In its Zero Form, Palafin is a light blue cetacean Pokémon with the exact same physical appearance as its pre-evolution Finizen, except for a pink heart-shaped marking on its chest, surrounded by a larger white heart-shaped marking. Like Finizen, it has a pale bluish white coloration on its underbelly that extends to its lower jaw and eyes, as well as on its dorsal fin. Its eyes have two-tone blue and pink pupils, and it has a short snout, as well as a single blowhole atop its head. On the sides of its body are pale bluish white wave patterns. It has a pair of pectoral fins and a split tailfin, with a ring of water surrounding the base of its tail.
In its Hero Form, Palafin's physiology drastically changes, gaining considerable muscle mass and becoming able to stand on its tail fins. Its body is primarily dark blue with white colorations on its lower jaw, belly, sides, dorsal fin, and the bottom of its tail fins. The heart-shaped marking on its chest grows larger to resemble a shield and a cetacean's tail fin. Parts of its body are covered with water, forming gloves, a cape or cowl, and three tail rings. Its eyes are also covered with water, evoking a mask.
Palafin is known as the "Pelagic Protector". When it hears its allies calling for help, Palafin will change its appearance from its Zero Form to its Hero Form via its signature Ability, Zero to Hero. This transformation awakens its ancient genes, and is done in secret. Palafin is at full power when in the Hero Form, being strong enough to lift a cruise ship with just one fin and swimming at speeds of 50 knots. It is known to save drowning people and Pokémon. As seen in HZ042, Hero Form Palafin is able of stretching and contracting its water rings at will, as well of shooting them off its body. By releasing water from its blowhole, it can jump very high and fly through the air. The water lenses confer enhanced vision to Hero Form Palafin, which is also capable of firing off its gloves like jets of water. The heart-shaped symbol on its chest glows pink as Hero Form Palafin takes on the people's cheers. That same episode also revealed its chest is its weak point.
Palafin has two interchangeable forms: Zero Form and Hero Form. It will always be in Zero Form outside of battle.
Palafin starts battles in its Zero Form. When it is switched out without fainting, it changes into Hero Form with its AbilityZero to Hero, and remains in that form until the battle ends.
The two forms have different base stats, with Hero Form having increased Attack, Defense, Special Attack, and Special Defense but identical HP and Speed compared to Zero Form. It also has different cries depending on its form. In particular, Zero Form Palafin and its pre-evolution, Finizen, have identical cries.
Palafin seems to be based on a dolphin and a comic book superhero. Its Zero Form's relative lack of visual changes from its pre-evolution seems to be inspired by the trope of superheroes assuming civilian identities to keep their true identity a secret, while its Hero Form seems to represent the hero suiting up whilst unseen and emerging as a superhero. The names of its forms and Ability reference the term "go from zero to hero". The connection between dolphins and superheroes may be inspired by numerous accounts of wild dolphins saving people in open seas.
Additionally, Palafin may be based on the Boto Encantado, a mythical South American creature that takes the form of an ordinary pink river dolphin but can occasionally take a human form and will join in human festivities. Eventually, the Boto must return to the water and shapeshift back into an ordinary pink dolphin. Hero Form Palafin's Shiny coloration is reminiscent of the orca, a type of dolphin.
Palafin evolving from Finizen at level 38 may be a reference to 1938, the year Superman debuted.
Name origin
Palafin may be a combination of paladin or pal (since another player is needed to evolve it) and fin or delfín (Spanish for dolphin).
Irukaman may be a combination of 海豚 iruka (dolphin) and man, which is often used as a suffix for superhero codenames.
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.