It started when an alien device did what it did

386: Deoxys

The final Pokemon of Gen 3 is a real treat, as seemingly one last call-back to Gen 1 in being a "Mewtwo", between the mono-Psychic typing and genetic themeing. This time, presented as a bizarre space alien that changes its genetic makeup on the fly to best suit its current situation.

Deoxys' base form here is already setting up a lot of good, with an eerie, somewhat hodgepodge-looking humanoid creature, with spirals of tentacle-arms that look like strands of DNA. These tentacles can even merge into a single, more human-looking arm. And that FACE is extremely cool, with a mostly expressionless visage that only has a pair of eyes peering out from really deep eye sockets. All on top of some stiletto-esque legs, which looks neat in a way that the humanoid thing isn't COMPLETELY humanoid, really selling the retro-alien vibe.

Also worth noting that Deoxys itself is actually apparently the gem housed in the center of its chest, and the rest of it is merely some construct that it makes. Or at the very least that the crystal is its brain. Chest-Brain! And this creature also apparently evolved from a virus of all things! Killer alien concept!

Now he's got superpowers, he's no ordinary kid

Attack Form:

Its Attack Form reveals the form change gimmick; it changes its stat spread to best suit a given situation. As you'd imagine, its Attack Form boosts its attack stats and lowers its defense stats. It also features a much sharper silhouette, with its tentacles being a lot pointier and a much sleeker head shape. And knees with knives in them. Knife knees. Kneefes. That's the only part of the design that feels like it goes a bit too far but otherwise, it's just as rad as normal Deoxys.

He's slimy, creepy, fast, and strong, he's every shape and size

Defense Form:

Defense Form naturally beefs it up, giving it a wider frame and a very "shelled" look, with tentacles that look more prepared to block attacks. It's honestly most of us' favorite, especially with how astronaut it looks just in overall shape, making the space theme that much more fun.

Cause he's the baddest kid to ever save the day

Speed Form:

Speed Deoxys is probably the least visually interesting of the forms, though. Not that it's bad of course, it's mostly just that it only has two tentacles now. But it is neat that it's reformed itself in a way that looks way more bare, like the grey bits beneath all the orange is its actual skin and its outer body is actually chitin or something.

No matter what shape it takes, though, Deoxys is simply one or the most badass concepts in all of Pokemon executed wonderfully in an unnerving way. There's hardly anything to complain about them overall, at least other than how much they look a bit like plastic toys, but heh. We could just say that adds to their otherworldly charm.