The latest expansion for the Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, titled Space Time Smackdown, was released on January 30, and it has sparked a significant reaction from the community due to the artwork on one particular card. The Weavile ex card, specifically its 2 Star full art version, has drawn attention and criticism for its depiction of a brutal scene involving Pokémon.

In the controversial artwork, a group of Weavile are shown lurking in the treetops, their claws poised and ready to attack an unsuspecting Swinub. This image has resonated deeply with fans, leading to an outpouring of emotion on social media platforms like Reddit. A post titled "NO! SWINUB LOOK UP!! LOOK UP!!" garnered nearly 10,000 upvotes, with comments like "Always got to be one card per set that shows Pokémon in the process of straight up killing each other," and "Leave the lil guy alone," reflecting the community's dismay.

NO ! SWINUB LOOK UP !! LOOK UP !!
byu/RegularTemporary2707 inPTCGP

The ecological dynamics within the Pokémon world have also been a topic of discussion, with one fan noting, "The ecology of Pokémon is always so crazy to imagine. Like these are still animals, some smarter than others. Just they have the ability to fire laser beams."

Amidst the uproar, some fans are holding onto hope for a happier resolution, pointing to the full art card of Mamoswine, Swinub's final evolution. The artwork shows Mamoswine looking upwards, seemingly protecting a group of Swinub, leading fans to believe that the mammoth Pokémon might have spotted the Weavile threat. Comments like "Hey, Mamoswine protected his baby. Don't worry. He most definitely saw those Weaviles," and "The Mamoswine alt card already looks above. He saw them. He saw..." offer a glimmer of hope to fans.

Gone, but not forgotten.
byu/AshesMemeFolder inPTCGP

Space Time Smackdown is themed around Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, featuring notable Pokémon like Weavile, Mamoswine, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, and more. With a total of 207 cards, this set is smaller than the previous Genetic Apex expansion, which had 286 cards. However, Space Time Smackdown boasts a higher percentage of rare cards, with 52 alternate art, Star, and Crown rarity cards compared to Genetic Apex's 60.

Creatures Inc., the developer, has not yet responded to the controversy surrounding the Weavile ex card. Their social media and the game itself have primarily focused on promoting the Space Time Smackdown expansion. They also did not respond to IGN's request for comment. In an effort to engage with the community, a "Trade Feature Celebration Gift" was distributed, containing 500 Trade Tokens and 120 Trade Hourglasses, enough for a single ex Pokémon trade, but the developer has otherwise remained silent on the fan feedback regarding the controversial card.