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IconPKMBuy - Best 3rd Legendary for Pokémon, Ranked

Third Legendaries has always been one of the more unique aspects of Pokémon. They usually stay in the background without much information about them unless another game from the same generation comes along to add more context to these mysterious creatures. While all the third legends are cool and unique, there are definitely standouts among them.

Eternatus is the latest addition to the third legendary roster, but only appears in the final moments of the Pokémon Sword and Shield storyline. Not much to say about it, it could end up collecting dust in gamers' PC boxes. While the idea of Eternatus is unique in that it incorporates a lot of Dynamax energy, it's not necessarily given a deeper story to give players time to bond with.

Third-generation Legends, whether given their own stories, new and unique forms, or just great designs from the first encounter, there are some Pokémon third-generation legends that have impressed and become a favorite of many fans.

Third Legendaries

#3 Zygarde is a unique Pokémon design with a unique concept

The Zygarde introduced in the Pokémon X and Y Gen 6 games was a pretty cool design from the start. It is very unique from other dragon legends, with its focus on cells, said to be the force that balances life and death, Xerneas and Yveltal. Zygarde's design and premise have won a lot of praise from the start, and the ground/dragon type is also a very strong type seen in other popular Pokémon like Flygon and Garchomp.

Additionally, the fact that Zygarde is somewhat of a secret to players is a very interesting way to learn about him in Pokémon X and Y. The game doesn't explicitly tell players that Zygarde exists and that they have to catch it themselves. Instead, Zygarde is just waiting to be caught in Terminus Cave. Players will never know Zygarde exists unless they decide to explore the depths of the end caves themselves and stumble upon them themselves, which is a very interesting surprise for players.

Zygarde also got more love in Gen 7's Pokémon Sun and Moon, which introduced other forms of Zygarde. While Pokémon X and Y somewhat hinted at the unique multicellular structure of Zygarde, Pokémon Sun and Moon are emphasizing the idea. To the surprise of players, the Zygarde they know and love is actually only half of its true form. Zygarde suddenly had three forms, 10%, 50% and full. Each form has its own signature moves and stat distribution, and the quest to find Zygarde cells in the Alola region of the Sun and Moon is a very unique side quest. While Zygarde was pretty cool from his debut in X and Y, Sun and Moon put more love into them.

#2 Giratina has its own dimension in Pokémon, and for a serious reason

Giratina introduced Pokémon Diamonds and Pearls in Gen 4 and expanded even more in Pokémon Platinum. Compared to many of Pokémon's other creatures, it's frightening and imposing in design, and looks a little quirky. What's more, Giratina comes in two forms, depending on its location in the Pokémon world or its own, twisted world. According to the Pokédex, Arceus banished Giratina to the Twisted World, where it ruled alone due to its incredibly violent nature. Knowing that Giratina is a seriously violent creature not only explains its deadly appearance but does add to its cool properties since not many Pokémon are actually evil or malicious.

Giratina also had a similar first appearance to Zigard, hiding in the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl's mysterious reentry cave, patiently waiting for players to stumble upon them without knowing it. The first discovery of Giratina greatly added to its charm and mystery, and almost no one there knew about it. However, Pokémon Platinum has done an excellent job of providing more knowledge and information about Giratina and giving it a second form. The part of Pokémon Platinum's story where Giratina drags the galactic boss Cyrus into a twisted world is a very memorable scene, even showing that despite Giratina's violent nature, it's willing to intervene and help bring the Pokémon world away from Cyrus's rescued from an evil plan. Navigating through twisted worlds and facing Giratina in real form was also an unforgettable part of Gen 4, something that was sadly absent from the Pokémon BDSP Remake.

#1 Rayquaza is an iconic example of Pokémon design

Rayquaza was first introduced to Pokémon in Gen 3, Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, and gained more attention in Pokémon Emerald. Its role in Hoenn is similar to Zygarde's role in Kalos, acting as a mediator between Land and Sea Creatures, Groudon and Kyogre. The third-generation Raikonza descended from the sky, demoting the battle between Groudon and Geor before returning to the Tianzhu is very memorable, and depicts the player who exactly is the ruler of the Hoenn region in the Pokémon. Finding and fighting Rayquaza on top of Sky Pillar is an adventure in itself.

In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Rayquaza gained attention with the introduction of the Delta Episode, in which Rayquaza is the protagonist. Rayquaza even got a new form through super evolution and is the only Legendary Pokémon to have that form, but the original forms of Groudon and Keor don't count. The story of Delta's episode is brilliant and moving, and it's definitely worth playing so that players can meet unique characters and Pokémon that aren't available anywhere else. Rayquaza is also the ultimate boss of Pokémon Rescue Team DX. Combat is challenging and intense, and the story even suggests that Raikos is powerful enough to wipe out meteors. Of course, Rayquaza has a simple yet elegant and stunning design and has one of the best shiny forms of all Pokémon.

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