Aliens are barely needed in a world that already has dragons and ghosts, so the games mostly hint at them. One Pokemon emerged from a virus that came from space. Another was inside a meteorite that fell 20,000 years ago.
See all 10 alien Pokemon in one list.
Here's every alien Pokemon:
Mewtwo, the Genetic Pokemon, has domestic cat and embryo characteristics like Mew, but its body is much larger as a result of gene splicing. It also has some characteristics of a grey alien and a salamander, and its tail resembles an umbilical cord.
Its DNA is almost the same as Mew's, though its size and disposition are vastly different. It stands 2 m tall and weighs 122 kg.
Metagross, the Iron Leg Pokemon, is reminiscent of a UFO and a lander, the kind of spacecraft that touches down on another world. Its body is also based on a spider and a supercomputer.
It is the result of the fusion of two Metang, and it defeats opponents with its supercomputer-level brain. It stands 1.6 m tall and weighs 550 kg.
Deoxys, the DNA Pokemon, draws inspiration from certain representations of aliens and from the double helix of DNA. It may also be loosely based on viruses and mutation, and it strongly resembles the shape of a chromosome, which fits its ability to duplicate. It is an alien virus that fell to earth on a meteor, which suggests links to panspermia, the idea that life itself is extraterrestrial and arrived on Earth through celestial objects.
It is highly intelligent, wields psychokinetic powers and shoots lasers from the crystalline organ on its chest. It stands 1.7 m tall and weighs 60.8 kg, a lot lighter than a meteorite has any right to be.
Elgyem, the Cerebral Pokemon, is based on greys, one of the more popular kinds of alien. Its rocky body may refer to the stone circles of Europe, which were allegedly created by visiting extraterrestrials, or to Japanese Dogu, statues that have often been confused for alien artifacts. The depressions where its ears should be look like craters on faraway planets, and the flashing patterns of its fingers may come from the 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
It was discovered about 50 years ago and its highly developed brain lets it exert psychic powers, which may nod to the Area 51 and Roswell stories. It stands 0.5 m tall and weighs 9 kg.
Beheeyem, also a Cerebral Pokemon, is based on greys too, and its design resembles a person in a hat and trench coat. That is likely a reference to stereotypical spies, "Men in Black" and government agents who turn up after alien sightings. The saucer-shaped underside of its head might refer to the common shape of UFOs.
It is sometimes found drifting above wheat fields and it can control the memories of its opponents. Its connection with the disappearances of Dubwool and its habit of lingering over wheat fields are likely references to abducting livestock and flattening crop circles, two things aliens get blamed for. It stands 1 m tall and weighs 34.5 kg.
Genesect, the Paleozoic Pokemon, may be based on the giant insects of the Paleozoic era. Its Steel-type features and robotic appearance came from Team Plasma's modifications, and those traits may draw from cyborgs, alien robots or artillery-based mecha in science fiction.
It existed 300 million years ago and Team Plasma attached a cannon to its back. It stands 1.5 m tall and weighs 82.5 kg. It is the only alien here that was an ordinary prehistoric bug before somebody bolted a cannon to it.
Necrozma, the Prism Pokemon, may be based on prisms and light refraction, which may relate to the codename of Pokemon Sun and Moon, Niji, meaning rainbow. Hawaii, the basis for Alola, is known as the Rainbow State. The star-like symbol on the back of its head may represent black dwarfs, black holes or neutron stars. It may also be inspired by depictions of aliens in science fiction, as suggested by its unusual proportions, large head and Psychic type.
It needs light to survive and goes on a rampage seeking it out, and its laser beams will cut anything to pieces. It stands 2.4 m tall and weighs 230 kg.
Eternatus, the Gigantic Pokemon, has an extraterrestrial nature and a dragon-like look that may be inspired by Uther Pendragon, King Arthur's father, who started using dragons on his standards after witnessing a dragon-shaped comet. It also vaguely resembles aliens from various pieces of media, and its association with wishing stars points the same way.
It was inside a meteorite that fell 20,000 years ago and it has a connection to the Dynamax phenomenon. It stands 20 m tall and weighs 950 kg. Of everything here it is the one that looks the least like it wants to talk.
Toedscruel, the Woodear Pokemon, is based on a mushroom, specifically a wood ear mushroom, which is called kikurage, or "tree jellyfish", in Japan. That explains its resemblance to the jellyfish-based Tentacruel. Its appearance also resembles the stereotypical image of an octopoid alien, which is particularly popular in Japan.
It coils its 10 tentacles around prey and sucks out their nutrients, causing the prey pain, and the folds along the rim of its head are a popular delicacy. It stands 1.9 m tall and weighs 58 kg.
Iron Moth, a Paradox Pokemon, is based on Volcarona and on a UFO, specifically a foo fighter, a type of UFO that was often described as a ball of fire. The name may come from a corruption of the French word feu, meaning fire. Its appearance may also be based on satellites and space telescopes, particularly the James Webb Space Telescope, and its wings resemble solar panels, heat radiators or LED displays.
No records exist of this species being caught and its traits match an object described in an old book. It stands 1.2 m tall and weighs 36 kg.
Mewtwo, Metagross, Deoxys, Elgyem, Beheeyem and Necrozma all have the Psychic type, which is more than any other type on this list. Necrozma's unusual proportions, large head and Psychic type point to aliens in science fiction. Beheeyem can control the memories of its opponents, and Deoxys wields psychokinetic powers after arriving as a virus from space.
There are 10 alien Pokemon, and six of them are Psychic types.
Eternatus, with a base stat total of 690. Mewtwo follows at 680.
Yes. Elgyem is based on greys, one of the more popular kinds of alien.
Yes. Deoxys emerged from a virus that came from space.
Iron Moth, which is based on a foo fighter, and Metagross, which is reminiscent of a UFO and a lander.
