Cubone’s biggest mystery has sparked an age-old discussion among Pokemon trainers

Pokedex entries are a staple of the Pokemon series, and one of the biggest in-game mysteries surrounding Cubone’s Pokedex entry has reignited an age-old debate.

Cubone, first introduced in Pokemon Red & Blue, is a Ground-type that evolves into Marowak at level 28. While this adorable little Pokemon is cute on the service, the skull on its head hides a tragic backstory according to the Pokedex.

It’s entry from Red & Blue reads, “Because it never removes its skull helmet, no one has ever seen this Pokémon’s real face.” While this is a bit sad, its entry from Yellow takes it to a whole other level.

“Wears the skull of its deceased mother. Its cries echo inside the skull and come out as a sad melody.”

Game Freak / The Pokemon Company

The mention of Cubone’s skull being a memento of its deceased mother has carried on all the way to current Generations, but some fans have taken issue with this logic.

One post on the Pokemon subreddit reignited a debate after a user named ‘fgebgrugh’ argued the skull of every single wild Cubone couldn’t possibly belong to a deceased Marowak.

“If the entries were true, this means that every female Marowak would have to die almost immediately after laying her first egg, and then totally rot away by the time it hatches. However, when the player leaves one at a daycare or nursery and finds an egg there later, the female Marowak is still alive,” the trainer argued.

They also noted that Cubone already has a skull on its head the moment it hatches from its egg and said, “Realistically, it can be assumed this organ is something like an exoskeleton, similar to a turtle’s shell.”

The Pokemon Company

Other trainers noted that the entry may not be as literal as it seems at face value.

“My theory always has been that the skulls are crafted by the mothers, and when they evolve, the skull becomes part of the cubone to create the now known Marowak skull.”

Others argued that the first Pokedex entry was mainly meant to capitalize on the in-game storyline surrounding the deceased Marowak in Red, Blue, their remakes, and the Let’s Go titles. Instead of scrapping the entry, the writers carried it on in future Generations.

Alternatively, many dismissed the Pokedex outright as having inconsistent or inaccurate entries all over the place, such as Magcargo’s body temperature being “roughly 18,000 degrees Fahrenheit.”

“It obviously isn’t hotter than the surface of the sun, otherwise we wouldn’t be alive,” said one player, who argued Pokedex entries shouldn’t be taken too seriously.

While it’s technically established lore that Cubone wears its deceased mother’s skull, there’s no denying it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense in-game.