Pokémon wants you to put some respect on these middle evolutions

With Worlds over and the new game just a couple of months away, Pokémon‘s posting habits have gotten a little… strange. The official Pokémon website posted a series of infographics with the sole purpose of proving that “middle Evolution Pokémon are the coolest Pokémon out there,” despite their bad rap in the community.

Middle evolution Pokémon, while an integral part of many of the strongest Pokémon‘s growth cycles, are often overlooked by the community, overshadowed by their pre-evolved form’s cuteness or their final evolution’s strength and coolness. There are some exceptions, of course – most would agree that Charmeleon and Ivysaur are both solid designs – but the 110 awkward teenage phase Pokémon rarely get their chance in the spotlight.

Pokémon’s extensive infographic highlights the many wonders of middle-stage evolutions, from their use in popular Pokémon TCG Live decks to their integral roles in Pokémon Go teams at Worlds. As a gen 3 Pokémon enthusiast, I’ve always held an appreciation for Kirlia’s ballet poise and the male’s ability to choose between Gallade and Gardevoir as its final form.

Similarly, the Pokémon website highlights Cosmoem as the only legendary middle evolution, with the ability to become Solgaleo or Lunala, depending on the circumstances. Cosmoem is also simultaneously a small Pokémon and a big Pokémon, as it’s the shortest of the middle evolutions, but also the heaviest due to its density.

Despite Pokémon’s efforts to make middle evolutions appealing, it simultaneously discriminates against certain Pokémon based on the Pokédex number of their pre-evolutions. This infographic deems the likes of Chansey, Electabuzz, and even Pikachu “not quite middle evolutions,” which is a shame, because I’d happily go to bat for Chansey any day.

What’s your favorite middle Pokémon evolution? Let us know in our community Discord server‘s Pokémon channel! If you’re currently stuck with a bunch of these middle evolutions and can’t figure out how to evolve them, take a look at our Bisharp evolution, Poliwhirl evolution, and how to evolve Primape guides next.