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The Guardian of Paradise is the secondary antagonist of the 2022 video games Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, being a Koraidon in Pokémon Scarlet and Miraidon in Pokémon Violet, respectively. It is an aggressive and territorial Paradox Pokémon brought to the present era by Professor Sada/Turo to conduct a study on Pokémon species of its time as an intended mate for another of its kind. However, instead of getting along, the Guardian of Paradise decided to claim dominance over their territory and force the first Koriadon/Miraidon out.
Personality[]
The Guardian of Paradise is exactly as all Paradox Pokémon are described by the Pokédex: violent and hostile. Upon being thrown into an unknown era, it decided to get into a territorial battle, which even ended up with the death of the professor. That created a bitter rivalry that drove the other one away. Its inability to get along with its other is because of pride, viewing the more docile Koraidon/Miraidon as weak. This is also shown in its style of battle, as its first instinct is to use the move Taunt, indicating that it never believed its rival could've become stronger.
Once defeated, the former Guardian of Paradise had let go of its pride, even losing the move Taunt in favor of something else.
Biography[]
Origin[]
The Koraidon/Miraidon species are the ancestor/progeny species of the Pokémon Cyclizar from the prehistoric past and far future, respectively. Notably, they are each one of few Pokémon whose sparse numbers of their respective eras give them the status and strength of legendary Pokémon.
Professor Sada/Turo managed to bring forth two specimens of their respective species to the present for study, albeit in sequence. The first specimen was incredibly docile, being so friendly with the professor that it only took a normal Pokéball to capture instead of a Master Ball like every other Paradox Pokémon. The second - later being called the Guardian of Paradise - was far more aggressive, taking very little time to become territorial over the foreign era and bully the friendlier specimen.
During one of their fights, the professor was killed trying to protect the friendlier Koraidon/Miraidon from an attack launched by the aggressive one, leading to the professor's death. As a result of the professor's death, the Paradise Protection Protocol they designed took over their android duplicate and managed the professor's research in their stead. However, the AI Sada/Turo started to take the professor's research in the opposite direction in the hopes of containing the Paradox Pokémon and shutting down the rampant time machine, losing control over the Guardian of Paradise in the process.
Being Put in its Place[]
Another territorial battle between the two Koraidons/Miraidons took place shortly before the player character started their school year at Naranja/Uva Academy, with the more docile specimen losing and being forced out of Area Zero with traumatic injuries and a mental block that prevented it from achieving its battling form or returning to Area Zero. Having shoved out its rival, the aggressive specimen claimed dominion over Area Zero.
Eventually, when the docile specimen was called back on the AI professor's wishes, the Guardian of Paradise confronted it and its trainer, attempting to force it out of Area Zero once again. However, it was stopped by an opportunity to return to the professor's lab. When the player got inside the lab, the Guardian of Paradise attempted to attack them, but was stopped by the AI professor and returned to its Pokéball.
Once the AI professor was forced into defending the time machine directly by the Paradise Protection Protocol, they sent out the Guardian of Paradise to attack the seemingly defenseless trainers who were hoping to stop the time machine. However, its rival Koraidon/Miraidon was sent out by its trainer, having regained its strength and confidence to fight its rival in its battling form once again. Initially, the Guardian of Paradise appeared to have the upper hand, but the tables turned when Koraidon/Miraidon's trainer terastallized it, giving it the strength and type advantage necessary to beat the Guardian of Paradise. With the Guardian defeated, the AI professor sacrificed themselves by using the time machine to send themselves and the Scarlet Book/Violet Book that activates it into the ancient past/distant future, thus shutting down the Paradise Protection Protocol and preventing more Paradox Pokémon from being brought to the present.
With its trainer gone and the connection to its Master Ball severed, the Guardian of Paradise gave up trying to conquer Area Zero, malingering beside the time machine until it figured out what to do with itself. Later, its rival's trainer returned for its capture, reuniting the two Koraidons/Miraidons as somewhat begrudging enemies-turned-friends.
Trivia[]
- A recurring theme in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet is that by large, all the antagosnist aren't actually evil but rather misunderstood people or victims of unfortunate circumstances; Sada/Turo wished to achieve their dreams of creating a habitat for Paradox Pokémon to thrive, Team Star were wrongfully framed as thugs for trying to defend themselves against aggressors, Kieran's time as an abusive bully were due to mental issues and self-esteem problems, Terapagos was an innocent and primitive infant that did not understand the full extent of its power, and Pecharunt wanted to fulfill its owner's wishes to obtain Ogerpon's masks. The Guardian of Paradise is the only antagonist to be truly malicious by its own accord, given its desire to be the Apex Pokémon of Area Zero by ousting the other Koraidon/Miraidon.
- In a Spirit Board event of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Koraidon and Miraidon appear as one spirit. Their battle is a red Charizard and a Ridley, representing Koraidon and Miraidon respectively. The stage is Final Destination in reference to the time machine inside the Zero Lab.
