Gen 2 origin of Pokemon's most mysterious move explained

The world of Pokémon has grown greatly following the introduction of nine generations filled with a myriad of species, moves and mechanics that have all contributed to its enduring charm. Of all Pokémon moves, but only one of them has ever had the ???-type classification and a unique mechanic unlike any other. While it may have since become Ghost-type, the move known as Curse still stands as an example of an enigmatic part of the franchise's history with ties to the hidden lore of a cut Pokémon.

Introduced in Gen 2, Curse is a move that was initially set apart by its distinct typing and dual effect depending on the user. Existing in a strange limbo between an attacking, status and stat-boosting move, Curse's origins and its bizarre effects can be traced back to the existence of a beta Gold and Silver Pokemon known as Norowara, which was likely removed for being too dark and mature for the franchise.

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Curse's bizarre effects defy Pokemon standards

Noroi Dynamic

The only move affected by the type of its user, Curse, is a damaging move when used by Ghost-type Pokemon. This move halves the user's HP and then causes the opponent to lose a quarter of their HP per turn afterwards in what appears to be the embodiment of the concept of an eerie ritual sacrifice that then causes a victim to suffer over time. This is accompanied by animation similar to a nail being driven into the opponent, a visual motif that would make even more sense in the context of Norowara's obvious haunted doll inspiration.

If the user is not a Ghost-type, Curse will instead lower the user's speed by one step while raising their attack and defense stats by one step, leading to a popular offensive strategy for Normal-type Pokémon. This unique effect could be assumed to represent the lack of ghost abilities, but it is actually a play on the Japanese name for the move, Noroi. This word can be a synonym meaning both “curse” and “dull” or “slow” in the language, so this version of the move is unrelated to the original concept.

Norowara and its ambitious development method were likely too dark for Pokemon

A Pokemon based on a sacrificial doll is a tough sell to a younger audience

Reportedly, Norowara's design would have consisted of a simple doll impaled with a needle, evoking traditional magic and ritualistic practices associated with curses. There were also obviously game mechanics tied to the concept of sacrifice, with Norowara only being able to learn the move Curse if it didn't progress further in its evolution, Kyonpan, a Pokemon inspired by a Jiangshi. This is due to the fact that Curse would have been learned at max level 100, leaving Norowara stuck in his base form after discarding the evolution with each level up.

Not only does this seem like a very esoteric concept for what is intended as a game accessible to a young audience, but it also pushes the boundaries of content in a series that has already suffered from controversy due to aspects such as Kadabra's magic-inspired design .

Norowara lives on Through Curse and the Banette Line

It is not necessarily surprising that Norowara never did Pokemon Gold and Silver officially, but its legacy lives on in the Curse movement and Ghost-type Pokémon that have embraced their morbidity in memorable ways. Shuppet and Banette from Generation 3 draw heavily from the same themes by depicting haunted toys, while Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Greavard has a surprisingly dark background about its status as the spirit of a sick and neglected dog Pokemon. Curse represents a darker side of the franchise to this day, and yet it's a possibility that an idea like Norowara could resurface.