# Pokémon canon

The goal of this page is to establish a base _Pokémon_{as=cite} “canon”
  for making narrative fanworks in, roleplaying, or just generally
  thinking about.
*_Canon is a choice_* (documented set of choices) and the choices we
  make on this _Wiki_{as=cite} won’t necessarily agree with the
  _Pokémon_{as=cite} fandom at·large.

## general approach

- *The English main‐series games are the primary source of canon.*
  When information in the anime, movies, trading card game, side‐series
    games, ⁊·c conflicts with the main‐series games, the latter wins.
  When games differ substantially between their original Japanese and
    subsequent Western releases, the latter is considered canonical.

- *All other pieces of Pokémon media _may_ be considered canonical
    (when useful).*
  This includes side‐series games like _Pokémon Conquest_{as=cite} as
    well as non‐games like the anime, movies, or original YouTube
    animations.

  Specifically, the order of priority for sources of canon should
    generally be main‐series games > original YouTube animations > new
    movies (_I Choose You!_{as=cite} and later) > anime and older
    movies > side‐series games > other media.

  Even when canon directly contradicts with one part of a piece of
    media, other parts (for example, a character of the day from the
    anime) may be considered (somewhat) canonical.

- *Consider every work in the _Pokémon_{as=cite} franchise to be an A·U
    of every other work (and this canon).*
  Obviously, the paired versions in each generation of games are A·U’s
    of each other, and Ultra Sun is obviously an A·U of Sun, ⁊·c.
  But this principle applies across the franchise, meaning that Black 2
    is an A·U of Black (and White) and so forth.

  What this practically means is that canon cannot offer exact details,
    only suggestions.
  Divergences from canon can and will take place so long as they
    preserve the “spirit” of the originals.

- *Avoid “world‐hopping”.*
  The Pokémon franchise is replete with instances of people travelling
    from one universe to another or travelling back‐and‐forth though
    time.
  This runs contrary to having a single, consistent timeline, so for
    practical reasons it must be considered noncanonical.
  This isn’t to say it won’t ever happen.

- *Combine paired versions where possible; defer to the “red” version
    otherwise.*
  The “red” versions are:8--: _Red_{as=cite}, _Gold_{as=cite},
    _Ruby_{as=cite}, _FireRed_{as=cite}, _Pearl_{as=cite},
    _HeartGold_{as=cite}, _White_{as=cite}, _White 2_{as=cite},
    _Y_{as=cite}, _Omega Ruby_{as=cite}, _Sun_{as=cite},
    _Ultra Sun_{as=cite}, _Let’s Go! Pikachu_{as=cite},
    _Shield_{as=cite}, _Shining Pearl_{as=cite}, _Scarlet_{as=cite}.

- *Game plots follow the Gen ⅤⅠ–ⅠⅩ timeline.*
  This means that, for game plot–related elements, _Omega
    Ruby_{as=cite} & _Alpha Sapphire_{as=cite} takes precedence over
    _Ruby_{as=cite}, _Sapphire_{as=cite} & _Emerald_{as=cite} and
    _Let’s Go! Pikachu_{as=cite} & _Let’s Go! Eevee_{as=cite} takes
    precedence over _Red_{as=cite}, _Blue_{as=cite}, _Green_{as=cite},
    _Yellow_{as=cite}, _FireRed_{as=cite} & _LeafGreen_{as=cite}.

  This does not mean that the other games do not contain canonical
    information—for example, the Sevii Islands still exist, Anabel was
    still Salon Maiden of the Hoenn Elite Four, ⁊·c.
  But it does mean, for example, that Chase ∣ Elaine is the one to
    defeat Team Rocket, not Red.

- *Technological developments occur at the time depicted in the games
    which introduced them.*
  This means that a rudimentaly P·C system must have existed in the
    time of _Red_{as=cite} & _Blue_{as=cite}; ⁊·c.

- *There is a correspondence between the _Pokémon_{as=cite} world and
    the real world.*
  Very few things have definite dates in the _Pokémon_{as=cite} canon,
    but it should be assumed that they roughly correspond to the
    timeline of similar events in the real world.
  The date of the moon landing is fixed at 1969, and considered
    equivalent to the real‐world moon landing in that year.