Pokemon GO came out recently, and unless you’ve been living under a Snorlax, you’ll know that it’s insanely popular. Like, servers can’t handle it, human beings actually LEAVING THE HOUSE to get exercise popular.

The real backstory of the Poke-world is cool enough – with god-like Pokemon creating all your favourite regions and characters like many Earth creation myths – but did you know that there are alternate theories to how things got the way they are?

Pokemon or … Pokepocalypse? Here are three of them:

Click the photo to see more of these amazing artist’s war-time Pokemon pictures.

Theory #1: Pokemon are all mutants

Imagine a world where Pokemon don’t exist, or at least not in their current form. The world is normal, humans are normal and everything is hunky-diddly-dory. Then one day, a nuclear war (the likes of which would make for a gritty Wasteland setting that writers like me tingle with joy over) happens and everything is wiped out. Radiation spreads across the planet and it appears that all is lost … until life, as it always does, finds a way to prevail.

Fast forward probably thousands of years and animals have taken on fascinating shapes, often based on old animals, inanimate objects or even humans (Mr Mime, looking at you). I found this theory on the FanTheories Wiki, and it presents an amazing take on an old genre. How many writers have decided to set their apocalypse thousands of years in the past, then see what an advanced civilisation looks like that was built on the normalcy of radiated monsters? #ThisWouldMakeAGreatGame (if not Pokemon)

Theory #2: A war has wiped out most of civilisation

This second theory is actually a collection of multiple similar theories such as Kanto War Theory, the US versus Japan Theory and the famous Insightful Panda “Kanto/Johto War of Annexation”. All share the same premise, and that is a huge war took place not long before Pokemon Blue and Red.

“A war would explain the world’s focus on combat and training,” states writer/host Mike Rugnetta in a PBS Idea Channel video that inspired me to write this post. “It would explain why (until later games) there isn’t much by way of infrastructure or anything beyond homes, gyms and hospitals.”

These theories all use Lieutenant Surge as an example of how this could be true, based on his quote, “I tell you what kid, electric Pokemon saved me during the war.”

Further proof includes:

1. Very few adults in the original games
2. There’s literally a fighting gym in one city
3. Training and battling monsters is a legit profession, even if you are barely over 10 years old.

Read more: Insightful Panda’s Kanto versus Johto article

Theory #3: Pokemon is a real-life dystopian society

You need only look into Lt. Surge’s backstory to see things get even weirder. He is known as the “Lightning American”, and is said to have served as a soldier in the United States – the real US, that is – where the electric Pokemon saved him.

This means that, in this reality, the Poke-world and our own society either co-exist, or one has wiped out the other. An article by io9 highlights some of the very dystopian facets of life in the Pokemon universe, and it’s hard not to liken this dark side of society with the horrid goings on in stories like “Brave New World” or “Nineteen Eighty-Four”.

Let’s look closer at that last one, actually. George Orwell painted a bleak scene of the future in his famous work, with a society bent around certain key elements:

1. Ever-present government surveillance
2. The manipulation of the public through a strict political system (that will outcast those who are not in line with the rules)
3. Perpetual war

Now, with reference to io9’s article, let’s compare Pokemon with that:

1. Surveillance: Young people are equipped with a Pokedex from a young age, which tracks the Pokemon they encounter – but what else does it track? Later, youngsters have special cell phones and the like. If this society is an advancement of our own, it would not be a leap to presume that all of this digital technology is keeping tabs on the people.
2. Public manipulation: OK, so what does everybody want to be? What do many of them do when they leave home (at ludicrously young ages)? Be a Pokemon trainer. How do you do that? You adhere to the system, which is built – as explained in the Kanto/Johto theory – entirely around collecting, training and battling Pokemon. Finally, what other government elements can you spot other than basic emergency services (also Poke-centric) and the League? To get anywhere in life, people are encouraged to follow this same path time and time again. The League trainers are like demigods. Everything revolves around Pokemon – because that’s how society is controlled.
3. Perpetual war: Well, the nations might not be at war (anymore, if Theory #2 is to be believed), but everyone is always fighting each other. It’s constant combat. Who will think to fight the system when you’re too busy fighting your friends?

Considering the L-T is from America, Pokemon is perhaps set on a dystopian Earth that somehow has Pokemon in it. Perhaps Theory #3 actually combines both Theories #1 and #2?

I hope you find these theories as tickling as I do! Make sure to comment below if you know of any more, or want to expand or discuss any 🙂

If you enjoyed reading this article, you might enjoy more of Duncan P . Pacey’s (admittedly, less conspiracy-based) work! Follow him on Facebook or Twitter.