After well over 20 years as the face of the Pokémon franchise, Ash Ketchum will be stepping down over the course of the anime’s next few episodes. Though it will continue on in a new form — and some reports indicate that Ash will return — it will be as a guest star and not as the main protagonist. Instead, a new set of characters will step forward and become the leads of the long-running anime.
Named Liko and Roy in Japanese promos, the new main characters of Pokémon appear poised to begin their journeys in the ninth generation’s Paldea region. They will be traveling with a character named Friede and his partner Pokémon, Captain Pikachu. Little is known about these characters at present, with fans speculating they are Ash’s children and guessing at the meaning behind pieces of their clothing. Perhaps the most intriguing part of the characters that is known as yet is a pair of artifacts they carry with them; what isn’t known is the bearing these will have on the story. Here’s what we know so far about Liko’s pendant and Roy’s Poké Ball.
Liko and Roy’s Artifacts Look Familiar to Pokémon Fans
The artifacts held by Pokémon’s new protagonists are relatively familiar. Roy’s is more immediately recognizable as a Poké Ball. Liko’s, however, is slightly harder to decode. It’s a blue hexagon on a string, and the closest item in the game to its shape is a small symbol that appears on Pokémon who have terastalized. The hexagonal shape has also been teased as relating to a third legendary who may appear in a future Scarlet and Violet DLC.
Roy’s artifact, the ancient Poké Ball, bears a strong resemblance to the ones seen in Pokémon Legends Arceus, with a locking mechanism at the front and a sort of vent at the top. It also resembles a Luxury Ball, a unique Poké Ball that makes Pokémon more friendly toward their trainer. Roy’s Poké Ball and the mystery surrounding it closely resembles the GS Ball originally intended to contain Celebi in the Pokémon anime’s run through Johto, the region home to the second generation of Pokémon. Though the two Poké Balls have no known relationship, the idea of a mysterious Poké Ball is no stranger to the Pokémon anime.
Liko’s Pendant Is the More Mysterious Factor
While the contents of Roy’s Poké Ball are unknown, the basic details are straightforward: it’s a (probably very old) Poké Ball that contains what is likely to be a similarly ancient Pokémon. Liko’s pendant, however, has far more mystery about it. Beyond its resemblance to the hexagon on terastalized Pokémon, there isn’t much to go on. She hides it in her shirt, indicating that the pendant may have enough value —personal or otherwise — to secret it away. It’s a mystery that may yet be solved by Scarlet and Violet, but at present, it simply resembles terastalized Pokémon’s small hexagonal symbol.
Little is currently known about the upcoming Pokémon reboot, but it looks set to begin a whole new era in the franchise. It is keeping a Pikachu front and center, and is making strides to ensure fans new and old alike can enjoy it. But speculate as they might, it’s a matter of patience to find out what Liko and Roy’s artifacts really mean.
