Pokemon of the Week! #841: Flapple!
Welcome, nerds, to Pokémon of the Week!
Where I, Sesh, generate a random Pokémon to highlight each week!
Last week, we highlighted the OG water pupper good boi Dewgong. That post can be found down below:
#87: Dewgong! Welcome, nerds, to Pokémon of the Week! Where I, Sesh, generate a random Pokémon to highlight each week! Last week, we highlig
This week, we are highlighting a...very unique Pokémon. An adorable, yet powerful, apple-based Dragon-type, Flapple!
I mean, he's a flappin' apple! FLAPPLE!
HE'S A FLAPPIN' DAD JOKE, GUYS!
So let's dive in!
~ORIGINS~
Flapple debuted in 2019's Sword & Shield versions for the Nintendo Switch. Thus far, these are the only games Flapple has appeared in.
Besides a handful of Mega Evolutions (as far as I know), Flapple and it's other evolutions are the only Pokémon dual-typed at Dragon and Grass.
I feel like Flapple is overlooked quite a bit. I mean, Sword & Shield has another dragon type that kind of overshadows our appley friend here.
And it's Ghost and Dragon type.
But this is a Flapple highlight post, not a Dragapult post...
Flapple hasn't had much media attention in the anime, either, which might contribute to it taking a back seat to Dragauplt.
BUT DRAGAPULT DOESN'T HAVE A GIGANTAMAX FORM
For those out of the know, Dynamax and Gigantamax are gimmicks from Sword & Shield that allow Pokémon to grow to massive sizes for 3 turns in certain locations, changing their moves into HUGE DEATH MOVES THAT SWALLOW ENEMY POKEMON WHOLE.
Dynamax just increases size, but some Pokémon have Gigantamax forms, which increase size and change their appearance as well.
So Flapple appears to turn into a massive, gooey apple worm when it Gigantamaxes. Go figure. It's divergent evolution, Appletun, shares this G-Max form with Flapple, which is unique.
Which segues quite nicely into my next point...
Clearly, Flapple is inspired by worms that burrow into apples to feed on their cores. Geometer moth larvae in particular, according to Bulbapedia.
Why geometer moths? Well, according to the Pokedex in Sword version, Flapple keeps "an acid capable of causing chemical burns" in its cheeks. Geometer moth larvae feed on apple cores to ingest a chemical compound called 'amygdalin', which releases CYANIDE into the body when digested.
bruh
The fact it's a dragon may be a pun on the old English way of referring to dragons as "wyrms".
So...yeah. A flappin' apple wyrm.
Flapple may also be inspired by the tale of Ladon, a mythical Greek dragon that guards golden apples in the garden of the Hesperides, nymphs that supposedly controlled the sunsets. Below is a statue of Hercules fighting it:
In a more Biblical idea, Flapple may also be inspired by Satan, in the form of a serpent, persuading Eve to eat the forbidden fruit in the book of Genesis. That might be a bit of a stretch, but it still works.
This next idea of it's inspiration, though, is freakin' metal.
Flapple's signature move, Grav Apple (which causes giant apples of draconic death to fall on your opponent), may imply an inspiration from the discovery of gravity by Sir Isaac Newton in England when an apple supposedly fell on his head. As Galar is based on England, that isn't too much of a stretch at all.
SO MUCH FLAPPIN' APPLE-BASED LORE TO EXPLORE
One more fun apple fact for ya'll...
When it's in it's G-Max form, the Shield Pokedex entry states that when it stretches out it's neck, "the strong aroma of its nectar pours out. The scent is so sickeningly sweet that one whiff makes other Pokémon faint."
MOTHER OF
This flappin' dragon wants to make you faint with it's honey-smellin' neck farts.
Anyway...
~DESIGN~
Here's Flapple's official artwork:
Quoted from Flapple's biology section on Bulbapedia:
"Flapple is a green, worm-like dragon Pokémon with a light green underside and yellow eyes. It uses parts of an apple to form its body. The top part of the apple sits on the top of its head, with a single horn sticking out; the bottom of the apple is attached to its tail; and the sides are attached to its limbs, which have three-clawed hands, allowing them to act as wings.
Its cheeks store acid strong enough to induce chemical burns. It can attack by spitting this acid at its targets. It is also able to disguise itself as an apple by folding its wings."
Below is the official art for G-Max Flapple:
Next, the biology section on it's G-Max form:
"When exposed to Gigantamax energy, Flapple changes into the shape of a giant apple with a green dragon-like Pokémon inside. Its leaf-like eyestalks stand up straight and it has the top of the apple on its head with yellow carvings on the apple resembling nostrils. Its tail is elongated and wraps around the base of the apple. The Pokémon has rounded cheeks and hangs its mouth open letting a red tongue hang out of its mouth. Three red clouds float around the neck.
The sweet nectar that covers its body increases in thickness, allowing it to absorb more damage than normal. It can shoot out nectar, enough to be able drown its opponents in the blast of nectar. Flapple can produce significantly sweeter nectar in Gigantamax form. An intensely sweet aroma of nectar pours out when it stretches its neck, and this aroma is so sweet it can cause other Pokémon to faint by merely taking a sniff of the scent."
~ADVANTAGES~
Flapple is best fielded type-wise against Water-types, as it's grass typing makes for a huge advantage against them.
Flapple is highly resistant against Ground and Electric-types as well.
Flapple has an exceptionally high base Attack stat at 110. Teach it physical attacks that hit hard. It's Special Attack state is not that far behind at 95.
Your Flapple may have the signature ability "Ripen". If so, this doubles the effect of berries used on it in battle.
If your Flapple has the "Gluttony" ability, HP-restoring berries will take effect at 50% HP rather than 25% HP.
Further making Flapple a really heavy-hitter, if your Flapple has the hidden ability "Hustle", upon entering battle, your Flapple's Attack state will automatically skyrocket by 50%.
It's G-Max form HITS EVEN HARDER.
~DISADVANTAGES~
Dragon-types hate Ice-types normally. But DO NOT field Flapple against Ice-types AT ALL. It's added Grass-typing makes it QUADRUPPLY WEAK to Ice.
Like other Dragons, it is weak to other Dragon moves, as well as Ice.
It's Grass-typing makes this Dragon-type weak to more things than normal Dragon-types. Be cautious when fielding against Flying, Poison, and Bug-types.
It's kind of a glass cannon. It's lowest base state is Special Defense, and can't take hard hits very well.
Going back to the "Hustle" hidden ability; though your Attack skyrockets 50%, the accuracy of your physical moves goes down by 20%. Make sure to use moves with high base Accuracy if your Flapple has "Hustle", or you'll be missing your target a lot.
Flapple is capable of learning the hard-hitting move "Heavy Slam". However, it is the lightest Pokémon capable of doing so. As a result, the damage it deals out using "Heavy Slam" is actually quite low. I wouldn't recommend teaching it "Heavy Slam."
~HOW TO OBTAIN~
As stated earlier, the only games Flapple are obtainable in as of the writing of this post are the Sword & Shield versions, where it debuted.
Catch it's base form, Applin, and evolve it. Applin can be found it quite a bit of locations; Route 5, and in possible Max Raid battles in the Wild Area at Dusty Bowl, Giant's Mirror, Axew's Eye, Bridge Field, Dappled Grove, Giant's Mirror, Rolling Fields, and the Stony Wilderness. It can also be found in multiple locations in the expansion pass zones which I won't list.
Evolve Applin into Flapple by giving it a Tart Apple. Tart Apples are only available in Sword version, and cannot be purchased or found in Shield, making Flapple somewhat of a version exclusive Pokémon. If you have Sword version, you can by a Tart Apple from the Pokemart in Hammerlocke. Otherwise, you'll have to try your luck finding a Tart Apple in the Wild Area at Axew's Eye.
If you'd rather skip the drama of tracking down a flappin' Tart Apple for evolution, you can obtain a Flapple directly exclusively in Sword version. You'll need to battle and capture it in possible Max Raid battles in Axew's Eye, Bridge Field, Dappled Grove, Giant's Mirror, and Stony Wilderness. If you want to find one with the ability to G-Max, you'll need to narrow your search to the Dappled Grove.
~COOL FLAPPLE FANART~
Does Flapple have cool fanart, you may ask yourself? IT SURE AS FLAP DOES!
D'aww...it's cute. I get a Looney Tunes vibe from this design.
Getting ready to spew some hazardous apple-based cyanide at ya!
Hanging out with it's Shield exclusive brother/sister, Appletun!
The Pokémon Apple family!
Oh no! I don't think it knows it's also throwing anxiety-apples, too!
~CONCLUSION~
Maybe one day the Pokémon of the Week will be one I've actively had on my team. As much as I enjoyed learning all the flappin' apple-based lore about Flapple, I haven't ever used one. I do really like the idea behind it, even if it is a little silly. Overall, a solid Attack 'mon with a unique typing I like a lot!
Have you guys ever used a Flapple? What are your thoughts? Let me know!
Until next time! Join me next week for a real short-fused pre-evolution 'mon with a temper!
