Gyarados is a dual type Water and Flying Pokemon introduced in Generation I. It evolves from Magikarp starting at level 20. It can Mega Evolve into Mega Gyarados using the Gyaradosite. Take a look below for 30 amazing and interesting facts about Gyarados.

1. Gyarados is a serpentine Pokemon with a long body covered in slightly overlapping scales.

2. It is mostly blue with a yellow underbelly and a row of yellow spots down each side.

3. Its mouth is very large and gaping, bearing four pointed teeth and yellow lips.

4. It has one barbel and a small white fin on each side of its face.

5. The barbels are white on a female and tan on a male.

6. It has small, red eyes, a three-pointed, dark blue crest on its head, and four white, spiky dorsal fins.

7. Gyarados’s tail fin is similar in structure to the crest on its head, except with a thin, white fin spread between the points.

8. The process of evolution causes a change in its brain structure that is believed to cause its violent nature.

9. Gyarados’s fangs can crush stones and its scales are harder than steel.

10. Gyarados is feared for its fierce temper and wanton destructive tendencies.

11. It appears in times of conflict and destroys the surrounding area.

12. Its rampages have been known to last a month at a time.

13. Gyarados lives in both fresh and salty waters.

14. Both Gyarados and its Mega form have demonstrated in the anime that it can leap huge distances both from the water and from the ground, usually several times its own body length.

15. When it Mega Evolves, Gyarados becomes bulkier. The fins on its cheeks become longer and gain a yellow tint. Its crest is larger and black, and its barbels also gain considerable length. A large spike extends downward underneath its chin, and it now has a black underside with a red stripe around the edges.

16. The yellow spots along its body are replaced by raised red scales, which propel Mega Gyarados through the water. Two large yellow fins with blue spines appear on its back. Most of the other fins along its back disappear, replaced by two rows of blue spikes.

17. There are now four yellowish, spiky fins near is tail: two on its back and two on its underside. While its brain has a powerful destructive instinct, it will obey a Trainer it truly trusts. Mega Gyarados is tied with Hoopa Unbound as the tallest Dark-type.

18. In the Pokémon Red and Blue beta, Gyarados’ name was Skulkraken, a combination of skull and kraken (a mythological sea monster).

19. Gyarados’s original design resembled a massive leech-like creature without eyes.

20. Gyarados is tied with Magikarp and Regigigas for being the lowest level Pokémon encountered in the wild, as well as also tied with Magikarp for the highest level Pokémon encountered in the wild. In Black 2 and White 2, Gyarados can be found at levels ranging from level 1 to 100 in the Nature Preserve by using a Super Rod in rippling water.

21. In Generation II and Generation IV, Gyarados is the first of only two Shiny Pokémon to be integrated into a game’s plot (the second was Celebi in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness).

22. As of Generation VII, Gyarados and its pre-evolution’s Egg Group combination (Water 2 and Dragon) is unique.

23. As of Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!, Gyarados is used by three of the nine Pokémon League Champions, being used by Blue, Lance, and Wallace, making it the most popular Pokémon among Pokémon League Champions thus far (although Blue does not always have a Gyarados, depending on the player’s starter Pokémon). However, Blue is the only one to use it in the Pokémon World Tournament.

24. Gyarados is also a popular Pokémon among Gym Leaders, being used by Misty, Blue, Clair, and Crasher Wake. However, Misty doesn’t use Gyarados during the Gym battle.

25. Gyarados has also been used twice by two villainous team leaders. The first instance was Cyrus and the second instance was Lysandre.

26. In many ways, Gyarados is the counterpart of Milotic. Both are the serpentine evolved forms of weak fish Pokémon, and both appear in times of conflict, Gyarados to destroy, Milotic to becalm. Both have base stat totals of 540, the only difference being the distribution of their Attack, Special Attack and Special Defense stats.

27. Gyarados is tied with Milotic for the greatest increase in base stat total after evolving, at 340 points.

28. Mega Gyarados has highest Attack stat of all Water-type Pokémon.

29. Mega Gyarados is tied with Hoopa Unbound and Umbreon for the highest base Special Defense of all Dark-type Pokémon.

30. Gyarados appears to be based on a sea dragon or sea serpent and Chinese dragon. It is also partially based on a legend about how carp that leaped over the Dragon Gate would become dragons. Several waterfalls and cataracts in China are believed to be the location of the Dragon Gate. This is referenced by Pokémon Snap, as the player needs to get a Magikarp into a waterfall to evolve it into Gyarados. This legend is an allegory of the drive and efforts needed to overcome obstacles, which can be tied to the fact that Gyarados’ pre-evolved form, Magikarp, could possibly take a lot of drive and effort to legitimately evolve into Gyarados.