Pokémon Scarlet & Violet: The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC, Explained (2024)

continues the recent trend of including DLC to continue the journey of the player characters. This latest edition to the Pokémon lore, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, is actually an overarching story taking place over three entries. These are The Teal Mask, The Indigo Disk, and the DLC's epilogue, Mochi Mayhem. The DLC allows players to meet new characters, new Pokémon, and traverse across new and familiar areas of the world, extending well beyond the boundaries of the Paldea Region.

Of course, with any DLC, there are some things to be explained. The most important is that The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero is a slow build to the so-called "hidden treasure," with the friendships and rivalries you create along the way playing a major role in the final outcome of the story. What makes this DLC truly special though is how it diverges from the standard mold of Pokémon, allowing players to go on an adventure that truly feels like they're stepping out into the world beyond their standard journey to triumph over the Gym Leaders and the Elite Four.

The Teal Mask Sets Up Everything

• The Teal Mask takes players to a new region named Kitakami.
• They meet students from the Blueberry Academy named Carmine and Kieran.
• Together, they clear the name of the Pokémon Ogerpon.

The story begins when the player is selected to take part in a class trip to the land of Kitakami. Accompanying the Naranja or Uva Academy students will be students from the Blueberry Academy, a sister school located in the Unova Region. Upon arriving in Kitakami, the players are introduced to Carmine and her younger brother, Kieran. Carmine and Kieran are natives of Kitakami and, as a result, Carmine is aggressive towards the player in the beginning due to fears that they would not appreciate the culture of Kitakami. Kieran is much more shy, but over time and repeated battles, begins to develop something of an unhealthy rivalry with the player, wanting to beat them at any cost.

The major plot of this DLC is the story of the Loyal Trio and the Ogre they defeated. The history of Kitakami tells that three powerful Pokémon defended the land from a vengeful ogre. The people of Kitakami have honored these Pokémon ever since. After an encounter with this "ogre" revealed to be the Pokémon Ogerpon, the player and Carmine are told the truth of the story by Carmine's grandfather. Ogerpon was never the villain of the story. It had come to Kitakami with a man, and due to their strange appearances were shunned by society.

A mask maker took pity and crafted a set of beautiful masks for them to wear and take part in the village festival. Unfortunately, this attracted the attention of three greedy Pokémon, who attacked the man and stole the mask. Ogerpon, after discovering her home had been destroyed, went into a rage and attacked the Pokémon. The villagers who witnessed the battle did not understand what was happening and mistakenly assumed that Ogerpon was the aggressor and had been honoring the evil Pokémon ever since.

Unknown to Carmine and the player, Kieran overheard the whole story and was enraged that Carmine didn't tell him that they had encountered Ogerpon. This leads to a battle between him and the player, in which he once again loses. Frustrated, Kieran strikes the shrine dedicated to the Loyal Three. Somehow, perhaps because of Kieran's own negative emotions, this resurrects the three, who then proceed to go on a rampage. Now allied with Ogerpon, the player defeats each of the Loyal Three and gives Ogerpon its masks back.

As this is happening, Kieran clears Ogerpon's name with the villagers. In a surprising turn of events, Ogerpon wants to join the player, but Kieran intervenes, wanting to battle for the right to be Ogerpon's new partner. He loses once again and Ogerpon is caught by the player. Following this, the school trip comes to an end, but unbeknownst to the player, Kieran has now developed an obsession with growing stronger and defeating them.

The Indigo Disk Reveals the True Treasure of Area Zero

• The player returns to the Unova Region to visit Carmine and Kieran.
• Kieran undergoes a villainous arc as he tries to defeat the player.
• Kieran accidentally unleashes a powerful Pokémon named Terapagos, forcing him to let go of his grudge and become friends with the player.

The story is continued in The Indigo Disk. The player is invited to Blueberry Academy, where they discover that Kieran has undergone a radical change in both appearance and attitude. He is now the top student at the school and champion of the unofficial league there, but uses his authority to bully weaker students out of the club.

Seeing no other alternative, the player gives him the battle they want and ends up defeating him in front of the entire school. Humiliated once again, Kieran resolves to get back at the player. A chance to do so arrives when Briar, a character who is obsessed with unlocking the secrets of terastal energy, invites the player, Kieran, and Carmine to accompany her on a journey into Area Zero to locate its hidden treasure.

Using the titular Indigo Disk, which allows the group to descend into the lowest parts of Area Zero, they discover a dormant Pokémon named Terapagos within its depths. Terapagos has the unique ability to access a previously unknown Tera-Type known as Stellar, which has all the power of every type combined.

This makes it an especially powerful Pokémon and upon awakening it, Terapagos slowly approaches the player. Kieran, desperate to beat them, suddenly captures it with a Master Ball and immediately challenges the player to a battle. Despite the advantage of an unknown Pokémon, they still lose. Briar though, blinded by the zeal of discovery, encourages Kieran to unleash Terapagos' full power by activating its Tera form.

Kieran does so, and immediately loses control over Terapagos, who has enough uncontained power to destroy the Master Ball containing it. It's wild power forces Kieran to finally let go of his jealousy and help the player and Carmine defeat it. Once Terapagos is pacified, the player can safely capture it. Following this, Kieran makes amends with the player, wanting to start over as friends and decides to step back from the Blueberry League to reevaluate his own life and priorities.

The Epilogue Answered Some Important Questions

• Mochi Mayhem explained how the Loyal Three came to Kitakami in the first place.
• It also introduced a new mythical Pokémon, Pencharunt.
• The DLC features deeply emotional storytelling and has the players heal the wounds of people and Pokémon.

In an ending to the DLC that shows the growth of the characters, the player once again returns to Kitakai, this time accompanied by their friends from school in Paldea, to meet up with Carmine and Kieran, the latter of whom has been taking a break from school in his hometown. Once there, the group notices that Carmine is acting strangely, performing a bizarre dance and saying the word "Mochi" repeatedly. Kieran elaborates that he believes his sister has fallen victim to a curse that is rumored to be spreading around Kitakami.

As time passes, more and more people begin falling victim to this strange curse, until only the player and Kieran are left unaffected. At this point, the culprit is revealed to the mythical Pokémon, Pencharunt. It has been forcefeeding people mocha to possess them. After battling through its victims, the player has the chance to battle Pencharunt. It is revealed over the course of the story, that it was Pencharunt who had brought the Loyal Three to Kitakami all those years ago.

It was doing so in an effort to please its adoptive parents, who it had also possessed with its mochi, unintentionally bringing out their greed. When they had asked for a beautiful set of masks, only Kitakami could provide what they wanted, leading to the events of The Teal Mask. Upon defeating Pencharunt, the player and their friends then enjoy some peaceful fun on Kitakami before parting ways, ending the story.

The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero takes players to new locations and involves them in stories with surprisingly deep emotions. From the tragedy and injustice of Ogerpon's story and treatment by the people of Kitakami to examining Kieran's slow descent into villainy before redeeming himself, the DLC dealt with some heavy topics.

Even Pencharunt's actions have a layer of tragedy to them, as the parents it was trying to please are likely long gone from the world by this point. It is a story worth completing, as it puts the player character in the center of these events to help heal old wounds and make new friends.

Pokemon

Expanding across a multitude of media, including TCGs, video games, manga, live-action movies and anime, the Pokémon franchise is set in a shared world of humans and creatures with a wide variety of special abilities.

Created by

Satoshi Tajiri

First Film

Pokemon: The First Movie

Latest Film

Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle

First TV Show

Pokémon (1997)

Latest TV Show

Pokémon Horizons (2023)

First Episode Air Date

April 1, 1997

Video Game(s)

Pokémon GO , Pokemon X and Y , Pokémon Legends: Arceus , Pokémon Scarlet and Violet , Pokémon Sword and Shield , Pokémon Diamond & Pearl , Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl , Pokemon Red and Blue , Detective Pikachu , Detective Pikachu Returns , Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! , Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!