# QotD: What happens to old pokemon?

**URL:** <https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653>\
**Category:** General\
**Tags:** qotd\
**Created:** [January 30, 2025, 11:54am UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653 "2025-01-30T11:54:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lyleberr](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/lyleberr/32/156919_2.png) [@lyleberr](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/lyleberr)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 11:54am UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/1 "2025-01-30T11:54:21Z")

</div>

Welcome to the next Question of the Day!

The Question of the Day is a way to facilitate community discussion to help members ponder the unanswered questions of the world that are somehow relating to the hobby. Questions are many times open ended and up to interpretation. Feel free to post your thoughts in as much or as little detail as you’d like.

Helpful Considerations may or may not help some people focus their answer, these are blurred to not bother those who have their own ideas.

[QotD Archive](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/question-of-the-day-archive/52220)  
[Suggest future things here](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/question-of-the-day-suggestions/52221)

**Today’s Question:**  
_QotD: What happens to old pokemon?_

Helpful considerations: Circle of  
Life? Evolve to a higher battleground? Retire to that great big daycare in the sky? Infinite life in pokeball semi-stasis?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lyleberr](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/lyleberr/32/156919_2.png) [@lyleberr](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/lyleberr)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 11:54am UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/2 "2025-01-30T11:54:46Z")

</div>

You’ve heard of an elephant graveyard? I imagine there is a strong unearthly calling for pokemon that guides them deep into the unexplored territories of the pokemonworld. The pokegraveyard, a massive barren wasteland surrounded by a giant ancient forest, and protected by packs of semi-legendary pokemon is the final resting place for all pokemon lucky enough to reach it once they sense their time is coming to a close.

This actually sounds like it would be a fun concept of a location to see done.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ayoveer](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/ayoveer/32/52929_2.png) [@ayoveer](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/ayoveer)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 11:57am UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/3 "2025-01-30T11:57:32Z")

</div>

![image](https://efour.b-cdn.net/uploads/default/original/3X/c/9/c9361fa86dcfd3e7bf2eeba7d0b6d517081f4afb.png)

Games imply that death is the final evolution.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mrbubbles](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/mrbubbles/32/255723_2.png) [@mrbubbles](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/mrbubbles)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 12:11pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/5 "2025-01-30T12:11:51Z")

</div>

In the sun and moon anime they show a Stoutland dying of old age / sickness (great little episode btw). So I am guessing it is the same cycle as traditional animals.

I do wonder what happens to artificial or man-made Pokemon. Like Porygon, Magearna etc. Sure they can die from other Pokemon causes, but if everything was ideal they would probably be immortal yes? At least no age related issues.

Cheers!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Frosty.Puppy](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/frosty.puppy/32/234614_2.png) [@Frosty.Puppy](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/Frosty.Puppy)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 12:25pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/6 "2025-01-30T12:25:39Z")

</div>

![image](https://efour.b-cdn.net/uploads/default/original/3X/9/f/9f15e4b9d7e4f1dab3e7240e1afd612ddea780c0.jpeg)

Oh I remember that Stoutland on his couch under the bridge. Heartbreaking little episode but it was nice to see that side of them, makes them as you said more animal-like.

I’d second this old age although, Pokemon get too old when they die and become fossils? I wonder how that works. Maybe fossil Pokemon die of old age and turn into fossils then get resurrected, rise and repeat. :pikalaugh:

 ![image](https://efour.b-cdn.net/uploads/default/original/3X/e/c/ecec96fdbafd848edaf7e63000663973ca9bf3a0.jpeg)  
 ![image](https://efour.b-cdn.net/uploads/default/original/3X/0/1/01020f463ae8ecfa2d103608d9296889f1ff6242.jpeg)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kijamon](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/kijamon/32/68685_2.png) [@Kijamon](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/Kijamon)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 12:26pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/7 "2025-01-30T12:26:45Z")

</div>

One of the cartoon shorts had an old timer charizard I seem to recall. It slept outside

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jaxlax21](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/jaxlax21/32/156650_2.png) [@jaxlax21](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/jaxlax21)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 12:43pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/8 "2025-01-30T12:43:03Z")

</div>

Its in this one.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Z_F4IEQFdM8/maxresdefault.jpg "Blossom’s Dream 🌸 | POKÉTOON Shorts") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_F4IEQFdM8)

The kid’s Dad’s Charizard from when he was a trainer.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Frosty.Puppy](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/frosty.puppy/32/234614_2.png) [@Frosty.Puppy](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/Frosty.Puppy)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 12:57pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/9 "2025-01-30T12:57:22Z")

</div>

The ending was a sweet easter egg.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![banks](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/banks/32/255729_2.png) [@banks](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/banks)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 2:14pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/10 "2025-01-30T14:14:58Z")

</div>

![img](https://efour.b-cdn.net/uploads/default/original/3X/4/1/4182ba45a98a91393f231259f7052ba3aaa3febb.jpeg)

For me the real question is what happens to GHOST pokemon when they get old? Do they roam for eternity? Where do they come from, and why are there so many different _species_?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rtas](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/rtas/32/257427_2.png) [@rtas](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/rtas)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 2:15pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/11 "2025-01-30T14:15:33Z")

</div>

They end up here I’m afraid:

![image](https://efour.b-cdn.net/uploads/default/original/3X/9/e/9e562618066ba5b7edd17f5b030774f02029ea22.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![c0ll3ct0r](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/c0ll3ct0r/32/26306_2.png) [@c0ll3ct0r](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/c0ll3ct0r)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 2:32pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/12 "2025-01-30T14:32:19Z")

</div>

The vast majority of Pokemon don’t get old. 🦖 🥩

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RabidSquirtle](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/rabidsquirtle/32/236211_2.png) [@RabidSquirtle](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/RabidSquirtle)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 4:31pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/13 "2025-01-30T16:31:09Z")

</div>

I actually think about this a lot. Simple good answer they are just animals. Dark answer they try to evade capture because once they get caught they are shoved into a cramped pokeball without food and they are constantly forced to battle and yes they improve but the reason some of them fight is because they want to die, they can’t die though because nurse joy keeps healing them in the eternal life machine. So I believe that old pokemon never die unless if nurse joy doesn’t put them in the machine, this is why you never see any of ash’s pokemon getting older after 22 years because they just keep getting healed. Also if you can catch a child’s spirit and a piece of wood (phantump) in a pokeball then I also believe that you can catch a human spirit in a lump of flesh into a pokeball therefore rehealing them and all their wounds this is why so many people in Pokemon don’t age because they use the healing machines that the pokemon use. The reason that the stoutland died is because it wasn’t constantly using the magical healing machine making it’s health decline, one more thing that supports the claim that Pokemon are always trying to die charmander line, like what??? Why did arceus create them like that well he didn’t is the simple answer. Every Pokemon came from mew in the lore right? So this would explain why it’s so easy to find weak pokemon because they evolve to be weak so that they can die faster, meanwhile legendaries aren’t plentiful because they live so long and have so much power that they just don’t die BUT you might be thinking RabidSquirtle aren’t your points contradicting well yes BUT, you see humans having greed hunted all the legendaries and shiny pokemon believing that they would have more power and then those pokemon got abused for their power and looks (as we can see with dawn’s fashion shows) so much that they ended themselves. That’s my theory feel free to argue against it thanks:)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lyleberr](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/lyleberr/32/156919_2.png) [@lyleberr](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/lyleberr)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 4:38pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/14 "2025-01-30T16:38:43Z")

</div>

> [@RabidSquirtle](#):
>
> evolve to be weak so that they can die faster

Are… are you ok?

Besides the rush to die being antithesis to the biological purpose of life, very interesting viewpoint. I find the idea of nurse joy unknowingly torturing pokemon by extending their lives a perfect premise for dark comedy.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RabidSquirtle](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/rabidsquirtle/32/236211_2.png) [@RabidSquirtle](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/RabidSquirtle)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 4:50pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/15 "2025-01-30T16:50:28Z")

</div>

The reason that they want to die because they hated their lives fighting for trainers that only care about taking money from eachother

On the bright side some trainers fought for fun and pokemon enjoyed injuring eachother (cough cough pikachu cough cough)

Edit: I also just thought about it would this mean that Pokemon contain genes that make them masochistic (did I use that term right?)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![c0ll3ct0r](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/c0ll3ct0r/32/26306_2.png) [@c0ll3ct0r](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/c0ll3ct0r)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 4:53pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/16 "2025-01-30T16:53:18Z")

</div>

> [@lyleberr](#):
>
> Besides the rush to die being antithesis to the biological purpose of life

_Well technically_ there are some interesting species out there that have remarkably short lifespans. This vertebrate completes its life cycle in a maximum of 59 days.

 ![image](https://efour.b-cdn.net/uploads/default/original/3X/e/3/e3477a96f4973bcc87221915226b4fb1d63b654e.jpeg)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lyleberr](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/lyleberr/32/156919_2.png) [@lyleberr](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/lyleberr)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 4:55pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/17 "2025-01-30T16:55:30Z")

</div>

A short lifespan or short lifecycle is not the same as evolving to have a rush to death to avoid what seems to be a variable environmental factor.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![eevee](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/eevee/32/230472_2.png) [@eevee](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/eevee)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 4:59pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/18 "2025-01-30T16:59:33Z")

</div>

It really depends after they get old. They could either pass away softly, or y’know…

 ![17382560765794387312351429701839](https://efour.b-cdn.net/uploads/default/original/3X/e/b/eb3be17bc657bbc9b3d468d45d96fc65a3467ad1.jpeg)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![c0ll3ct0r](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/c0ll3ct0r/32/26306_2.png) [@c0ll3ct0r](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/c0ll3ct0r)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 5:00pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/19 "2025-01-30T17:00:33Z")

</div>

If they both have shortened lifespans as a result of adaptive radiation then…but fighting for money as slaves in a ball is different of course.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RabidSquirtle](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/rabidsquirtle/32/236211_2.png) [@RabidSquirtle](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/RabidSquirtle)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 5:07pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/20 "2025-01-30T17:07:07Z")

</div>

Hey Pokemon is just Cockfighting for children prove me wrong. They often bet on it they breed them for the best stats and will sometimes attach items to them to make them better fighters

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lyleberr](https://efour.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.elitefourum.com/lyleberr/32/156919_2.png) [@lyleberr](https://www.elitefourum.com/u/lyleberr)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 5:09pm UTC](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653/21 "2025-01-30T17:09:01Z")

</div>

I dont think they bet on battles, there is honor in the fight.

[Next page](https://www.elitefourum.com/t/qotd-what-happens-to-old-pokemon/52653.md?page=2)
