Mewtwo is one of the most popular Pokémon, and has been since the Red and Blue days. Mewtwo’s origins as one of the few artificial Pokémon make him extremely unique, and the anime has had no shortage of conflict to mine from the Pokémon’s struggles to accept his own nature.
Mewtwo is first introduced in a mysterious manner, covered in strange armor that suppresses his abilities and allows him to be controlled more easily. Mewtwo is shown being used by Giovanni to perform a number of evil acts, until finally Mewtwo escapes, kickstarting the plot of the first Pokémon movie, Mewtwo Strikes Back. The movie reveals a great deal about Mewtwo’s origins, his feelings about his status as an artificial being, and his hatred towards humanity in general, provoked by the way his creators treated him. Between Mewtwo’s feelings about Giovanni and Mew, it’s safe to say that he has some daddy issues to work out.
Mewtwo’s Creation and Use By Giovanni Ensured Issues
Giovanni Used Mewtwo as a Tool
Mewtwo was created about 20 years prior to the original Pokémon anime, after an expedition found an eyelash of Mew, a rare trace of the Mythical Pokémon. Using this DNA, a team of scientists, led by Dr. Fuji and funded by Team Rocket, managed to create a cloned being with enhanced powers: Mewtwo. Dr. Fuji had ulterior motives, however; he was looking to perfect the cloning mechanism in order to bring his dead daughter, Amber, back to life.
Mewtwo got to know the clone of Amber, who introduced him to the wonders of the world shortly before she (and all other clones besides Mewtwo) died. This left Mewtwo heartbroken and confused, wondering what purpose he was meant to serve. The scientists were overjoyed at his power, but that joy quickly turned to terror when Mewtwo began a rampage through the laboratory, killing his own creators when he realized that they didn’t value him as a being, but as an experiment gone right.
Mewtwo was then approached by Giovanni, unaware of his role in his creation. Giovanni attempted to sweet talk Mewtwo into working with him, but it soon became clear to Mewtwo that he was merely being used. Mewtwo hated Giovanni, and soon began to hate all of humanity, feeling that all humans were the same selfish beings. Mewtwo began to see other Pokémon as being used as well, and despised them for their weakness in being used. That’s when Mewtwo concocted his plan for world domination and destruction.
Mewtwo’s Issues Made Him a Compelling Character
Mewtwo’s Struggles With His Identity Gave Him a Fascinating Character Arc
Mewtwo is far from the only artificial Pokémon. Even in just the first generation, there’s also Porygon, an artificial Pokémon designed to interface with computer systems. However, Mewtwo is consistently portrayed as the only one to angst over his existence, searching for meaning in his life. According to the creators, Mewtwo’s character in the first movie was influenced by The Phantom of the Opera, as his Japanese voice actor had portrayed the character, bringing a new depth to Mewtwo’s motivations.
Mewtwo’s hatred of humanity is understandable, given its life experiences. It’s clear that Mewtwo’s creators never expected him to be so intelligent, and were unprepared to deal with the kind of questions he had. Mewtwo’s issues with his creators are largely feelings that everyone will experience at some point in their lives, making his existential questioning very relatable. The fact that he received no love or positive attention all but ensured that Mewtwo would grow to become cruel and heartless, and ultimately underlines Pokémon‘s themes of bonding between Pokémon and trainer.
Mewtwo’s feelings towards Mew are more complicated. Mewtwo has great confidence in his power, but is secretly very insecure about his status as a clone. In order to prove to himself that he’s more than just a knockoff Mew, Mewtwo dedicates himself to attempting to defeat Mew, who really has little idea what’s going on. In a sense, it’s a very traditional father vs. son situation, with Mewtwo desperate to measure up to his progenitor.
“I see now that the circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are.”
Over the course of the film, and Mewtwo’s later appearances in the anime, Mewtwo learns that not all humans are like Giovanni, and Ash’s sacrifice helps him to realize that. Mewtwo leaves the film with an inspiring quote, stating, “I see now that the circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are.” With this line, Mewtwo has finally come to accept his status as a clone, and no longer feels a need to prove himself more powerful than Mew.
Mewtwo’s Experiences with Ash Change Him
Mewtwo Learns and Grows Over the Course of the Series
Mewtwo does have a few appearances outside of its original movie, something very rare for Pokémon movies. Mewtwo appears in a special during the Gold and Silver era, Mewtwo Returns, which sees Ash and friends discover Mewtwo’s settlement of cloned Pokémon on Mount Quena, just in time for Team Rocket to strike and attempt to reclaim Mewtwo. Ash, Misty, and Brock help Mewtwo to defend his home and fight off Team Rocket, despite the fact that they have no memory of the events of the first movie. This further impresses Mewtwo, showing him the good side of humanity for once.
Mewtwo also appears in one episode of Pokémon Journeys, entitled “Getting More Than You Battled For!” Here, Goh and Ash find Mewtwo again, this time protecting a small island of Pokémon abused by humans. Mewtwo doesn’t reveal whether it recognizes Ash, but Ash recognizes Mewtwo. Mewtwo questions them on their goals, and eventually agrees to a battle, though Mewtwo easily overpowers their Pokémon. Mewtwo seems impressed with their resolve and zeal for life, perhaps with a touch of envy that it hasn’t yet found a driving purpose like they had.
Ultimately, there are really no other Pokémon that can compare to Mewtwo when it comes to depth of character. By having Mewtwo be an individual, rather than a species, Mewtwo has a background and origin that created a tragic, emotionally wrought figure who would instantly become an icon of the series. Mewtwo may be an artificial being, but his existential questions are a core experience for everyone, making him Pokémon‘s most relatable figure by far.
Pokémon
- Release Date
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1997 – 2022
- Network
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TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC
- Directors
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Kunihiko Yuyama, Daiki Tomiyasu, Jun Owada, Saori Den
- Writers
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Takeshi Shudo, Junki Takegami, Atsuhiro Tomioka, Aya Matsui, Shoji Yonemura, Dai Saito
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Rica Matsumoto
Pikachu (voice)
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Mayumi Iizuka
Satoshi (voice)
