The existence of Silvally has some dark implications for the world of Pokémon. Its similarities to Arceus are too blatant to ignore, with both having similar body types and powers. What makes this chilling is that Silvally is man-made while Arceus is a god, though the cloning procedure left it with some flaws. Silvally isn’t nearly as powerful as the creator of the Pokémon world and must evolve before it can change its typing. With Mewtwo and Silvally both being created rather than born, it makes you wonder what other horrors the researchers of the Pokémon world will manufacture. Ash was really dumb to barely use Lapras in the anime because Lapras has kind of always owned. Admittedly though, because they were mostly used for ferrying Ash and his friends, I did begin to just associate Lapras with transportation. That’s why even though the outline is not explicitly Lapras, I’ve always imagined you are on one when you use Surf in the games. I also always catch Lapras and teach them Surf when I can to fulfill this fantasy. It’s called manifesting, kids. Beauty and grace hit your face with this Psychic/Fairy hybrid. Many people have fallen in love with this Pokémon, though it might not be safe to Google it. While it has seen fallen to the wayside in the original games, Gardevoir is a powerful contender in Pokkén Tournament. In this other world Pokémon brawler Gardevoir is able to hit opponents from afar using its psychic powers like Foresight. In Super Smash Bros. these abilities are used to create a shield that neutralizes energy blasts. No matter what the game is, Gardevoir has managed to enthrall players with its powers. A truly iconic Pokémon card for a truly iconic Pokémon Ancient Mew can't be used in the game due to its indecipherable text, but that hasn't stopped it becoming one of the most iconic Pokémon cards ever made. Some Pokédex entries are just too creepy to ignore. The mask that this Pokémon holds is the its face from its past life as a human and it retains all the memories from that past life. Sure there are plenty of Pokédex entries that talk about the grotesque but none of them suggest that little Timmy didn’t just go out and catch Grandma’s soul before making it fight a Charmander so Yamask gets the vote on creepy factor alone.

Scyther may have giant scythes for hands, but Scizor is the truly terrifying Pokémon. Able to crush any object in its metal pincers, Scizor is a powerfully fast Pokémon that’s only weak to Fire types. Mega Scizor is even scarier as its twin pincers morph into two giant scissors able to rip anything to shreds. Though it has since fallen from grace, Scizor dominated the competitive scene for a while with its unbridled power only outmatched by its blazing speed. Get a hand from the anti-hero's supporter card N is one of the best supporter Pokémon cards in the TCG. At the time, Flygon and its previous evolutionary stage (Vibrava) were the only Ground/Dragon Dual-type Pokémon in the series, which remains an incredibly unique pairing. It is especially weird because at first glance, they obviously look like Bug Pokémon rather than either of the things they actually are. But Flygon is also a great example of how environments shape a Pokémon and their legacy. Their eyes have these covers, almost like pilot goggles, that protect them from sand since they primarily live in deserts, and their wings are so powerful that they’re largely responsible for sandstorms that plague the deserts of the Pokémon world. Often confused for a pseudo-legendary Pokémon, Flygon is still an absolute beast when applied properly, thanks in no small part to its Levitate ability that nullifies Ground-type moves, as well as its natural Ground/Dragon resistances and immunities.There are plenty of powerful Pokémon but this divine dragon gets bragging rights for being the absolute strongest. Already quite a contender in its regular form, Rayquaza can Mega Evolve from knowing a certain move, allowing it to still hold an item to boost it even further. This unbelieveable power and the ability to completely negate weather effects solidified Mega-Rayquaza as the first Pokémon considered “above Uber,” outclassing every other monster currently in existence. It took me ages to piece together that people simply didn’t like Sudowoodo, but I just think they’re likely misunderstood. They don’t want to get in your way when you’re trying to cut that tree and get past em’. They’re actually just hiding and blending in, so please have a heart. They aren’t all that powerful, this is all that’s keeping them from getting torn up in the wild. It's not easy, though. With thousands upon thousands of Pokémon cards and would-be trainers each having their own preferences for types, Pokémon and abilities, it's hard to pin down what makes the ‘best’ Pokémon cards. Do you measure the success of a Pokémon card by how well-known it is, whether it's one of the rarest Pokémon cards ever made or how far it carries a competitive pro player in the Pokémon TCG World Championships? Every generation of Pokémon has some Pikachu clone trying to emulate its profound cuteness, but none of them have gone on to win the World’s Championship like this little riveting rodent. Pachirisu was used in a surprising strategy that allowed Se Jun Park, a professional player from Korea, seal the deal and win the Masters division of 2014. It just goes to show that in the right hands any Pokémon can be a valuable teammate.

Something that always looked beautiful in a TCG collector’s folder are the Radiant Collection’s Full Art cards. These Pokémon cards were deliberately designed to have a different look from other cards, portraying Pokémon in a more cute and beautiful manner, instead of aiming to appear cool or strong. This made the collection popular among people who enjoyed the beauty contests within the Pokémon series of video games. This fire/fighting fowl debuted as one of the three starters for Hoenn, but it wasn’t until the introduction of Mega Evolution that this bird got to spread its wings. Coupled with the ability Speed Boost, this monster can outspeed every Pokémon in just a few turns, catapulting it into the same tier shared by legendaries and other Pokémon gods.Masked wrestlers have an air of mystery and bravado that was past down to this Pokémon that may take the flying press a little too literally. The only Fighting/Flying type ever made, Hawlucha could cover a lot of ground if its stats were just a little better. Nevertheless it has become a fan-favorite due to its origins in lucha libre and its bravery even in the face of giants like Machamp or Hariyama. If you’re like me, I’m always looking for my next Pokemon card investment– that has the potential to grow in value.