One of the most mysterious parts of the Pokémon universe is the master of the Sinnoh region's creation trio, Arceus. Said to be the creator of the Pokémon universe (and effectively considered a god), Arceus was introduced in Generation IV and has only been officially available through special events. Over the years, not much has been revealed about this mysterious Pokémon, though that may be about to change.
Between the long anticipated Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and Pokémon Legends: Arceus, the franchise is finally returning to Sinnoh. With the latter game specifically including Arceus in its title, it seems we will finally learn more about the Alpha Pokémon. Still, there are already some interesting facts to uncover about Arceus and its role in the series' lore. Here are five facts about Arceus' unique anatomy.
Arceus Has 1,000 Arms
Arceus' Pokémon Diamond Pokédex entry mentioned that it shaped the world using its 1,000 arms. This seems like an incredibly important part of Arceus's anatomy that would be showcased in some way. However, Arceus has never been seen with any arms at all -- not counting its four legs. There is a scene in the movie Arceus and the Jewel of Life that shows Arceus with several mirror-like objects floating around it, which some fans have taken to be the "arms" mentioned in the Pokédex. However, these are Plates, powerful items associated with Arceus.
Likely, this description is more metaphorical than literal, with it instead meaning that Arceus crafted the universe as if it had 1,000 arms. The arms could also be a reference to Arceus' different forms that represent every single Pokémon type. Going back to the religious imagery of Arceus, this may also be drawing a connection between Biblically accurate versions of Judeo-Christian angels, which were sometimes described as having extra limbs.
Arceus Hatched From an Egg
This is possibly one of the strangest facts about Arceus, as it's rather strange to imagine a god emerging from an egg. Even when looking at religions and mythologies that depict the births of gods, they often mention the god coming into existence in some sort of supernatural way. Coupled with Pokémon Pearl's Pokédex entry theorizing that Arceus existed before the universe, that means that the first thing to ever exist in the world of Pokémon was an egg.
Much like Arceus's 1,000 arms, this could be more symbolic than literal. Perhaps Arceus hatching from an egg is meant to showcase its connection with every other Pokémon. This could also connect to the fact that no one actually knows where Pokémon eggs come from, implying that some sort of divine intervention or supernatural force is responsible for them.
It Has Control Over Time, Space and Antimatter
Sinnoh's Creation Trio is the fan-given name for Dialga, Palkia and Giratina, as each of these Pokémon is said to have been responsible for controlling some aspect of life. Dialga has control over time, Palkia controls space and (the oft-forgotten) Giratina has control over antimatter. Given that these three were created by Arceus, it means the Alpha Pokémon has some ability to control these forces.
Arceus has also been seen doing such in the Pokémon manga and anime. It has been shown stopping time, changing gravity and even creating new objects from thin air. There's evidence of these powers in the games as well, as Arecus can learn moves like Gravity, Cosmic Power, Future Sight and Recover. These three forces aren't the limits of Arceus' power, but they are notable due to how time, space and matter are important themes in Generation IV.
Arceus Can Be Any Type
Perhaps one the best-known fact about Arceus' body, it is also one of the most useful. When given either a plate or Z-Crystal of a particular element, Arceus' form will change to that on that particular type. This means that Arceus can be any type that it needs to be, though it does require an item to use this power.
Arceus' signature ability is Multitype. While Arceus requires a held item to use its ability in the games, it's shown in the anime being able to freely shift between types. One possible explanation for this difference is that the plates and Z-Crystals allow a trainer to communicate what type it wants Arceus to transform into.
Arceus' Original Design Was VERY Different
Arceus' original design, known by the Pokémon community as Beta Arceus, is thought to have been a placeholder sprite in the beta of Generation IV's games. This design has some similarities to the Arceus fans know today in terms of its general shape, though it's hard to see the same foreboding and divine entity that the final sprite conveys. Instead, Beta Arceus seems much more otherworldly and ethereal.
The lack of detail and glowing red eyes have led many fans to interpret Beta Arceus as more like a cloud of energy or a foggy form that can't truly be understood by human eyes. Fans have created some truly terrifying redesigns of Beta Arceus's sprite, though the original does come across as rather goofy looking. Even if Beta Arceus was only a placeholder sprite, it's still fascinating to see what the creator of the Sinnoh region could have looked like.