#Also can I just say that az has the sickest pose and design ever??

[agentc0rn]

ok so I found my old XY playthrough bookguide and damn.. am I happy and miffed. Long list of thoughts ahead.

As someone who enjoys lore especially now with a resurfaced interest in xy (hyper fixated on az + legends z-a), I’m bummed about the way the story turned out in later years after I played XY.

Three details I've noted: no concept art, early and first planned out ideas, lore implications of aging immortality with regards to AZ

Wished this man had concept art!! :( The book even inquires about what he could have looked like 3000 years ago (though the cutscene has shown his younger self + the painting in the museum in Lumiose city).

Second, as the images of translated statement based on the interview with Masuda suggests, the story of AZ was planned out first apparently. Wonder what happened during the development cause he only became sidelined…

Thirdly, the last image shows a side info about why AZ looks old. Now, this may have been already addressed at some point, so I may be just repeating something that was said long ago. Nevertheless, it basically states how Floette remains the same for eternity due to being fully subjected to the ample life force energy from the pre-ultimate weapon, whereas for AZ, he received the effect partially; while becoming immortal, he still aged in a natural process but at a slower rate - still not sure if this is because of his close exposure during the revival event or the aftermath of the ultimate weapon beam? Though from what I recall, he was "bathed in the ultimate weapon's light and doomed to wander forever" and not from the pre-ultimate weapon, so but I feel like it could have been from the first time the machine was used too.

last thoughts: character arc -

I really wish we interacted more with him throughout the story - as travellers then eventually friends towards the end (we need adult companions!!). Maybe we could have helped him by fighting a team flare grunt or that he turns himself in to protect us from team flare at some point hence him being in jail. Alternatively, I feel like if he had been freed before and was there to witness the legendary battle and/or lysandre, THAT would have given him a reason to try to understand the bonds between people and pokemon, what a trainer is, therefore broadening his view on the world that he had been long oblivious to, etc - all leading up to his request to battle with us. He wants to know the world better and to coexist with pokemon, thus reverting to his “old self”.

I also think that him telling the story should have been a big shift in his character because of being helplessly stuck physically & mentally and witnessing someone young and small (protagonist = floette) bearing the burden of duty in solving the big crisis and all that.

Anyhow, thank you for reading my rambles lol