Quaquaval

2022Reaction image / character meme / video memesemi-active

Also known as: Yassified Duck · Gay Duck · Zesty Duck

Quaquaval is a 2022 viral meme featuring the samba-dancing Pokémon Scarlet starter whose flamboyant leaked design earned it "yassified" LGBTQ+ icon status.

Quaquaval is the final evolution of the Water-type starter Pokémon Quaxly from *Pokémon Scarlet and Violet*, whose flamboyant samba dancer design leaked in November 2022 and immediately went viral. Fans latched onto its dramatic strut and colorful plumage, dubbing it "yassified" and turning it into an unexpected LGBTQ+ icon. The meme exploded across Twitter, TikTok, and Reddit in the days before the game's November 18, 2022 release.

pokemonlgbtq memesfan art memescharacter design memes2022 memes

Overview

Quaquaval (Japanese: ウェーニバル, Wanival) is a dual-type Water/Fighting Pokémon introduced in Generation IX4. It evolves from Quaxwell starting at level 36 and is the final form of Quaxly, the coiffed water duck starter that fans fell for when the *Scarlet and Violet* starters were first revealed in February 20221. The Pokémon's design takes clear inspiration from Latin American samba and Carnival dancers, with bright feather plumage, a confident pose, and an in-game walking animation that can only be described as a full-on strut1. This flamboyant design is what made Quaquaval a meme almost instantly after leaking online.

On November 8, 2022, a massive wave of leaks hit the internet revealing unconfirmed information about the upcoming *Pokémon Scarlet and Violet*, including the full evolution lines of all three starter Pokémon3. In the initial leak, only a sprite of Quaquaval was shared. Reddit user OhMyTummyHurts posted it to /r/pokeleaks that same day3. A clearer look at the design followed on November 9 when Redditor abobao shared additional images in the same subreddit3. The game itself wouldn't launch until November 18, giving the internet a full ten days to react to the leaked designs1.

While the Fire-type (Skeledirge) and Grass-type (Meowscarada) final evolutions drew mixed opinions, the response to Quaquaval was almost universally enthusiastic1. The cute little duck Quaxly, who many noted looked oddly similar to a certain Disney mallard, had transformed into a majestic peacock-like Pokémon with a walk that fans immediately compared to Captain Jack Sparrow1.

Origin & Background

Platform
Reddit /r/pokeleaks (leak), Twitter / TikTok (viral spread)
Key People
Game Freak, OhMyTummyHurts
Date
2022

On November 8, 2022, a massive wave of leaks hit the internet revealing unconfirmed information about the upcoming *Pokémon Scarlet and Violet*, including the full evolution lines of all three starter Pokémon. In the initial leak, only a sprite of Quaquaval was shared. Reddit user OhMyTummyHurts posted it to /r/pokeleaks that same day. A clearer look at the design followed on November 9 when Redditor abobao shared additional images in the same subreddit. The game itself wouldn't launch until November 18, giving the internet a full ten days to react to the leaked designs.

While the Fire-type (Skeledirge) and Grass-type (Meowscarada) final evolutions drew mixed opinions, the response to Quaquaval was almost universally enthusiastic. The cute little duck Quaxly, who many noted looked oddly similar to a certain Disney mallard, had transformed into a majestic peacock-like Pokémon with a walk that fans immediately compared to Captain Jack Sparrow.

How It Spread

By November 10, 2022, Quaquaval was all over social media. Twitter user @pandobo drew the character in the Jack-O Crouch pose, captioning it "Why is Quaquaval so… you know…" and picked up over 100 likes in four days. That same day, user @skittywake posted feminized fan art with a similar caption, gaining over 300 likes.

TikTok moved even faster. On November 10, TikToker @Chrischupps posted a clip calling Quaquaval the "definition of 'zesty,'" racking up over 69,000 likes in three days. The next day, user @impulsepokémontrainer joked about dancing to Latin music while playing as Quaquaval, earning 14,000 likes in three days.

The "yassified" angle became the dominant framing. One Twitter user wrote, "The girls, gays, and theys going to choose Quaxly after seeing its final evolution," paired with a GIF of women strutting in formation. A TikToker lamented, "How am I supposed to pick between a weed cat and a gay duck?" before recreating Quaquaval's frolicking movements. Another TikTok imagined a trainer scolding their Quaquaval: "Would you stop running like that? We talked about this. And of course, you come running when I say there's a Machamp".

Not everyone was on board. Some players criticized the design for being "too gay" or "too flamboyant," but defenders pointed out the design's roots in Latin American dance culture. One Twitter user pushed back: "The Pokémon community really showing their homophobia and transphobia when they say they don't like Quaquaval because it's 'too gay'... It's based on a samba dancer". They later clarified it appeared modeled after a Carnival dancer specifically.

Critics and journalists also took notice. Writing for TheGamer, Dod Seitz described Quaquaval as a positive example of queer-positive character design alongside Maushold and Iron Valiant. Multiple publications highlighted Quaquaval as one of the generation's best-received designs overall.

How to Use This Meme

Quaquaval memes typically fall into a few categories:

- Reaction images: Screenshots or fan art of Quaquaval's strut used to react to anything flamboyant, dramatic, or confidently extra. - "Yassified" edits: Fan art exaggerating Quaquaval's feminine or glamorous qualities, often paired with captions like "Why is Quaquaval so… you know…" - TikTok recreations: People mimicking Quaquaval's in-game walk animation, usually with Latin music or drag culture references in the background. - Starter choice jokes: Memes framing the decision to pick Quaxly as a personality statement, often with captions about "the girls, gays, and theys."

The format works best when the punchline plays on Quaquaval's unapologetic confidence and energy.

Cultural Impact

Quaquaval's reception went beyond typical Pokémon fandom reactions. The character became a genuine talking point in conversations about LGBTQ+ representation in gaming. Wikipedia's article on Generation IX Pokémon specifically notes that several designs, including Quaquaval, were described as popular with the LGBTQ+ community. Joe Parlock of TheGamer praised the generation's individualistic designs, noting how each one helped build Paldea's culture in "the most holistic approach to Pokémon design we've seen in decades".

The discussion around Quaquaval also sparked a broader debate about Latin American cultural representation in Pokémon. Defenders of the design emphasized its samba and Carnival dancer inspiration, pushing back against readings that reduced it to stereotypes. *Scarlet and Violet* take place in Paldea, a region heavily based on Spain and the Iberian Peninsula, making the Latin dance influence a deliberate cultural choice by Game Freak.

Fun Facts

Quaquaval's Japanese name, Wanival, is a portmanteau that plays on "wan" (a Japanese onomatopoeia for a duck quack) and "carnival".

The Gen IX starters were widely praised as the best-designed starter trio in a decade when first revealed in February 2022.

Quaquaval's in-game strut animation was the single biggest driver of the meme, with many fans not reacting to the static design until they saw it in motion.

The character was leaked alongside Meowscarada and Skeledirge, but Quaquaval generated the most unified positive response of the three.

Derivatives & Variations

Jack-O Crouch Quaquaval:

Fan art of Quaquaval in the famous fighting game pose, started by Twitter user @pandobo on November 10, 2022[3].

Pinocchio audio mashup:

Someone paired Quaquaval gameplay footage with dialogue from *Pinocchio: A True Story*, an animated film[1].

Trainer interaction skits:

TikTok videos imagining conversations between trainers and their Quaquaval, usually playing on its dramatic personality[1].

Frequently Asked Questions

Quaquaval

2022Reaction image / character meme / video memesemi-active

Also known as: Yassified Duck · Gay Duck · Zesty Duck

Quaquaval is a 2022 viral meme featuring the samba-dancing Pokémon Scarlet starter whose flamboyant leaked design earned it "yassified" LGBTQ+ icon status.

Quaquaval is the final evolution of the Water-type starter Pokémon Quaxly from *Pokémon Scarlet and Violet*, whose flamboyant samba dancer design leaked in November 2022 and immediately went viral. Fans latched onto its dramatic strut and colorful plumage, dubbing it "yassified" and turning it into an unexpected LGBTQ+ icon. The meme exploded across Twitter, TikTok, and Reddit in the days before the game's November 18, 2022 release.

pokemon lgbtq memes fan art memes character design memes 2022 memes

Overview

Quaquaval (Japanese: ウェーニバル, Wanival) is a dual-type Water/Fighting Pokémon introduced in Generation IX. It evolves from Quaxwell starting at level 36 and is the final form of Quaxly, the coiffed water duck starter that fans fell for when the *Scarlet and Violet* starters were first revealed in February 2022. The Pokémon's design takes clear inspiration from Latin American samba and Carnival dancers, with bright feather plumage, a confident pose, and an in-game walking animation that can only be described as a full-on strut. This flamboyant design is what made Quaquaval a meme almost instantly after leaking online.

On November 8, 2022, a massive wave of leaks hit the internet revealing unconfirmed information about the upcoming *Pokémon Scarlet and Violet*, including the full evolution lines of all three starter Pokémon. In the initial leak, only a sprite of Quaquaval was shared. Reddit user OhMyTummyHurts posted it to /r/pokeleaks that same day. A clearer look at the design followed on November 9 when Redditor abobao shared additional images in the same subreddit. The game itself wouldn't launch until November 18, giving the internet a full ten days to react to the leaked designs.

While the Fire-type (Skeledirge) and Grass-type (Meowscarada) final evolutions drew mixed opinions, the response to Quaquaval was almost universally enthusiastic. The cute little duck Quaxly, who many noted looked oddly similar to a certain Disney mallard, had transformed into a majestic peacock-like Pokémon with a walk that fans immediately compared to Captain Jack Sparrow.

Origin & Background

Platform
Reddit /r/pokeleaks (leak), Twitter / TikTok (viral spread)
Key People
Game Freak, OhMyTummyHurts
Date
2022

On November 8, 2022, a massive wave of leaks hit the internet revealing unconfirmed information about the upcoming *Pokémon Scarlet and Violet*, including the full evolution lines of all three starter Pokémon. In the initial leak, only a sprite of Quaquaval was shared. Reddit user OhMyTummyHurts posted it to /r/pokeleaks that same day. A clearer look at the design followed on November 9 when Redditor abobao shared additional images in the same subreddit. The game itself wouldn't launch until November 18, giving the internet a full ten days to react to the leaked designs.

While the Fire-type (Skeledirge) and Grass-type (Meowscarada) final evolutions drew mixed opinions, the response to Quaquaval was almost universally enthusiastic. The cute little duck Quaxly, who many noted looked oddly similar to a certain Disney mallard, had transformed into a majestic peacock-like Pokémon with a walk that fans immediately compared to Captain Jack Sparrow.

How It Spread

By November 10, 2022, Quaquaval was all over social media. Twitter user @pandobo drew the character in the Jack-O Crouch pose, captioning it "Why is Quaquaval so… you know…" and picked up over 100 likes in four days. That same day, user @skittywake posted feminized fan art with a similar caption, gaining over 300 likes.

TikTok moved even faster. On November 10, TikToker @Chrischupps posted a clip calling Quaquaval the "definition of 'zesty,'" racking up over 69,000 likes in three days. The next day, user @impulsepokémontrainer joked about dancing to Latin music while playing as Quaquaval, earning 14,000 likes in three days.

The "yassified" angle became the dominant framing. One Twitter user wrote, "The girls, gays, and theys going to choose Quaxly after seeing its final evolution," paired with a GIF of women strutting in formation. A TikToker lamented, "How am I supposed to pick between a weed cat and a gay duck?" before recreating Quaquaval's frolicking movements. Another TikTok imagined a trainer scolding their Quaquaval: "Would you stop running like that? We talked about this. And of course, you come running when I say there's a Machamp".

Not everyone was on board. Some players criticized the design for being "too gay" or "too flamboyant," but defenders pointed out the design's roots in Latin American dance culture. One Twitter user pushed back: "The Pokémon community really showing their homophobia and transphobia when they say they don't like Quaquaval because it's 'too gay'... It's based on a samba dancer". They later clarified it appeared modeled after a Carnival dancer specifically.

Critics and journalists also took notice. Writing for TheGamer, Dod Seitz described Quaquaval as a positive example of queer-positive character design alongside Maushold and Iron Valiant. Multiple publications highlighted Quaquaval as one of the generation's best-received designs overall.

How to Use This Meme

Quaquaval memes typically fall into a few categories:

- Reaction images: Screenshots or fan art of Quaquaval's strut used to react to anything flamboyant, dramatic, or confidently extra. - "Yassified" edits: Fan art exaggerating Quaquaval's feminine or glamorous qualities, often paired with captions like "Why is Quaquaval so… you know…" - TikTok recreations: People mimicking Quaquaval's in-game walk animation, usually with Latin music or drag culture references in the background. - Starter choice jokes: Memes framing the decision to pick Quaxly as a personality statement, often with captions about "the girls, gays, and theys."

The format works best when the punchline plays on Quaquaval's unapologetic confidence and energy.

Cultural Impact

Quaquaval's reception went beyond typical Pokémon fandom reactions. The character became a genuine talking point in conversations about LGBTQ+ representation in gaming. Wikipedia's article on Generation IX Pokémon specifically notes that several designs, including Quaquaval, were described as popular with the LGBTQ+ community. Joe Parlock of TheGamer praised the generation's individualistic designs, noting how each one helped build Paldea's culture in "the most holistic approach to Pokémon design we've seen in decades".

The discussion around Quaquaval also sparked a broader debate about Latin American cultural representation in Pokémon. Defenders of the design emphasized its samba and Carnival dancer inspiration, pushing back against readings that reduced it to stereotypes. *Scarlet and Violet* take place in Paldea, a region heavily based on Spain and the Iberian Peninsula, making the Latin dance influence a deliberate cultural choice by Game Freak.

Fun Facts

Quaquaval's Japanese name, Wanival, is a portmanteau that plays on "wan" (a Japanese onomatopoeia for a duck quack) and "carnival".

The Gen IX starters were widely praised as the best-designed starter trio in a decade when first revealed in February 2022.

Quaquaval's in-game strut animation was the single biggest driver of the meme, with many fans not reacting to the static design until they saw it in motion.

The character was leaked alongside Meowscarada and Skeledirge, but Quaquaval generated the most unified positive response of the three.

Derivatives & Variations

Jack-O Crouch Quaquaval:

Fan art of Quaquaval in the famous fighting game pose, started by Twitter user @pandobo on November 10, 2022[3].

Pinocchio audio mashup:

Someone paired Quaquaval gameplay footage with dialogue from *Pinocchio: A True Story*, an animated film[1].

Trainer interaction skits:

TikTok videos imagining conversations between trainers and their Quaquaval, usually playing on its dramatic personality[1].

Frequently Asked Questions