Spoink is a Pokémon that leads an unusually fragile existence. It possess no hindlegs and locomotion is achieved by bouncing on its spring tail. However, the bouncing serves a far more vital function in that it keeps its heart beating; if it's stopped from bouncing, it'll go into cardiac arrest and die. It also wears a Clamperl pearl on top of its head to amplify its psychic powers. However, if it doesn't have the pearl, it begins to weaken, so Spoink is in constant danger from either ceasing to bounce or losing its pearl.
Spoink first appeared in Pearls are a Spoink's Best Friend. The Bounce Pokémon had lost its pearl and Ash and friends had to help find the missing pearl. Spoink happened to be a kleptomaniac for anything round (especially round Pokémon) when it didn't have its pearl.
The same Spoink appeared again in Clamperl of Wisdom, where it loses its pearl once again. Ash and friends go searching for another pearl, but Team Rocket stole the only Clamperl that had one.
Spoink bounces around on its tail. The shock of its bouncing makes its heart pump. As a result, this Pokémon cannot afford to stop bouncing - if it stops, its heart will stop.
Spoink keeps a pearl on top of its head. The pearl functions to amplify this Pokémon's psychokinetic powers. It is therefore on a constant search for a bigger pearl.
The pearl on Spoink's head went from peach-colored in generation III to bright pink in Generation IV.
Origin
It is possible the inspiration for Spoink came from the proverb "do not cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet." The pearls were supposed to represent wisdom given to an audience who would not appreciate the teachings. Spoink and Grumpig appear to instead use those pearls of wisdom to enhance their mental powers. It is obviously based off a pig.
Name origin
Spoink's name is possibly a combination of spring and oink, the sound a pig makes. Baneboo is probably derived from 発条 bane, spring, and ぶうぶう būbū, the sound of grumbling or oinking. The end of its name may also be a shortening of 豚 buta, pig.
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 Spoink images on Bulbagarden Archives.
