The month of June comes to an end, and the reign of Charizard is complete. It's time to pass the torch to new Pokemon for Dragon of the Month. I almost didn't make it today, but these are dragons that I really wanted to celebrate, they are some of my favorites, so I made sure that I didn't miss their special day.
If you read your horoscope you'll know that the month of June means the sun is in Gemini, the twins, a constellation that is named after the brothers Castor and Pollux from Greek mythology. I think this is a perfect time to welcome the Eon Twins to the Hall of Memorial here at Dragon Ascent.
Come share your thoughts on the dragon brother and sister Latias and Latios! This month's spotlight dragon. I personally love them!
Before gen 3 dragons were so elusive that we would get one dragon for each region, starting with the Dragonite evolutionary line for Kanto, and Kingdra in Johto for GSC, both of which I like. However, Hoenn in Ruby and Sapphire went all out and gave us a whole feast of dragons, which is one of the many reasons why I like this region so much, there are also these cool soaring creatures to choose from, there's Altaria, Flygon, Salamence, Rayquaza and of course Lati twins.
Latios and Latias are both excellent pokemon. They have immediately appealing designs with expressive faces, especially Latias' big innocent hazel eyes.
Their conception is also very interesting and creative as a pair of empath twins that are telepathic and can shapeshift and become invisible, one always female the other always male.
Their typing of dragon/psychic is equally unique. It's the only base form pokemon with this dual typing. While it has its share of weaknesses, it has a lot of resistances too. I think it's an especially strong typing offensively on Latios, because you can hit 9 pokemon out of 10 for neutral or super-effective damage with just your stabs, and like most dragon mons they have no shortage of coverage moves to take care of the rest, and with the right set they can deal with any matchup with all these hard-hitting moves, earthquake, thunderbolts, grass knots you name it.
They also have a useful ability levitate that protects them against earthquake, one of the most powerful moves in the game and stops a lot of entry hazards from hurting them like toxic spikes.
Both Latias and Latios have their own signature move. For Latios it's luster purge, a 70 base power stab with a 50 percent chance to drop their foe's special defense, breaking them for the kill from this devastating sweeper. Latias has Mist ball, a 70 base power stab that does the reverse, dropping your enemy's special attack, making an already bulky pokemon even harder to take down.
They are super fast pokemon with all sorts of good utility moves. I mean these guys are really versatile. They can heal, boost their stats with calm mind, defog, pass wishes, set up screens, can paralzye you.
It doesn't end there, they get a trademark held item soul dew that doubles their special attack/defense.
They both have the same base very high 600 stats, but the distribution is flipped around, with Latias being a great defensive pokemon, and her brother Latios being made for all out attacking. I have used both, they are both fantastic, and even their weakest solid enough that a Latias can still have an offense presence, and Latios can still potentially defend.
With the advent of mega evolution they became even more extraordinary with another 100 base points to spread around. Mega Latios can be an especially good mixed attacker with that 130 physical attack and 160 special attack.
I just wish they distinguished them visually in their mega forms a little better like they do in their base form. They pretty much get the same color scheme.
Which one do you prefer, Latias or Latios?
I really like both. I have conquered the Battle maison and Battle frontier with Latias as well as Latios, it just really depends on what you need on the team. They are both great pokemon.
If I have to pick though, it's Latios. It more frequently tends to be the version exclusive available in the game I get, so I am a little more accustomed to using it, and really got attached to it in Omega Ruby after soaring on him. I like it's more sedate color scheme best too with the light teal blue, since the twins are associated with the sea I think the male one's color evokes that best. Latios also has endeared itself to me because of it's brave actions in the pokemon 5th movie.
Latios and Latias have made some important apoearances in the television series and movies. Ash notably faced Tobias's Latios in a Titanic duel with Pikachu for the final battle of the Lily of the Valley Conference.
Latias and Latios also came to Ash's rescue in the movie Hoopa Clash of the Ages.
However, their most significant role is undoubtedly in the film pokemon Heroes as part of a mystical family of protectors for the city of Altamore.
Have you ever seen Pokemon 5: Heroes, and what did you think of it if you did?
I have seen it, and I like it, but it's really sad, still a good movie, but it gets harder to watch as it climaxes.
I really liked the look of Altamore as this ancient city built on the water, much like Venice, and the back story of the first Latios that came to the city and became it's protector, their father, gave additional texture to the world.
I thought Bianca, the pretty painter who accompanies Latias was a nicely-designed character as well.
I always enjoy the beginning of the movie most. It has a nice opening animation sequence in the prologue, and the water races are a lot of fun. This is notably also Misty's last movie appearance.
What I liked most is that Latias and Latios very distinct personalities and a lot emotion is conveyed through the animation with Latias being very sweet and playful, and Latios being more protective and serious, but still really loving.
If you played Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald you probably remember that Latios and Latias were roaming legendaries, much like Suicuine, Entei and Raikou were in Gold and Silver.
Did you ever catch Latios or Latias in a roaming encounter?
Indeed, I stumbled upon Latios in Emerald completing randomly while I was surfing near I think Pacifidlog Town. I was just trying to do some ev training on the tentacool, when the shadow of a pokemon that looked really different than anything else I had seen in the area appeared where there should have been just run of the mill water pokemon. My brain then put together what was happening as Latios came into full view.
I knew what this pokemon was, and that it could run away. I also had nothing that could put this guy to sleep or trap it, so I hurled my master ball without even asking questions, and welcomed Latios to my team. If there was ever a time to use a master ball, then it was then. I might not have ever see this enchanting creature gain so I wasn't taking any risks.
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The role of Latias and Latios increased in the remakes of the Hoenn games, pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
Did you ever play these games, and what did you think of their earlier availability, incorporation into the main story?
I think it was honestly a little op to have legendary Pokemon after like the 3rd gym, and you don't even have to battle them to obtain these pokemon, they're just gifts. I think they probably should have been introduced just a little later so that we have worked harder and come farther to earn being rewarded with something so rare and special, but I do ultimately like the idea of you obtainimg them before the post game plot-wise. It's neat detail that you have to defend them, and they are there to help you on your quest to protect the region of Hoenn from the ensuing disaster, that is more dramatic and seems in keeping with who they are because they are psychic-- they should have some sense of the changes happening in the world around them.
Though I have some questions about the placement of where we meet these pokemon in the story, all in all I think still Oras went in the right direction to make these pokemon more active in the game. Their plotline also really helps further the development of another character Steven Stone, one of the best characters of the series, and some of the most iconic parts of Oras are riding on Latias/Latios with Steven Stone, and getting the eon flute to use the soaring mechanic.
It's not for no reason that Omega Ruby is my favorite game.
