One Pokémon theory speaks to the possibility that the transforming Pokémon Ditto is actually a failed cloned of the mythical Pokémon Mew.

One of the oldest theories still being discussed in the Pokémon community surrounds a unique relationship between the shape-shifting Pokémon Ditto and the mythical Mew. The theory stipulates that during the DNA engineering process that ultimately created Mewtwo, more than one Pokémon was actually developed. Ditto, in turn, stems from one of these failed experiments.

While these two Pokémon seem quite different from each other on the surface, they actually share some surprising connections. Mew, as the ancestor to all Pokémon, is believed to contain the genetic material of every Pokémon in existence. Ditto is known for being able to take on the shape and form of any Pokémon it encounters and is the only Pokémon known to have such an ability. Given this relationship, perhaps this theory has uncovered something hidden in the lore of the Pokémon franchise.

Mew and Ditto share commonalities that extend beyond their genetic relationships to the rest of Pokémon genealogy. Both share very similar color schemes, being depicted as a shade of pink or purple in their normal sprites and blue in their shiny forms. In addition, both Mew and Ditto are recorded to weigh approximately 8.8 lbs (4 kg), as stated in their respective Pokédex entries. While Pokémon come in all shapes, sizes, and weights, they are the two of three Generation I Pokémon to share the same weight. Furthermore, Mew and Ditto are genderless and known to reproduce asexually in the wild.

How Mew And Ditto Are Related

Beyond appearances and general biology, Mew and Ditto share consistent overlap in their move capabilities. The two have always retained the same, though not identical, base stats across all games even though the majority of Pokémon have had some modifications made overtime. Most importantly, both Mew and Ditto are the only Pokémon who can naturally learn the move "Transform" at level 0. The move allows the user to automatically turn into a copy of their opponent at the start of an encounter, adopting their moves, base attack, and base defense stats. Given that the theory stipulates that Mew and Ditto share the majority of their genetic make-up, its reasonable to assume they would both have overlap in their move sets.

Mewtwo and Ditto also carry some overlap in terms of where these Pokémon can get caught. While Ditto can often be found across a variety of locations in later games, it has very specific spawn points in Pokémon Yellow. In this game, Ditto can primarily be found in the Pokémon Mansion and Cerulean Caves. Both of these locations are very important, as Mewtwo is said to have been cloned from Mew in the facilities within the Pokémon Mansion and later fled to Cerulean Caves where it made its home. Given the known relationship between Mew and Mewtwo, its possible that Ditto's proximity to Mewtwo's origin location and home is not sheer coincidence. If Ditto is in fact a failed version of a Mew clone, it's likely to be found in the areas where the experimentation took place.

It's possible that Ditto was originally intended to be a failed Mew clone, but the idea was scrapped somewhere during the development process of the original games. At this time, The Pokémon Company has not given a direct answer that either supports or disproves these claims. Pokémon theories have proven to be true in the past so there's a chance the same might happen with Ditto being a failed clone of Mew. Fans may simply need to wait for the next game in the Pokémon franchise to cement the validity of their theory.

Next: Why Newer Pokémon Designs Are Better Than The Originals

Source: Pokémon Database