1008: Miraidon

And on the other side of the timeline is a robotic Electric/Dragon Cyclizar, also known as the "Iron Serpent". Suitably, its body is a lot more serpentine than Koraidon, contrasting the previous form's bulky and muscular form with a somewhat longer and more dainty body. Topped with a blue chassis covering up a glowing undercurrent underbelly of yellow and electric-blue, Miraidon ends up being easily the best of the Future Paradox Pokemon. Probably in point because this Cyclizar-Koraidon-Miraidon trifecta were always meant to have this design dynamic with each other and were built from the ground-up with it, rather than whatever Iron Jugulis and Hydreigon have going on.

Much like Koraidon has the different "builds", Miraidon has different "modes" for all the modes of transportation in the game, complete with the dewlap-tail duel-wheel combo, but this time with wheels that actually spin since it's a robot! And in this mode it especially highlights the motor bike bits Miraidon has that are even present on its "Ultimate Mode", including the back of its seat and head crest that looks like a cross between a motorcycle's windshield and a bike helmet. And of course, its legs and thighs fold up into jet boosters for the extra silliness.

I think out of the two, Miraidon actually wins me over more, personally, simply because its design is just a smidge more clean and consistent with a color scheme that just feels more striking. But either way, I'm just in love with, again, an idea as silly as "bike lizards" gets to be the two big box Legendaries.

In general, it's actually a little interesting how Pokemon's been a little more willing to play with the dynamic of the relationship a Legendary Pokemon has with the player, and how that could possibly create a bias in how these two and the Cosmog family are perceived to me. (Though I do genuinely believe they are some of the strongest box Legendary designs.) With how Cosmog and Koraidon/Miraidon both get to be active characters in the plot in their own right, rather than your Weather Trios or Dialga/Palkias or Zacian/Zamazentas which get to be fabled about and be background elements for most of the plot. Just thinking about how the approach that gets me a little emotionally invested in my abnormally large dog that really likes sandwiches is a little more engaging of an idea.