[Theory] Gates - The Truth About the Suspicious Pokémon

[Turbo]

(Spoilers for Gates. Credit to u/myName2243 for labelling the map. The chapter headings came from the game’s script.)

There’s a lot of context that goes into this part of the story. In Chapter 6, the night after the clearest mirage (Day 1 of this segment), we see someone observing Post Town from bushes, then Munna established a connection to Hero, and then (Day 2) a fearful Pelipper dumped warnings from HAPPI all over town, leaving without interacting with anyone. Partner described the notice like this: “Apparently they’ve been getting reports… of a suspicious Pokémon that’s been spotted lurking around Post Town.” He then followed it up with, “There have always been suspicious Pokémon in Post Town, though…”

This situation kept everyone locked up, though Paradise operated as normal. In Chapter 7, that night, we see someone observing from the bushes once again. The next day (Day 3), Swadloon went missing and Paradise found him (after he had met with Espeon earlier that day), and that night, Umbreon collapsed at the entrance to Post Town. Chapter 8, the next day (Day 4) they met him at the inn and Virizion explained how she met him and Espeon, but he’s too tired to explain anything. The next day he finally got up and explained, “They attacked Espeon and me out of the blue... We both ran off in different directions. I was lucky enough to end up here...”

After Paradise saved Espeon, she said, “I tried to make it into Post Town, but my enemies were always one step ahead... I've been so close to Post Town for so long, but never made it to safety...”

She also mentioned that she had been to Inflora Forest three times (to hide the cards, to make the sure cards were undisturbed, and then to stop Swadloon after she gave him the cards), which means for Umbreon to be right about her running towards the Crags of Lament, she would have had to run directly back and forth each time.

I don’t know what path Umbreon took during. We saw his perspective as he collapsed in Post Town, but we also saw Espeon’s perspective in Inflora Forest. They both have almost identical bodies and breathing patterns, so it’s difficult to know who was “lurking” during the two other nights. Whether it was one or both of them, most people probably just left thinking the whole “suspicious Pokémon” notice was just a misunderstanding. Except…

It doesn’t make sense for Umbreon or Espeon to be the suspicious Pokémon.

• They weren’t technically alone. While Umbreon and Espeon had split up, they were both “lurking” around Post Town, frequently going back and forth, so it’s odd the report only mentions a single Pokémon.
• The chase lasted at least four days, but the warning happened on the second day. The first time we see a “lurker” in Post Town is in the middle on the night after the first day, which implies that was the first time Umbreon or Espeon reached Post Town, and that means someone noticed very quickly. But then there is complete silence afterward, despite all the chasing. Shouldn’t there be more attention since the suspicious activity only increased? Then a kid went missing, and even found a “lurker”, but there’s nothing about that in the news.
• The warning also mentioned there were multiple reports of a suspicious Pokémon. Who was sending these reports? When Umbreon entered the town, the crowd specifically mentioned that no one had seen him before, and Emolga wasn’t even sure if he was the suspicious Pokémon. But if the reports came from outside the town, like birds flying by, how were all of them so quick to notice someone like Umbreon who was specifically trying to avoid detection at night?

It can't have been the bullies either.

• Again, it was a single Pokémon, and both were chasing Umbreon and Espeon.
• It also wouldn't make sense for HAPPI to warn Post Town about them without actually helping.
• Locking up Post Town only made it harder for Umbreon and Espeon to get help.

There is another possible “suspicious Pokémon” that I doubt anyone has thought about yet: Hydreigon.

• He was always alone and seems suspicious just from appearance and nature.
• We don’t know anything about what he was doing for the first half of the game, other than that he had been trying to get into Post Town, and the way he described it in Chapter 14 was very close to what Espeon said: ”And ever since you came to this world, Hero… Munna and her friends kept getting in my way so I could never meet you! I was at my wits' end, honestly!”
• The longer time span would give the opportunity for a lot more reports about him, rather than in just one night.

Whether it was about Umbreon and Espeon, or Hydreigon, this is just one example of a fundamental problem in HAPPI: they are active, but only when it inconveniences the heroes.

• HAPPI is specifically prompt when establishing teams and enforcing regulations, taking only a day to register Paradise and report the suspicious Pokémon.
• But they were completely absent whenever something was confirmed to happen.
  • They didn’t help with the missing kid.
  • They didn’t help when suspicious Pokémon were confirmed (Toxicroak and Purugly).
  • After the betrayal and for the rest of the game. There is not a single announcement from them (not counting gameplay elements) despite at least three children (though likely many more) getting murdered around the country.
  • There is no sign of help from any other teams at the Glacier Palace siege, despite the palace being visible across a large portion of the country.

This only makes sense if HAPPI was corrupt. It makes sense for Kyurem to want and have the power to take over HAPPI, since:

• Explorers are the biggest threat to the Bittercold, because they are best suited to make the journey to destroy it. HAPPI is specifically meant for maintaining explorers, likely also keeping track of where they are and where they go.
• Kyurem has always been smart in how he controls information, only telling Pokémon whatever is most likely to make the problems worse.
• Munna has control over dreams and uses them to communicate, and while it’s unclear, Kyurem might have a similar power (like when he entered ??? with Hero and Partner after destroying the Bittercold). This type of communication is a massive benefit in controlling a countrywide institution.
• His army is massive, and these are just the Pokémon we see that are confirmed to be working for him (I didn’t even notice most of these until my last playthrough, did you?):
  • Munna
  • Toxicroak
  • Salamence
  • 2 Chandelure
  • 6 Excadrill (we see them all on screen at one point)
  • 4 Gigalith
  • 2 Cryogonal
  • Golurk
  • And of course, himself. As a Legend, he has a lot of power and influence by default.
• Said army targets Pokémon who are specifically looking for ways to get to the Great Glacier, like Umbreon and Espeon (who are then directly inconvenienced by HAPPI).
• Remember that HAPPI’s warning happened to come right after the clearest mirage, as well as Munna’s first attempt to establish a connection to Hero, as well as when Umbreon and Espeon were attacked. There are a lot of pieces moving at this specific moment.

It’s not hard to image that Kyurem took over HAPPI at some point as part of his preparation (or at least overpowered them into being unable to help), but I think he was actually the one who started it in the first place (possibly indirectly). Consider this: who is HAPPI helping anyway?

• HAPPI stands for Helping Adventurous Pokémon Prosper Institute, and yet the only adventurous Pokémon we see in Gates of are Partner, Umbreon, Espeon, Virizion, Keldeo, and Dunsparce none of which are in a team or receiving any sort of help.
• According to Partner in Chapter 4: “Partner: HAPPI's around to help make adventuring safer for everyone…” And yet, their regulations force groups to split up or face consequences, weakening teams, but they don’t restrict soloists from disappearing in dangerous places for years (RIP Keldeo).
• HAPPI also interferes in other aspects, like when they sent out the warning of a suspicious Pokémon. What does that have to do with adventuring? And they don’t help aside from warning either.
• In my last post, where I talked about the strange contradictions behind Quagsire, u/Free_Mouse_1856 gave a theory of how HAPPI could have been the organization Quagsire started (which is otherwise unnamed and unmentioned).
  • Quagsire knows much more about HAPPI than anyone else.
  • We first meet him selling the deed to Paradise. Why would an outlaw hunter be in charge of managing land, unless both areas are run by the same group? We know HAPPI steps in at least somewhat for suspicious Pokémon, and they seem to be the highest form of government in Gates.
  • Just as HAPPI never helps with outlaws or when the world is in danger, Quagsire sits out whenever possible, despite being: “The famous reformer of criminals... Who even formed an organization to punish evildoers... And is said to travel the world for its operations... The one known for three qualities above all others: sincerity, integrity, and rage.”
  • And yet, Quagsire spends much of his first scenes taunting Partner and his hopeful world view.
  • Is Quagsire another spy for Kyurem? Did they form HAPPI together? Is that why Quagsire can take over as the one selling land, but then suddenly drop it all to set up a shop with an unknown supplier?

In conclusion, whether HAPPI was always evil or became overpowered or corrupted by Kyurem, the suspicious Pokémon was our first hint that something was deeply wrong in Gates, and that the true threat was always greater than some vague feeling.