Here’s Why Detective Pikachu Can Talk

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu is now out in theaters, and fans from all over are enjoying the antics of the cuddly new Pikachu voiced by Ryan Reynolds. This talking Pikachu is one of the biggest draws of the film by far, and now that fans have been introduced to a brand new side of the Pokemon world, there is actually a pretty hefty explanation as to why Pikachu can talk and why Justice Smith’s Tim Goodman can understand him.

Since explaining this plot detail actually ties into the final twist reveal of the film, there are major spoilers for the plot of Pokemon: Detective Pikachu below. Read on below with caution if you have yet to see the film for yourself!

In Detective Pikachu, Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) travels to Ryme City after hearing his father, Harry Goodman, has died in a mysterious accident. The two were distant, so when Goodman heads to his father’s messy home office to settle his father’s affairs, he doesn’t know what is and isn’t important. It’s here that Tim stumbles on, and accidentally opens a vial full of a smoky purple drug dubbed “R.” This drug not only makes nearby Pokemon go berserk, but there’s a side effect in which Tim can understand Harry’s partner Pokemon, Pikachu.

But that’s not the big twist. It’d be one thing if Tim could just understand what Pokemon are saying Dr. Dolittle style thanks to R, but that doesn’t explain Pikachu’s spicy personality. It turns out that Tim’s father did not die in an accident, and he was instead saved by Mewtwo.

Harry’s partner Pikachu then asks Mewtwo to save Harry’s mind and offers its body as a place to keep it safe. Seeing how not all humans are as bad as the ones who have experimented on it, Mewtwo implants Harry’s mind inside of this Pikachu and stores his body away until he can heal him.

This explains why Detective Pikachu has amnesia before the accident because Harry didn’t know that he’s actually been Pikachu the whole time. Tim never quite catches on because he doesn’t know his father well, but there’s a tease that this is the case toward the end of the film as Howard Clifford (Bill Nighy)’s villainous plot involved fusing people with their Pokemon with a blend of both R and Mewtwo’s power.

Thankfully, this isn’t permanent. After the day is saved, Mewtwo splits Pikachu and Harry, and Harry’s human form is restored. Which means that yes, Ryan Reynolds actually shows his face.

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu is now out in theaters, and you can read our spoiler-free review of the film here. The official synopsis for Pokemon: Detective Pikachu reads as such, “The story begins when ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son Tim to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry’s former Pokémon partner, Detective Pikachu: a hilariously wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth who is a puzzlement even to himself.

Finding that they are uniquely equipped to communicate with one another, Tim and Pikachu join forces on a thrilling adventure to unravel the tangled mystery. Chasing clues together through the neon-lit streets of Ryme City—a sprawling, modern metropolis where humans and Pokémon live side by side in a hyper-realistic live-action world—they encounter a diverse cast of Pokémon characters and uncover a shocking plot that could destroy this peaceful co-existence and threaten the whole Pokémon universe.”

—–

Exciting news, Pokemon fans — A Wild Podcast Has Appeared, the official Pokemon podcast of ComicBook.com, is here! Check it out by clicking here or listen below.

On today’s episode, we talk about how playing too much Pokemon changes our brains as kids, the new Pokemon Unbroken Bonds Trading Card Game set, Detective Pikachu coming to Pokemon GO!, and more! Make sure to subscribe now to never miss an episode!