Response
Tell me a based opinion oh wise one 🐛
I got oneee!ヾ( ˃ᴗ˂ )◞
In my (very based) pokémon opinion, being an asshole ≠ being a good rival. Listen as I further elaborate my thoughts on this matter; I don’t think being a try-hard and difficult rival to beat automatically makes a rival “good”. In the earlier generations, rivals wouldn’t have much character outside of attempting to take the player down and be a Pokémon champion, but failing in the end. Not to say I don’t like this “archetype”? Of characters within the game, seeing as Blue/Green is one of my favorite rivals. That being said, in hindsight, these types of characters can be a bit “bland”, per se. Because if you take away their drive to crush the player in battle, what more do they have to them?
With that being said, I propose another factor into this argument. Hop, from Pokémon Sword and Shield is an objectively “better” character in terms of ideals and fleshed out personality. It makes him far more interesting since -
-he doesn’t only strive towards being a champion for his own desire, but to live up to his brothers name and image as a whole. He feels a lot more “real” to me. You can see his emotions, not only in his expressions and body language (that mind you, changes throughout the game with REASON), but through the feelings he conveys through his dialogue and actions. THAT’S what I like to see in a rival. :3