I’m Luke Summerhayes and I love Sandile.
One of the primary gods of Ancient Egypt was Sobek, worshipped in the region of Faiyum at first and later promoted to one of the principal gods, in part to help establish the Pharoah’s legitimacy in that region. Like many historic ruler’s, part of their power came from the belief in a divine right to rule. In the case of Egyptian monarchs, this came from a relationship to the god Osiris, so Sobek’s relation to this god was played up.
While many Egyptian gods can be described in recognizable terms like “the Sun God” or the “God of Death”, Sobek, perhaps owing to its older origins, has a more primeval association with basic urges to feed and to mate. This immense appetite is displayed through his appearance; he has the head of animal that can eat almost anything was extremely populous in the Nile river: a crocodile.
Today, the Arab Republic of Egypt is primarily covered by the Sahara Desert and this is the image of the country in the imagination of the West and Japan. The majority of Egypt’s population live along the Nile Delta, the only area where life can flourish. Millenia ago, when Ancient Egypt was at its peak, the climate was actually different, and much more of this land was green and livable.
Perhaps this juxtaposition between the arid, desert image of Egypt which many of us have and the vibrant freshwater land which was once there explains the way aquatic animals of the Nile are reimagined as ground-type Desert Pokémon. In the fourth generation we had Hippoptas and Hippowdon, while here in the fifth generation we have Sandile.
Sandile is a small orange crocodile with dark patches around its eyes.
White
It moves along below the sand's surface, except for its nose and eyes. A dark membrane shields its eyes from the sun.
Like many other Pokémon and videogame monsters, Sandile fits the archetype of swimming through sand as though it were water. There are few real-world animals that do this, and certainly not on the scale of sharks and crocodiles that swim through water, but it has fascinated fantasy and sci-fi creatures all over the world, perhaps since Dune.
The English name is a simple mix of sand and crocodile, while the Japanese name, Meguroco, combines crocodile with the Japanese for glasses, meguro, perhaps owing to the goggle-like design around its eyes.
As crocs go, Sandile is barely a nipper, and at level 29 it can evolve into Krokorok.
A ground and dark type, Krokorok stands up on its hind legs like a kaiju and folds its arms delinquently. In this bipedal form, it better resembles the god Sobek.
The Pokédex entries, however, make more mention of the special eyes it developed as a Sandile.
Black
They live in groups of a few individuals. Protective membranes shield their eyes from sandstorms.
White
The special membrane covering its eyes can sense the heat of objects, so it can see its surroundings, even in darkness.
Black 2
Protected by thin membranes, their eyes can see even in the dead of night. They live in groups of a few individuals.
White 2

The English name Krokorok of course still comes from crocodile, perhaps with the addition of the word Rock, though this is a ground type and not a rock type. The next evolution may make this name make more sense. The dark type is reflected in the Japanese name Waruvile, which incoroporates Warui, for evil, as in Wario and Waluigi’s name.
Krokorok might not seem especially villainous yet, but at level 40 it can evolve into Krookodile.
Krookodile is bigger and buffer than Krokorok, with a darker red color scheme. Its goggle-like eyes are twisted into a villainous cowl like a cartoon criminal, though they still function like glasses.
White
It can expand the focus of its eyes, enabling it to see objects in the far distance as if it were using binoculars.
While Krokorok started us towards the Pokémon looking like Sobek, it is in Krookodile that it takes on the God’s power. Sobek was known for a ravenous appetite, and in one important incident ate a part of the murdered body of Osiris, so unable was it to resist eating any meat it saw.
Black 2
Very violent Pokémon, they try to clamp down on anything that moves in front of their eyes.
White 2

Sword
This Pokémon is known as the Bully of the Sands. Krookodile's mighty jaws can bite through heavy plates of iron with almost no effort at all.
Shield
While terribly aggressive, Krookodile also has the patience to stay hidden under sand for days, lying in wait for prey.

Of course, while real-world crocodiles are very dangerous, they are certainly not villains, just animals trying to survive. At least one Pokédex entry does refer to real crocodile behaviour.
Moon
After clamping down with its powerful jaws, it twists its body around to rip its prey in half.

The English name Krookodile includes crook, another word for a criminal. Meanwhile the Japanese name Waruvial continues from the previous evolution.
Looking like modern day dinosaurs, I’ve always thought crocodiles were cool. Add in an Ancient Egyptology connection, and you have a recipe for a very cool Pokémon.
Music for Luke Loves Pokémon is composed by Jonathan Cromie. Artwork for the show is by Katie Groves. Writing, Producing and Editing is by me, Luke Summerhayes. Funding is provided by my lovely listeners. If you’d like to join them, to help keep the show online and find other podcasts by me and my pals, head over to Patreon.com/PodcastioPodcastius.
Coming up are Darumaka and Maractus, so if you thoughts about those or any other monsters, hit me up with a DM @LukeLovesPKMN or an email to LukeLovesPKMN@Gmail.com. And of course, I’d love if you could leave a 5-star rating and review on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Even if you don’t feel like doing any of that, thank you so much just for listening.
I love Sandile. And remember. I love you too.

P.S Yes, I'll cover Paradox Pokémon and so on when I get to their previous forms