and with great difficulty, as though some sort of geass were compelling them not to lift so much as a finger against them.
Hazards
As the above paragraph indicates, Zapdos is not to be trifled with. Its devastating storms and electrical powers, when combined with its fierce pride, have given rise to a well-known saying amongst those who have had past encounters with Zapdos: “Anger the Lightning, and it will strike you once. Attack the Lightning, and it will strike you dead.” If the creature is attacked, it will respond with overwhelming force, using its meteorological powers to boost the potency of its already-formidable lightning. Furthermore, the bird has been known to seize its attackers in its talons and carry them high into the air before dropping them to their deaths, and its beak can easily impale even the toughest of Rock-type Pokémon after a dive. If you should encounter Zapdos in the wild, it is advised to avoid making eye contact with the creature, as it will see this as a profound insult and attack; if escape is not possible, have strong Ground-types on hand and hammer the bird with Rock and Ice-type moves until it decides that it has had enough.Other
???Written by Sullen Frog
