Magikarp Thoughts

[Karkat Vantas]

Big bump, big bump, it's in my head~

Well, I personally believe that Magikarp grew so unaccustomed fighting that they had no need to learn how to defend themselves. However, the cells that were needed for it to evolve into Gyarados are still there, dormant. When those cells are made active due to either training, the need for self defense, or electromagnetic waves (ie, the radio tower evolution signal), the Magikarp suddenly revert to their original form, thus allowing for them to evolve into Gyarados.

 

[BynineB]

So the parasite is some sort of blue, whiskered tapeworm?

 

[idk my bff stza]

I'm fairly sure you're reading too much into this. The same thing may very well be said about any Pokemon that evolves into something stronger, which is to say, all of them.

 

[Ymedron]

...Well.
I'd say that you can have whatever opinion you like, but there are a lot of people who like to think, hyphotesize and guess.
Life isn't as fun if you just concentrate on the useful and profitable.

As for the form-change, there are several evident ways of evolving- metamorphosis as is the case of as varied pokemon like Tyranitar and Butterfree, slow growing, shedding shell, all that.
The parasite-theory is just as valid, and nicely explains why Gyarados and Magikarp are so different. (Also, it allows the people who like gyarados but hate magikarp to excuse the previous form as simply a 'shell' from which the new, more powerful pokemon arises.)
I don't think people are trying to overthrow the canon, but since Pokemon is a versatible fandom, everyone can have their own personal Pokeverse where things go as magically/realistically as they want.

 

[Prairie Chicken]

It would be interesting, though, if parasites were directly responsible for most evolutions. Parasites that specialize preying on one species aren't unheard of; the nightmarish cordyceps fungus*, which paras/parasect might be based on, has different variants. One variant = specialization in one species of insect. Collect enough energy and BAM, the parasite pops out Alien style. Maybe the parasite is some ancient ancestor of ditto?

Haha, that's so morbid. Sorry for the slight derail.

*do not youtube if you don't like seeing fungi growing out of insects' bodies

 

[Tarvos]

I just think it's a funny evolution.

I just wish they hadn't nerfed Gyara so badly in GSC.

 

[Wartortle]

Isn't it based on Japanese legend about karps who turn into dragons or something like that?

Magikarp: the Gathering explains it as being because Deoxys, trying to get back at Suicune for leaving him out of a meeting, deliberately crippled the Magikarp of the world while Gyarados retained the species' original strength and bloodthirst, but that was just me being silly.

I believe the legend is about Koi fish, and there is an impossibly high waterfall and once they make it to the top they transform into dragons. :/ It's pretty interesting, I'll try to find it.




Big bump, big bump, it's in my head~

Well, I personally believe that Magikarp grew so unaccustomed fighting that they had no need to learn how to defend themselves. However, the cells that were needed for it to evolve into Gyarados are still there, dormant. When those cells are made active due to either training, the need for self defense, or electromagnetic waves (ie, the radio tower evolution signal), the Magikarp suddenly revert to their original form, thus allowing for them to evolve into Gyarados.

I agree with the first part. The oceans were probably so big that Magikarp never needed to defend themselves. :l