Anyone who has played Pokémon Sun and Moon has probably visited that secluded collection of islands known as Poke Pelago. You can send your monsters to Poke Pelago to train, find items, and just chill out. Poke Pelago is also the place that quietly ties the entire story in Sun and Moon together.
Maybe you missed this detail. I know I did, even though it was staring me right in the face. (Spoilers ahead.)
Poke Pelago’s caretaker is a laid-back guy called Mohn:
Mohn helps you develop islands, and he has a penchant for beans. Mohn’s seclusion from society is kind of bizarre, but most of us never question it because Pelago is just a mini-game. It can’t be that important, right?
If you pay attention, however, you’ll note that Sun and Moon mention a Mohn when you visit Aether locales:
After you beat the game, Gladion—the son of the Aether President, Lusamine—tells you an interesting story:
Now think back to Mohn from Poke Pelago. His face should seem familiar, no? He’s got golden locks, just like Lillie. Mohn’s got the same bangs as Gladion. Mohn is Lusamine’s husband. Mohn—the guy who handles your unwanted Pokémon—discovered Ultra Wormholes, vanished, and set the entire plot of Sun and Moon into motion. And now he takes care of your level 3 Rattata.
As you play through the game, the Aether family is doing its best to find Mohn. Lusamine loses her mind in the process. Meanwhile, you can visit Mohn any time you’d like with just a few taps on your 3DS. Cripes. Why doesn’t Mohn mention any of this? It’s possible he lost his memory, given what we know about Ultra Beast effects. Maybe he doesn’t want to go back. Who knows!
The nature of Poke Pelago becomes suspect when you consider all these details, too. Are you going into a different dimension? That doesn’t make any sense; you can fly to Pelago. Is it located in Alola? Some in-between place? Is it real? Is Pelago a dream? Is the Mohn in Pelago an AI or the actual guy? Did he always like beans or is that an Ultra Beast corruption?
One thing’s for sure. The aim of the Aether Foundation is to care for Pokémon using an artificial island known as the Aether Paradise. That’s basically what Mohn is doing in Poke Pelago; he cares for your monsters and lets you develop islands just for them. Mohn is following his dreams, despite being trapped on the other side of an Ultra Wormhole. Not such a tragic story after all.
Now if we could only tell the Aether family that Mohn is just fine...