Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will feature Charizard in a special way that hints at how the Gen 9 games will treat the Pokédex. When Pokémon Sword and Shield dropped the National Dex, it ensured that doubt was cast over any Pokémon being included in future games, with only Pikachu being truly safe due to its status as the series mascot. This means future games have a chance of not including fan favorite Pokémon on their roster.
The official Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will include Charizard, but not in a way that fans might expect. According to the website, Charizard cannot normally be encountered in the Paldea region, and it can only be faced in a Black Crystal Tera Battle, which are much harder than standard Tera battles. This Charizard's Tera type is Dragon, finally giving the Gen 1 fans a Dragon-type Charizard, and it contains a special Mightiest Mark that grants a title to the player. The note about the Charizard not being encounterable under normal circumstances is interesting, as it opens the door for how new Pokémon could be introduced into the game further down the line.
Charizard & Black Crystal Tera Battles Open The Door For New Event Pokémon
Pokémon Sword and Shield's National Dex controversy might have been alleviated if Game Freak had revealed that there were plans to add more Pokémon post-launch. Fans also found a way to access some hidden Pokémon that weren't part of the Pokédex and were planned to be made available later, such as Bulbasaur and Squirtle. The Charizard situation in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet hints that the Gen 9 games could use a similar approach.
The Wild Area and its Raid Battles in Pokémon Sword and Shield were a stroke of genius, as they gave players a strong incentive to return to the game for a long time after launch, as well as keeping the Gen 8 games in the news. All it took was for Pokémon Sword and Shield to add Shiny Wooloo in a special event to bring players back. The Black Crystal Tera Battles can do the same, by bringing rare Pokémon into the Paldea region and giving them exclusive Tera Types, in order to stoke fan interest.
Not only can Game Freak add rare Pokémon to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet using Tera Crystals, but they can use them as a way to add new Pokémon to the game as well. The Gen 9 titles will almost certainly receive their own Expansion in the future, which will add new and returning Pokémon to the Paldea region, but the games could still add creatures via post-launch . The rare Charizard could signal how Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's list of confirmed creatures will continue to expand after the game releases.
Source: Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
