I love the idea that Stakataka is just like, an office building made of its own workers

I suppose Blacephalon could also hint on the light pollution, as the artificial lights long became sorta "invasive".

Honestly I hope we get more ultra beasts as they are the most unique thing in Pokémon, well in my opinion they are.

Ultra Beasts tend to cross between organic and inorganic materials that would function as otherworldly beings, similar to SCPs or Trevor Henderson's Monsters.

The original set of UBs are all based on planets in our solar system, and the gods they get their name from. Xurkitree is Jupiter/Zeus, and one of his major symbols is the oak tree. A lot of old European cultures associate oaks with lightning because they're the biggest trees in the area so act like a lightning-magnet. In the burned scars of a big oak after lightning strikes, parasitic mistletoe often grows. Mistletoe was seen as a blessing, a literal gift from the gods. This is why mistletoe is a Christmas thing and all this is the reason why Xurkitree looks like a Christmas tree with a star on top.

I feel like stackaka was more based on insects invading a home. It looks like a ruin so overrun with unown that it came to life with the arms of Arceus and sprouted legs to walk away

Always thought it was funny when you used that one friendship mechanic in USUM on stakataka, it would go idle and look you were literally talking to a brick wall. Also, regarding dandelions, they are actually edible and can be used for salad.

Xurkitree's “Christmas lights” are actually zip ties like what are used to bundle networking cables.

I love how Scarlet and Violet also deal with this concept of invasive species. All of the trailers are focused on being nature documentaries and wildlife expeditions. And all of the paradox pokemon are invasive species, they bring up how if they were to all escape, they would destroy the natural environment of Paldea

thank you for explaining the most bizarre Pokémon in the games and their lore too, like I really needed this.

By the way Stakataka could be based off a fire ant colony. If you have ever seen them in a flood, they group up in balls and roll over themselves as to breath

After you said ultra beasts are based on invasive things I thought Stakataka was a going to be a reference to gentrification or colonizers or something of the sort since it's in the Hawaii of Pokemon. It reads as new buildings being forcibly added and built so sturdy they don't leave, while said buildings also bring dozens of unwelcome 'tourists'.

Honestly, Blacephalon is my favorite of the Ultra Beast. When I saw the video about it being connected to Pennywise it easily became one of my top 10. But I'm also a big Steven King fan and have been since 5th grade. ^^;

I honestly also think that stakataka is kind of a reverse of unown as well - both have singular eyes per little guy, only unown stick while stakataka are literally the bricks that stack on each other.

I immediately love the "BEHOLD, A MAN" reference with the cables at the beginning

Stakakaka is a werid Ultra Beast but I love how it's a defensive tank in battle.

I really hope they revisit the Ultra Beast idea in the future, if only to make MissingNo into one. It would be a really neat way to incorporate that piece of history into the game officially, and could still fit the UB themes on the standpoint of glitches being invasive to your game and corrupting the world.

Ultra Beasts are such fascinating Pokemon. There are interpretations of them aligning to Deadly Sins or the planets, but I wish we could get more, even with their esoteric stats distribution.

A star walks into a black hole but doesn't seen phased. The black hole then turns to the star and says, "I don't think you understand the gravity of this situation."

As soon as Lockstin said siphonophore I instantly thought of Octonauts and was pleased to actually know what crazy animal he was talking about

5:44 Some months ago, no one would believe a minor Ace Attorney character like Geiru would go viral like that, to the point of appearing at a Ultra Beast video.

Blacephalon is based on a Clowns, Fireworks,Flowers,Dullahan (throws it's pumpkin head full of hellfire creating a massive explosion which explains Mind Blown) and a Nukekubi(the version that can remove their own head). Stakataka is made up of 137 Bricks and it's based a Yokai called a Mokumokuren.

That explanation about xurkitree is one of the most satisfying ever, and makes me wonder how many percent references you've shown is the exact mind of the pokemon designer about Xurkitree...

I thought those were representative of zip ties since we keep cords together with them. Also, I’m surprised you didn’t bring up Kudzu as well - an invasive vine/weed that was brought in for decoration and now we see it everywhere strangling trees and other plants.

I like how humans opened the rift to let Ultra Beasts come to earth, but WE call them invasive

maybe stakataka is based on a creature of the sci-fi eciclopedic book "All Tumorrows", the creature (i don't remember is name at the moment) is made off varius sentient flesh bricks with eyes, mouth an hears all over their surface that moves in the form of gigantic hive mind buildings (they were human colonist that tried to fight against a race of crazy bio ingenier named "Qu")

Blasepholon could also be a reference to “The Colors Out of Space” by HP Lovecraft. The mysterious colors come from space in a meteor then explode on impact and spreads throughout the land nearby. It poisons the terrain making anything that consumes insane.

Stakkatakka always reminds me of the Modular People and Colonials from the book All Tomorrows, since the Modular People are made out of numerous separate organisms that move as one

I would argue that blacephelon would also draw inspiration from fireworks, and the impact they have on the environment.

funny thing, the christmas lights on Xurkitree are also the dangly bit of zip-ties, which fits with both the wire theme and the invasive theme since they're commonly used to bundle groups of wires together and end up literally everywhere when you use them because they're tiny and single-use.

When you mentioned Blacephalon's origin as an ancient horror, I was pleased to see Emrakaul there, very apt! :D

Xurkitree might also have references to sea urchins as well, which are a very invasive species.

You know this video and the Dalek reference in TerminalMontages video has suddenly made me like Stakataka a lot more than I thought I ever would.

I think Stakataka is also based on the Colonials from After Man. The Colonials are human bricks with eyes, just like Stakataka.

The white things we call lights on Xurkitree could also be a reference to the zip-ties you’d use to bundle up wires.

I like how this set are invasive in their own ways Xirkitree invades power plants, wires stealing our electricity Blacephelon, being partially based on fireworks, invades the sky and your restful sleep (no one can tell me they’ve never been woken up by their neighbors lighting fireworks) Stackataka, as bricks, invades our creativity, with bricks being a monotonous part of urban life, uncreative unless you paint over it (which Stackataka wouldn’t want you doing)

I love these three! Object mon tend to get a lot of hate (I don't care about most of them either way) but these ones are suuuuper funky and I love that! The bunch of cables (behold! lol) is my favorite UB :)

Blacephalon also has a color scheme that reminds me of that parasitic flatworm that takes over snails. You know, the one that pops out of their heads and makes the eyestalks look ballooned out?

Those are not lights on Xurkitree's body, they are zipties keeping the cables together

"How are bricks and cables Pokemon?" The same way sand castles and garbage bags are, I'm guessing.

"me and my homies hate lawns!" absolutely based

Xurkitree is based on invasive species because christmas lights are an invasive species wreaking havoc on months and seasons where they're non-native. November is already beyond saving, October has started showing cracks in recent years

I always am reminded of the Portuguese Man o' war since I first learned Stakataka is a colonial organism. It's one of my two favorite Ultra Beasts along with Kartana. I really like that it's colonial organism nature comes into play in the anime where it's nearly impossible to attack since it virtually has no blind spots.

You're definitely my favorite Pokemon KZfaqr. I can tell you work really hard to get all the research and information to make sense of the funny fictional monsters. Keep up the great work!

Another possible inspiration for Stakataka I can't believe you missed are the invasive eusocial insects on the Hawaiian islands, specifically Tropical and Little Fire Ants. The eusocial, or "hive mind," trait easily translates to a collective of small creatures working together, and fire ants specifically are well-known for their living architecture projects. Bivouacs as temporary fortresses while digging a new underground colony, living bridges to cross gaps, both horizontally and vertically, and the iconic "rafts," where a massive ball of floating ant bodies (Thanks to their highly hydrophobic exoskeletons) band together to float down a river.

ultra beasts have always confused me, but this and the battle royale have really helped!! thanks :>

Stakataka reminds me of the Colonials from All Tomorrows.

Love how the example pictures for eldritch abominations went straight for the Eldrazi from MtG - with Brisela taking centre stage!

Somehow I can imagine a scenario like the radio play broadcast of war of the worlds happening. But about xurkitree. Only to have the champion of Alola roll up with one of their own just like "oh yeah this spark spark, I feed him beans"

I’ve been binge watching your stuff while playing the Pokémon Splatfest, thank you very much for your hard work! ^^

Another sort of space/alien thing for Stakataka, I could see the pillars from 2001: a Space Odyssey could be an inspiration as well, and IIRC it's either in that movie or another movie that has similar things like that that are segmented and actually walk around and have limbs and stuff.

Strangling figs are crazy. When I went to Cairns, they were all over the biggest trees. I'd never seen them before but after I looked it up I couldn't believe such a thing even existed.

This video has succinctly described why I loved the addition of Ultra Beasts so much. Yes, some of them are simply objects, but there's more to them if you dig deeper, multiple layers that make up their design. Pokemon like that are much more exciting to me than, say, yet another normal type dog or bird. With the rumoured paradox pokemon in Scarlet/Violet, I'm hoping we continue to see Game Freak push the boundaries of what a Pokemon can be.

I can't get over how I figured out that Blacephalon is a dandelion within a month of its reveal, but only a couple days ago realized that Jumpluff is as well. And Jumpluff's way more obvious about it, too! ;-;

Honestly my first thought for Stakataka was that people literally invade and build big-arse castles everywhere

Stakataka is such a cool design, especially for an “alien” creature. Something about it also is just so satisfying for me to look at. Ultra Beasts are definitely one of the best things to come from Gen 7

Legendary pokemon: a beeing capable of absorbing all the light of the universe, beeing that keep time and space and time stable, a protector of nature made out of multiple beeings. Ultrabeast: *bricks and wirers*

Kartana and Buzzwole are my favorite 😂 their designs are hilarious.

Xurkitree is my Favorite Ultra Beast

It’s funny you mention it cuz Xurkitree and Stakataka are my favorite Pokémon of all time.

Xurkitree is my absolute fave of the UBs-its so cute and i love it's plug tail, and Celesteela is second place since it's so flexible game-wise and visually cool, but your explanation behind Blacephalon's background and that incredible shiny has it in the running for third

A fun thing to point out Blacephalon's shiny is likely a nod to most fun-houses/haunted houses that use blacklights and blacklight paints to allow its unnatural colors pop out better

3:46 and 8:12 “Behold, a Pokémon.” Lockstin and Gnoggin 2022-

As a farmer i always found it hilarious and sad Dandelions are labeled as weeds when in reality they have terrible leaves to block the sunlight with and usaully keep them close to the ground Also animals love Dandelions over normal grass, and there are many kinds of Dandelions that live all over the world, theyre like bees, a very helpful plant Also i like their fluffy yellow flowers, theyre so pretty

Without a doubt, Xurkitree is my favorite Ultra Beast. Back in Gen 7 I was hooked on Random battles & this mon kept appearing on my teams to the point I thought Smogon was bugged. In the end I merely accepted the fact that I made an Ultra Friend & have loved them ever since!

I always thought the “Christmas lights” on Xurkitree were just stylized and trimmed zip ties? Electricians use them for cable management all the time and cable clusters look a lot like Xurkitree’s limbs

idk why but listening to that little glitch transition with headphones (like at 2:14) makes my teeth itch

5:27 And the English dub removes some of them, like Meowth going "muda nya, muda nya, muda nya!" while doing Jojo's poses as a reference to Dio Brando's infamous kiai/stand cry "muda da!".

I love these weirdos and it's so fascinating to hear the explanation for what they could be based on. Such as, I'm aware of other kinds of parasite plants on trees but never heard of the Strangling Fig before. On that I wonder if Blacephon and Xircutree's rivalry might also be in reference to live entertainment versus digital entertainment. Like sure it's a lot of fun for us humans but they both have their cons with the environment. For instance a live show (such as a circus because clown in this case) can't be seen everywhere so when one shows up you suddenly see mass crowds descend on a small space which can wreak havoc on the location due to traffic (ever try to get down the highway when there's a top 3 football game that weekend?), food, space, and noise (there's been studies before on how, say, an outdoor concert affects birds in the area). It's always good for a town's tourism, if they can plan for it, but in the old days you could imagine how a traveling troupe would cause brief chaos on a town before leaving as mysteriously as they came because they just showed up one day and decided to set up at the edge of town or in the square. It's an *old* problem as long as there have been people. On the other hand, at home entertainment is a fairly new problem. And like you said, the demand for at home access to things like electricity came with the need for power plants, towers, cables, etc. A live show may still consume a lot of energy, but if every house has a television and everyone is watching, it's smaller but multiplied could be consuming more energy. And in recent years it's been a huge debate between the need for internet access in every area because of human dependency versus what effect the transmission towers and power sources (such as wind turbines) have on the people and wildlife in the area. And the fact these two compete with fireworks versus a light show still shows this off nicely.

Can I just say I loved that opening bit? "Behold... a Pokemon."

For Stakataka I was thinking invading Kingdoms, since it looks similar to a Castle tower

Stakataka reminds me of the BOTW guardian

7:09 Dandelions are a gardener's enemy. I'm playing Viva Pinata Trouble in Paradise right now on Microsoft PC Game Pass and they're characterized as nasty weeds. Course feeding pinatas specific weeds is needed to fulfill certain requirements such as recruiting and evolving and dandelions don't do much besides scare pinatas.

I wonder if Colonials from All Tomorrows had any inspiration to Stakataka's design.

I have a cool video idea!! There have been a couple pokemon now that are from "different regions" than the one they were introduced in. You should do an origin video, taking apart their inspiration and where you think they might be from! What do you think Lockstin?

Something that wasn't pointed out is that stakataka actually falls into two alien tropes The mentioned hivemind trop But also the not often used mimic trope, where a alien species will assimilate into a human society to feed by making itself blend in with its surroundings, think Edgar the bug from MIB or the one transformers movie where they all were simple appliances

Watching this while shiny hunting for Guzzlord, wish me luck!

Great video, I was watching it while playing PLA DLC and I think I might know who Melli is related to. He is related to Swordbert and Shieldbert. I noted that he does the same eyes go white that the brothers do in Sword and Shield

Blacephalon is one of my absolute favorites. I love learning new things about it!

4:44 I love that most of the images for eldritch horrors used are images of the Eldrazi from Magic: The Gathering. Haven't thought of that game in a long while.

4:45 lamo i didnt expect to see eldrazi in this vid

I always thought that xurkitree's "head" was one of those plants that can grow on cables, the Tillandsia genus

Super informative and entertaining as always :D Also the parts about lawns and privatization of electricity were very based

4:46 I was not expecting the Eldrazi from MtG to make a cameo appearance in a Pokémon video. Neat!

Stakataka could also be a reference to all tomorrow's Colonials and Their more evolved modular people forms.

You know what I find interesting? Bacephelon seems more idk chill than the other Ultra beasts. Like he is just there putting on light shows minding his own business

The way it is shaped, Stakatakka always reminded me of a castle tower or some kind of medieval watchtower, and well, invasive species, invasions, castles, there is a connection there.

As someone who loves Xurkitree, I love hearing an analysis about its beauty and brilliance

I never thought about the Invasive Species thing!!!!! Hella interesting 👀👀

6:28 KOF 99 boss stage! Even though it really doesn't have anything to do with Blacephalon, the pokemon fits kinda nicely in there 8:48 is from KOF XI, ik lockstin probably doesn't know or care where these are from but its cool seeing them

Does that mean that Blacephalon as we know it might not be its true form, and it simply looks like it does in the usual Pokemon reality because we cant comprehend its extreme levels of clownery?

i always thought Xurkitree was called Xurkitree because its name sounds like the two words "circuit" and "tree."

Blacephalon invasive species was probably some 2016 Scary Clown invasion refrence lmao.

I live that you used Eldrazi from Magic: The Gathering!

another reason Xurkitree and Blacephalon (pretty cool how the put cepha in the mind burst pokemons name) could be invasive is light pollution Blacephalons shiny looks like a fake night sky sort of ordeal.

It'd be great to have a pokemon inspired by a colony animal, that has an ability that makes its def/spdef go down as its health goes down. Gradually. Like, it has 200 def/spdef, normal amount of hp but, for example, if it has 10% of hp, it actually has 20 def

Considering that none, but Guzzlord are actively destroying their Environment in the Ultraspaces we find them in, got me thinking. What if they just go after their Natural ways which they know from their Homeworld? Maybe Guzzlord hail from an Dimension in which they live in harmony with whatever else by feasting on their Leftovers and Waste Products.

stakataka reminds me a lot of army ants, since they build temporary structures by linking their bodies together. i couldn’t find any invasive species of army ants, but ants in general have a lot of invasive species, so it kinda works? i just thought that was interesting

4:45 using MTG's Eldrazi as an example of Eldritch horror...nice touch

This guy always makes the evidence work for him no matter what. Like the "Christmas lights" on xurkitree, bruh those are zipties