Origin of Moltres
Moltres is commonly depicted as the embodiment of fire itself, being able to control and create it at will. As the first legendary fire Pokémon, this depiction seems appropriate. No other Pokémon so far had the incredible power to do those things- at least not to the extent that Moltres could.
A perfect example is given in Moltres’s first feature in the anime, episode 74: All Fired Up! The Pokémon League flame contained the very essence of Moltres itself; it was able to control itself to the extent that when Ash is exposed to the fire it doesn’t even feel hot. It then goes on to assume the form of Moltres and take out Team Rocket’s machine with ease. This kind of power is rarely seen in other fire Pokémon, even Fire-type legendaries. |  Moltres in ‘All Fired Up!’ appears as an embodiment of flames.
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Moltres, Zapdos and Articuno seem to be based on completely different legends from different parts of the world. Their main connection is that they all have characteristics derived from various birds of folkfare that somehow relate to their respective element. This jumble of mythical birds come together to make the original legendary Pokémon trio.
To understand Moltres’s origin specifically, we must first look at elements of the mythical fire birds on which the Pokémon is based. There are a number of different depictions of what we know as a phoenix. They’re images which come together from myths all around the world; similar to how Moltres itself is derived from different legends of fire birds. All phoenixes, however, have some relation to fire or the sun, and immortality.
To understand Moltres’s origin specifically, we must first look at elements of the mythical fire birds on which the Pokémon is based. There are a number of different depictions of what we know as a phoenix. They’re images which come together from myths all around the world; similar to how Moltres itself is derived from different legends of fire birds. All phoenixes, however, have some relation to fire or the sun, and immortality.
 The Arabian phoenix depicted in the book of mythological creatures by F.J. Bertuch.
| The classic Arabian phoenix is probably the phoenix people are most familiar with. It’s described as a large bird with red and gold plumage; in fact, quite similar to Moltres’s appearance. The legend of this phoenix varies from different accounts, however most tell the story of the bird that lives for 1000 years, burns itself in a nest of flames and is ‘born again’ from the ashes. This legend is perhaps the main concept upon which Moltres was based; Moltres is known to be able to heal itself by dipping its body in the magma of a volcano, thus ‘renewing’ itself.
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There is said to be only one phoenix at any given time; however there is evidence to suggest that there is more than one Moltres in the Pokémon world. Nevertheless, being a legendary Pokémon, Moltres is still a very rare sight to behold.
Another of the phoenix’s qualities is that it is a benevolent creature, eating only frankincense and dewdrops and never crushing anything it treads on. This seems a little unfitting for a Pokémon- a creature that uses its powers to fight. However it’s inevitable that some changes to the phoenix’s traits had to be made to make it an appropriate character for the game.
It’s interesting to note that in Pokémon 2000, Moltres, along with the other legendary birds, behaves rather recklessly due to the disruption of the balance between them. However at the end of the movie when the balance is restored, the bird’s regular behaviour seems to be a lot more peaceful.
Moltres’s depiction in Pokémon 2000 also contradicted another trait commonly described of the Arabian phoenix: the bird is known to have a melodious voice so beautiful that even the sun god would stop to listen. Moltres’s cries in the movie however, were far from a beautiful song. In fact, newspaper editor Bob Longino who wrote an article for Access Atlanta about the movie described Moltres’s voice, along with those of the other legendary birds, as being "way too much for adult ears".
Eastern phoenixes, namely the Fenghuang of Chinese mythology, share only a few traits with their Western counterparts; the similarities between them lie mainly in their appearances. The Fenghuang was said to be more heron-like in shape, similar to Moltres in some of its later depictions. |  The Fenghuang of Chinese mythology.
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 The Suzaku. Artwork by Vyrilien.
| Moltres also shares some physical traits with the Japanese bird Suzaku, also known as the Vermillion Bird. While not related to true phoenixes, the Suzaku is similar in appearance to other Eastern mythical birds and is often described as having a brilliant reddish-orange plumage.
The Firebird of Slavic folk fare is again unrelated to other phoenixes, but its main trait- its red and yellow glowing feathers- may have been another inspiration for the origin of Moltres. One feather from the bird is so bright it can light up an entire room from complete darkness. Moltres has a similar legend associated with it: its flames are so bright that they can make the night sky look like daylight. |
Legends of Moltres in the Pokémon world seem to correspond to those we have in the real world regarding the phoenix; even in the Pokémon world, Moltres is regarded by many to be purely mythical. Moltres has its own
legends associated with it, such as that it brings an early spring to a wintery land, and that if seen it will disappear in a flash of fire. These ‘myths’ make the Pokémon seem a lot more elusive, and therefore it would be easy for someone in the Pokémon world to regard it simply as a folk tale.
Its various appearances in different Pokémon media however, prove otherwise- it is very much a real Pokémon, and there is even most likely more than one of them. Moltres doesn’t get a lot of attention within these media, namely the anime. But when it does make an appearance it is often quite spectacular, living up to the fantastic legends associated with it in the Pokémon world and the phoenixes of the real world.
