Summary
The writing has been on the wall forPokemonGen 10 to come out in 2026 for the 30th anniversary of the series and for it to be set somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea in Europe, with the most likely candidate before recent leaks and rumors being Italy. However, ever since last year’s massive attack on Game Freak and Nintendo, a lot of confidential details about thePokemonseries were shared online in what became known as the TeraLeak, including mentions of Gen 10 as “Gaia.” Gaia is the deity in charge of the Earth in Greek mythology, and recent leaks further confirm that Gen 10 will indeed take place in Greece, making one cross-gen evolution a given.
If Greece is confirmed to be the setting for Gen 10, then it’s quite likely that at least some new and existingPokemon will have forms or evolutionsinspired by the many monsters and creatures from Greek mythology. A recent tweet shared by Centro Leaks on Twitter allegedly confirms that Gen 10 is planned to be set in Greece, specifically in the Cyclades Archipelago in the Aegean Sea, southeast of Athens. With Greek mythology being so rich in terms of legendary creatures that influenced modern imagery, it only makes sense to use some of that as inspiration - namely, for the Gen 2 Pokemon Houndoom.
Why Gen 10 Can’t Miss The Opportunity to Give Houndoom a Cross-Gen Evolution
Possibly due to its design, nostalgia for its generation (which still takes a special place in many fans' hearts), or even its type combination of Fire and Dark, Houndoom has always been quite popular. In the case of Gen 10, if the leaked Gaia project is truly taking place in Greece like its name seems to suggest, thenHoundoom would be perfect for a cross-gen evolutioninspired by the notorious three-headed dog-like creature called Cerberus.
Cerberus is often called the “Hound of Hades” in Greek mythology, as it is often depicted as a three-headed dog that is meant to guard the gates of hell - the underworld - so that the spirits of the dead cannot leave. Some mythological accounts attribute fiery eyes or even the ability to breathe fire to Cerberus, which, combined with its grim job, would be a perfect fit for aFire/Dark Pokemonlike Houndoom. Considering that Houndoom is a stage-1 critter, it would make perfect sense for it to have a cross-gen evolution in Gen 10 that gives it two additional heads and other design changes.
Furthermore, Houndoom has several bones on its body that further tie well with the concept of a dog who needs to guard the underworld and scare the dead away. Even if an evolution is not in the cards for Houndoom, such a concept would be worthy of a regional form or regional fake, at the very least. A Cerberus-inspired form or evolution for Houndoom seems a match made in heaven, andPokemonGen 10’s alleged settingmakes it the best time to realize this concept.
How Gen 10 Could Break The Mega Evolution Curse
Yet, there is a reason why Houndoom may not get a cross-gen evolution. This particular Pokemon already has a Mega Evolution available, and so far, none of the critters with a Mega Evolution have gotten a regular evolution in the series. SeveralPokemon with Mega Evolutionsare already stage-2 mons, meaning they wouldn’t be able to evolve anyway, but others like Heracross, Pinsir, Sableye, or Mawile would all be capable of evolving - including Houndoom. As such, it remains to be seen if the series will finally break the Mega Evolution curse, and if not, this concept deserves to be brought to life at least in some other form.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
WHERE TO PLAY
The school that you’ve enrolled in as you playPokémon ScarletandPokémon Violethosts a special independent study project. The theme of this assignment is “A Treasure Hunt.” Explore the world and seek out your very own treasure!Three stories will be woven into your adventure while traversing the sprawling Paldea region. Along Victory Road, you will go to Gyms in different locations in order to to achieve Champion Rank. On the Path of Legends, you can join Arven in search of rare ingredients. And in ★ Starfall Street ★, you’ll challenge Team Star, a group of delinquents causing trouble for the school.These stories are set in an open world, so where you go is all up to you. A world teeming with Pokémon and people to meet is waiting for you—traverse the Paldea region wherever you heart desires.
