Description
AZ originates from the ancient history of the Kalos region, appearing in Pokémon Generations. Over 3,000 years ago, he reigned as Kalos's king during a devastating war. Soldiers forcibly took his cherished partner, a Floette gifted by his late mother, leading to its death in battle. Consumed by grief, AZ constructed a machine harnessing the life energy of other Pokémon to resurrect Floette. The machine succeeded, reviving Floette and granting both eternal life. Yet, driven by vengeance over the war, AZ reconfigured the device into the Ultimate Weapon. Firing it annihilated both warring factions, ending the war but killing countless lives. Horrified by the sacrifice made for her revival, Floette abandoned him.
The Ultimate Weapon's activation physically transformed AZ. He grew to over nine feet tall as a consequence of its energy. While immortal, he continued to age physically, resulting in a weathered appearance: long white hair often obscuring one eye, simple stitched-together clothing including a scarf, jacket, and makeshift boots. He wore a key necklace, essential for activating the weapon, as a reminder of his past. Cursed with immortality and guilt, AZ spent millennia wandering Kalos and other regions, perpetually searching for his lost Floette. His presence became regional lore; he gifted a tree to Sootopolis City in Hoenn centuries before other depicted events, and witnessed Rayquaza quelling primal clashes, referring to it as "the Δ" (Delta).
During events contemporaneous with Pokémon Generations, Lysandre, leader of Team Flare, captured AZ to use the Ultimate Weapon for genocidal plans. Imprisoned within Lysandre's lab, AZ warned of the weapon's catastrophic consequences, revealing himself as its creator and pleading for intervention to prevent history's repetition. Following the thwarting of Team Flare's plot and the player character becoming Champion, AZ encountered them again. He initiated a battle using Pokémon associated with longevity or ancient times—Torkoal, Golurk, and Sigilyph. This act of battling, coupled with AZ demonstrating genuine remorse and opening his heart, prompted Floette to return after observing him for millennia. Their emotional reunion marked a turning point.
Subsequent to reuniting with Floette, AZ's circumstances improved. By the time of Pokémon Legends: Z-A, he and Floette operate Hotel Z in Lumiose City, serving as the protagonist's base. His appearance reflects this chapter: a more formal, patchwork suit, hair neatly braided, and using a cane for mobility. AZ's creation of the Ultimate Weapon had lasting repercussions beyond his personal tragedy. The massive release of life energy during its firing is credited with creating Mega Evolution energy and Infinity Energy, technologies later harnessed by organizations like the Devon Corporation. His actions 3,000 years prior are also theorized to have caused a timeline split, creating one reality where Mega Evolution exists and another where it does not.
The Ultimate Weapon's activation physically transformed AZ. He grew to over nine feet tall as a consequence of its energy. While immortal, he continued to age physically, resulting in a weathered appearance: long white hair often obscuring one eye, simple stitched-together clothing including a scarf, jacket, and makeshift boots. He wore a key necklace, essential for activating the weapon, as a reminder of his past. Cursed with immortality and guilt, AZ spent millennia wandering Kalos and other regions, perpetually searching for his lost Floette. His presence became regional lore; he gifted a tree to Sootopolis City in Hoenn centuries before other depicted events, and witnessed Rayquaza quelling primal clashes, referring to it as "the Δ" (Delta).
During events contemporaneous with Pokémon Generations, Lysandre, leader of Team Flare, captured AZ to use the Ultimate Weapon for genocidal plans. Imprisoned within Lysandre's lab, AZ warned of the weapon's catastrophic consequences, revealing himself as its creator and pleading for intervention to prevent history's repetition. Following the thwarting of Team Flare's plot and the player character becoming Champion, AZ encountered them again. He initiated a battle using Pokémon associated with longevity or ancient times—Torkoal, Golurk, and Sigilyph. This act of battling, coupled with AZ demonstrating genuine remorse and opening his heart, prompted Floette to return after observing him for millennia. Their emotional reunion marked a turning point.
Subsequent to reuniting with Floette, AZ's circumstances improved. By the time of Pokémon Legends: Z-A, he and Floette operate Hotel Z in Lumiose City, serving as the protagonist's base. His appearance reflects this chapter: a more formal, patchwork suit, hair neatly braided, and using a cane for mobility. AZ's creation of the Ultimate Weapon had lasting repercussions beyond his personal tragedy. The massive release of life energy during its firing is credited with creating Mega Evolution energy and Infinity Energy, technologies later harnessed by organizations like the Devon Corporation. His actions 3,000 years prior are also theorized to have caused a timeline split, creating one reality where Mega Evolution exists and another where it does not.