The White Zygarde (Japanese: 白いジガルデWhite Zygarde), also known as Gibeon's Zygarde (Japanese: ギベオンのジガルデGibeon's Zygarde), is a Legendary Pokémon that Gibeon owned. It is a Shiny Pokémon. It is seen most of the time outside its Poké Ball. After the battle in Laqua, Zygarde disassembled itself into Cells, leaving Gibeon behind.
At some point in the past, Zygarde met and started accompanying Gibeon as his partner due to their shared wish to bring happiness to Pokémon and people. 100 years prior to the events of Pokémon Horizons: The Series, the White Zygarde, in its 50% Forme, traveled alongside its Trainer, Gibeon, on his journey to find the Pokémon paradise Laqua. One day, they came across two adventurers who shared the same goal, Lucius and Rystal, they then started journeying together towards Laqua.
Finally having reached Laqua, the Explorers found themselves in trouble after Gibeon meddle with the Laquium crystals found in the paradise. Zygarde, who initially was the one who dug up the crystals on Gibeon's orders, soon intervened, sensing the impending unbalance if no actions were to be taken. It sacrificed most of its Cells in order to contain the crystals, reverting to its 10% Forme in the process, but it still wasn't enough, as the Laquium generated an explosion that shook the terrain, causing a rift to form underneath Gibeon, who fell into it. The situation was only cleared up after Rystal's Terapagos, Pagogo transformed into its Stellar Form and gave some of its energy to Lucius's team, the Six Heroes, allowing them to seal the Laquium in a giant barrier. As a result of this, Lucius was trapped in Laqua, Pagogo reverted into its dormant state, and the Six Heroes were scattered around the world. Gibeon managed to survive his fall thanks to the Laquium shard he had and eventually managed to leave Laqua alongside his Zygarde in the aftermath, starting to live in Pericarp Town.
For the next 100 years, it had been observing Laqua and the rest of the world through its Cells, considering the Laquium to be dangerous as it kept expanding over Laqua. Zygarde also left one Cell in the care of Hamber, which Amethio speculated was a sign of Gibeon's trust in him. As revealed during a flashback in Guided by the Black Rayquaza!, Lucius also was awakened by the voice of Zygarde, who told him everything it had found out about Laquium.
At some point after the Black Rayquaza was released from its Ancient Poké Ball in The Ancient Poké Ball, Zygarde sent it a message for it to find a worthy Trainer to inherit Pagogo and the Six Heroes so they could stop Gibeon and destroy the Laquium in the future.
The White Zygarde, in its 10% Forme, debuted at the very end of From So Far Away, where it was seen alongside Gibeon in his personal chamber. It briefly appeared again in The Treasure of Eternity, being seen next to Gibeon during his meeting with Hamber and Amethio. In The Truth Revealed!, Hamber revealed to Amethio, Zirc, and Onia one of Zygarde's Cells in his possession, believing it had taken a liking to him, which Amethio interpreted as a sign of Gibeon's trust.
In The Rising Volt Tacklers vs. The Explorers!, Zygarde and Gibeon arrived in Laqua and started heading to where the Laquium was located, which they reached at the end of the episode. In Guided by the Black Rayquaza!, Zygarde reunited with its lost Cells and reclaimed its 50% Forme. With its restored power, it dug up a cluster of Laquium, but while Gibeon thought it was doing this in order to accomplish his goals, Zygarde was actually freeing Lucius from his imprisonment. After the truth about the past 100 years was revealed, Gibeon begged Zygarde to fight alongside him and put a stop to his opponents' actions, which it seemingly obliged, much to the others' surprise.
In The Earthshaking White Zygarde, Zygarde battled against Liko's Floragato, Roy's Crocalor, Dot's Quaxwell, and Amethio's Ceruledge, all of whom had Terastallized. It proved to be very powerful, managing to not be hit for most of the battle despite being at a numerical disadvantage. However, after witnessing its Thousand Arrows, Dot was able to identify a moment of weakness they could take advantage of, as Zygarde needed some time in order to return the Cells it fired during the attack. Despite this, Zygarde was still able to overpower them at the end, leaving only Floragato and Ceruledge barely standing. As it was about to finish them off along with Pagogo with a Core Enforcer, Floragato took on Liko's encouragement and pushed herself into evolving into Meowscarada. This allowed for a last minute counterattack, with Ceruledge creating an opening for Meowscarada to strike, until her newly learned Flower Trick managed to knock Zygarde down. At this moment, Zygarde forfeited the battle, revealing it was actually testing the strength and resolve of the Rising Volt Tacklers and Amethio all along before disassembling and abandoning Gibeon due to his actions.
One year later, in HZ092, Hamber tasked Zirc and Onia with finding Amethio's whereabouts, giving them a Zygarde Cube to help in their task. In the brief demonstration, the Zygarde Cell he was taking care of went inside it, and he explained that both the Cell and the Cube would help locate the larger Zygarde mass, who would presumably know where Amethio went without letting the new Explorers leader Spinel know their activities. In HZ104, the Zygarde Cube was given to Amethio, who vowed to defeat Spinel.
Personality and characteristics
True to its species, the White Zygarde still has a desire to protect the ecosystem when it senses danger or threats to it, such as Laquium. As a result of this, Zygarde will even stand up against its Trainer's orders if it means keeping the ecosystem safe, as seen in The Wonders of the World!, when it attempted to use 40% of its Cells to contain the Laquium and stop it from spreading and withering the wildlife. After its betrayal, Gibeon still allowed it to stay by his side. While Zygarde is commonly seen by Gibeon's side, its loyalty to him has been questionable ever since the incident in Laqua 100 years ago due to their conflicting visions on Laquium: Gibeon seeing it as a valuable resource and Zygarde seeing it as a looming threat.
Over the course of the series, Zygarde regularly told Lucius what was happening outside, including about the reformed Explorers and the Rising Volt Tacklers seeking the Six Heroes. After Zygarde freed Lucius in Guided by the Black Rayquaza!, Gibeon came to the conclusion that it had only feigned being his Pokémon in order to closely monitor his actions, which was partially true. When Gibeon begged it to fight alongside him as his partner and last remaining friend, Zygarde agreed, an action that caught the Six Heroes by surprise. However, it was later revealed that it wanted to test the strength and resolve of the Rising Volt Tacklers and Amethio. Zygarde then sadly bid farewell to Gibeon and disassembled itself into its Cells, vanishing into the earth and leaving its former Trainer behind due to his destructive actions.
In Where the Adventure Leads, Lucius reveals that Zygarde became Gibeon's partner because of his wish to bring happiness to Pokémon and people at the time, which Zygarde shared. But it chose to leave him once he had lost his way, even though Lucius believes Zygarde joined Gibeon in the fight one last time in an attempt to show him what true bonds are capable of, which unfortunately, didn't work in time.
The White Zygarde's Cells have an unique coloration to match with Zygarde's Shiny coloration, a difference that does not exist in any other media.
It can be assumed that after Gibeon passed away, Zygarde was officially released from its Poké Ball, similar to what happened with the Six Heroes after Lucius's vanishing.
