"Greetings, and welcome back to Arceus the Critic; the review show that's slowly transforming into a talk show," Arceus chuckled lightly while Mew, standing behind a familiar projector aimed at a familiar canvas, only sighed.

"You have a point there, Arcy..."

"Now, in all fairness," Arceus began, turning to the canvas. "Seeing as how we've retconned one of our editorials-"

"Is it really a retcon if you actual acknowledge it, Arcy?" Arceus rolled his eyes at Mew's disinterested comment.

"Very well, I suppose I've simply disowned it-"

"Like Giratina?" the Alpha shot the Psychic Type a look that immediately caused her to go quiet, and he turned back to the front.

"I've decided to whip up this little number before our next review, also in the style of WatchMojo. And so, without further ado, I give you:"

Arceus the Critic

Top Eleven Best Moments in Pokémon History

"Why eleven if I'm doing this in a top ten format?" Arceus mused, glancing upwards. "Well, I've come this far by being a rip-off of Keldeo, so I don't see any reason to stop now."

Mew face-pawed, and the Normal Type cleared his throat.

"We all remember those particular moments in the games that truly stand out to us as truly exceptional," Arceus sighed nostalgically. "They're the moments that remind us why we like a game so much, the ones that leave a truly lasting and memorable impact on us. Whether if it's making us fall in love with a certain period or setting, or giving a character a certain measure of immortality in our minds, they are the times that transcend their particular console and will always be beloved by fans."

Arceus nodded. "And so, let's take a look at the best of them."

Number 11: Pokémon X and Y - Duel With Korrina

"Ah yes; Korrina," Arceus hummed as a picture of the Tower of Mastery appeared next him. "Everyone's favorite Kalosian Gym Leader and the only one who got any substantial development."

"Mega Evolution was one of the main selling points of Pokémon X and Y and one of Generation VI's greatest changes;" the picture behind Arceus switched to one of Mega Lucario. "And so it would be natural that X and Y's story would have to cover it."

"And the Mega Evolution Arc, both in the game and the anime, was undeniably one of Kalos' highlights. Between Korrina's energetic personality and refreshingly large amount of development, the unfolding backstory around Mega Evolution, and the display of its incredible power, it's needless to say that certain stretch of X and Y was arguably the most engaging part of the game outside of the conflicts with Team Plasma or Looker's arc," the Alpha Pokémon nodded. "And, while those arguably had more of an impact on the plot, the culmination of this certain storyline undeniably had large impact on the entire mythos."

"In a way, this battle at the top of the Tower of Mastery was like facing the champion for the first time or picking out your first Pokémon; it was the first time you are presented with a Mega Evolution battle," Arceus glanced down. "And a duel between Mega Lucarios fought against a memorable character who had both more character development and strength than half your rivals, at that. Needless to say, it was a truly momentous occasion that the game had been building up to for a while, and - being as Team Flare had not yet established themselves as a credible threat - was most likely one of the main reasons you wanted to keep playing X and Y."

The Normal Type nodded. "Indeed, the first Mega Evolution battle lived up to its buildup, and cemented itself as one of the most memorable moments in Pokémon history, and as, probably, of the best moment of X and Y."

Number 10: Pokémon Conquest - Meeting Motonari

"Pokémon Conquest had many memorable characters," Arceus tilted his head towards the canvas and the image was replaced with one of Greenleaf's castle. "And, overall, it did a pretty good job of doing more with less. Dialogue was not as common or available as in the main Pokémon games, but more was usually conveyed with what conversations there were than in the main games."

The Alpha Pokémon glanced upwards. "And, I would say that both aspects are best displayed when you reach Greenleaf in the main story. As you are the Warlord of Aurora - the Normal Type Kingdom in Ransei - and had just conquered the Ignis - the Fire Type Kingdom, if the name was any indication - the game subtly encourages you to go to Greenleaf next. And it's upon arriving that the character of the game truly begins to shine. Oichi warns you that the upcoming battles are only going to get more difficult, so you arrive at Greenleaf with the expectation of meeting someone who's going to fight you tooth and nail."

The tips of Arceus' head tilted upwards slightly. "And what we get instead is a tired bookworm willing to just hand over the kingdom to you so he can retire and devote more time to studying Pokémon."

Arceus nodded. "And while that would seem like a letdown at first, Motonari's retainers rush to the rescue... by literally begging him to stay and fight, saying they'd be completely lost without him. Which then turns into a rather... interesting battle where Motonari explains capture the flag battles and battlefield hazards and other traps by using them against your army and then encouraging you to do the same. Not that he makes it easy for you to do. And, once you win, Motonari hands you the keys to the castle with a small smile and walks away, while his retainers break down."

The Normal Type chuckled. "And that's really it. What was so exceptional, though, was how much it managed to convey about a single character over the short span of a few scenes."

The picture next to Arceus changed to one of Motonari. "He already mentions youthful energy being necessary to survive in this war-torn world when you first meet him, and combined with the fact that he's only fighting to not disappoint the people relying on him, you have to really wonder what all he's seen in his life. But, we really see how he wants to teach a new generation by both setting an example to his retainers - indeed, the entire battle was for their sakes, and it can be construed he might have been holding back - and trying to show your character the ropes while still having that sense of duty and hasn't given up just yet."

"If only for showing what it was capable of in working with so little, and introducing such a memorable character with it, first coming to Greenleaf was definitely one of the best moments in Pokémon history," Arceus said with a small nod. Mew just muttered "favoritism" and began shifting through the slides on the cart.

Number 9: Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire - Ascending Sky Pillar

"Whether or not you liked Zinnia," the picture next to Arceus was replaced. "It's undeniable she left quite the impression as a character."

"Her arc was the equivalent of a nod to Pokémon Emerald," Arceus looked over at the canvas to see 'Platinum Arc' splayed across it, and then shot a look at Mew, who only smiled sheepishly and replaced the picture with one of Sky Pillar. "And it was one that was really built up to. We got a small hint back in the Petalburg Woods to keep an eye on her character, but it's after winning the Pokémon League that her story truly begins to come into play."

The Normal Type nodded. "And quite the story it is. While I won't give to much away for those who have yet to play it, what I will say is that the buildup to it was very well done. On one hand, you don't know if you should trust Zinnia, given recent events, and, ultimately, her plan seems like a pretty big risk, and on the other you know that you have to do something - and it's not like Steven's plan isn't a risk in of itself, especially given what Zinnia had just revealed. And then you go to rendezvous with her at Sky Pillar."

"To open up the final chapter of this Arc," Arceus hummed. "We're met with a straight up battle with Wallace, which in case if his dialogue is not enough, is a pretty strong reminder to you that this is serious. And then upon defeating him and a few words of wisdom, we proceed into the tower proper where we're met with the character that had been behind everything."

Mew rolled her eyes and switched out the picture with a caption that read 'Spoilers', while Arceus continued on blissfully. "And afterwards we're lead through the crumbling ruins of Sky Pillar as Zinnia regales us quite the tale; starting from more recent history and gradually getting older and older as we continue to ascend, until she finally traces back the problem to its millennia-old source right before we face it - and with every event she relays you know that the danger is only getting closer, and the organ in the background only makes it all the better. And the next events are both a whirlwind and race against time as you have to save the world again."

"For how well the game built up to the final confrontation and the battles that followed it, and how it truly gave you that feeling of urgency, I'd say that climbing through Sky Pillar was definitely one of the most memorable experiences in a Pokémon game."

Number 8: Pokémon Colosseum - Wes' Introduction

"Most people have probably not played Pokémon Colossuem," Arceus began, while Mew switched out the slide to one of Wes and Rui. "So, naturally, many might find it curious why I would put the opening scene of an otherwise forgotten game as one of the most memorable moments in Pokémon history."

"Well," Arceus chuckled. "If you watch the opening cinematic, you'll instantly understand; Wes is not your ordinary hero. In fact, Wes was the first time Pokémon had used an anti-hero; the game opens up with Wes stealing the snag device - a machine that allows the user to modify Pokéballs so they can steal already captured Pokémon - from his former employers - Team Snagem themselves, in which he was apparently one of the most skilled members - then making his getaway in his high-tech motorcycle with his Umbreon and Espeon - your starting Pokémon - and then blowing up their base via remote control."

The Normal Type nodded. "Needless to say, it's quite the spectacle. And aside from the obvious bang Wes is introduced with, what make it so outstanding is that this was not only the first time Pokémon tried to create an Anti-Hero, but right off the bat they did a good job of it. Wes was definitely a character to remember, even for those who have only seen his entrance."

Number 7: Pokémon Emerald - Rayquaza Intervenes

"For those of us who played Pokémon Emerald - undeniably one of the best Pokémon games ever made - we all remember that short cutscene of Rayquaza racing to the rescue and then descending upon Sootopolis to the stop Ground and Kyogre with the sound of an eight track organ playing in the background," the picture next to Arceus switched to one of the Weather Trio. "And that particular confrontation had lived up to everything we had expected; both Magma and Aqua's plans had succeeded and the world was nearing apocalypse by weather. Both Teams, finally understanding the true consequences of their actions, tried to undo their actions through the same methods they carried out their plans, only to no avail. Something greater was needed."

The Normal Type nodded. "And enter one of the most iconic Legendary Pokémon of all time. Rayquaza had been built up as the only way out; the world's only chance at salvation. And you were the only one who could climb up through the crumbling ruins of Sky Pillar to get it to act - and, naturally, it's much easier said than done."

"But what truly made this particular scene stand out in the Pokémon ethos was that it truly showed what Legendary Pokémon were capable of," the Alpha Pokémon glanced up. "Back in Gen I, Legendary Pokémon weren't all that Legendary. Mewtwo was the most powerful of them all, but beyond that we really had no idea what any of the five legendary Pokémon then really did or were capable of doing. Gen II somewhat remedied this by actually creating some Mythos for Pokémon; the backstory behind the Brass and Bell Towers, Lugia and Ho-Oh's roles, and of course the pursuit of Suicune in Crystal. But we still never actually got to see the Legendary Pokémon do much of anything besides performing a few disappearing acts. Ruby and Sapphire further expanded on that by actually showing what a Legendary Pokémon was truly capable of, but it was isolated, singular, and undone by a ten year old trainer. Emerald changed all that."

"With this scene in Emerald, we actually see Legendary Pokémon at their full capabilities," the picture next to Arceus switched to a still of the cutscene. "No longer were Legendary Pokémon nothing more than unusually powerful and rare Pokemon distantly capable of wreaking great destruction and entirely disconnected when they did; here we not only further saw an improvement over Sapphire and Ruby by not only seeing the full grasp of Kyogre and Groundon's powers clashing against each other, but we also saw how Rayquaza balanced them out and intervened. This was more than just a display of Legendary Pokémon being Legendary Pokémon; this was a display of Legendary Pokémon being Legendary Pokémon against other Legendary Pokémon. We saw the mythos act out before us, and through it we were able to establish Legendary Pokémon as all being a part of a greater dynamic, each affecting the other and everything around them."

The Alpha Pokémon cleared his throat uneasily. "In short, this little scene is responsible for creating the current formula for how Legendary Pokémon are made and act - essentially, it actually made Legendary Pokémon truly legendary instead of just powerful and otherwise elusive, and that is why it is such a monumental point in Pokémon's history."

Number 6: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky - Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

"We all knew this was going to be somewhere on the list," Arceus deadpanned, while Mew changed the slide to one of PMD Grovyle and Dusknoir. "It's not as if I could ignore one of the greatest and saddest moments in Pokémon - it is arguably what made the Explorers games stand out so much. It had already become an established fact that the Mystery Dungeon games had surpassed the main games in terms of storytelling with only their first addition - warts and all - and Explorers only built up on that tradition."

"And the Explorers games - Sky, in particular, due to the Special Episodes - would present what was arguably the height of, and undeniably one of the best in terms of, storytelling in Pokémon. And one of the reasons the story was so good in Explorers was because it made you understand the actual costs and gravity of the situation at hand without making it feel forced or out of place. In Rescue Team, there was no real villain, but you were still met with the stark reality of the situation multiple times. But what made that different, though, was that only you were the one to truly suffer for it. As the only reason you were within that world to begin with was to stop its destruction, and the meteor had no grand plot that entangled everyone around you, naturally, it would make sense you would be the only one to be sacrificed in stopping it."

Arceus glanced over to the side. "That's not to say the situation wasn't dire - indeed, we all know what would have happened had the meteor landed - but no one else's sacrifice was required, either. Explorers changed that. We not only saw multiple Pokémon willing to sacrifice their lives to save the world, we actually saw them do just that. That was one of the reasons why Grovyle was such an incredible character and has so easily cemented his place within the minds of the fans; for all his cockiness, for everything he had to live for - every skill and talent he possessed, and for all his knowledge - he was self-sacrificing above all else."

"He understood the reality of what he was trying to do - everyone did. And even for that, he still tried to enjoy what little life he had left. Even as he neared his impending doom with every step he took, he was still alive, and that was what made his loss all the more stinging and tragic. In many ways, it was like staring down a train; you already knew what the inevitable outcome would be, but that made it no less terrifying or any more comforting. And that loss was what truly gave so much weight and credence to Explorer's story; this was a indeed a literal race against time, and no matter how hard you fought there were going to be losses."

The Alpha Pokémon nodded. "For both being the first time Pokémon killed off a major character - not to mention doing it so masterfully - and for being one of the most important moments in such a memorable story, Grovyle's sacrifice so you could proceed onto Temporal Tower is truly one of the most moving and memorable moments in Pokémon."

Number 5: Pokémon Black and White - Storming Team Plasma's Castle

"Ah, yes, Team Plasma's Castle," Arceus gave a nod in Mew's direction, and the image next to him was replaced with one of the League surrounded by the massive structure. "This was where things got truly serious. Alder - the Champion himself - wasn't enough to stop N and the Legendary Pokémon that acknowledged him. To stop the ascent of a hero, another was needed."

The Alpha Pokémon titled his head to the side. "But that didn't mean your character had to go at it alone. In previous games, the only characters that would assist you against the villainous Teams were your Rival and the Champion - a tradition started in Generation II. Generation IV extended it to other side characters such as the regional Professor, other rivals you might have had, and even niche characters such as Looker, Riley or even Gym Leaders on occasion. But what happened in Black and White truly stood out; the entire region rallied behind you to oppose Team Plasma. The lines had been drawn, boundaries had been crossed, and the battle of the ages was about it begin."

The picture next to Arceus was replaced with one of the BW Gym Leaders. "This particular part of the games perhaps best sums up the dichotomy that was BW's Gym Leaders; you can't even battle them after the main story, but they play a decidedly crucial role in it. And it was during this moment that the Gym Leaders truly shined. While Generation IV saw an increased emphasis on the roles and personalities of the Gym Leaders - we all remember Maylene, and even Gardenia, Roark and Crasher Wake played important roles during the story - it was not until Generation V that we were allotted with an entire cast of fleshed-out Gym Leaders."

Mew rolled her eyes and replaced the image on the canvas with one of the Striaton Trio. Arceus sighed. "Well, with one notable exception. Regardless, this flight of the Gym Leaders was arguably what brought their character to its height; we already saw at multiple points how most of them had lives outside of their duties, and that they were actively interested in the wellbeing of their homes, and them being the ones to storm Team Plasma's Castle and take on the Sages truly brought that full circle. For showing us what the Gym Leaders were truly capable of, even if we never got to get a glimpse of it afterwards, this was definitely one of Pokémon's best moments."

Number 4: Pokémon Platinum - Apocalypse at Mt. Coronet

"If Emerald showed us for the first time what Legendary Pokémon were truly capable of, Platinum showed us for the first time the true extent what villainous teams were truly capable of," Mew rolled her eyes and put a slide of Giovanni in the projector. Arceus simply sighed. "Giovanni has a lot going for him, but most of it is related to nostalgia, the anime, and his dualistic nature. He's no Cyrus."

The picture next to Arceus shifted to one of Team Galactic. "Before Galactic and Cyrus, there had not been a villain the likes of him; all of them had either simply been in it for the money, misguided or otherwise redeemable, and in a few rare instances, lacked a will of their own. In many ways, Cyrus was the first truly evil villain Pokémon created; manipulative, calculating, ambitious, utterly ruthless, incorruptible, implacable, and perhaps even a bit insane. His goal demanded all of these, and those who followed him, though certainly unable to hold a candle to his level of competence, were utterly loyal and more than a threat. And they were; they were not some forgettable, disconnected footnote in your journey or well-meaning idealists that failed to give you a true sense of urgency, but were a true danger that you knew you had to stop no matter what and played an active role in the story. In fact, it could be said that this formula - the 'Galactic Model', if you will - was so successful it served as the basic outline for practically every villainous organization in Pokémon to follow; be it the arguably more villainous Plasma, to less developed and threatening groups such as Munna's gang."

The Alpha Pokémon nodded. "But we've already gone over Galactic and Cyrus plenty of times, and they were only one part of what made Mt. Coronet so memorable. Part of it was Mt. Coronet itself; we knew the importance of it. Back in Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald, we didn't know the importance of Sootopolis City beforehand, or even the story behind Ground, Kyogre and Rayquaza. Telling Wallace to go to Sky Pillar and ask for Rayquaza's help was more of an educated guess than anything else because we only had sparse knowledge of Hoenn's mythology. Sinnoh was different; out of all the regions in Pokémon, Sinnoh was the one the most steeped in Legends and mythical Pokémon - we already knew that Mt. Coronet and Spear Pillar were something of a Mt. Olympus, and we were given an understand of all the Legendary Pokémon's roles beforehand - except Giratina, who rightfully remained an enigma until the appointed time."

"It was because of the importance of the location - and, more importantly, that we knew of its importance - that we further understood the gravity of the situation at hand. This was not only Galactic's last stand, this was Cyrus' endgame; even carving a path straight through their base and liberating the Lake Trio was not enough to stop him, you would have to stop him from destroying the world where it all began. Not only that, but it was further reinforced by Looker, Barry, Cynthia and the Lake Trio all coming to aid you in overcoming Galactic in the darkest hour - and this was also a first in terms of other characters coming to aid you in the final confrontation with the region's villainous team. Again, this formula was successful enough that it would be used as a basic outline for many games to follow."

"But if everything coming together in Spear Pillar wasn't enough, Giratina comes in with one of the most spectacular and downright terrifying entrances ever made in a Pokémon game, pulls Cyrus into the Distortion World and threatens to destroy everything in the process. And only after having to traverse the Distortion World, which looks like something straight out of an M. C. Escher painting - and is probably what Cyrus' dream world end up being like, anyways - do you get to defeat Cyrus and stop Giratina's rampage."

Arceus let out a pent-up breath. "Yes; though not the first time Pokémon had attempted to do an apocalypse scenario, your showdown with Galactic in Spear Pillar and the Distortion World was both one of the best they have ever done, and was what arguably created the basic formula for most of the ones to follow. It was a race against time to save the world, one that you were undeniably invested in, but not fast enough that you couldn't appreciate every turn, development and moment thrown your way."

Number 3: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky - I Don't Want to Say Goodbye

"I bet a lot of you are surprised this one only came in at third," Arceus commented with a small nod. "The ending to Explorers' main story has everything running for it, after all; it's beyond emotional, brings everything together, and truly makes the story shine. It's undeniably one of the most memorable moments in Pokémon history that you truly have to experience firsthand to fully appreciate."

Mew blinked blankly and slowly raised her paws. Arceus tilted his head to the side. "What's there more to say? We've already covered this sequence in the past multiple times, and quite frankly it just speaks for itself; it's that good. Right, onward to number two."

Number 2: Pokémon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum - Professor Rowan V.S Team Galactic

"This is also arguably the funniest moment in Pokémon history," the Normal Type said with a quick nod, while Mew replaced the slide with one of Professor Rowan. "After you win your first badge in Oreburgh, your next destination is distant Eterna City - but to get there, you'll have to go back into Jubilife and head northwards."

Something resembling a small smile twisted itself onto Arceus' face. "And that's when we run across Professor Rowan and Dawn/Lucas, who are being accosted by two Team Galactic grunts, which is also coincidentally your first encounter with them. However, Professor Rowan doesn't seem all that intimidated by the two thugs demanding his research and threatening to harm him and his assistant if he doesn't comply. In fact, he's more interested in how your Pokédex is progressing and your acquisition of the Oreburgh gym badge - and ignores the grunts outright."

Mew snickered and Arceus continued. "The Galactic Grunts don't like being ignored, and when they try to threaten Professor Rowan again, he not only tells them to can it, but he gives them the 'You suck' speech:"

(Professor Rowan: Quiet, you lot! Why must you be such a nuisance? Let me list some lessons you still need to learn. #1: Don't loiter about for no good reason. #2: Don't interrupt others while they are attempting to converse. #3: If you don't get your way, don't raise your voice to be intimidating. #4: Don't think you've grown strong just because you're in a group. #5: What is with those outlandish outfits you have on? My goodness... You call yourselves adults? You kids, don't grow up to be like these sorry specimens.)

Arceus looked up from his quiet chuckling. "And if that isn't enough, Rowan's decided they're not even worth the energy in swatting away when the grunts scream out and finally try to act out their threats, and promptly orders two ten year old kids to 'give these thugs a lesson in civility'".

The Alpha Pokémon nodded. "And in that one short scene, Professor Rowan suddenly had gained more development and character than all of his predecessors had across their entire games, and made one of the most hilarious moments in Pokémon to boot. For both showing what Pokémon Professors were actually capable of, by ironically not showing it, and giving us arguably the greatest Pokémon Professor ever concocted, this short little scene on the skirts of Jubilife is undeniably one of Pokémon's best."

"And before moving onto the painfully obvious number one, why don't we take a look at the honorable mentions?"

Honorable Mentions:

Pokémon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum - Visiting Lake Verity

"Make Gen IV popular again, Arcy..." Mew muttered as she switched out the slides yet again. Arceus just rolled his eyes.

"Now, typically, the general formula for starting a Pokémon game was making your character, meeting the regional professor, being tasked with something and handed your Pokémon before setting out into the wide, open world. Hoenn changed it a bit, but it wasn't until Diamond and Pearl came out that we were met with something different; there was no Professor in your quaint little town, and instead your journey starts off almost by accident; Barry barges into your room and you two decide to try to go catch the Pokémon fabled to be living in Lake Verity, only to run into Professor Rowan by coincidence. And even then, you can't start your journey until you go explain the situation to him, and over the course of it you get to run through quite a bit of character development with Barry, said Professor, Dawn/Lucas and even some of Twinleaf's inhabitants."

Arceus nodded. "Platinum differentiates somewhat; instead, you run into Professor Rowan by accident when on your way to visit him, and instead he entrusts you and Barry with your first Pokémon to find out if you're actually worthy of having one. And instead, when you and Barry go to visit Lake Verity, you run into none other than Cyrus - this would also begin the tradition of having an early run-in with the regional villain instead of just having them appear out of thin air at some point in the game, such as Giovanni, Archer and Maxie/Archie all did. And, regardless of which copy you played, the deviation on the traditional formula established signaled that Sinnoh wouldn't be the same in terms of character and development - and neither would Pokémon itself since then."

Pokémon Platinum - Looker Saves the Day

"The police do exist in Pokémon!" Arceus suddenly shouted to no one in particular. "I told you they weren't just a myth!"

Mew blinked in confusion and Arceus cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Ah, yes. Well, while Looker had previously done many things in Platinum, this was undeniably his best moment; actually stepping in to save the day by literally appearing out of nowhere and snatching away the Magma Stone before Charon could carry out his plans, as you were a bit too late to the party. If only for showing that there was a competent police organization in Pokémon, and that people aside from ten year olds, Gym Leaders, Champions and a certain elderly Professor could foil villainous teams, Looker saving the day on Mt. Stark was one of the more entertaining and surprising moments in Pokémon."

Pokémon X and Y - Lysandre's Last Stand

"Lysandre was more tragic than anything else," the Normal Type commented quietly. "He had some of Cyrus' nihilism and Ghestis' manipulative touch, but he wasn't evil per se - simply so disillusioned with humanity after everything he tried to make a better world failed that he became convinced the only way to do it was to hit the reset button via ancient cannon."

"Overall, he was Pokémon's first true attempt at an anti-villain. And, for the most part, they succeeded; Lysandre had enough development that you could both sympathize with him to such a degree and that he was, outside of his maniacal plans, an otherwise enjoyable character - he liked your character as well, if his discreet attempt to recruit you for Team Flare multiple times were any indication - and you probably wanted him to take the opportunity extended to abandon his plans and redeem himself. And perhaps that's what made him firing off the canon in desperation all the more a tragic and memorable end."

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky - To a Better Future

"As whole, the Special Episodes to Sky were all enjoyable, but with the exception of Wigglytuff's, none of them quite stood out. That is except, quite obviously, Grovyle's. We all wanted to know what happened to him after his sacrifice, and this Special Episode lives up to everything we wanted out of it and then some. And the ending of it was almost as tear-jerking and heartfelt as your own back in the future."

Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon - Arceus Rallies the Legendaries

"While Super has more than a few problems with it - even this scene, oddly enough - it's truly memorable because it's one of the few times I actually do something."

Mew muttered 'egotism', and Arceus rolled his eyes. "No, Mew, this is egotism;"

Arceus was floating up and down one of the hallways in the Hall, mumbling underneath his non-existent breath.

"I need to make a new region for that upcoming game, but what to base it off of..." the Alpha lifted his head up. "Perhaps France? No... that wouldn't fit the setting quite right. Besides, we'd probably have to drop the southern half of it for the sake of a silly stylization. Chugoku, maybe? No, that would stick out like a sore thumb - literally."

Arceus groaned and spun around to face the mirror spanning across the wall. "What to-"

It was at that point that he looked up and saw his reflection in the mirror. Arceus let out a 'hm' and raised a nonexistent eyebrow as he began to look over his reflection, before turning sideways.

Two Days Later...

"Coming to a store near you!" the voice on Mew's television announced as the commercial winded down. "Pokémon Conquest!"

The screen then displayed an image of Ransei, and Mew spun around, eyes wide and mouth agape. "Arcy!"

The New Species Pokémon muttered something under her breath, while Arceus carried on. "Yes, the only other time I actually did anything significant was in Grovyle's Special Episode, and my debut movie in which I tried to destroy the world. Needless to say, me not only actually doing something, but actually exercising my powers to do it, excited many people; not only are the Legendary Pokémon actively involved in trying to save the world, but they're going to do it in an organized and concerted effort that truly hits home that this is a serious situation."

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver - Young Silver and Giovanni

"As a whole, HeartGold and SoulSilver carried over Gold and Silver's issues of a relatively disconnected story and plot rather than refining them," the Normal Type said cautiously. "But one thing it did do exceptionally well was a short little scene triggered by getting the event Celebi, in which you see Giovanni bidding a young Silver farewell - something that obviously wasn't in the previous games. With it, it gave Giovanni not only much needed character development, but also delivered a truly sad story and added a whole new dimension to Silver's character that made you both appreciate his character development even more, and answered quite a few questions about the two year gap."

Pokémon Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, FireRed and LeafGreen - Showdown With Blue

"While Cynthia and Steven were definitely the height of Champions, Blue and your final battle with him, will always hold a certain place in certain fans hearts, that is admittedly rightfully deserved," Arceus said quickly before glancing to the side.

"Now, for something completely different."

Number 1: Pokémon Black and White - Throne Room Confrontation

"We all saw this one coming," Arceus deadpanned, before glancing up. "But, then again, how could I not put this at number one?"

"Pokémon Black and White attempted to complety change the formula of Pokémon games by hitting the reset button - and while we've discussed the finer points of it in the past, the thing that was changed the most was, without question, the endgame. There was no climatic battle against the Champion and entrance into the Hall of Fame; instead, you got to witness Alder fall, had to stop N and Team Plasma from taking over Unova, awaken your Legendary Pokémon - and then for a first in Pokémon's history - battle your rival who also had the opposing Legendary Pokémon before defeating the mastermind controlling him and saving Unova."

"Everything was building up to this confrontation; after N got Zekrom, everyone knew that there was a good chance Team Plasma would be able to carry out their plans. Obviously, no one wanted it to come to it, but should that come to pass, you were given the Light Stone and commanded to prove yourself worthy of it by defeating the League. And after one grueling task after another, everyone's worst fear is realized and you are the only thing left keeping Team Plasma from completely dominating Unova - and you know what comes next."

The picture next to Arceus was replaced with one of N's Throne Room. "This is the climatic final battle; Truth vs Ideals, and Unova hanging in the balance. Everything relies on your conviction being stronger than N's - and it's hard to enter into such, given that N is not really a villain. You've seen him grow during your travels, consider his beliefs - and he's even made you and your friends consider your own. The lines are not so black and white, and now they have to be, regardless of any sentiments on either side. And what better way to open this showdown of the ages with the awakening of one of the most powerful Pokémon in history and then a duel between it and its counterpart?"

"And if that wasn't enough, there's still the final end to be tied up; Ghestis, and the true plot behind Plasma's ideals. And with his thundering introduction and revelation that easily contests Cyrus' grand revelation, we're ushered into one of the most difficult battles in Pokémon's history against one of its greatest monsters. Only after having your conviction put through the flames by N and then being thoroughly shocked by Ghestis is Unova finally safe, and the game ends in one of the most memorable ways possible."

Arceus cleared his throat. "In short; regardless of whether or not you liked Pokémon Black and White, one thing is undeniable; its story was good, and out of everything in it, you probably remembered its ending above all else, for both a combination of that, its innovativeness, and the difficulty of the battles."

Mew powered down the projector and Arceus nodded. "Yes, Pokémon has many memorable moments, and I'm certain that I didn't list everything I could have - such as AZ's reunion with his partner, confronting Steven in Mt. Moon, first setting foot inside the Battle Frontier or fighting Platinum-era Cynthia - these are what I felt were the most important and memorable moments in Pokémon's history."