It’s a tale as old as time (or at least as old as the first Pokémon games that were released in 1996): the meekest and most pathetic Pokémon have the most intimidating and powerful evolved forms. This is famously true in the case of the awkward splashing fish Magikarp, which evolves into the formidable city destroying Gyarados. In the Pokémon TCG’s upcoming Delta Reign expansion, it’s also true of the skittering bug Whimpod, which evolves into the demonically violent looking Mega Golisopod ex.
First, let’s talk about Wimpod. It’s not a coincidence that this Pokémon has “wimp” in its name, it’s a small aquatic bug that’s designed to look as nonthreatening as possible. This is demonstrated perfectly by a recent promotional version of the card, drawn by Tonji Matsuno, that has been distributed in Japanese Gym Packs. The artwork is a close up of the Turn Tail Pokémon looking somehow both frightened and exhausted simultaneously. Mechanically, this certainly isn’t one of the Best Pokémon Cards out there, but it captures the feeling of looking outside and watching the news in 2026 pretty perfectly.
Wimpod’s evolved form Golisopod goes from being terrified to being a source of terror. Nowhere is this more clear than in its new special illustration rare artwork from Storm Emerelda, which will be released internationally in the Delta Reign expansion this November. The artist nagimiso seems to be drawing inspiration from fighting games, as it looks like Goliopod is in the process of finishing off a super move of somekind, punching outwards directly towards the viewer, with golden eyes glinting with power.
This is a pattern that we’ve seen play out frequently throughout the history of the Pokémon TCG. There are plenty of weedy looking Magikarps that become awe-inspiring Gyarados cards when they evolve. Although even by those standards, this new Mega Golisopod looks pretty ferocious.
What are some of your favorite terrifying Pokémon that evolve from humble origins? Let us know in the Wargamer Discord.
Source: Wargamer
