One of the characters introduced in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s DLC could be an actual criminal going by what is seen of their actions. Despite the range of criminal organizations seen throughout the franchise, more recent Pokémon titles have moved away from having evil Teams and more towards featuring misunderstood rebels and outcasts (although primary antagonists can still have more threatening intentions). However, it is worth keeping in mind that not every crime gets noticed, as the recent Indigo Disk DLC shows.
Although not the end of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s story, the Indigo Disk resolves several plot threads left dangling in the wake of The Teal Mask as the player character both visits Blueberry Academy and dives deeper than ever before into Area Zero. Along the way, they meet plenty of new and returning characters, who have their own stories to tell. However, it seems that one of these characters may have secretly been undertaking criminal activity under the cover of their more respectable public persona.
“The Good Outweighs The Bad” – Pokémon Scarlet & Violet: The Indigo Disk DLC Review
The Indigo Disk DLC for Pokémon Scarlet & Violet is an enjoyable addition, but it’s bogged down by the same problems as the base games.
Briar Might Have Stolen Kitakami’s Sacred Water
At the end of The Indigo Disk, Briar reveals that she made Blueberry Academy’s Terarium Core with a mixture of Paldean soil and water from Kitakami’s Crystal Pool. However, it is unclear if Briar actually asked if she could take the water for her project. This is a problem, as the Crystal Pool is explicitly sacred to the people of Kitakami, and so not a body of water that can simply be taken from; doing so may well be seen as sacrilegious, depending on the precise beliefs surrounding it. Moreover, Briar’s behavior throughout the Indigo Disk is clearly obsessive and reckless, making it easy to see her doing something criminal.
It is worth noting that when Carmine expresses her discomfort at Briar’s presence at the Crystal Pool, Briar does say that she has permission to be there for field research. However, no mention is made of whether she can take samples as part of that, or if the permission just covered the energy readings she talks about. Additionally, given the later revelations regarding the Terarium Core, Briar is clearly downplaying her interest in the pool at this point; an act of duplicity that only serves to make her presence all the more suspect in retrospect.
Furthermore, Briar also says she keeps the Terarium Core “topped up” with soil and water, implying the Core constantly requires fresh samples to continue working. Of course, even if Briar did have permission to take some samples to begin, Carmine’s reaction makes it hard to imagine the people of Kitakami would be okay with the sacred Crystal Pool being repeatedly harvested. Doing so seems increasingly likely to cause offense. Of course, with that being said, the caretaker’s enthusiasm for tourism could imply he would be okay with selling the water to Briar for the sake of the community, although there is no clear indication of this being the case.
Pokémon Indigo Disk’s Map Size Compared To Teal Mask DLC & Paldea Region
The Indigo Disk is a substantial addition to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, and it’s interesting to see just how it stacks up against what came before.
Kitakami’s Sacred Pool Makes The Terarium Core A Questionable Invention
If Briar’s actions are criminal, then this seems to have gone unnoticed by the game’s protagonist. There is no reaction to the details of the Terarium Core and its implications, which ultimately leaves the morality of building the Core somewhat unclear. On the other hand, it is possible that the player character chose not to comment on it. After all, Briar would not be the only criminal they are on friendly terms with. Penny’s hacking of League systems to pay them LP over the course of Starfall Street’s events is clearly another illegal act, but not one which the protagonist seems to mind.
If Carmine had been present to hear what was in the Terarium Core, she likely would have objected. With that in mind, it seems notable that Briar tells the protagonist alone what is in the Core, as if it is a secret; Director Cyrano may or may not have been told, but characteristically seems to have forgotten any details in either case. If Briar did steal the Crystal Pool’s water, then this would explain how she could be so brazen with its use; even if the Director does ask her about it, he seems unlikely to either realize the significance or remember to do anything about it.
Pokémon Gen 10 Games Should Steal This From Indigo Disk DLC (& It’s Not The Synchro Machine)
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet does something new with its trainers. Here’s what it is, and why it should reappear in Gen 10 games and beyond.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Show No Consequences For Briar’s Actions
Regardless of the likely moral quandary, it is undeniable that Briar has faced no repercussions for taking the Crystal Pool’s water, and most likely never will. It is not even clear if she will still need to collect water after the events of The Indigo Disk and the resultant changes to the Terarium Core. It is possible that the newly added crystals have stabilized the device for it to be viable long-term without any sort of refueling, although a supply of fresh water could equally still be required. Without a follow-up in future Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC or a new game, it is impossible to say for sure.
While nothing is directly stated, it seems more likely than not that Briar has stolen the Crystal Pool’s water. Her single-minded pursuit of Terapagos and the secrets of Terastallization have shown she can be reckless, with little thought to the safety of herself or others. Moreover, it is easy to see this attitude expressing itself in less than legal avenues, to the point of tampering with culturally significant locations like Kitakami’s Crystal Pool. But in the end, Briar has achieved everything she set out to do in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s DLC, to the point of writing her own book on the subject, without fear of any consequences.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
- Franchise
- Pokemon
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch
- Released
- November 18, 2022
- Developer(s)
- Game Freak
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo , The Pokemon Company
- Genre(s)
- RPG , Adventure , Action
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op , Online Multiplayer
- ESRB
- E
- How Long To Beat
- 31 Hours
- Prequel
- Pokémon Sword and Shield
- Mode
- Single Player, Multiplayer
