AZ
AZ AZ AZ | |
Art from X and Y | |
Age | 3,000+ |
---|---|
Gender | Male |
Hometown | Unknown |
Region | Kalos |
Relatives | Younger brother (deceased) Lysandre (younger brother's descendant) |
Trainer class | Pokémon Trainer |
Generation | VI |
Games | X and Y |
AZ (Japanese: AZ) is a mysterious man who appears in Pokémon X and Y. He is the former king of the Kalos region and the creator of the ultimate weapon. In modern Kalos, he has the appearance of a disheveled homeless man. He is said to be over 9 feet (3 meters) tall.[1][2]
In the games
AZ is first seen on Route 13. When the player encounters him, he mutters about "the flower Pokémon," then leaves.
He appears once again much later, being held prisoner by Lysandre in the lowest levels of Lysandre Labs. When he is found, he explains the story of Kalos's history from three thousand years prior: there once was a man who had a Pokémon he loved very much. A war broke out in Kalos, and that Pokémon went to fight in the war, where it was killed. The man received the body of his beloved Pokémon some time later, and out of unspeakable grief, he built a giant device to restore it to life. He succeeded, but he was unable to overcome his despair and turned the machine into a weapon, with which he destroyed both sides of the war to bring it to an end. His Pokémon, disgusted with the fact that the machine was powered by the life energy of other Pokémon, left him. Lysandre reveals that AZ's name is the same as the king from three thousand years ago, and that he had the key to the weapon around his neck; Lysandre has taken him prisoner and claimed the key in order to use the weapon to destroy all of humanity except for Team Flare.
After the player defeats Lysandre once and for all in the Team Flare Secret HQ beneath Geosenge Town, AZ—now freed from his prison—approaches and thanks them for stopping the weapon from being used again.
AZ makes a final appearance in Lumiose City after the player has defeated Diantha and become Champion. During the parade arranged by Professor Sycamore to celebrate the player's success, AZ approaches the stage and challenges the player to a battle, wishing to learn about what a Trainer truly is. After the battle, AZ smiles, thanking the player for freeing him from his long torment, thus fully revealing that he is indeed the man from his story. Then, he sees a sparkle in the sky. Having sensed the liberation of AZ's heart, his beloved Floette—who was granted eternal life alongside him three thousand years ago—finally returns to him. AZ collapses to his knees, overjoyed that his Pokémon has finally returned. He is not seen again after this.
Documents kept in Lysandre Labs reveal more of AZ's story: he had a younger brother who wished to claim Kalos out of his own greed. After AZ ended the war by launching his weapon, his brother realized the error of his ways and sought to make amends for his actions by burying the weapon in an attempt to prevent it from ever being used again.
Pokémon
Pokémon X and Y
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Befriended
Debut | Pokémon X and Y |
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Floette is first mentioned by AZ when the player initially encounters him on Route 13, where he mutters to himself about "the flower Pokémon".
It is later revealed in AZ's story of the history of the Kalos region that Floette was sent to fight in a war that broke out in the Kalos region, in which she subsequently died. Out of grief, AZ built the ultimate weapon to revive her, and succeeded. She left him after realizing that the life energy of other Pokémon was used to bring her back to life.
Floette's last appearance is during the parade arranged by Professor Sycamore in Lumiose City. After AZ battles the player and is liberated from his torment, she floats down from the sky and finally returns to him. Neither Floette nor AZ are seen after this.
Unlike other Floette, she has a unique color scheme and holds a flower known as the Eternal Flower.
Quotes
- "The Pokémon… The flower Pokémon… The Pokémon that was given eternal life…"
- "Listen, one who will face Lysandre…"
- "A terribly long time ago…"
- "There was a man and a Pokémon. He loved that Pokémon very much."
- "A war began."
- "The man's beloved Pokémon took part in the war."
- "Several years passed."
- "He was given a tiny box."
- "The man wanted to bring the Pokémon back. No matter what it took."
- "The man built a machine to give it life."
- "He brought his beloved Pokémon back."
- "The man had suffered too much. His rage had not subsided."
- "He could not forgive the world that had hurt the Pokémon he loved."
- "He turned the machine into the ultimate weapon."
- "The man became a bringer of destruction that ended the war."
- "The Pokémon that was given life must have known…"
- "That the lives of many Pokémon were taken to restore its life."
- "The resurrected Pokémon left the man."
- "Get the key back. It should not be used. Everything will vanish again. Do you want to know unending pain…like I have?"
- "A long time ago. A very long time ago."
- "The man made an ultimate weapon. Using it enquired the life force of many Pokémon… The Pokémon granted eternal life learned this."
- "The resurrected eternal Pokémon left the man's side. The man was surprised and sad. He had revived it so they could be together…"
- "Day after day passed, but they were never to meet. Eventually, he became a mere shell of a man. A man condemned to wander forever by the light of the weapon…"
- "And a Pokémon that also wanders eternally…"
- "Where is it now? What do I have to do to meet it?"
- Before battle
- "Battle with me."
- "I want to know what a 'Trainer' is."
- After being defeated
- "Thank you very much for battling with me. Now I finally feel free…"
- "Free from the part of me mired in sorrow--the part of me that built the ultimate weapon…"
- "Floette…"
- "It's been 3,000 years…"
Trivia
- AZ is the tallest person in the main series games.
- Despite being classified as a Pokémon Trainer, AZ uses the Gym Leader music when battled.
- AZ is the only Trainer outside of a battle facility to give no prize money on defeat, and from which the player's Pokémon do not gain any experience.
- AZ is also the only Trainer to be battled between the Hall of Fame and the end credits.
- AZ may be based on the medieval Christian legend of the Wandering Jew. AZ may also be based on the Mesopotamian king Gilgamesh; in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the titular king traveled long and far in his quest for immortality for himself after the death of his closest companion, Enkidu.
- AZ may be depicted in paintings within Parfum Palace. When one of the paintings is examined after defeating AZ at the end of the story, the player notes that it reminds them of him. A younger AZ is also depicted in a mural displayed in Lumiose Museum.
- AZ is the oldest known human in the history of Pokémon, games or otherwise.
- All of the Pokémon that AZ uses in battle are Pokémon associated with ancient civilization or longevity; Torkoal is based on a tortoise, which can live for multiple centuries, and both Golurk and Sigilyph are Pokémon thought to be from ancient times. Also, all know Return, indicating a high friendship level with AZ.
- An interview with Junichi Masuda in Game Informer magazine reveals that AZ's Floette was given to him by his mother and was taken by force by the soldiers fighting in the war.
- The interview also reveals that AZ's great height is due to the influence of the ultimate weapon's power on his body, and that he continued to age despite being immortal.
- AZ shares several similarities with N from the Generation V games.
- Both use names made up of just capital letters.
- They both befriend the player at the end of the game.
- Both of their identities are unknown until late in the game.
- Both are related to the leaders of villainous teams.
Names
Language | Name | Origin |
---|---|---|
Japanese, English, Italian, Korean |
AZ | From the letters A and Z, meaning the beginning and end |
French, Spanish | A.Z. | From his Japanese name |
German | Azett | From A and Zett (German reading of Z) |
References
This game character article is part of Project CharacterDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in the Pokémon games. |