Area Zero

Area Zero (Japanese: エリアゼロ Area Zero) is an area located within the Great Crater of Paldea at the center of the Paldea region. It is initially accessed from the Zero Gate. After the has entered Area Zero for the first time, they may also enter it by falling through the clouds over the Great Crater of Paldea.
The area is strictly off-limits to most people, though the Flying Taxi service still covers it. An official school rule, explicitly stated by Director Clavell, forbids any student of Naranja Academy/Uva Academy from entering Area Zero during the Treasure Hunt due to the aggressive that live there and the hazardous geography of the area. It contains various wild Pokémon, including Paradox Pokémon, that usually cannot be encountered anywhere else. Additionally, it is where the Terastal phenomenon originated; Tera Orbs are made out of the crystals found in Area Zero. Furthermore, if the player Terastallizes their own Pokémon within Area Zero, the Tera Orb will automatically be recharged at the end of the .
During the events of The Indigo Disk, the player is accompanied by Briar, Carmine, and Kieran to the Area Zero Underdepths, a location below the Zero Lab, and by extension, Area Zero.
==In the core series games==
===History===
====Background====
2,000 years ago, the Paldean emperor attempted many expeditions into Area Zero, starting off the Great Age of Exploration. The reason was due to a rumor, claiming there was treasure located at the bottom. However, this decision led to the empire declining 1,000 years ago. 200 years ago, Heath and the Area Zero expedition team would be the first to reach Area Zero's bottom. Here, Heath proceeds to take many notes on the area, Herba Mystica, the various wild Pokémon and first encounter with the mysterious Paradox Pokémon. He would later record his research into the Scarlet Book/Violet Book. However, people accused Heath of fabricating his story, and the whole expedition was widely discredited. The expedition team also took the Herba Mystica with them outside of the crater for a research project. The project failed due to local Pokémon consuming the herbs and transforming into the Titan Pokémon.
140 years after the expedition, the Terastal phenomenon would be discovered for the first time in Area Zero. However, the phenomenon could not be achieved outside of Area Zero. 87 years ago, a research station was built in Area Zero in order for research to be continued at the location. 
10 years ago, Professor Sada/Professor Turo started an expedition into Area Zero, setting up the Zero Lab. The professor would find a way to achieve the Terastal phenomenon outside of Area Zero through the use of Tera Orbs. Eventually, the professor moved permanently into the Zero Lab to continue more research on Area Zero and the Pokémon from other timelines as part of the Tera Project, leaving their son Arven behind to take care of himself. Thanks to the information from a white volume they got from the future, they managed to create a time machine that allows them to bring Paradox Pokémon to their timeline, which started populating Area Zero. Sadly, during a territorial struggled between two different /, they were killed by the most agressive one, which saved .
Sometime ago, Arven would enter Area Zero in an attempt to find his parent, only for his to be attacked by a creature described as either "rampaging"/"metallic, machine". This injures it to the point where all attempts at using traditional medicine failed to heal it.
========
=====The Way Home=====
After being called to it by Professor Sada/Professor Turo in "Path of Legends", the , Arven, Nemona, and Penny make their way down into the great crater riding on /. 
As the group travels to the four research stations around the area to unlock the door to the Professor's laboratory, they encounter primeval/mechanical Pokémon, which are revealed to have been brought to the present day from another era by a time machine created by the Professor, including two specimens of /. At the laboratory's entrance, some of these Paradox Pokémon confront the player and their friends, forcing the player to enter the Zero Lab alone while their friends fight off the Pokémon outside.
Inside the laboratory, the player discovers that the Professor is actually a robot, created by the real Professor before they were killed by the second and more aggressive Koraidon/Miraidon. The within the robot, despite being an exact copy of the Professor's memories and knowledge, opposes the original Professor's plan to keep the time machine running, as it would threaten to destroy Paldea's ecosystem with an overflow of Paradox Pokémon. However, since the AI is programmed to protect the time machine, the player is forced to battle it against its will. Once the AI has been defeated, the player is rejoined by their friends, and a program called the Paradise Protection Protocol takes over the robot Professor, as well as locking all Poké Balls not marked with the Professor's ID. Finally regaining its ability to battle, the player's Koraidon/Miraidon confronts and defeats the other member of its kind, ending the Paradise Protection Protocol's hold over the AI. The AI, however, recognizes that its systems are so integrally connected with the time machine that the machine cannot be shut down as long as it remains present. As such, the AI chooses to travel to another era using the time machine, bidding the player and their friends farewell as it disappears. After the time machine shuts down permanently, the player and their friends decide to take a slow and scenic route back to Mesagoza.
=====The Indigo Disk=====
After gaining the permission from Paldea's Pokémon League to go into a new expedition to Area Zero, Briar invites the , Carmine, and Kieran to serve as her protectors. They eventually reach the bottom and use Geeta's Indigo Disk to redirect the Zero Lab elevator, allowing them to go deeper down into the Area Zero Underdepths to find .
==Places of interest==
===Research Stations===
There are four Research Stations located around Area Zero. They are facilities constructed 87 years ago as way stations for those surveying Area Zero. Upon entering Area Zero for the first time, Professor Sada/Professor Turo requests that the , Arven, Nemona, and Penny visits all four Research Stations to deactivate the locks of the Zero Lab, where they reside. Each of the Research Stations has a warp panel which can teleport the player to the Zero Gate or any of the other Research Stations, if they have already been visited. There is also a bed in each, where the player can rest and heal their party.
Each Research Station has journals which describe Professor Sada's/Professor Turo's efforts in studying stallization, Terastal energy, ancient Pokémon/future Pokémon, and .
:See also: Area Zero journals
 	 	 	
Outside ResearchStation No. 1	Outside Research Station No. 2	Outside Research Station No. 3	Outside Research Station No. 4
 	 	 	
Inside Research Station No. 1	Inside Research Station No. 2 	Inside Research Station No. 3 	Inside Research Station No. 4
===Zero Lab===
The Zero Lab is where Professor Sada/Professor Turo conducted their research. It is located at the very bottom of Area Zero. It's also where the Professor built their time machine, allowing them to bring ancient Pokémon/future Pokémon to Area Zero. Through the Indigo Disk, the lab's elevator can move down to Area Zero Underdepths.
===Strange symbols===
In a huge cavern, strange symbols have been inscribed into its ground. It's unknown who or what inscribed them there, but Heath pondered if they could have been left by past explorers sent by the Paldean empire or even older still.
===Metal plate===
A big metallic plate inscribed with symbols similar to Paldea's present day map located in the same cavern the previous strange symbols were inscribed in. The material the plate is made of is extremely resistant and it's unknown how and why it was created.
===Area Zero Underdepths===
Area Zero Underdepths is a large cavern and an extension of Area Zero. It's located about 3,300 feet (1 kilometer) under the surface and appears to have formed about 2 million years ago. It is located under the Zero Lab and by extension, under Area Zero itself. It is solely inhabited by , , , and a few wild stallized Pokémon. It is also where the last of the Legendary Pokémon slumbers. 
==Items==
===On the ground===
===TM Materials===
===TMs===
==Pokémon==
===Upper Field===
From the entrance of Area Zero to just before Research Station No. 2, the following Pokémon can spawn.
===Lower Field===
Between Research Station No. 2 and the cloud layer that separates the depths of Area Zero, the following Pokémon will spawn.
===Small Cave===
After exiting Research Station No. 2, walk to the left, and then continue going up the grassy hill. The following Pokémon will spawn inside. Despite appearing as a cave, several Prairie spawners can be found inside.
===Station No. 3 Cave===
After exiting Research Station No. 3, to the immediate right is a cave where the following Pokémon spawn. Despite appearing as a cave, several Prairie spawners can be found inside.
===Waterfall Cave===
After exiting Research Station No. 3, turn right and travel along the edge of the crater until reaching a river with a waterfall on the right. After passing behind the waterfall, look up to find the entrance to a cave suspended in the cliff face. Inside the following Pokémon will spawn. Despite appearing as a cave, several Prairie spawners can be found inside.
===Grassy Cave===
After exiting Research Station No. 3, turn left and travel along the edge of the crater until seeing a pile of boulders to the left of a tree. Between the boulders is a narrow passage that will eventually lead to a cave. Inside the cave, the following Pokémon will spawn. Despite appearing as a cave, several Prairie spawners can be found inside, and the mysterious circular design found within the cave contains a mix of Cave and Ruin spawners.
===Depths===
In the depths of Area Zero past the cloud layer, the following Pokémon will spawn.
==Special encounters==
Several mandatory Multi Battles with various wild Pokémon occur as part of the story. None of them can be , and they are coded to never be .
===Outside Research Station No. 1===
===Outside Research Station No. 2===
Scarlet	Violet
 	
===Outside Research Station No. 3===
Scarlet	Violet
 	
===Outside the Zero Lab===
Scarlet	Violet
 	
Scarlet	Violet
 	
Scarlet	Violet
 	
===Area Zero Depths===
After finishing , the player can encounter the other Koraidon/Miraidon on a small, raised plateau at the very bottom of Area Zero. 
Koraidon will always have an Adamant Nature, while Miraidon will always have a Modest Nature. If defeated, they can be battled again after the game has been rebooted, provided that over one hour has passed in Nintendo Switch's internal clock since their defeat. They are coded to never be .
Scarlet	Violet
 	
===Paradox Pokémon===
Once the player has accepted Perrin's request at Blueberry Academy's Terarium as part of The Indigo Disk, they can encounter and / and in specific locations throughout Area Zero. If defeated, they can be battled again after the game has been rebooted, provided that over one hour has passed in Nintendo Switch's internal clock since their defeat. They are coded to never be .
====Pokémon Scarlet====
	
====Pokémon Violet====
	
==Trainers==
===Multi Battle partners===
====Nemona====
Nemona uses these teams as a Multi Battle partner against a wild , then later against an escaping /:
 If the chose :
|
|
|
|
|
|
 If the chose :
|
|
|
|
|
|
 If the chose :
|
|
|
|
|
|
====Penny====
Penny uses this team as a Multi Battle partner against a hostile /, and then against an escaping /:
|
|
|
|
|
|
====Arven====
Arven uses this team as a Multi Battle partner against an aggressive /, and later against an escaping /:
|
|
|
|
|
|
==In animation==
======
Area Zero was first mentioned in The Terapagos I Don't Know, where Geeta revealed that it is managed by the Paldea Pokémon League, and that a Pokémon resembling was once sighted there. Liko, Roy, and Dot showed interest in seeing the place in person, but Clavell revealed that an accident happened there recently, and that entering wasn't possible at the moment. Geeta assured the trio that she'd accompany them there someday. 
In HZ071, Area Zero appeared in a flashback when Briar narrated about her ancestor Heath's expedition into the uncharted area, where he had encountered a .
In HZ075, it's revealed in a flashback that 100 years prior to the events of the series, Rystal found her Terapagos Pagogo while exploring the Great Crater of Paldea, in Area Zero. 
In HZ078, Briar contacted the Rising Volt Tacklers and informed them that a resembling had been sighted within Area Zero. They decided to meet with her and travel to Area Zero to try and find Lucius's . In the following episode, after emerging victorious together in a Triple Battle against Geeta, Liko, Roy, and Dot were granted permission to enter Area Zero along with Friede, who had been granted permission on his merits as a Pokémon Professor. Meanwhile, Coral and Sidian entered the area illegally in order to monitor the Rising Volt Tacklers's activities.
In HZ080, Liko, Roy, Dot, and Friede meet up with Briar, as they start their search for Lucius's Entei. However, Roy encounters a wild and gets separated from the group. Coral tries to follow, but encounters a wild and teams up with it to battle a . Roy defeats Sandy Shocks and goes to reunite with the group, as he tells the girls and Friede what he saw. Coral accidentally catches Scream Tail, which she nicknames Onipurin, and introduces it to Sidian. 
In HZ081, the Rising Volt Tacklers and Briar finally encounter Lucius's Entei, which was revealed to be actually a Paradox Pokémon named that Lucius and Rystal confused with an Entei at their time. Gouging Fire took Lucius's belt from Liko, they started a battle and once Dot took it back, they passed the test and Gouging Fire joined them and the other heroes. At the end, Pagogo and the five heroes summoned the remaining one, the Black Rayquaza. 
In HZ082, the Rising Volt Tacklers started their battled with the Black Rayquaza, using Area Zero's terrain to their advantage to hit it from all sides. Eventually, only was left, forcing Pagogo to step up and join Liko to battle Rayquaza as well. Pagogo then shares it energy with Crocalor, it and allowing them to do the final hit before calling Rayquaza back to the Poké Ball. As a result of gathering all Six Heroes, Pagogo regained all of its power and Rayquaza started leading the Brave Olivine to Laqua. 
====Pokémon seen in Area Zero====
 		♂	
♀		 	
 		 	
* In HZ079, Geeta revealed that and its pre-evolution are Pokémon native to Area Zero.
* In HZ080, Briar revealed that Pokémon can be found in future forms in Area Zero.
=====With Liko=====
	
=====With Coral=====
==In the TCG==
Area Zero makes a minor appearance in the background of the Pokémon Trading Card Game card from , a set with a focus on various Paradox Pokémon. The card depicts an explorer within the upper fields of Area Zero, carrying a copy of the Scarlet Book.
==Gallery==
===Artwork===
 	
event art byKazama confirming he drew the SV Shiny Lucario Event art.	HOME Wallpaper Blueberry Pokédex
==Music==
Games	Location 	Song name (Japanese) 	Song name (English) 	Composition 	Arrangement
 	When heading intoArea Zero for thefirst time 	パルデアの大穴へ！ 	To the Great Crater of Paldea	Hiromitsu Maeba Toby Fox 	Hiromitsu Maeba
 	When outside in Area Zero 	エリアゼロ 	Area Zero 	Toby FoxUNDERTALE / DELTARUNE NEWSLETTER: ISSUE 1 (Winter 2022)	Go Ichinose
 	During a wild Pokémon battle 	戦闘！エリアゼロのポケモン 	Battle! (Area Zero Pokémon) 	Toby Fox 	Go Ichinose
 	When the gate to theZero Lab opens up 	ゲートが開いて 	The Gate Opens 	Hiromitsu MaebaToby Fox 	Hiromitsu Maeba
 	During the battle against the Paradox Pokémonthat exit the time machinefor the first time	戦闘！エリアゼロのポケモン 2 	Battle! (Area Zero Pokémon 2)	Toby Fox 	Go IchinoseHiromitsu Maeba
==Trivia==
* Despite the area's heavy association with the Terastal phenomenon, cannot be found in Area Zero, except in the .
* The Paldean Pokédex does not list Area Zero as a spawn location for any of the Pokémon that spawn there, and is also the only area in the game without any form of map.
* The Paldean Pokédex states that has a "very rare" spawn chance. However, they are quite common in Area Zero, despite appearing rarely in the rest of Paldea, potentially implying some connection between Glimmet and Area Zero.
** This connection is reinforced by also commonly being found around the Crystal Pool.
* The fact that is the only form that spawns in Area Zero may be referencing the death of Professor Sada/Professor Turo, due to the fact that white blossoms, specifically the white flower in Japan, symbolize grief, and are often used in funerals.
* Every -based Pokémon present in can be found in Area Zero, namely , , , , , and . This may be a reference to moths' perceived attraction to light, given Area Zero's extremely bright surface and caverns filled with glowing crystals. It may also be another reference to death, which moths often symbolize.
**Volcarona is the only Pokémon with Paradox Pokémon relatives to be found in Area Zero and in the same area as them.
* Area Zero is internally referred to as in the game's files.
==In other languages==
==Notes==
==References==
==Related articles==
* The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero
Category:Routes
Category:Paldea locations
Category:Scarlet and Violet locations
de:Zone Null
es:Área Cero
fr:Zone Zéro
it:Area Zero
ja:エリアゼロ
zh:第零區