Lysandre Labs
a pokémon x/y fansite
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lysandrelabs AT proton DOT me
Pokémon X&Y French→English project
Welcome to the project page for what I called simply French Lysandre for the longest time. Right now, only Lysandre's lines have been translated, but translating other lines from other characters (most notably Professor Sycamore) is still in my plans. In the future, I'll probably divide this page into its own subpages, but for now, since all I have is Lysandre's lines, it will be collected in one single page. As usual, if you have questions, suggestions, or feedback, please feel free to contact me.
At this time, I am not looking for help on this project when it comes to translating the French lines; however, I'm always interested in learning what Lysandre is like in other languages!
Disclaimer: I am not a professional translator. Because the goal of this project is to properly transcribe the tone of the French translation of the games (since, as I'm sure you're aware, the games already exist in English) I've attempted to follow the original phrasing or sentence structure as much as possible.
The translation will be formatted as follow:
English line.
Translated French line.
If you're interested in seeing the original lines in French, stay tuned for a future page. In the meantime, you can check Lysandre's quotes page on Poképedia. This page will also include HD screenshots taken by me... eventually.
Navigation
Sycamore Lab | Café Soleil | Holo Caster (1) | Café Lysandre | Holo Caster (2) | Holo Caster (3) | Lysandre Labs | Team Flare HQ | Footnotes | Further thoughts
Sycamore Lab / Laboratoire Platane
So, I will be able to meet them soon, then.
Well then, I'll finally have the pleasure of meeting them!
The children chosen by the professor… I wonder what potential they have.
The children picked – nay, chosen! – by the Professor. Whatever potential do these brilliant young people harbor?
Oh! You received a Pokédex from the professor then... How wonderful! That is a wonderful thing, indeed. You are one of the chosen ones.
How about that! So the Professor has entrusted you with a Pokédex? This pleases me! You can't imagine the joy that meeting you brings me, young prodigy.
I am Lysandre. I've tried to learn as much about Pokémon as I can to help build a brighter future. Professor Sycamore has taught me so much.
My name is Lysandre. In order to ensure a brilliant future for this world, I've furthered my research on Pokémon as much as I could, under the Professor's benevolent guidance.
Oh, I see you have a Holo Caster! Knowledge is power, after all. Put it to good use.
And what's this? Could this be a Holo Caster? "Knowledge is power." Remember this saying well, and put it to good use.
Now listen! It is vital that this world become a better place. And the people and Pokémon chosen to make the world better must work tirelessly to achieve this goal.
The world shouldn't be better... it MUST become better. And in the pursuit of this great cause, chosen ones, humans and Pokémon, must work together relentlessly.
Well, I'll be off. Please give Professor Sycamore my best.
You'll have to excuse me, duty calls. Please pass on my warmest regards to the Professor!
My desire... it is for a more beautiful world!
I crave a new world! A more beautiful world!!!
Café Soleil
You played a young girl so wonderfully in your debut on the silver screen. Wouldn't you rather remain young and beautiful forever and always play such roles?
Your debut movie role has always fascinated me. This quite young girl, so pure, fresh, innocent! What wouldn't you give to play these kinds of roles again and again?
You were chosen to be a movie star, correct? Isn't it your duty to be ever beautiful?
My dear, you're sorely mistaken! What about your responsibility? It is your duty as an actress to remain ever beautiful.
Everything beautiful should stay that way forever. X I would make this world unchanging and eternal so all beauty will last forever. Y I would end the world in an instant so that beauty never fades. I can't stand the thought of the world becoming uglier.
If it was within my power, X I would make this world into a place of imperishable... immutable beauty! Y I would disintegrate this world in an instant so that beauty could remain unaltered... eternal! I cannot bear decrepitude and degeneration!
Oh. Hello, Player. This is Diantha, one of the most accomplished movie stars in Kalos. She moves the multitudes with her excellent acting… Which is to say, she dedicates her life to making other people happy. Oh! If only everyone were like her–what a beautiful world this would be!
But look who's here! Dear Player! Allow me the pleasure of introducing you to lovely Diantha, the actress Kalos can take great pride in! Her performances have consistently been praised by the public – public that she knows how to affect with her immense talent. Her entire life is therefore dedicated to other people's happiness. Oh, if only the world could follow her example, what kind of paradise of beauty would we live in!
If you'll excuse me.
Now, please excuse me. Madame, mademoiselle, young man...
Port Tempères / Coumarine City
(Holo Caster)
Professor Sycamore told me you can now wield Mega Evolution. That is truly wonderful. With that power, you can steer your future in a better direction! We can't just cover up the old filth with new filth! I implore you to consider what we need to do to change the world into a new, beautiful world!
Professor Sycamore has informed me that you've recently discovered how to use the power of Mega Evolution. You truly are a chosen one! You now have the opportunity – nay, the duty! – to change the world and give it a better future. And to make the world more beautiful, think carefully about what you must undertake. We can no longer settle for hiding the grime of the past under that of the present.
Café Lysandre
I would like to congratulate you as well. Mega Evolution is something I, too, would like to be able to use.
I wanted to convey my congratulations in person! Mega Evolution, now there's something I would very much like to make use of.
True. I'm a descendant of the king's younger brother. That being said, that story is 3,000 years old, so it might not be entirely reliable.
That's right. I am – or rather, may be – the king's descendant, via the cadet branch. But seeing as all of this dates back over 3000 years, I harbor few illusions regarding this ancient legacy.
People can be divided into two groups. Those who give... And those who take... It's just as how the Kalos region's two Legendary Pokémon gave life and took life. I want to be the kind of person who gives...
People are akin to the two Legendary Pokémon of Kalos: there are those who give, and there are those who take! It is my duty to be remembered as the bestower, the one who made a difference!
But in this world, some foolish humans exist who would show their strength by taking what isn't theirs. They're filth!
Alas, in this world, parasitic imbeciles believe it necessary to deprive and take in order to show off their brute strength. They're revolting! They're the dregs of humanity!
Long, long ago, the king of Kalos sought to take everything for his own, and he created a terrible weapon. Then the fire of destruction was unleashed... That is the legend that has been passed down.
In the distant past, the king of Kalos had a weapon of unbelievable power built. And with the goal of taking over the world, he lit up the flames of death! At least, that's what the legend says.
Kalos is beautiful right now! There will be no foolish actions if the number of people and Pokémon do not increase. That being said, the future isn't decided. You can't be sure each day will be like the one before.
Today, Kalos is resplendent! At the pinnacle of beauty! If Pokémon and humans do not proliferate further, no foolish action will come to disturb this perfect order. But the future is uncertain! How can we know if tomorrow will be the same as today?
What the king of Kalos did was reprehensible, but... The ultimate weapon did manage to wash the world clean of that era's filth.
As for the king, can we find extenuating circumstances behind his act? Certainly. Thanks to the ultimate weapon, he erased all of the ugliness that defaced the world in his time.
Thank you for listening. Take that as an apology for my taking up your time.
Here I am, letting myself get carried away once again. Thank you again for your time and your attention. Keep this item, you can have it as an apology for delaying you.
Route 15
(Holo Caster)
According to Professor Sycamore's research, Mega Evolution releases all of a Pokémon's hidden energy at once. The Pokémon then exhibits a level of power it could not attain through ordinary Evolution. What meaning can we draw from this? Do all people and Pokémon have such potential, or is it hidden within a chosen few?
According to Professor Sycamore's research, it would seem that Mega Evolution allows Pokémon to temporarily release an extreme amount of energy, that they then convert to increase their power to a level that's unreachable as part of regular evolution. Do all humans and all Pokémon possess this kind of hidden power? Is it reserved to a chosen few? In your opinion, what could all of this mean?
Flusselles / Anistar City
(Holo Caster)
Pokémon Trainers. I come to you by the Holo Caster to make an important announcement. Listen well.
To all Holo Caster owners!
Team Flare will revive the ultimate weapon, eliminate everyone who isn't in our group, and return the world to a beautiful, natural state.
Team Flare has revived the ultimate weapon and is about to purify the world! Team Flare will be the only survivor of the oncoming cataclysm, and shall live in a world of perfect beauty.
Unproductive fools are consuming our future... If nothing changes, the world will become ugly and conflicts will raze the land from end to end.
As of today, parasites nibble – nay, devour! – the last few riches of the world and mortgage its future. Because of these profiteers, world war for the control of resources is assured!
I repeat. We will use the ultimate weapon and wipe the slate clean. I'm sorry, those of you who are not members of Team Flare, but this is adieu to you all.
Preventive elimination is the only solution. The ultimate weapon will allow for a fresh start.
Team Flare will prevail.
Labos Lysandre / Lysandre Labs
Welcome. This world will eventually reach the point of no return... Saving the lives of all is impossible. Only the chosen ones will obtain a ticket to tomorrow.
Welcome! The world is rushing toward the depths! And not everybody shall be saved! Only the chosen ones will be guaranteed safe passage toward better tomorrows... or simply any tomorrow at all!
Do you want to have a ticket? Or, do you want to stop me?
Do you believe yourself to be a chosen one? Are you here to retrieve your free pass for the future? Or do you believe yourself able to stop the course of destiny?
Show me in battle.
Let's not bother with words. Show me! May the battle begin!
(The first Lysandre encounter occurs here.)
(End of battle dialogue.) Excellent! I can feel the fire of your convictions burning deep within your heart!
(End of battle dialogue.) Your determination is the fire that guides you! Good, very good!
Wah ha ha! Your convictions, and those of your Pokémon, please me!
I'm... This is prodigious, yes, this is simply prodigious! Our Pokémon have shown the full measure of their skill! I feel entranced!
You are here to stop me. But I ask you to wait. I tried to save people–and the world–with the profit from this lab. But my efforts had no effect… The world was just too vast…and too full of fools that I couldn't save through my hard work alone… That's why I decided the only way to save the world was to take it all for myself.
So you wish to stop the course of the destiny I steer and govern. Very well. But, if you please, think for a moment. It goes without saying that with the profits generated by my laboratory, I've tried to save the world. Yet, it was a lost cause: it's much too vast! My efforts are but a drop in the ocean, and this planet is populated by so many parasitic imbeciles. Then, if I can't save the world, if it's unredeemable, I can make it MINE!
I don't expect that I will ever make you understand how I think and feel... Try to stop the ultimate weapon if you must, but to do so, you will have to explore our lab and have Pokémon battles with all you meet.
No, I do not hope that you could share the ideals that inhabit me. But since you want to stop me at all costs, why don't you pay this laboratory a visit. Fight against those who share my dream. Then, who knows...
Oh, and as for the Elevator Key, one of the Team Flare Scientists you've met on your journey has it.
The key to the elevator is in the hands of one of my assistants.
Saving everything... The world is suffering because of this absurd dream...
Saving all beings... It's a fairytale! A shameful lie that can only lead this world to ruin!
That is AZ. He has the same name as a king that lived 3,000 years ago. And for some unknown reason, he had the key to the ultimate weapon hung around his neck. It's finally time. Follow me to my chambers.
Let me introduce AZ! This circus freak bears the same name as the legendary sovereign. And for some peculiar reason, he was even wearing the key to the ultimate weapon around his neck... Providence works in mysterious ways. But enough pointless chatter. It's time for you to join me in my chambers.
(To Xerosic.) The only thing left to do is put the plan in motion. I'm counting on you.
All that's left is for us to take action... I'm counting on you.
(To the player.) One push of a button, and we can activate the ultimate weapon from this room.
(To the player.) One of these two switches operates the awakening of the ultimate weapon.
I believe being a chosen one means you have the potential to change the future! Whether we activate the ultimate weapon or leave it safely underground will rest upon if you actually have this potential or not.
Since you're Sycamore's chosen one, it seems fair to offer you the opportunity to change the course of destiny. With great power comes great responsibility! Will you awaken the ultimate weapon, or will you seal it forever at the bottom of history's trash cans?
Repaire Team Flare / Team Flare Secret HQ
The ultimate weapon's flower has finally bloomed above the soil. Don't you find its beauty captivating? As we speak, it draws its energy from the Legendary Pokémon.
At last, my beautiful, my sublime flower of desolation has risen from the ground! So much beauty, you, too, must find this fascinating? The most beautiful flowerings are those born from suffering, and this one is no exception: its sap – its juice! – is the Legendary Pokémon's energy!
(If the player pressed the blue button.) Player! I apologize that the weapon was unearthed even after you chose correctly in the lab. But conflicting egos drive this world–things don't always go the way you want!
(If the player pressed the blue button.) Player! I’m sorry we denied you victory, even though you'd found the right answer back at the laboratory. Please accept my apologies. But the course of this world is governed by the brush, the intersection – sometimes the clash! – of egos and conflicting feelings.
Even though resources, space, and energy on this planet are limited, the number of people and Pokémon has increased to an unsustainable level. Whether it's money or energy, the ones who steal are the ones who win in this world.
This world’s resources are limited – nay, finite! This planet can no longer withstand this onslaught of existences, human or Pokémon, that it's being subjected to. If we won't reject this world, we must want to conquer it! And the world belongs to those who will take it, to those who will seize what matters, money or energy.
So, tell me. The Mega Ring, did you share it?
Then, tell me... I seem to remember that you've only got one Mega Ring. Did you share it?
When there is only one of something, it can't be shared. When something can't be shared, it will be fought over. And when something is fought over, some must survive without it. The only way to create a world where people live in beauty, a world without conflict or theft, is to reduce the number of living things.
Really? When something is unique, it can't be shared: you must take it! There it is, the sad rule of this world! Things end up becoming scarce and people fight for scraps. To eradicate the ugliness of these behaviors and live in a radiant – sublime! – world, we must eradicate the parasites! Necessity, this imperious law of nature that governs everything, holds onto the sprouts of life within the required limits. And the race of men cannot escape it through any effort of the mind.
Pokémon... Shall no longer exist. Pokémon are wonderful beings. Humans have worked with Pokémon, and we have helped each other flourish. But precisely because of that, they will inevitably become tools for war and theft!
Pokémon... ...are doomed to disappear! Their existence is a miracle of life. They’ve allowed the human race to flourish. And this is precisely for this reason that they would end up becoming instruments of war. My duty is to prevent such a thing!
Enough of this. You want to stop the ultimate weapon, and I refuse to do so. So, I will keep you busy for just a moment...
Enough talk. You’re here to stop the ultimate weapon. It is my duty to stop you. En garde!
(The second Lysandre encounter occurs here.)
(End of battle dialogue.) The strength to protect, huh? But what are you really protecting? A tomorrow that will only end up being worse than today?
(End of battle dialogue.) The will to protect gives you strength? But what do you even have to protect? A future darkening day by day?
You're as strong as ever. But... It’s too late! There’s no hope for you now! Go down to the lowest floor, and see for yourself!
I expected nothing less! Your strength and bravery are impressive. But you're too late. All hope has vanished – nay, died! Come downstairs and see for yourself.
(The legendary encounter with Xerneas or Yveltal occurs here.)
What a startling development! I never would've thought you were really a chosen one!
Deus ex machina! You really are a chosen one, even more than I could have ever admitted!
So THIS is the mighty Xerneas/Yveltal?! I expected more from a Pokémon called a legend! You desire help from people? YOU need help from a human?
My poor Xerneas/Yveltal, you make for a puny Legendary Pokémon in this state. Why ask humans to help? Do you really need their strength?
For me, victory is using the ultimate weapon. In order to do that, I need to reclaim the Legendary Pokémon's power and send it to that weapon once again.
You don't cast judgment on a victor. And my victory depends on the activation of the ultimate weapon. Since the Legendary Pokémon has regained its strength, it's high time we reconnect it to the ultimate weapon for a useful sacrifice!
I'll be taking the Legendary Pokémon back now! This time, I won't lose. I, too, shall use the Mega Ring and Mega Stone that you researched during your travels.
Now, enough of this childishness. Give me back what you owe me! No victor believes in chance! Therefore, I have taken the necessary precautions. You're not the only ones who've done your research. I, too, have obtained a Mega Ring and a Mega Stone!
(The third and final Lysandre encounter occurs here.)
(End of battle dialogue.) It's over... Fools with no vision will continue to befoul this beautiful world. They will go on until the only thing left to do is squabble over the remaining scraps of hope...
(End of battle dialogue.) It's all over... This world will be soiled by humans devoid of any vision for the future. They will then scramble for the remaining shreds of hope, fighting each other miserably.
Whaugh!
ENOUGH!
If that were possible, all wars would have ended long ago! I can only see one future! One where selfish, foolish humans think about nothing other than themselves and steal more and more from one another... It's a tragic future!
Nonsense! Why haven't wars already disappeared, if the world is so well-intentioned? Oh, I can see it, this beautiful future together that you’re promising me! Abundance becoming famine! Order and harmony, disturbed! People blinded by their egotism, tearing each other apart for crumbs! I CATEGORICALLY reject a future this wretched!
The original purpose of this device was to bring a Pokémon back to life. But the ancient king transformed it into this ultimate weapon...
Originally, this device was conceived to give back life to a deceased Pokémon. Yet, the sovereign of yesteryear made it into the ultimate weapon, an implement of destruction!
Hmm. When the Legendary Pokémon awakened, it took back much of its energy–its power–that had been sent to the ultimate weapon. There's not much power left... But there IS enough to use it once...
Very well. The Legendary Pokémon has nearly recovered all of its strength, and there's only a little energy left in the ultimate weapon. But enough for one shot, and perhaps the fulfillment of my wishes. The future belongs to the bold!
Player, Sycamore's pupils... X Let us live forever... That's right! I shall grant you eternal life! I’ll give you the pain of endlessly waiting for a beautiful world to finally be built! Y The ultimate weapon is a flower that bloomed to no avail... Just like me... But this ends here! I will show what its remaining power can do!
Listen to me, Sycamore's little protégés! X Truly become chosen ones! Join me in immortality! We'll have all of eternity to build our world of beauty. Y Yes, the ultimate weapon, just like me, is a symbol of unrealized potential... the picture of absolute waste! But... everything must end here! This remaining energy... will be used to achieve my great work!
- These particular asides between dashes are fairly frequent with him. Literally, I would translate them as "what am I saying" but the vibe is the same. It's a very dramatic, high-class type of speech.↵
- The actual world in French is férule, which is used here in the sense of a wooden paddle made to discipline schoolchildren, but metaphorically, to mean that Lysandre was Sycamore's student.↵
- The meaning is closer to "The world has a duty to become better."↵
- The literal French phrasing is "I'm thirsty for a new world!" but doesn't really make sense in English.↵
- Yes, he does actually use three exclamation points here.↵
- This line is unique to the French translation and does not exist in English or Japanese.↵
- This is the line that got me to first translate Lysandre's French lines into English, all the way back in 2013. This translation choice is a complete departure from, as far as I could find when researching it, every other language, which mostly follows the "I'm sorry/it's unfortunate but this is gooodbye" format originating, I assume, from the Japanese text. The overall tone of the message is also, interestingly, very different from Lysandre's other lines, being a lot more focused and to the point, when his French lines are usually much longer than his English ones.↵
- He uses votre/vous here, which seems to imply he's referring to the player and their team, as he otherwise uses tu for the player.↵
- This word both means unredeemable and unfixable. It's also extremely old fashioned and (consequently) comes off as very pompous.↵
- Using caps for emphasis, in case you couldn't figure out how much he hams it up with the abundance of exclamation points.↵
- The word is gendered feminine in French, to refer to one of the Team Flare scientists (sans Xerosic.)↵
- This could also be translated as "circus monster", but I think "circus freak" reflects the meaning better.↵
- I didn't translate it literally, as it would sound strange in English, but he does use the same phrasing as the French equivalent of "God/The Lord works in mysterious ways."↵
- He does use tu/toi for Xerosic, if you were curious.↵
- Interestingly, in French, he emphasizes that the player was specifically chosen by Sycamore, whereas the English (and Japanese) versions simply refer to the player as a more generic chosen one.↵
- Technically, sève and suc both translate to "sap" in English (in the plant sense) but since they are different words in French, I had to come up with a way to differentiate them.↵
- This last bit is the quintessential demonstration of how different Lysandre comes off in French to me.↵
- In French, the weapon is literally called "the supreme weapon".↵
- Here, he actually uses the same adjective for the weapon as he does to describe the "waste" (supreme weapon/supreme waste) but "ultimate waste" sounds kind of silly.↵
- Grand œuvre/Great work (or Masterpiece)/Magnum opus.↵
Further thoughts
Outside of the difference in translation (assuming this is a translation, but more on that later) there are a few things that jump out to me whenever I dive back into this subject:
The first is the way Lysandre's speech patterns and tone affects how his character comes off to the player. In English, he uses a lot of ellipses, and there seems to be a kind of build-up to the way he speaks that gives an edge to his later outbursts. In French, he's bombastic from the get-go, and displays an absurd lack of tact. He's rude to Diantha, downplays AZ's crimes, and doesn't even bother to express any kind of sympathy toward the people he's messaging to let them know they're going to die. Ironically, it grants him an urgency that, personally, I find more pathetic and compelling than what English or even Japanese Lysandre has going on. It paints a picture of a man who's clinging to his very last rope that's just about to snap; and snap it/he does.
Another thing I realized as I was originally compiling this translation was that the French localization team seems to have grabbed onto his initial mention of the phrase "Knowledge is power" and ran with it, peppering the rest of his lines with proverbs and idioms. "Providence works in mysterious ways." "Fortune favors the bold." Hell, even "Deux ex machina" could be seen to fit with the pattern. It works with the pretentious/pompous aura his character has, and also goes well with his schtick of wanting to be remembered just like the people he's quoting. (The fact that he's quoting real people who may or may not exist in the Pokémon world is another matter entirely, but shh.)
What does it all mean? Well, I can only speculate. My original impression was that perhaps the intent was to make Lysandre "worse" per se, to further highlight that what he's doing is wrong. I have doubts about that, though, if only because, as I've already said, it had the opposite effect on me. The thing I'm most curious about, truly, is the liberty the French localization team was apparently allowed to have compared to other translations. This brings me back to the first parenthetical of this section: the possibility that Pokémon X&Y might have been more of a "transcreation" deal rather than a more straightfroward translation. I first heard of transcreation in this Legends of Localization article, defined as such:
But a newer thing these days is something called “transcreation”, in which localizers work side-by-side with creators during the development process and help shape the final product.
There's really no way to find out what the case may be, unless I go out of my way to contact the translators, which is not in my plans right now. (Not to mention that's assuming they'd even be allowed to talk about it in the first place.) Food for thought nevertheless.
In any case, that's it for this page! I hope you found it interesting. The French version of the games influences most, if not all of my interpretation and characterization choices when it comes to Lysandre, so I'm happy to share some of it with other people who can't speak French and wouldn't otherwise have access to it.
Fun fact: In the Sun & Moon Festival Plaza, via the Fortune Teller tents, you can unlock phrases for your player character to display related to events, pokémons, and characters from other games. One of them is quoting Lysandre; specifically, in English and Japanese, it is his infamous I'm sorry, but this is adieu to you all or 残念ですが、さようなら. As previously noted, this line does not exist in French, so instead, you're able to get the phrase Preventive elimination is the only solution for your character to say to other players were they to meet them in the plaza. Yay!