As the release date for Legends: Arceus trailer from Nintendo. Their origin, goals, and other such details were not stated, and as such, they remain a mystery. However, it's possible that they could be designed to take the place of the games' major antagonists.
In each of the Pokémon mainline series' games, there is a criminal organization known as a "Team." The games' Teams serve as the primary antagonists to the players, interfere in their goal of challenging every Gym and defeating the Pokémon League, and are usually the main reason that the protagonist is able to capture the box legendary Pokémon, although players may not be able to catch the title Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Though the Teams may have grown tamer through the last few Generations, they have still acted as villains for the majority of the beginning of the games. Up until Gen 7, they have had lofty ambitions such as world domination, or even rewriting reality itself.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus has so far presented itself as a new story, one that breaks the mold that the series has crafted around itself for the 25 years since its conception. Instead of challenging a Pokémon League, players will instead work to complete the very first Pokédex, and help humanity better understand the mysterious creatures that they share their world with. Fans assumed that the new narrative would come with a discarding of many of the tropes that past games have repeated, but it's possible that one will carry over from the mainline series. Theories about Pokémon Legends: Arceus' story are countless, but it may just feature a Team of its own. Though it's too early to say for certain, the Diamond and Pearl Clans have many similarities between the mainline games' evil Teams, so it's possible that they are meant to be a forerunner for Team Rocket and other such criminal organizations.
Who Are Pokémon Legends: Arceus' Diamond & Pearl Clans?
Not much is currently known about the Clans that players will encounter in their adventures in the Hisui region. The only details given on the game's Arceus wasn't in Pokémon BDSP, it's possible that they aren't.
The two Clans are led by Adaman and Irida, whose names are further evidence that they are based on the Gen 4 games. "Adaman" for the Adamant Orb, Dialga's held item, and "Irida" as in "iridescent," an adjective that applies to pearls. Adaman is described as being impatient and flighty, and dislikes time being wasted, and Irida is stated to believe that it's important for people to be able to brave the wilds of Hisui without fear. Both of these descriptions further reinforce the idea that they're based on the Diamond and Pearl games, as Adaman's personality so far reflects time, while Irida's reflects space.
The Clans' goals and ideals remain shrouded in mystery, but they are likely to play a major part in the game's story. Many of the wardens charged with protecting Legends: Arceus' different Noble Pokémon are , and Irida's description states that she is at first suspicious of the player character, but trusts them due to their aid in calming the Nobles. This implies that the main character has multiple interactions with them over the course of the story, so it most likely means that she, and by extension Adaman, will have a big part to play in the events of the game.
Will The Clans Be Pokémon Legends: Arceus' Antagonists?
Although there is no explicit evidence that the Clans will take the place of a Team in Legends: Arceus, they do have some similarities. The uniforms they wear are reminiscent of those of other Teams throughout the mainline series, and a large group spearheaded by a single person with high ambitions does seem to fit the mold of the Teams that have appeared in past games. Pokémon Legends: Arceus sees Team Galactic take on a new form in the Galaxy Team, and the leader Cyrus' implied ancestor Cyllene being an ally, so it's possible that the Clans will act as an alternative. There's also the fact that Adaman's description states that his philosophy puts him at odds with Irida and the two often fight, which is reminiscent of Gen 3's Team Magma and Aqua.
From the two Clans' descriptions, they don't appear to have evil intentions. Their reverence of the Noble Pokémon, and Irida's stated gratitude toward the player for their assistance in calming them, don't quite portray the evil masterminds that past Team Leaders have been. Even if they aren't malicious, however, their conflicts could very well end up becoming a major source of antagonism for the player without them meaning to. Pokémon Legends: Arceus' Pokédex is important, but the game will likely have more to it than that, so the Clans could add some much-needed plot. They could also end up impeding the player or becoming antagonists due to their own ideals, and not out of a desire to do harm to them or others. There's even the possibility that Adaman and Irida will lose control of the Diamond and Pearl Clans and the player in attempting to subdue them.
Of course, if Adama, Irida, and their Clans do end up being antagonists, they may not start out that way. The last two Generations have seen Team Skull and Yell start as villains only to become neutral and friendly toward the player in the end. The Diamond and Pearl Clans could do the opposite, and start out as friendly or neutral and become antagonists further down the line. Little is known about the game's storyline so far, so it's certainly possible. Given the fact that players will quell the Noble Pokémon, which the Clans revere, it may even be probable. Players could initially help the Noble Pokémon and earn the Clans' favor in early stages, only for them to later find conflict in other major events such as the rampaging Alpha Pokémon, which could drive a wedge between them and the player. If so, Pokémon Legends: Arceus' story could have much more depth than previously thought.
