Pokemon Legends: Z-A has taken the Pokémon community by surprise with its choice of starters: Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile. This unexpected trio has stirred up a mix of emotions among fans. Still, it might give these often overlooked Pokémon a chance to shine. Nevertheless, while shaking things up, the Pokemon Legends series seems to have overlooked one starter that many believe deserves its moment in the spotlight in the sequel to Z-A.
After the release of Pokemon Legends: Arceus, it seemed reasonable to expect a mix of starters from different generations, as it previously picked from three distinct generations. By revisiting starters from earlier games, there’s an opportunity to reintroduce these Pokémon with exciting new forms—similar to the Hisuian regional variants seen in Arceus. Legends: Z-A is poised to follow this pattern, but with Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile being highlighted, Snivy from Generation 5 seems to be missing out, despite the other Black and White starters finding their place in the Legends series.
With Gen 2’s Chikorita and Totodile confirmed as starters in Legends: Z-A, the complete trio from that generation is now represented, following Cyndaquil’s appearance in Arceus. For Gen 5, we have Oshawott appearing in the Arceus line-up and Tepig in Z-A, leaving Snivy as the only Gen 5 starter yet to appear in a Legends game. Given this oversight, Snivy stands as a prime candidate for inclusion in a potential next installment.
Snivy’s reception has always been rather neutral—not particularly polarizing or forgotten by the fanbase. This could explain its absence from headline-making starter selections like the Legends series. However, Snivy has untapped potential, especially when its evolution, Serperior, enters the arena with solid competitive appeal. As its fellow Gen 5 starters enjoy the limelight again, it feels almost inevitable that Snivy will eventually get its chance too.
Traditionally, the Pokémon franchise strives to maintain balance within its starter trios. If one gains a new evolution or form, the others typically follow the trend. Although exceptions like Charizard’s two Mega Evolutions occur, the series usually corrects such imbalances quickly. This was evident when Swampert and Sceptile received their Mega Evolutions in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire after Blaziken’s spotlight in X and Y. Following this logic, with both Oshawott and Tepig poised for new forms, it is unlikely Snivy will be left hanging, especially now that Chikorita and Totodile are likely to get fresh evolutions alongside Cyndaquil’s Hisuian form.
Using this reasoning, it’s plausible that we might see Litten and Popplio joining Snivy in a new set of forms, following Rowlet’s Hisuian variant in Legends: Arceus. This could pave the way for an intriguing starter selection in a speculative third Legends game: Snivy, Litten, and Popplio.
While it remains to be seen whether the starters in Pokemon Legends: Z-A will sport new Mega Evolutions or simply enhanced regional variants, omitting Snivy altogether could disrupt the delicate starter trio balance. As the franchise continues to expand upon the Legends formula, we may soon gain a clearer picture of what lies ahead. Regardless of the path taken, the Pokémon series would do well to include Snivy in its future endeavors.
