Should you let Koraidon or Miraidon out in Area Zero? At the tail-end of your Pokemon Scarlet and Violet adventure, you'll be asked the contentious question as your buddy retreats after flying you down the Great Crater of Paldea. You'll know from stories that it's a dangerous place. And while the legendary Pokemon looks capable of defending itself, you might genuinely struggle to weigh up the risks of sending it out against its will. Here's what to do.
Koraidon and Miraidon take on a unique role in your party. They sit on your party screen without taking up one of your six precious Pokemon slots, instead acting as a handy HM friend. They have extra abilities that unlock as you progress through the Titan Pokemon plot, helping you access hard-to-reach areas like islands, mountain peaks, and more.
One of these tricky areas can be found in the end game, in the crater at Area Zero. Here, you will face the ultimate challenge that will put you and your Pokemon to the test. It will be filled with high-level Pokemon like Iron Hands that will mercilessly attack your team as you attempt to get to the bottom of the mystery.
Should I let Koraidon or Miraidon out in Area Zero?
When you first reach Area Zero, you'll be assigned the task of pressing buttons at each of the four labs found deeper and deeper down the Great Crater of Paldea. But the area is quite large, and there's another problem.
While the lab is locked, both Koraidon and Miraidon will refuse to leave their Pokeballs, meaning you’ll be running around on your own without your handy bike/plane/speedboat thing.
Early on, you'll be asked whether or not to let Koraidon or Miraidon out. Given the Pokemon forced itself back into the ball it usually hops out of for a sandwich, it's safe to say that you shouldn't. It's scared and won't be much help, so it's better to let it calm down and think things through while you carry on.
In fact, like most of the multiple-choice prompts in the game, it's a red herring. You can't send the legendary Pokemon out as you're making your way from one lab to the next. Something (or someone) will always stop you.
But there's an exception to the rule right at the very end of your great expedition down there.
Once you've made your way to Lab Zero at the very bottom of the crater, you’ll eventually start the Guardian of Paradise fight. It's a unique situation where only your legendary beast's Pokeball will work - for plot reasons. You won’t be able to use any attacks or items from your party, meaning your only option is to send out either Koraidon or Miraidon to finish the fight.
Once you've defeated the last battle and won the game, the credits will roll and you'll be able to access the post-game content that Game Freak loves to add to these games. This year, they've decided to spoil us by giving us the opportunity to catch a second Koraidon or Miraidon - presumably to trade for the other with another player.
For more Pokemon content, check out our Scarlet and Violet breeding guide. Alternatively, we have an article explaining how to catch shinies, or even how to get Charmander.