Pokémon can be found in all sorts of biomes, but some are just flat out aliens. These are the Pokémon that originated from outer space.

In the Pokémon world, Pokémon can be found anywhere, from the grass to the sea to the sky and even in outer space, including Cleffa. Because each Pokémon has its own lore that is explored in the games or stated directly in the Pokédex, it’s possible to deduce where many Pokémon first originated from. It turns out many are actually the Pokémon world equivalent of aliens, coming from outer space, or sometimes even other dimensions.

There are some Pokémon with connections to outer space, but it’s not clear if they’re actually aliens or just have strong psychic powers. Cresselia and Darkrai, for example, have direct connections to the moon, but aren’t known or even hinted to have come from it. Other examples are the Psychic-type Pokémon Gothita, Gothorita, and Gothitelle. Gothorita’s power is said to come from starlight, and in Shield, its Pokédex entry explicitly questions just what kind of link the Pokémon has to the “greater universe.” Gothitelle is also heavily connected to the stars, but there’s nothing to suggest these Pokémon actually come from space at all. Hoopa is another Pokémon that has some dominion over space, but without knowing exactly where it came from, it can’t really be called an alien Pokémon.

Some Pokémon don’t have any connection to outer space but still look like they’re related to aliens. The man-made Pokémon Genesect looks like it could be an alien, but it’s actually an ancient Pokémon that was revived and genetically modified by Team Plasma. On the other hand, Orbeetle’s Gigantamax form in Pokémon Sword and Shield is designed after a UFO, but aside from the Pokémon’s impressive intelligence, there’s nothing suggesting it’s an alien itself. Jirachi is another Pokémon heavily associated with space because of its connection to shooting stars, but isn’t explicitly stated to be from space at all. Despite its connection to the Millennium Comet in the Jirachi: Wish Maker movie - as well as some playground rumors about getting Jirachi from the Mossdeep Space Center in Ruby and Sapphire, “Mew Under the Truck”-style - there’s no evidence linking Jirachi’s origins to outer space. Still, there are a surprising number of Pokémon that are in fact from outer space in some way, and they’re all hinted at in the games at the least, and sometimes even in other Pokémon media such as the anime.

Cleffa, Clefairy, And Clefable Are Iconic Pokémon From Space

Cleffa, Clefairy, and Clefable are arguably the most well-known Pokémon to come from outer space. In an early anime episode, a group of Clefairy crash into Earth on a spaceship. Starting in the second generation, the games started becoming more explicit with this evolutionary line’s connection to outer space, too: Cleffa’s Pokédex entries in Gold and Crystal reference the possibility of it arriving to earth on a meteor. These games also added an event where Clefairy can be found dancing in Mt. Moon Square on Monday nights - around a rock with a Moon Stone underneath it in Gold, Silver, and Crystal, and around a lake with the moon’s reflection in HeartGold and SoulSilver.

Staryu And Starmie Are Alien Starfish Pokémon

It may seem that Pokémon FireRed’s Pokédex entry for Starmie is jumping to conclusions by claiming that people think it’s an alien because of its star-shaped body - similar to Cleffa’s. However, there’s actually more to suggest that these starfish Pokémon are in fact extraterrestrial. Their Pokédex entries list plenty of strange behavior that they’ll conduct in groups at night, including Starmie sending radio signals into outer space.

It’s hinted that Starmie uses its gem to communicate with other aliens. Ultra Sun also confirms that many places have their own folktales about stardust becoming Staryu when it falls into the ocean. This may potentially make them very literal “star” fish.

Lunatone And Solrock - Rocks, But Still Alien Pokémon

Lunatone and Solrock are Pokémon said to have fallen from a meteorite. Appropriately, these Pokémon from the Hoenn region are only found in Meteor Falls in their debut games of Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. They’re both heavily connected to the sun and moon, with their powers seemingly linked to them in some way. What may be more surprising than these Rock-type Pokémon being aliens, though, is that neither of them is obtainable in Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, or Ultra Moon.

Deoxys Is Another Iconic Pokémon Alien

Deoxys is a Mythical Pokémon that is also well-known for being an alien. Its Pokédex entries consistently reference its origins as an extraterrestrial virus that underwent a DNA mutation. In addition to its Pokédex entries, Deoxys has featured in the Destiny Deoxys movie and in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire’s Delta Episode. Both of these storylines emphasize Deoxys’ origins as an alien and feature it facing off against Rayquaza, a Dragon-type Pokémon. Like Jirachi, Rayquaza is heavily associated with outer space, but isn’t actually an alien Pokémon. It’s still their neighbor, though, since it lives in the Earth’s ozone layer alongside another meteor-related Pokémon: the shooting star Minior.

Kyurem Comes From Space & Has Connections To Alien Pokémon

Another Pokémon thought to have descended to Earth from a Meteor is the legendary Pokémon Kyurem. In Lacunosa Town in Unova, the local myth is that Kyurem arrived in a meteor and devours people who leave their house at night. Although Black 2 and White 2 hint that Kyurem may actually be the shed husk from when Reshiram and Zekrom split apart from each other, Kyurem’s ability to absorb its counterparts using the DNA Splicers tool is still reminiscent of the more explicitly alien Pokémon Deoxys’ connection to DNA.

Although there may be some contention as to Kyurem’s origins, it’s still heavily associated with extraterrestrial life. In the Giant Chasm where it’s found, there’s a crater where a meteor landed, adding credence to the myth of Lacunosa Town. The wild Pokémon that can be found there also add to the possibility of Kyurem being an alien: in addition to typical cave-dwellers like rock and bat Pokémon, confirmed extraterrestrial Pokémon Clefairy, Clefable, Lunatone, and Solrock are also wild encounters.

Literal Alien Pokémon - Elgyem And Beheeyem

Elgyem and Beheeyem are Pokémon based on the common concepts of aliens; their names even come from “LGM” (Little Green Men) and “BEM” (Bug-Eyed Monster), and Elgyem’s Japanese name, Ligray, comes from the “grey alien” stereotype. Their bizarre and creepy Pokédex entries in different Pokémon games reference all sorts of alien stereotypes from pop culture, including livestock abductions, memory control, and UFO crashings in the desert, the latter of which is how Elgyem is thought to have arrived to Earth.

The Alien Pokémon Eternatus Also Arrived To Earth On A Meteor

20,000 years before the legendary Pokémon Eternatus posed a world-ending threat during the events of Pokémon Sword and Shield, it arrived on Earth on a meteorite. The Wishing Stars and Wishing Pieces that occasionally fall from the sky are said to be parts of Eternatus’ body. Because this Pokémon is the source of the energy required for Pokémon to Dynamax in the Galar region, it means all of Galar is highly linked to extraterrestrial phenomena.

Ultra Beasts Are Alien Pokémon From Alternate Dimensions

The Ultra Beasts (or UBs) are alien-like Pokémon introduced in Pokémon Sun and Moon from other dimensions. They travel through Ultra Wormholes to arrive in all sorts of places, and even some humans, such as Looker and Anabel, have been caught in them and displaced from their original universes. The first set of UBs include Nihilego, Buzzwole, Pheromosa, Xurkitree, Celesteela, Kartana, and Guzzlord, while Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon added Poipole, Naganadel, Stakataka, and Blacephalon.

Solgaleo, Lunala, And Necrozma Are Also Pokémon From Outer Space

Cosmog and its evolutions, Cosmoem, Solgaleo, and Lunala, are all Pokémon that come from space and perhaps even another dimension altogether. They’re similar to UBs, and can create Ultra Wormholes, but aren’t in the same classification. Like other UBs, though, it’s confirmed that multiple live across Ultra Space.

Necrozma, a powerful Pokémon in VGC as well as in-game, is another Pokémon closely related to the UBs. It’s also similar to another extraterrestrial Pokémon: Necrozma can merge with Solgaleo and Lunala similarly to how Kyurem can absorb Reshiram and Zekrom. Necrozma uses the light emitted from its host to strengthen itself and can become the notoriously strong Ultra Necrozma.

Sinnoh Legendary Pokémon Aren’t From Earth

The legendary Pokémon of the Sinnoh region, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, and Arceus, all played a role in the creation of the Pokémon universe. They aren’t aliens in the traditional sense, but they were the ones who created the outer space for alien Pokémon to come from. Being from beyond the regular space-time continuum, these Pokémon are both extraterrestrial and extra dimensional. They also provide the foundational lore that has allowed the Pokémon series to continue exploring alien concepts for its creatures, from traditionally cosmic Pokémon like Elgyem and Cleffa, to more extraordinary ones like UBs.

Next: Pokémon Legends: Arceus' Story Will Be All About Time Travel (Theory)