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Wailord (ホエルオー, Hoeruō, Whaloh in original Japanese language versions) is a fictional character from the Pokémon franchise. It is listed as Pokémon #321 in the National Pokédex and #100 in the Hoenn Pokédex. It represents the Blue Whale.

The name Wailord originates the words whale, wail, and lord. Its Japanese name, Whaloh, is derived from the English word whale and the Japanese words for to cry (吼える, hoeru) and king (王, ō).

Biological characteristics

Wailord is a gigantic oceanic mammal with the defining characteristics of the real life Blue Whale and other rorquals (indeed, it is the largest of all known Pokémon in sheer size, and the seventh heaviest after Steelix, Snorlax, Metagross, Dialga, Giratina, and Groudon). However, it has a surprisingly low density, weighing only a mere 877 lbs, in accordance with its appearance characteristic of a zeppelin. The similarly girthed humpback whale weighs from 30 to 50 tons. The unique traits of Wailord are two pairs of side fins, an elevated pair of flukes, and most importantly, a set of large white teeth as opposed to baleen. Out of all the pokemon, wailord is the longest.

Living in the vast oceans of the Pokémon world, Wailord swims languorously in pods of about four members or more, often at the surface so it can breathe through its upper nostrils. With huge mouths these Pokémon can eat massive amounts of undersea food such as krill in a single gulp. When chasing somewhat larger prey, Wailord herd them by leaping out of the water and making humongous splashes in what is often described as a breathtaking display.

If a Wailord inhales to the maximum capacity of its gigantic lungs, it is able to dive close to 10,000 feet below the surface. Optionally by puffing itself up it can float high on the ocean surface or beach on a shoreline if it wishes.

In the video games

Wailord is available in Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, and can be caught by Surfing on Route 129, but it is extremely rare. It will evolve from Wailmer at Level 40, which is also catchable in Route 129. To find a wild Wailord, however, would require an enormous stroke of luck; it is estimated that a player has roughly a 1% chance of encountering it in the wild. For this reason, many trainers prefer to catch and evolve a Wailmer instead. Along with Relicanth, Wailord is needed to unlock the braille caves in Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, therefore unlocking the paths to the three "Regis": Regirock, Regice, and Registeel.

In Mystery Dungeon Red and Blue, Wailord can be unlocked at its friend area after it is defeated. However, although Wailord should be bigger than the screen, it is shown as the size of Kyogre.

In the anime

When Ash is in Slateport City's Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy has to leave to tend an injured Wailord.

Ash and Max are left alone to take care of a young Treecko, Mudkip, and Torchic that a trainer will later come to pick her starter out of those three. Jessie & James get the idea to steal the Wailord for themselves and use it as a submarine, and so they tie a harness around it and start to fly off with it on their balloon, to which they have attached turbines. In the end, it was the starters who defeated Team Rocket, freeing Wailord.

In a late episode of the Pokémon Advanced battle series, Team Rocket got the crew trapped on an island, however, at the end, a Wailmer evolved into a Wailord and saved them.

In the movie Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, wild Wailords played a prominent role in destroying Phantom's ship.

In the trading card game

Wailord has appeared three times as a stage-1 Water-type in trading card expansions:

• EX Ruby and Sapphire
• EX Sandstorm (as Wailord EX)
• EX Legend Maker

Wailord EX is considered a historic card in terms of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, for it is the first Pokémon card to feature 200 hit points, a record for the game (aside from a restricted, promo Lugia card). It also features two weaknesses and five retreat cost.

References

• The following games and their instruction manuals: Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald; Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen; Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness

Publications

• Barbo, Maria. The Official Pokémon Handbook. Scholastic Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0-439-15404-9.
• Loe, Casey, ed. Pokémon Special Pikachu Edition Official Perfect Guide. Sunnydale, CA: Empire 21 Publishing, 1999. ISBN 1-930206-15-1.
• Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon FireRed & Pokémon LeafGreen Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., August 2004. ISBN 1-930206-50-X
• Mylonas, Eric. Pokémon Pokédex Collector’s Edition: Prima’s Official Pokémon Guide. Prima Games, September 21 2004. ISBN 0-7615-4761-4
• Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon Emerald Version Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., April 2005. ISBN 1-930206-58-5

External links

• Official Pokémon website
• Bulbapedia (a Pokémon-centric Wiki)’s article about Wailord as a species
• Template:Serebiidex
• Pokémon Dungeon Pokédex entry, full of statistics analysis
• PsyPoke - Wailord Pokédex entry and Usage Overview
• Smogon.com - Wailord Tactical Data
• Template:WikiKnowledge

• Fictional cetaceans
• Stage 1 Pokémon