Yveltal is a dual-type Dark/Flying Legendary Pokémon introduced in Generation VI. It is not known to evolve into or from any other Pokémon. Along with Chespin, Fennekin, Froakie, and Xerneas, it was the first Generation VI Pokémon to be revealed to the public on January 8, 2013 as part of the Pokémon Direct broadcast.

Yveltal is the game mascot of Pokémon Y, appearing on the boxart. It is a member of the aura trio with Xerneas and Zygarde. Take a look below for 25 fun and fascinating facts about Yveltal.

1. Yveltal is a large Pokemon with both avian and draconic traits.

2. The back of its body is black with white spots along the wings and back; its front, head, and neck are bright red with branching, black lines throughout.

3. It has a pointed, beak-like snout, bright blue eyes, a black, forward-curving horn over each eye, and a thin, antenna-like growth behind each eye.

4. A feathery gray ruff encircles its neck and billows out over its back.

5. Its wings each have three spikes along the bottom edge near the body and five large, black claws on the tip.

6. It has small, birdlike legs with gray talons. 

7. Each foot has two toes facing forward and one pointing backwards.

8. Its tail is similar in structure to its wings, including the five claws on the tip.

9. Yveltal has the power to absorb life energy by spreading its wings and tailfeathers. 

10. When it reaches the end of its lifespan, it steals the life energy of everything around it and then transforms into a cocoon to sleep.

11. Yveltal is the only known Pokémon capable of learning the move Oblivion Wing.

12. Yveltal has the same stat distribution as Xerneas.

13. Yveltal, along with Xerneas, was designed by art designers Ken Sugimori and Yusuke Ohmura. Initial design for the two Legendary Pokémon was started by Sugimori, but he encountered “artist’s block”, having a hard time coming up with concepts. For the first time, he gave the work over to another designer, Ohmura. Ohmura furthered the designs, after which Sugimori resumed to finish them.

14. Yveltal’s appearance is based on an avian in the shape of the letter Y, and as such has many similarities to the long-tailed widowbird.

15. It may be based on any number of figures from mythology, such as the Celtic death-goddess Morrigan, which often takes the form of a raven, or Norse mythological figures such as Hræsvelgr, which takes the form of an eagle and sits at the end of the world, or the Hawk Veðrfölnir or the unnamed eagle that resides at the top of the world tree Yggdrasil.

16. Yveltal also may draw inspiration from carrion birds such as crows and vultures.

17. Additionally, it bears a striking resemblance to a species of fungus known as “devil’s fingers.”

18. Yveltal comes from the letter Y. It may also be derived from yvel (a Middle English spelling of evil) and quetzal or talon.

19. Yveltal debuted in Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction. It was first seen in a flashback destroying the Allearth Forest before transforming into a cocoon and slumbering. Years later, it reawakened and attempted to destroy the Allearth Forest again, turning Argus and Millis Steel, Merilyn, Riot, and Ash’s Pikachu to stone in the process. It was then calmed by Xerneas’s Fairy Aura and flew away peacefully.

20. Yveltal made its main series debut in The Legend of X, Y, and Z! during a flashback, where it unleashed trouble on a kingdom, turning people and Pokémon to stone such as Aila. Its attack prompted Jan to embark on a quest to find Xerneas and have it restore the land and Aila.

21. An Yveltal appeared in The Beauty Eternal, where Team Flare captured it so they could begin the next phase of their plans, which they titled “Project Y”.

22. Hiroshi used a Yveltal in Let’s Play the Pokémon Card Game XY!.

23. Yveltal appears in the manga adaptation of the first Pokémon the Series: XY movie, Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction.

24. Yveltal debuted in PS549, alongside Xerneas. The two faced each other in a battle, which caused chaos and destruction in Vaniville Town. The two eventually stopped fighting and returned to their dormant cocoon and tree states, which are being sought after by Team Flare to power the ultimate weapon. Yveltal was later captured by Malva, who revealed that it had been resting in the ground under the tree form Xerneas the entire time. In Xerneas Gives, both Yveltal and Xerneas returned to their dormant states once again, choosing to do so in order to prevent Lysandre from using Zygarde to his own deeds.

25. Yveltal sometimes appears in the background of the Prism Tower stage.