Pokémon

Upon evolving into Gengar, this Pokémon finally stops levitating all the time. Has it finally finished forming out of gas? Or maybe it has fully transitioned from the spiritual plane to the physical one? Even if that’s the case, Gengar can still revert to a non-physical form if it wishes. This extremely mischievous and, at times, malicious Pokémon enjoys playing practical jokes, casting curses, absorbing people’s heat, and pretending to be someone’s shadow. When its quarry notices its ‘shadow’ behaving strangely, Gengar makes itself visible and takes delight in its victim’s terror. It is even said that Gengar may emerge from the darkness to steal the lives of those who have become lost in the wilderness or abandoned buildings. Gengar’s presence cools the temperature of an area by nearly 10°C because its body acts as a heat sink. A sudden and unexplained chill is therefore one of the best ways to tell if a Gengar is nearby.

Gengar may be partially based on the concept of ‘shadow people’ – the idea that a person’s shadow becomes possessed by a malevolent supernatural being and begins to move on its own. This Pokémon is basically a living shadow – your living shadow. The name Gengar probably comes from the German word doppelgänger, a term commonly borrowed by English speakers that means a person’s double or look-alike, sometimes in a paranormal context – fitting for a Pokémon that has a habit of pretending to be a person’s shadow¹.

Gengar’s ability to slip in and out of the shadows may provide a clue to another of this Pokémon’s inspirations: the Cheshire Cat. A character that appears in Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the Cheshire Cat is known for appearing and disappearing at will and for its iconic mischievous, almost sinister grin – two aspects mirrored in Gengar’s design. Gengar even has purple fur (?), a tail, and cat-like ears.

Gengar is one of the rare Pokémon that is capable of Mega Evolving (a process that was first introduced in Generation VI, back in 2013). When Gengar temporarily turns into Mega Gengar, it assumes a more menacing and otherworldly form. Its lower body takes on a demonic reddish hue, and it begins sinking into another dimension – possibly the shadow realm – where it keeps a patient watch for its chance to attack. This Pokémon has a very malicious nature, and its relationships are completely warped due to the power of Mega Evolution. It now desires to take and curse the life of anyone and anything in its path; it may even try to curse its own Trainer. An unsettling third eye on its forehead – yellow and unblinking – allows Mega Gengar to see into other dimensions. This is truly a monstrous and malevolent shadow-beast, with no love or loyalty to anyone.

And finally, we have Gigantamax Gengar. Just like Mega Gengar, portions of its body seem to be sinking into another dimension, with only the head, tail, and arms remaining in our realm. It even has hints of red and pink at the bottom, retaining the demonic look Mega Gengar had. The difference this time is that Gigantamax Gengar is massive. It has a colossal, cavernous maw, which is rumoured not to lead into its body, but into the afterlife. It’s as if its body is merely a frame for its enormous ‘portal mouth’. Those who stand near it may hear the voices of their deceased loved ones, calling out to them from the void within.

When I first saw Gigantamax Gengar, it reminded me of the Cave of Wonders from Disney’s Aladdin. It still does, but that vortex-like mouth also gives the impression of a terrifying, slightly trippy carnival funhouse – except the entrance leads straight to Hell. That giant, lolling tongue ties this Gigantamax Pokémon back to some of its earliest forms – in this case, Haunter, which steals the lifeforce of its victims by licking them.

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1. The following fact has nothing to do with Pokémon, but as a fan of etymology, I find it interesting nonetheless. The word doppelgänger was initially used to describe a meal in which two courses were served at the same time, while the very similar doppeltgänger (note the extra ‘t’) was the original word used to describe your perfect double. However, numerous and repeated mistranslations over the centuries have led to the former spelling being used to describe this phenomenon. ↩︎