The Ethical Implications Of RotomDex

[Jeischita_Homaji]

As cool as the RotomDex is and as glad as I am that they are introducing talking
Pokemon into the game's Canon, am I the only one who questions whether or not
it is ethical and the quality of life of the Pokemon inside? This isn't like a Pokeball
where the Pokemon are converted into unconcious energy, this is an actual
physical pokemon being forced to live inside a computer shell. Any way you put it,
something seems off about such a situation.

On a related note, would RotomDex have any usefullness in battle? It is still a Pokemon
after all.

RotomDex Used Educate...
It's Super Effective!
The Enemy Rowlet Is Confused!

 

[COOLTRAINER♂]

I think Rotom chooses to live inside whatever electronic device it finds, like switching forms in the previous games.

 

[Deníz1]

But to answer your Question I guess Rotom's dream has always been being a Pokedex Inhabitant. I guess Papa Rotom and Mama Rotom are so freakn proud they Called Auntie Rotom and Granma Rotom to brag about THEIR SON being the chosen Rotom for the RotomDex, joining millions of awesome guys (and some idiots) on their pokemon journey! ;-)

 

[Inky]

A Rotom dex is the least of the ethical issues you could raise with Pokémon games... It's a game, enjoy it

 

[Rivvon]

People seem to have forgotten gen 5; Pokémon games have raised and used questions of ethicality as a main theme of their narrative before.

If Magearna turns out to be a PokéBall given life, maybe giving life (purposefully) to technology could be a theme touched upon in these games.

I'm fairly certain the Rotom is fine with being placed in a PokéDex, though, since it places itself in all sorts of other electrical appliances.

 

[Hikamaru]

Like some of the others said, Rotom can possess objects and live inside electronic devices, such as the different appliances it can possess to use its alternate forms.

 

[Somewhere_]

Considering we use pokemon to fight other pokemon until one of them faints or gets injured badly, I dont think Rotom would be happier as a pokedex tbh.

 

[Caaethil]

this is an actual
physical pokemon being forced to live inside a computer shell. Any way you put it,
something seems off about such a situation.

You do realise that Rotom's whole deal is literally possessing electronics? Dex Form is no different to any other Rotom form. The concept art seems to show that, just like in its other forms, Rotom can freely hover around in the Pokedex, so it really isn't an issue.

The guy also seems pretty happy in there in the trailers and such. He's probably willing. Plus, I'm sure he can come out, just like a Rotom in any other form can switch his form.

Beyond that, it was also mentioned before that there are much bigger ethical questions in the Pokemon universe than Rotom being inside a Pokedex.

As a side note, there is no official confirmation that Pokemon remain as 'unconscious energy' while inside the Pokeball. For all we know, a whole manner of things could be happening between them being called in and being sent back out.

 

[OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire]

When they first showed it I wondered if the dex forme would be like calling Rotom into a Pokeball.
Then again the species loves being inside devices (in part to scare people), and tends to stick around those with special motors (the latter is according to Charon's notes). Hmm, I wonder if Kukui, Hala, or whoever made the dex we get in SM uncovered the secrets of that special motor...

 

[ZangooseClaw]

Rotom seems to feel at home in the form of electrical appliances so maybe attaching with a PokeDex is a great accomplishment and he doesn't mind sticking around to help out the newly befriended character. I also don't see Rotom having any battle influence.

 

[OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire]

Rotom seems to feel at home in the form of electrical appliances so maybe attaching with a PokeDex is a great accomplishment and he doesn't mind sticking around to help out the newly befriended character. I also don't see Rotom having any battle influence.

Charon's notes in Pt (and HgSs) spell out what you said. It even entered his toy robot to play with the guy when he was a kid.

I don't think Rotom dex forme will be able to be used in battle, but if it can then I see it being Electric/Psychic.
I wonder if they brought Rotom back as an important mon for the 10th anniversary of DP.

 

[Luzu]

I see it as a Rotom who would rather live it's life posessing a Pokedex than battling other Pokemon. Maybe it's a general thing about Kukui's research or something, since Lillie dislikes using Pokemon for battling.

 

[Migit78]

Isn't a bigger question, what happens when Rotom gets bored and decides he/she/it no longer wants to be a PokeDex, and wants to be a lawnmower or a washing maching or something else? Is the trainer left stranded without a pokedex?

 

[MarinoKadame]

Rotom is Skynet.