Top 10 Pokémon Evolutions That Make Zero Sense

Top 10 Pokémon Evolutions That Don’t Fit

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Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 10 Pokémon evolutions that don’t fit. For this list, we’ll be going over the Pokémon whose appearances don’t match with some or all of the other members of its evolutionary line. Which final form left you baffled? Let us know in the comments!

Both Water type Pokémon, both serpentine fish. However, they have a lot more in common than that, as they’re some of the few Pokémon to be part of a divergent evolution line. In other words, they evolve from the same Pokémon. Aside from body shape, they don’t really resemble each other, but they’re positively identical compared to their pre-evolution, Clamperl! Whereas Huntail and Gorebyss are fish-like, Clamperl is an oyster or clam! Sure, each of them evolves by being traded holding a different item, but even by the internal logic of the franchise, this is pretty bizarre.

The “Sun and Moon” games introduced another divergent evolution line, with both its mascots evolving from the same Pokémon. The first two stages, Cosmog and Cosmoem, have a starry, cloud theme to them, but when their evolutions split, that’s when things get weird. Although Moon’s Lunala retains its pre-evolutions’ blue, star-studded color scheme, Sun’s Solgaleo largely abandons it. While part of its face has this look, its huge, white, lion-like body looks nothing like anything in the rest of the line. When it comes to comparing Solgaleo with its relatives, the differences are “night and day.”

Sharpedo is a cool Pokémon – a shark crossed with a torpedo? That’s just awesome. But comparing it to Carvanha, the Pokémon it evolves from, we’re left with a few questions. Although Carvanha is based on a fish too, it’s a piranha, which is a freshwater fish, while most sharks are found in saltwater. Their blue coloring and shape are sort of similar, but other than that, the differences are stark. We’re guessing the mentality behind this one was take a dangerous aquatic predator, and just swap it out for an even bigger one!

An appropriately named toucan-like Pokémon with a multi-colored, striped bill. Despite it being a fitting addition to the Alola region it was introduced in, Toucannon doesn’t fit in with its own evolution line. Although its second form, Trumbeak, can kind of look like a toucan, if you squint, its first form, Pikipek, is very clearly based on a woodpecker. While we can appreciate what they were going for, with each new evolution getting a larger beak, it comes at the expense of a bird Pokémon evolving into a radically different avian!

A lot of Pokémon whose evolutions don’t fit are due to them becoming different animals entirely. But in the case of Politoed, that’s the whole point. Poliwag becomes Poliwhirl, which becomes Politoed. Polliwog becomes toad – that makes sense. What doesn’t track though is how drastically different Politoed looks to Poliwag and Poliwhirl and even its alternate evolution, Poliwrath. All three of the other members of its family tree have the same color scheme and a characteristic swirl on their bellies. But Politoed is a different color entirely and only has a slightly curved mark on it. Definitely the unwanted stepchild of the family.

Here we have an unusual case. Venomoth and Butterfree are two Bug type Pokémon from the first generation of games. Neither of them much resembles Pokémon they evolve from. However – each of them looks like they evolve from the Pokémon in each other’s evolution line! Venonat is purple, has little hands and antenna just like Butterfree. And, while less pronounced, Butterfree’s pre-evolutions Caterpie and Metapod have eyes, headpieces, and thoraxes that more closely resemble Venomoth’s. While never officially confirmed, many have theorized that the two final evolutions were accidentally swapped during development and never fixed.

This grass snake isn’t out of place with its pre-evolutions because it doesn’t look like them. Serperior absolutely looks like it could come from Snivy and Servine. Rather, it doesn’t fit because of something it lacks – arms and legs! While Snivy and Servine have at least little arms/hands and legs, Serperior is a full-on serpent. You could argue that its evolution sees it become progressively more snake-like, but still! You’d think that having limbs would only be helpful, right? Having fewer options to interact with your environment doesn’t seem very “superior.”

This whole evolution line is all kinds of confusing. Flygon itself looks like a cross between a dragonfly and a dragon. That’s fair enough, yet its two pre-evolutions are quite different. Its first form, Trapinch, looks like an orange snapping turtle. Then, its second form, Vibrava, looks like a antlion. Although Flygon retains Vibrava’s wing, tail, and eye shape, Trapinch looks nothing like it's later forms. And the real kicker is that none of them are Bug types! Sure, there are actual dragonflies called “sand dragons,” but that still doesn’t make the whole line any less bizarre.

Dragon types are among the most beloved in all of the “Pokémon” franchise. So it’s a minor miracle they’re as loved as they are when the first evolution line of dragons started off so weirdly! Dratini is a little, blue snake dragon. Then, it evolves into a slightly bigger, more elegant blue snake dragon. With us so far? Well, prepare to get lost, because final form Dragonite is a big, derpy, orange dragon with zero bite. It’d be somewhat more believable if it were still blue, we suppose, but as it is, the only thing it has in common with Dragonair is the horn on its head! Gyarados looks like it evolves from Dragonair more than Dragonite does!

There’s Pokemon evolving into different animals, and then there’s THIS! Octillery is a red octopus Water-type Pokémon. It evolves from Remoraid…which is not only not red, it’s not even an octopus – it’s a blue fish! Apart from both being ocean natives, there’s absolutely nothing connecting these two! If you asked someone who didn’t know which Pokémon Octillery evolved from to guess which one it comes from, they probably couldn’t do it to save their life! Most of our other entries have some kind of visual commonality, or they’re at least in the same animal phylum, but there’s just nothing here!