Leaping off Ledges

One of the iconic things from the main series of Pokémon games is the ability of the player Trainer to leap off of ledges that are present in some of the routes. Those who play the earliest games will no doubt recognize that some of these ledges are found in the very first route, and if one talks to one of the other characters, one is told exactly how to do this. It's a small thing, but it's one that continued to be present in many games after, and therefore it's iconic. It's also, in my view, representative of a few philosophical things based on what it entails.

By leaping off ledges, one is provided with a quick way back from where one was before. That quick way back allows one to avoid potential hindrances such as unwanted Pokémon encounters and then get going to other things quickly. Philosophically, it just means that sometimes one has to move on somehow to proceed with best time. One can of course go back to those Pokémon encounters, for example, and deal with them as needed, but just leaving them be for a certain amount of time before dealing with them may be the key to a good progression in good time. That may in fact happen in the games and could also very well happen in real life.

Of course, it may be that leaping off ledges may leave one unable to get back to certain places, at least not easily. Some routes in the later games are particularly evident of this reality. In that sense, it may be that one is just not meant to be in that certain place for much more than needed (if the decision has been made to leap) or that one has to consider carefully (before leaping). What seems to be just as important for anyone is to take care of things and to ensure that has happened before one makes the leap, or if one has leaped, to continue on the chosen path. It's a hard thing either way, but it's surely the thing to do in both the game and in real life.

No matter what happens, however, it seems to be appropriate for one to "enjoy the ride". This seems to be rather indicative in the Yellow Version, where Pikachu sometimes does a dance while still on the ledge after the player Trainer has leaped off a ledge. And in the other games regardless, things may continue to happen above and below a ledge after leaping off. Leaping off ledges, in this way, becomes something that just has to happen, and however things happen, one seems to be demanded to take things in stride. What goes on after making the leap is something for one to take in and deal with as best as one possibly can.

Leaping off ledges (literally) in the main series games has its purposes and happenings, especially when one has figured out how to do so with a little nudge. But leaping off ledges (figuratively) is also a thing in life, as something that happens when the circumstances demand it. There's a good deal of philosophical connection there, at least according to my view. For as long as the mentioned main series games get played and replayed, the player Trainer will likely have to leap off a few ledges to proceed... and such seems to also be the case in the life with and beyond Pokémon.

One year ago: Scat-Poké-Land
Two years ago: Let's Go Research
Three years ago: Caravansary