Druddigon…
Some of you simply hate this Pokémon, don’t you? 😛
It seems to be like lego, looks as if it was designed by an intern, and with its aggressive viability not doing any favors within the mainline video games in addition to Pokémon GO, what’s there to love about this boring ol’ dragon, eh?
Well, assume once more!
Dragon Pokémon are the epitome of nice design and lore, and Druddigon isn’t any totally different as its so-called wobbly design and even its title has SOOOOOO a lot behind it!
Sounds unbelievable? Let’s dive in then!
Reptile: Lizard
Let’s begin with the straightforward particulars. Right off the bat, it’s fairly evident that Druddigon is reptilian, primarily based on its lizard-like options and Dex entries that clearly point out a predatory lizard.
But it’s not simply any lizard… you see, Druddigon is predicated on a selected lizard and its colour palette bears a hanging resemblance to the animal in query…. the Agama agama!
Agama agama
Just a look at these vibrant lizards will instantly make you think about Druddigon. In reality, they’re often known as the Red-headed Rock Agama, shedding extra gentle on the Druddigon origins.
The lizard inspiration behind Druddigon is straightforward to know, and nothing out of the strange. But that is the place it will get extra attention-grabbing, as Druddigon can also be primarily based on… crops!
Oak leaves? Or not?
Druddigon’s ‘wings’, that are useless in the case of flight, and solely assist in temperature regulation are fairly much like oak leaves.
This turns into much more clear once you try its shiny model.
While Druddigon’s wings appear like oak leaves, you’ll be stunned that its whole physique additionally resembles a plant, though a special one.
Thistle
Thistles are inexperienced spiky crops full with a bright-colored flower, usually thought-about a nuisance to the place they inhabit, identical to the invasive nature of Druddigon (see shiny, specifically).
Thistles are native to the Mediterranean, however they had been additionally launched vastly to most of North America, significantly New York, that’s, the Unova area, Druddigon’s home! 💡
But there’s extra, and it goes deeper…
There’s this explicit kind referred to as Holy Thistle, which most likely has essentially the most design likeliness to (shiny) Druddigon, leaves, colours, jaggedness, all:
But the Holy Thistle has one other title: St. Benedict’s Thistle.
The ‘saint’ moniker makes all of it the higher! 😉
St.George, Patron Saint of England
St.George, the patron saint of England was not your common saint… he was a dragon slayer!
It all goes again to a story the place a ferocious dragon was terrorizing a locality and was appeased when folks sacrificed animals. But after some time, they ran out of animals and began sacrificing people to maintain the dragon calm.
Eventually, with households dropping family members, the locals determined to sacrifice the king’s young daughter to the dragon, and so they took her to the beast. But miraculously, St.George got here to the princess’ rescue and she or he tamed the dragon along with her girdle, a garment worn across the waist and represented one’s devotion to God, that went on to wound across the dragon’s neck, calming it down and turning into the princess’ personal.
In a Pokémon analogy: St.George: Drayden, the princess: Iris, and the girdle: Poké Ball. Brilliant, eh?
English Dragon
St.George’s cross went on to be represented in England’s flag, making Druddigon an English Dragon.
But guess what? Druddigon additionally seamlessly will get design and lore parts from the opposite nations of Great Britain: Scotland and Wales.
Scotland and… Thistles!
Back to the thistles once more, lol 😆
But hey, Scotland’s nationwide flower is thistle! This spiky flower is illustrated in lots of Scottish heritage items and belongings:
Welsh Dragon
For starters, try the Wales flag:
Druddigon’s red-colored head may very properly be primarily based on the notorious Welsh dragon. And I’ll inform you Y.
D.R.U.D.D.I.G.O.N. What’s within the title?
Did you understand that the Welsh dragon on its flag has a reputation? It’s “Y DDRAIG GOCH” which interprets to “The red/crimson dragon.”
Do word that Druddigon’s Japanese title is ‘Crimgan,’ actually ‘crimson dragon.’
Additionally, the prevalence of double ‘d’ (DD) is a really Welsh factor. Do you see the place I’m going?
Now give this a hear:
DDRAIG GOCH….DRUDDIGON
And the Welsh phrase for ‘crimson’?
Crimson is RHUDDGOCH, which seems like ‘ruddi-gohn’
If you had been so as to add a D to start with, it lends up sounding identical to DRUDDIGON!
So Druddigon completely represents Britain with the thistle idea, a plant additionally extensively present in New York (Unova).
Gargoyle
Of course, any Druddigon dialogue is incomplete with out point out of its gargoyle-ish likeness, as evidenced by its Y and Alpha Sapphire Dex entry:
It warms its physique by absorbing daylight with its wings. When its physique temperature falls, it may possibly not transfer.
Still, like a rock… like a gargoyle, draconic/beastly stone collectible figurines, discovered primarily in Europen structure, and likewise in…
New York (Unova)!
Parting Words
Never thought easy Druddigon had sooo a lot to it? 
This Dragon is severely underrated and deserves extra love and appreciation, and we hope that identical to Duraludon, it too will get a future evolution in a recreation (Gen 10?).
Until then, you too can take a look at different related articles I’ve coated for my favourite Dragon Pokémon, proper right here: 😀
Garchomp | Baxcalibur | Hydreigon | Zygarde
Dracarys.
