Flapple is a green, worm-like dragon Pokémon with a light green underside and yellow eyes. It uses parts of an apple to form its body. The top part of the apple sits on the top of its head, with a single horn sticking out; the bottom of the apple is attached to its tail; and the sides are attached to its limbs, which have three-clawed hands, allowing them to act as wings.
Its cheeks store acid strong enough to induce chemical burns. It can attack by spitting this acid at its targets. It is also able to disguise itself as an apple by folding its wings.
When exposed to Gigantamax energy, Flapple changes into the shape of a giant apple with a green dragon-like Pokémon inside. Its leaf-like eyestalks stand up straight and it has the top of the apple on its head with yellow carvings on the apple resembling nostrils. Its tail is elongated and wraps around the base of the apple. The Pokémon has rounded cheeks and hangs its mouth open letting a red tongue hang out of its mouth. Three red clouds float around the neck.
The sweet nectar that covers its body increases in thickness, allowing it to absorb more damage than normal. It can shoot out nectar, enough to be able drown its opponents in the blast of nectar. Flapple can produce significantly sweeter nectar in Gigantamax form. An intensely sweet aroma of nectar pours out when it stretches its neck, and this aroma is so sweet it can cause other Pokémon to faint by merely taking a sniff of the scent.
Flapple and Appletun are the only Pokémon to have physically identical Gigantamax forms, although they are still treated as different Pokémon as they have distinct Pokédex entries, G-Max Moves, and cries.
This is also the only instance of two different species of Pokémon that can be physically identical without the use of Transform, Imposter, or Illusion.
require only 600,000 experience points to reach level 100, the lowest among Generation VIII Pokémon.
Origin
Flapple may be based on the larvae of geometer moths (also known as inchworms) and the larvae of Codling moths, which burrow into apples and feed on their cores, while also sharing visual similarities with geckos. The powerful acid it spits may be a reference to amygdalin, a chemical compound found in apple seeds, which releases cyanide into the body when digested. Its Gigantamax form appears to be based on a caramel apple, and its ability to make Pokémon faint due to its sweetness may be a reference to a diabetic coma. Considering its Dragon typing, it may be a visual pun on "wyrm", the Old English word for not only worms, but also serpentine dragons.
Given its flying apple motif and signature move, Grav Apple, Flapple could also be based on the tale of Newton's Apple. Popularized by Voltaire, it claimed the English natural philosopher Sir Isaac Newton had the first thought of his system of gravity upon seeing an apple falling from a tree.
Flapple and Appletun having identical Gigantamax forms may be a reference to convergent evolution, which can lead to separate organisms independently developing identical characteristics and body plans. It may also be relevant to the commonly shared name used for the Mexican mole lizard by their native language, ajolote, in conjunction with the axolotl.
Name origin
Flapple may be a combination of flap and apple.
Appryu may be a combination of apple and 竜 ryū (dragon).
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
For other sprites and images, please see Flapple images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
