You know that feeling when you walk into a movie expecting a generic monster brawl and walk out genuinely stressed about the fabric of reality? That was the vibe back in 2007 when The Rise of Darkrai hit theaters. On the surface, it’s just the tenth Pokémon flick. But honestly, it’s arguably the peak of the Diamond & Pearl era, mostly because it treats its legendary stakes like a cosmic horror film rather than a Saturday morning cartoon.
Most people remember this one for the "big three" showdown: Dialga, Palkia, and Darkrai. But there’s a lot more under the hood than just flashy beams.
The Alamos Town Problem: Why It’s More Than Just a Setting
If you look at the town itself, Alamos Town isn't your average Pokémon village. It’s a love letter to Spanish architecture, specifically the work of Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona. You can see the Sagrada Família influence all over the Space-Time Towers. This isn't just trivia; the design of the town is basically a giant instrument meant to play a song called Oración.
Basically, the whole plot hinges on a scientist named Godey who had a nightmare a hundred years ago. He realized that two gods who should never meet—Dialga (Time) and Palkia (Space)—were eventually going to bump into each other and wreck everything. So, what does he do? He builds a massive set of bells in the middle of town to play a song that can soothe gods. It’s kinda brilliant and weirdly poetic for a kid's movie.
What actually happened in the rift?
The movie starts with these two "deities" duking it out in a dimension of swirling Unown and clouds. Dialga lands a massive Roar of Time that cracks Palkia's shoulder pearl. That’s a huge deal. A wounded god of space is a dangerous thing. Palkia panics and flees into the "real" world, dragging Alamos Town into a pocket dimension to hide.
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Darkrai: The Hero Nobody Asked For
The biggest rug-pull in the movie is Darkrai himself. If you were a kid watching the trailers, you 100% thought Darkrai was the villain. I mean, look at him. He’s a shadow with a red collar who literally gives people nightmares. Even the English title, The Rise of Darkrai, makes him sound like a rising threat.
But Darkrai is actually the tragic protector.
He’s been living in Godey’s garden since Alice’s grandmother, Alicia, showed him kindness decades ago. When he pops up in the town square and tells everyone to "Go away," he isn't talking to Ash or the annoying Baron Alberto. He’s talking to the invisible Palkia hiding above the towers.
Why the "villain" label stuck
- Nightmares: He accidentally puts Ash and several Pokémon into deep sleeps where they see the impending doom.
- Appearance: In the Pokémon world, Dark-types are often the scapegoats.
- Baron Alberto: This guy is the worst. He leads a literal witch-hunt against Darkrai, even after he gets turned into a Lickilicky (which is one of the funniest, most surreal parts of the movie).
The Stakes: Disappearing Into Nothingness
There’s a scene where the edge of town starts to just... dissolve. It’s not exploding. It’s just turning into golden dust and vanishing. Tonio, the local scientist, realizes that if Dialga and Palkia keep hitting each other, the entire dimension will collapse.
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This leads to the big sacrifice. Darkrai, who is significantly weaker than the two literal creators of the universe, jumps between them. He holds back their signature attacks—Roar of Time and Spacial Rend—long enough for Ash and Dawn to reach the top of the tower.
He gets disintegrated for his trouble. It’s a heavy moment. For a second, you really think they killed off a Mythical Pokémon just like that.
That Song: Why Oración Matters
The resolution isn't a battle. Ash doesn't win by having Pikachu "aim for the horn" or whatever. They win through music.
Alice uses a grass whistle to play the melody her grandmother taught her, while Ash and Dawn scramble to get the giant music disc into the tower’s mechanism. When the bells finally ring out Oración, it’s honestly one of the most beautiful pieces of music in the entire franchise. It doesn't just stop the fighting; it heals Palkia's wound.
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How it ends (The Aftermath)
- Palkia's Exit: Ash basically yells at a god to fix what it broke. Surprisingly, Palkia listens and restores the town.
- The Reveal: In the very last scene, we see Darkrai's shadow on a cliffside. He survived. Of course he did. Death is rarely permanent in Pokémon movies, but it still felt earned.
- Continuity: This movie actually kicks off a trilogy. The events here lead directly into Giratina and the Sky Warrior and eventually Arceus and the Jewel of Life.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive back into this era of Pokémon, there are a few things you should know. First, if you’re playing the modern games like Scarlet or Violet, Darkrai is often tied to New Moon events. We saw a major distribution back in late 2023, but keep an eye on the Mystery Gift cycles whenever a new Sinnoh-related project is announced.
For those into the TCG, the Darkrai cards from the Great Encounters set or the 10th-anniversary promos are the ones to hunt for. They capture that specific "menacing but misunderstood" artwork that the movie popularized.
If you want to experience the story properly, watch the Japanese version if you can find it. The dialogue is a bit sharper, and Ash’s reaction to Palkia at the end is legendary among the fan community for being surprisingly aggressive.
Lastly, if you ever find yourself in Barcelona, take a walk through Park Güell. You’ll see the exact spots that inspired the gardens where Darkrai hid. It makes the movie feel a lot more "real" when you see the stone pillars that inspired Godey’s architecture.