With Pokémon Approaching the three-year mark without an iteration of the main series, fans are wondering what the 10th generation game might have in store for them. One thing Game Freak has been fond of in recent games is giving more attention to fan favorite creatures from past games. With that in mind, Pokémon's Generation 10 provides the perfect opportunity to finally give a Generation 1 Pokémon a brighter outlook.
PokémonThe first generation is a favorite among many fans, and Game Freak has taken notice. Recent games have begun to introduce new evolutions, regional forms, and now converging forms of previous creatures, usually from the series' earliest entries. These new forms give Game Freak a chance to expand on the lore behind some Pokemon or give them a power boost they've been missing. It doesn't look like this practice is going to end anytime soon, so when considering which monsters deserve more love, a first-generation Pokemon immediately pops up. Cubone has always had a tragic history, and a new form can give it a new life. Some idolize Cubone because of its tragedy, and others have theorized about Cubone's parentage, but in all this attention it remains the result of tragedy. Generation 10 would be the perfect time to finally turn the tide in Cubone's favor.
Family
Pokemon Gen 10 may pay tribute to Gen 1 with a regional fake
There are many possible candidates to receive new forms based around the Pokemon Gen 10 region, but one Pokemon already has a clear inspiration.
How a new form could lift Cubone's spirit
Starting with Generation 2, Game Freak decided that certain Pokémon deserved a refresh. The likes of Golbat, Seadra and Tangela have all received new evolutions that help them stand out and make them more powerful at the same time. This is probably also the thought process behind regional forms and developments. Even Cubone's evolution, Marowak, got a fire-type Alolan form in generation 7. A new evolution, regional form, or convergent form would be the ideal way to add more positive lore to the Cubone line, providing the catharsis that it so desperate wishes.
A new cubic evolution
One avenue Game Freak could take to help Cubone out of its rut is to give it a new evolution. Some fans have already imagined what an evolution of Marowak might look like. It is even believed that the Cubone line was intended to be a three-step evolutionary line from the very beginning, leading to the theory that Kangaskhan may be the mother whose skull Cubone wears. A third development in the line could see Marowak throw away his mother's skull as a sign of inner growth and acceptance, making Cubone's story one of recovering from loss rather than being destroyed by it.
Cubone's convergent mirror image
After the introduction of convergent evolutions in Generation 9, some fans believe that the next generation may have more, and Cubone may be a prime candidate. Many Pokémon could benefit from a convergent evolutionary line, but Cubone provides an opportunity for an ironic twist on the idea. The idea behind convergent Pokemon is that, just like in real life, sometimes creatures look alike, but they're not actually related. There's no better way to show that idea than to introduce a Pokémon that looks like Cubone, but has a background that's as wholesome as Cubone's is sad. In some ways, it would feel like adding insult to injury for Cubone, but creating a Pokémon that acts as a mirror image could lead to some interesting interactions between the two.
Something completely new
The Pokémon series has been in an era of experimentation lately, starting with the introduction of battle tricks like mega evolution in gen 6. Each generation after has received some new form of battle-related boost, often tied to certain Pokémon, as well as the game's story. Pokémon Gen 10 will likely get its own gimmick, so maybe Cubone could get a new power or form due to the events of the next gen story. With so many possibilities, that would be a shame Pokémon games continued to let Cubone suffer its unfortunate fate, so hopefully a new era will dawn for it in Gen 10.