When "the sweet embrace of death" was first uttered, Yveltal took the saying quite literally.
Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction is the 17th movie entry in the Pokémon movie franchise. It is the debut of the legendary Pokémon Diancie and the anime debut of Yveltal and Xerneas. This movie follows Ash and friends as they journey through Diamond Ore Country with Diancie looking for Xerneas. Compounding problems is the Destruction Pokémon Yveltal living up to its title. Also appearing are the new Mega Evolutions. This movie appeared in Japanese theaters on July 19th, 2014. It made its English debut in Australian and New Zealand theaters on November 8th later that year, and aired on Cartoon Network in the United States on the same day.
The movie ties in with the various "Mega Evolution" specials from the series, with side characters from the specials appearing in the movie.
Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction features examples of the following tropes:
- Adaptational Villainy: In the games, Yveltal is a case of Dark Is Not Evil, and the destruction it causes is more a part of its life cycle than deliberate malice. Not so here - it drains people of their life force left and right willy-nilly (though the possibility exists that Yveltal isn't in complete control of its actions).
- A Day in the Limelight: Xerneas and Yveltal have this in the form of this film, since Xerneas only appears once or twice in the anime, and Yveltal doesn't show at all, with Zygarde ending up as the big important Pokémon, despite the fact that the anime is called Pokémon the Series: X and Y.
- Advertised Extra: Mega Absol appears on the poster, but it only appears at the beginning of the film during Ash's battle with Astrid.
- Affably Evil: All four human villains to some extent, but especially Argus and Millis. Despite being a pair of thieves, they're friendly fellows, they go out of their way to avoid any collateral damage or harm to innocents, they genuinely and clearly love and care for each other and their Pokemon, and during the climax, despite having a chance to escape easily, they try facing Yveltal in direct combat just to buy time for Ash & Co. to run themselves. And, as shown during the ending montage, they end up retiring from crime and open a small chocolate shop.
- Bag of Kidnapping: Jessie and James kidnap Diancie with this method while she tries to get some food at the buffet, so she will make them some diamonds.
- Big Bad Ensemble: Initially, the main villains of the film are Argus Steel, Riot, and Merilyn, all of whom are professional thieves competing with each other to steal Diancie's power for themselves. Once Yveltal is awakened, however, it proves to be a much greater threat than any of the human villains.
- Bloodless Carnage: Many characters die in this movie, though they turn to stone like Ash did in Pokémon: The First Movie. Though they were all revived at the end.
- The Cameo: The World of Pokémon recap has Diantha facing Wikstrom, and the Trainer Ash faces before the plot kicks off is Astrid from the first Mega Evolution special.
- Also, a pair of extras based on the Tourist Trainer class from Pokémon X and Y appear. One during the movie, based on the "old lady" variation, while a second based on the "young lady" design appears during the credits.
- Catch a Falling Star: Done by Ash (with Hawlucha's help) for Diancie and Riot for Marilyn.
- Chekhov's Gun: The diamond Diancie gives to Bonnie. Unbeknownst to all until the end, not only is it the first perfect diamond she ever created, but it ends up being her own Mega Stone born out of her happiness and friendship with Bonnie.
- Continuity Nod: The lass with the Key Stone earring and the Mega Absol from the first Mega Evolution special briefly appears battling Ash in the beginning.
- Cute Clumsy Girl: Diancie trips on her rock half more than once.
- Daddy's Little Villain: Millis.
- Dark Is Evil: Yveltal is easily the biggest threat in the movie, and spends most of it's time sapping the life out of everything it sees once it awakens. In the end, Xerneas stops it by calming it down rather than making it go through a Heel–Face Turn (as is normal for "villainous" Pokémon). Though going by its behavior after Xerneas speaks to it, it's implied that it wasn't quite in its right mind during the rampage.
- Disney Death: All the people and Pokémon hit by Oblivion Wing are later revived by Xerneas.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: The movie's climax and ending share many similarities with those of Jirachi: Wish Maker.
- The generation's red version mascot appears and begins a rampage in which it absorbs energy from plants, people and Pokémon, including Team Rocket and the movie's antagonist or antagonists.
- Kōichi Yamadera's character realises his feelings for another character, and as a scene takes place between them the antagonist Pokémon strikes and interrupts it.
- Xerneas calms Yveltal and revives everyone it petrified, like how Jirachi destroyed the fake Groudon and freed everyone it absorbed. Both Xerneas and Jirachi then went to sleep.
- Early-Bird Cameo:
- Several Mega Evolutions appear in this movie before they get to appear in the anime. Mega Diancie in particular even appears in this movie before its official release in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
- In a more literal sense, Ash's Fletchling had yet to evolve in the anime proper in Japan but appears here as a Fletchinder. Almost happened to Hawlucha.
- Equivalent Exchange: After reviving the forest and everyone hit by Oblivion Wing, Xerneas changes into its tree form.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Merilyn is mourning over the loss of her Delphox and Yanmega after Yveltal petrifies them, and it was implied Riot felt the same for his mons too. This also applies to the Steels, best demonstrated when Argus shields Millis with his own body when Yveltal prepares to blast them at point-blank range with Oblivion Wing.
- Evil All Along: Millis helped Diancie escape Team Rocket from the clock tower, as well as Ninja and Marilyn mid-way, before her true nature is revealed.
- Foil: The Trainers of the fully evolved Kalos starters to the protagonists.
- Greninja's Trainer, Ninja Riot, is a serious, silent ninja to, well, Ash.
- Delphox's Trainer, Merilyn Flame, is a sultry Dark Action Girl contrasting Serena's girlishness.
- Chesnaught's Trainer, Millis Steel, averts this, as she is a geeky-looking character much like Clemont. She is also accompanied by her father rather than a sibling.
- Heel–Face Turn: Ninja Riot and Merilyn Flame pull this off when they confessed to their feelings for one another just before being turned to stone. At the end of the film, they get engaged.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Diancie's Carbink subjects band together to protect her from Yveltal's Oblivion Wing.
- Invisibility Cloak: Argus' ship has one, though he does give away his position by attacking Yveltal.
- Life Energy: Diancie's main goal is to seek out Xerneas and get it to imbue its Fairy Aura upon her so she can recreate the Heart Diamond that empowers the Diamond Domain.
- Macross Missile Massacre: Attempted against Yveltal by the Steels using their plane. It doesn't work at all.
- Merchandise-Driven: Even more than previous movies, in that a downloadable 3DS game (The Thieves and the 1000 Pokémon) is directly based on the movie, has an in-game event that is triggered if you go see the movie, and can interact with the X and Y games.
- Never Say "Die": Yveltal's Oblivion Wing (called "Death Wing" in Japanese) isn't named during the movie.
- Averted when Xerneas tells everyone through Diancie that it is not dying.
- No-Sell: Averted. Millis's Chesnaught's Spiky Shield move is supposed to block
most moves (including Oblivion Wing) and cause counter damage. It doesn't help Chesnaught here, but does protect Millis and Argus. - Oh, Crap!: Dace starts panicking when he realizes the pit Ash, Diancie, and thieves stumbled into was where Yveltal's cocoon was laid.
- Power Floats: Downplayed. Diancie can float, but only in place; she otherwise has to hop around on her rock half to get around, which doesn't always work out well. She probably can hover properly in Mega form, though in both instances when she mega evolves, she doesn't actually move from her spot to demonstrate it. Averted entirely with all the Carbink, who don't float at all like they do in the games.
- Riddle for the Ages: Why did Yveltal raze the forest in the first place? And what did Xerneas tell Yveltal to convince it to leave the forest in peace?
- Shopping Montage: Serena and Bonnie take Diancie on one. Ash and Clemont are very bored the entire time.
- Shout-Out: Much of Diancie's story seems to resemble that of Princess Ann.
- Super Mode: Mega Evolutions (Mega Absol, Mega Scizor, Mega Gardevoir, and Mega Diancie are confirmed) and their connection to Xerneas and Yveltal are set to appear.
- Taken for Granite: Just like Mew and Mewtwo's attack in Pokémon: The First Movie, this is what Yveltal's Oblivion Wing does to any life caught in its blast radius, such as Team Rocket.
- It happens to Pikachu, too. Xerneas reverses the process.
- Talking Animal: Diancie and her Carbink subjects are all capable of human speech (even though Diancie doesn't seem to talk through her mouth). Later on, Xerneas speaks with Diancie and, near the end, to the heroes, through telepathy as well.
- Uncatty Resemblance: Ninja Riot, Merilyn Flame, Millis Steel, and Argus Steel wear clothing that resemble their Pokémon.
- Unusually Uninteresting Sight: None of the townspeople shown in the film pay the slightest heed to a Legendary Pokémon wandering around various populated areas.
- Villain Ball: With Yveltal flying around and blasting everything in sight, Argus and Millis are still trying to catch Diancie (even Merilyn and Riot Know When to Fold 'Em). This earns them a direct hit from Oblivion Wing.
- Villainous Valour: Even when about to take an Oblivion Wing to the face, Argus' first thought is to protect Millis.
- What Measure Is a Non-Human?: Equality between humans and Pokémon isn't new to the series, but the shopping trip deserves a special mention with Diancie acting every bit like the other girls, up to and including trying on dresses with them.
- You Were Trying Too Hard: Diancie produced her Mega Stone when her happiness hit its peak, after resigning to the fact she would never make a permanent diamond. The Mega Stone WAS, in fact, her first perfect diamond.
