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A weekly Pokédex Podcast from Bald Man in Japan Luke Summerhayes. A different Pokémon family every week.
I’m Luke Summerhayes, and I love Rufflet.
One of the key symbols of the United States of America is the Bald Eagle, a large bird and the only one of its kind in North America. South of the USA, in Mexico, an eagle killing a snake atop a cactus adorns the flag, owing to an ancient legend which says the Aztec empire found the location of what is today Mexico City by following a prophecy that they would know where to settle when they saw just that; an eagle kill a snake atop a cactus.
The Eagle was selected as the National Bird of the USA by its founding fathers and has stayed a totem of that nation ever since – though Benjamin Franklin wanted to use a turkey instead, calling it a brave bird which would never back down from the British. The eagle is what remained, and it can be seen today everywhere from dumb internet memes to the carpet in the oval office of the white house itself.
Exclusive to Pokémon white, Rufflet is the primary bird Pokémon found in Pokémon White’s version of Unova, a normal and flying type eagle chick with a fluffy white head. While this is an eagle, its character is more akin to Franklin’s beloved Turkey.
Black
They crush berries with their talons. They bravely stand up to any opponent, no matter how strong it is.
White
They will challenge anything, even strong opponents, without fear. Their frequent fights help them become stronger.
Eagles are birds of prey, the modern descendants of the mighty raptors which stalked the earth in dinosaur times.
Moon
With its sharp claws, this Pokémon pierces its prey, and then it pecks at them. Although it also consumes berries, it's a carnivore at heart.
Rufflet’s name refers to its feathers, easily ruffled, with a let suffix as this is just an infant. The Japanese name is Washibon, a little eagle boy. Perhaps the Japanese developers of Pokémon are, as well as celebrating American culture, also taking a little dig at it.
Sword
If it spies a strong Pokémon, Rufflet can't resist challenging it to a battle. But if Rufflet loses, it starts bawling.
Perhaps Rufflet will have a little more luck when, at level 54, it evolves into Braviary.
Braviary is a large, majestic eagle Pokémon with plumage of red white and blue, a true American, yee haw. America was born from war with Britain, established itself by warring with the native peoples, famously fought a war with Japan and continues to profit from war to this day. Braviary, as the Pokémon embodiment of the nation, is a soldier.
Black
They fight for their friends without any thought about danger to themselves. One can carry a car while flying.
White
The more scars they have, the more respect these brave soldiers of the sky get from their peers.
I’m no fan of war, but that doesn’t mean I have any disrespect for brave men and women who fight, even if the country they’re fighting for does betray them. Like Hideo Kojima’s metal gear series, I think Pokémon also takes a war is bad, soldiers are good approach to the world.
Ultra Moon
Known as “the hero of the skies,” this Pokémon is so proud and so brave that it will never retreat, even when it's injured.
Sword
Known for its bravery and pride, this majestic Pokémon is often seen as a motif for various kinds of emblems.
Other Pokédex entries make me think of Zoro from One Piece.
Ultra Sun
The more scars it has on its front, the more heroic it's considered to be. Those with many scars on their back are mocked by the flock.
While Braviary is flying and normal type, its counterpart in Pokémon Black, Mandibuzz, has the more interesting flying and dark type. This imbalance was mended somewhat by the introduction of Hisuian Braviary.
In the Hisui region, Rufflet evolve into a psychic and flying type form of Braviary with purple plumage.
Hisuian Braviary
Legends: Arceus
Screaming a bloodcurdling battle cry, this huge and ferocious bird Pokémon goes out on the hunt. It blasts lakes with shock waves, then scoops up any prey that float to the water's surface.
The Sea Eagles of Hokkaido were respected as sea gods by the native Ainu people, whose culture inspired much of the Hisuian Pokédex.
Jay is of course correct, Hisuian Braviary was one of the Pokémon which players could call to help them traverse in Pokémon Legends Arceus. It allowed players to glide from high places though, perhaps to maintain the relevance of Sneasler, it couldn’t fly upwards.
Interestingly for eagles, neither form of Braviary is particularly fast. Instead, both have very high HP and attack, physical for Unovan and Special for Hisuian. This makes them tricky to use competitively but not impossible. Using the move substitute, Braviary can make itself a force to be reckoned with in one on one battles in particular.
The name Braviary combines bravery with aviary, pertaining to birds. The Japanese name, Warrgle, perhaps takes the Japanese and English words for eagle, though it also seems to throw war in there as well.
War in the Pokémon world has been hinted at as far back as Lt. Surge with, as it happens, the first American character. For a game first made by teens in the early 90s, whose parents grew up under the American occupation, its hardly a surprise. Let’s just hope the future of our world can one day be as peaceful as that of the Pokémon world.
Original music for Luke Loves Pokémon is by Jonathan Cromie. Artwork is by Katie Groves. Funding is provided by listeners at Patreon.com/PodcastioPodcastius. For just a dollar a month, supporters can listen to episodes a week early and also help cover hosting and fees, making it possible for me to keep making episodes every week.
I love hearing from listeners! Get in touch about upcoming Pokémon on twitter or facebook at LukeLovesPKMN. Drop a comment if you’re watching the video, or a review on apple podcasts or spotify. Coming up are Vullaby and Heatmor, so please get in touch about those or any other monsters.
Even if you don’t feel like doing any of that, thank you so much just for listening.
I love Rufflet. And remember, I love you too.