Mewtwo is a Legendary Psychic-type Pokémon, created in a laboratory from the DNA of Mew. It stands 6 ft 7 in (2.0 m) tall, weighs 269 lbs (122 kg), and carries a base stat total of 680, rising to 780 in each of its two Mega Evolved forms. Number 150 in the National Pokédex, it bears the title of Genetic Pokémon, and that is exactly what it is: a being that was built, not discovered.
Mewtwo is not a Legendary like the others. Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres are forces of nature; Mewtwo is a human mistake. Born from a cloning program that outgrew its creators, able to speak through telepathy, it has moved through the games, the movies, the trading card game and even Super Smash Bros. for thirty years without losing an ounce of its aura. Its story deserves to be told in full, because it is the darkest one the first generation ever dared to write.
The origins of Mewtwo, the darkest story in Kanto
In Pokémon Red and Blue, released in Japan in 1996, nothing announces Mewtwo. No character speaks openly about it. You have to dig through a ruined building to understand that a tragedy played out there, years before the player ever arrives.
The abandoned journal of the Pokémon Mansion
On Cinnabar Island, the Pokémon Mansion is nothing more than a burned-out shell overrun by wild Pokémon. Floor after floor, journal pages still lie scattered on the desks. On July 5, a team of researchers discovered Mew deep in the jungle of Guyana, in South America. On July 10, they named their find. On February 6 comes a chilling line: Mew gave birth to a young one, which they called Mewtwo. On September 1, the final entry admits defeat: Mewtwo has grown far too powerful, impossible to contain.
What happened next is written nowhere; you read it in the scenery: gutted walls, a wrecked laboratory, and a creature gone to ground at the far end of Cerulean Cave, near Cerulean City. For a Game Boy game from 1996, telling a tragedy purely through scattered notes and ruins was astonishingly bold. That silence is what built the myth.
An experiment on Mew's DNA
The original project fit in a single sentence: clone Mew, the Mythical Pokémon said to carry the genetic code of every other, and push the result beyond the original. Strictly speaking, the experiment succeeded: Mewtwo far outclasses Mew in battle. It failed at everything else. The researchers produced a conscious entity with no ties, raised in a tank, that never asked to exist. The games keep the scientists anonymous; the anime gives the man responsible a name, Dr. Fuji, and a backer, Giovanni, the boss of Team Rocket, who funds the laboratory to buy himself a living weapon.
Amber, the part of the story the West did not see
The animated version goes further than the games. In the prologue of the first movie, cut from the 1999 Western release and restored in later editions, we learn why Fuji accepted the project in the first place: above all, he wanted to bring back his lost daughter, Amber. Young Mewtwo grows up in a tank beside the little girl's clone and copies of Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle. They talk to each other in thought, like children sharing a dormitory. Then the clones fade away one by one, Amber last of all, living just long enough to teach Mewtwo what tears are. The scientists then erase its memory to stop its grief. That quarter hour of animation explains the entire character: its rage upon waking, its obsessive question about why it exists, its distrust of humans.
Base stats: Mewtwo, Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y
The numbers back up the legend. Here are the base stats of Mewtwo and its two Mega Evolutions, introduced in Pokémon X and Y in 2013. Mega Evolution has, by the way, returned to center stage in recent months, on the trading card side as much as in the video games.
| Stat | Mewtwo | Mega Mewtwo X | Mega Mewtwo Y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Psychic | Psychic / Fighting | Psychic |
| HP | 106 | 106 | 106 |
| Attack | 110 | 190 | 150 |
| Defense | 90 | 100 | 70 |
| Special Attack | 154 | 154 | 194 |
| Special Defense | 90 | 100 | 120 |
| Speed | 130 | 130 | 140 |
| Total | 680 | 780 | 780 |
At its release in 1996, a total of 680 made Mewtwo the most powerful creature in the game, far ahead of Mew and its 600 points. That ceiling was only broken in the fourth generation, with the 720 points of Arceus. As for the 780 points of the two Mega forms, only Mega Rayquaza has matched them to this day.
The two Mega Evolutions are not two variants of the same monster: they change the way it fights.
- Mega Mewtwo X becomes Psychic/Fighting and climbs to 190 Attack, the highest value ever assigned in the series. The special-attack specialist turns physical attacker, with a frame to match: 7 ft 7 in (2.3 m) and 280 lbs (127 kg).
- Mega Mewtwo Y stays pure Psychic and pushes Special Attack to 194, another series record, with Speed raised to 140. Its silhouette comes as a surprise: 4 ft 11 in (1.5 m) and barely 72.8 lbs (33 kg), a compact body that floats above the ground.
On the ability side, Mewtwo has Pressure, which forces opponents to burn twice as many PP, and Unnerve as its Hidden Ability, which stops the opposing team from eating its Berries. Mega Mewtwo X gains Steadfast, a Speed boost every time it flinches, and Mega Mewtwo Y receives Insomnia, which makes it immune to sleep.
Psystrike, Mewtwonite and Uber status: the arsenal of number 150
In Red and Blue, the Mewtwo of Cerulean Cave waits at level 70 with Swift, Barrier, Psychic and Recover. That quartet already sums up its philosophy: hit hard, take the hits, heal back up.
- Psychic, 90 power, the reference Psychic-type move, with a chance to lower the target's Special Defense.
- Psystrike, its signature move since the fifth generation: 100 power and a unique quirk, this special attack deals its damage against the target's physical Defense. The special walls built to absorb Mewtwo get cut straight through.
- Recover restores half of its HP, enough to turn a close duel into a war of attrition the opponent has already lost.
- Shadow Ball and Aura Sphere round out its coverage against Ghost, Dark and Steel types.
Mega Evolving requires two dedicated items, Mewtwonite X and Mewtwonite Y, obtained in Pokémon X and Y after the League, at the moment you meet Mewtwo in the Unknown Dungeon, next to Pokémon Village.
Its place in competitive play
The competitive community's verdict fits in one word: Uber. Mewtwo was placed there in the very first generation and has never left, game after game. In official tournaments, it belongs to the restricted Legendaries, allowed only during special seasons. And in Pokémon GO, it has ruled the Master League and the raid scene for years.
Mewtwo Strikes Back, the movie that defined the character
In July 1998, the first Pokémon feature film opened in Japan, and its poster showed neither Pikachu nor Ash: it showed Mewtwo. Mewtwo Strikes Back reached the West the following year and remains, to this day, the biggest box-office success of the animated Pokémon movies.
The film picks up the laboratory story and carries it further. Upon waking, Mewtwo levels the facility that created it, then accepts an offer from Giovanni, who promises to help it master its powers and locks it into battle armor. Realizing it is just one more tool, it breaks its chains and settles on New Island. From there it whips up a storm, invites the best Trainers on the continent and clones their Pokémon, including a Charizard, a Blastoise and a Venusaur, to prove its copies superior to the originals. The duel turns when Ash, petrified after throwing himself between Mewtwo and Mew, is brought back by the tears of the Pokémon around him. Mewtwo then understands that how you come into the world matters less than what you do with your life, erases the witnesses' memories and vanishes with its clones.
Twenty years later, Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution remade the film shot for shot in CGI. First shown in Japan in July 2019, it streamed worldwide on February 27, 2020 on Netflix, the anniversary of the Japanese release of Red and Green.
Its other major screen appearances
- Pokémon Origins (2013) faithfully replays the storyline of Red and Blue: the mini-series closes with Red descending into Cerulean Cave to face Mewtwo.
- Genesect and the Legend Awakened (2013) features a second Mewtwo, distinct from the one in the first movie, able to take the form of Mega Mewtwo Y.
- Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019) places it at the heart of the plot, in its first live-action appearance.
- In Super Smash Bros., it has been playable since Melee in 2001, returned as downloadable content in 2015, and is present in Ultimate.
Where to find Mewtwo today
A Mewtwo caught on a 3DS now has a deadline: Pokemon Bank closes on 26 February 2027, and with it the only bridge to the current games. How to rescue your oldest Pokemon before the shutdown sets out the transfer chain, generation by generation.
In the main games
The tradition has not moved since 1996: Mewtwo is earned after the League. Red, Blue and Yellow, their remakes FireRed and LeafGreen, then Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee in 2018 all place it at the bottom of Cerulean Cave, at level 70. Pokémon X and Y hide it in the Unknown Dungeon, with the Mewtwonite as a reward. In Scarlet and Violet, it only appeared during the 7-star Tera Raid event held from September 1 to 17, 2023; outside that event, only a transfer from Pokémon HOME can bring it to Paldea.
In Pokémon GO
Mewtwo arrived in Pokémon GO in August 2017, during an event in Yokohama, before becoming the most coveted reward of the EX Raids. It now returns regularly in 5-star raids, and every comeback sets off the same rush: with Psystrike, reserved for certain events, it remains one of the strongest attackers in the game, all types included. Two variants complete the picture: Armored Mewtwo, introduced in 2019 to echo the movie remake, and Shadow Mewtwo, Giovanni's former Pokémon, available through Shadow Raids since May 2023.
In Pokémon Sleep
Even asleep, it makes headlines: Mewtwo joins Pokémon Sleep in September 2026, with a brand new skill and a helping hand from Mew. Dates, mechanics and how to prepare are covered in our article on the Mewtwo event in Pokémon Sleep.
In the trading card game
The TCG has followed it since the 1999 Base Set and its holographic card, now a classic. Three eras put it back on top: Mewtwo-EX in 2012 in Next Destinies, the Mewtwo & Mew-GX tag team that dominated the format in 2019, then Mewtwo ex in the 151 expansion in 2023. When Pokémon TCG Pocket launched in late 2024, Mewtwo was once again carrying one of the flagship decks of the Genetic Apex expansion.
A character worth collecting
Thirty years of movies, games and cards have made Mewtwo far more than a final boss: a character, with a story that reaches even people who have never thrown a Pokéball. That is what makes it a collector's subject in its own right, from figurines to graded cards. At Pokéled, it gets its own Mewtwo light-up Pokéball, 3D laser engraved inside a K9 crystal sphere set on an LED base, part of a collection of light-up Pokéballs counting 29 designs, from Mew to Charizard. And to place the character in the hierarchy, it holds second place in our ranking of the most powerful Pokémon.
Frequently asked questions about Mewtwo
How do you catch Mewtwo in Pokémon Red and Blue?
After defeating the Elite Four, Cerulean Cave opens near Cerulean City. Mewtwo waits at the far end, at level 70, one copy only: save before approaching it, and keep the Master Ball for it if it is still in your bag.
What is the difference between Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y?
Mega Mewtwo X becomes Psychic/Fighting and bets everything on physical Attack, raised to 190. Mega Mewtwo Y stays pure Psychic, lifts Special Attack to 194 and Speed to 140. Both total 780 points: the choice depends on the role you are after.
Is Mewtwo stronger than Mew?
In raw stats, yes: a base total of 680 against 600. Mew keeps the edge in flexibility, since it can learn almost every move in the game, but the Pokémon Mansion experiment kept its promise: the clone outfights the original.
How tall and heavy is Mewtwo?
6 ft 7 in (2.0 m) and 269 lbs (122 kg). Mega Mewtwo X grows to 7 ft 7 in (2.3 m) and 280 lbs (127 kg), while Mega Mewtwo Y shrinks down to 4 ft 11 in (1.5 m) and just 72.8 lbs (33 kg).
What makes Psystrike special?
It is Mewtwo's signature move: a special attack with 100 power that calculates its damage against the target's physical Defense. Defensive Pokémon specialized against special attacks do not absorb it the way they expect to.
Where can you watch Mewtwo Strikes Back today?
The easiest option is the CGI remake, Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution, streaming on Netflix since February 27, 2020. The original 1998 film is still available in physical editions.
Can you get Mewtwo in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?
Outside of events, no: you had to take part in the 7-star Tera Raid held from September 1 to 17, 2023. Today, the only way to register it in the Paldea Pokédex is to transfer it from Pokémon HOME.
What Mewtwo collectibles are out there?
Figurines, graded cards, plushes and Pokéball replicas. At Pokéled, the Pokémon Pokéball collection offers a light-up version, with Mewtwo laser engraved at the heart of a crystal sphere.
