Azelf

The Willpower Pokémon
#482 - Azelf
Debut	Pokémon: Diamond Version Pokémon: Pearl Version
Species Info
Type	+
Height	0.3 m (1'00")
Weight	0.3 kg (0.7 lbs.)
Color	Blue
Gender Ratio	Genderless
Ability	Levitate
Hidden Ability
Egg Group	Unbreedable
Icon		Sprite
		File:482sprite.png
Footprint
30px
Base Statistics
Hit Points	75	Speed	115
Attack	125	Sp. Attack	125
Defense	70	Sp. Defense	70
Training Info
Catch Rate	003	Hatch Steps	10,840
Base Exp.	210	Effort Points	Att
Happiness	140		Att
To Lv.100	Slow		SpA

Kanto #	Johto #	Hoenn #	Sinnoh #
< 482 >			< 148 >
Unova #	Johto (IV) #

Azelf is one of the three legendary lake Pokémon that was introduced in the fourth generation games. It is associated with willpower and is related to Uxie and Mesprit.

Information

These three Pokémon were created by Arceus early on to control Dialga and Palkia, and it is believed that they were all born from the same egg. They effectively bound time and space, and they could do so by creating a Red Chain with crystals made in their bodies. Out of the three of them, Azelf was known as the Being of Willpower. It is associated with the birth of willpower, and it is said that when Azelf, flew, it endowed people with the determination to do things and face all of life's difficulties. One part of a Sinnoh myth which seems to refer to Azelf claims that anyone who hurts this Pokémon will grow immobile within five days.

It is said that Azelf sleeps at the bottom of a lake to keep the world in balance. It is uncertain whether or not this reason also applies to Mesprit and Uxie, who also spend their time at the bottoms of lakes.

Appearances

Mainstream Games

In Pokémon: Diamond, Pearl and Platinum Versions, Azelf was found at Sinnoh's Lake Valor. The lake was drained by Team Galactic's Galactic Bomb, and they then captured Azelf. The three guardians were held at Team Galactic's headquarters and were used to produce a Red Chain (and they also made a second artificial one in Platinum). They were ultimately set free by Lucas/Dawn and helped by breaking the Red Chain to shatter Cyrus's control over Dialga or Palkia in Diamond/Pearl. In Platinum, they were unable to affect the Red Chains due to the combined power of Dialga and Palkia, but they did act as guided in the Distortion World afterwards. Azelf returned to its cave Lake Valor (which refilled), where the player could challenge and defeat or capture it.

Moves

Generation IV

Name	Type	Cat	PP	Power	Accur	Gen	Cont	D/P	P

Weaknesses

x2

x2

x1

x1

x0.5

x1

x1

x2

x1

x1

x1

x1

x1

x0.5

x1

x1

x1

Other Games

Azelf played a role in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Darkness, where it guarded the Time Gear at Crystal Crossing's Crystal Lake, and it could be recruited after the main storyline was completed. It also appeared in Pokémon Rumble at the Fiery Furnace and Eternal Tower, but only when playing in EX Mode.

Other Appearances

Video Games

• In the Super Smash Bros. series, Uxie made a cameo appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate at the Spear Pillar stage. Within the stage, Uxie had a chance of appearing in the background (along with the other lake guardians) and would eventually teleport away without any effect on gameplay. In Brawl, its appearance was accompanied by a trophy. In Ultimate, the three lake guardian Pokémon shared an Ace-rank Primary Spirit that also boosted PSI attack power. When fought against in a Spirit battle, the Spirit of Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf would possess a trio of Mewtwo (with color variations to match their respective colors) in a battle where their special attacks had enhanced power, and they would heal themselves after taking high damage.

In Other Media

• In the Pokémon anime, the lake guardians played an important role in the Sinnoh series and each established a bond with one of the principal characters, with Azelf bonding with Ash Ketchum. It was first shown in one episode where Ash saw its apparition at Lake Valor when he was having trouble sleeping while preparing for the Wallace Cup. The lake guardians were later featured in a three-part episode which depicted the climax of Team Galactic's plan. Azelf appeared to Ash in a dream to warn him and was then captured by Pokémon Hunter J for Team Galactic after the Galactic Bomb drained Lake Valor. Azelf established a psychic link with Ash which led to Ash rescuing it, and they worked together with the other lake guardians and the rest of Ash's group to calm Dialga and Palkia. Azelf returned to its slumber at Lake Valor afterwards.
• In the Pokémon Adventures manga, the lake guardians appeared during the Diamond/Pearl arc in a role that mostly followed the game storyline. Pearl first briefly spotted Azelf in a reflection at Lake Valor in one chapter and formed a bond with it. The guardians were eventually captured and used to make the Red Chain. The three trainers were still able to work together to free them from Team Galactic's headquarters, and they were not seen since.

Trivia

• Its name seems to be a combination of a play on "us" (due to the other guardians' name seeming to similarly contain the personal pronouns "you" and "me") or "azure" (which is a color similar to Azelf's head) with "elf" (since it is akin to that type of small magical creature).