Game Freak has shown off a handful of important characters ahead ofPokemon ScarletandViolet’s release in November, but fans don’t have a complete picture of the Paldea region just yet. Professors Sada and Turo, the rival character Nemona, and a few other figures from the protagonist’s school have been the main stars so far. This leaves a lot of the region unexplored, from Gym Leaders to the celebrities or industry leaders that often define aPokemonregion. FuturePokemon ScarletandViolettrailers are bound to introduce all kinds of other Pokemon lovers, possibly including someone likePokemon GO’s new character Rhi.
Over the course of the Season of GO,Pokemon GOtemporarily replaced Professor Willow with Rhi, a mysterious member of the GO Ultra Recon Squad who seems to come from another world.Pokemon GOisn’t the most story-driven game in the franchise, but Rhi’s implied history withUltra SunandUltraMoon’s Ultra Recon Squad pushes forward the lore of Ultra Space and its relationship with the corePokemonworld.Pokemon ScarletandVioletcould get a lot of mileage out of introducing a similarly otherworldly character who doesn’t lead the story but provides some context and narrative surprises that shed light on the Paldea region’s mysteries.
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Why Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Should Have a Rhi
Pokemonfans are familiar with Ultra Space and itsUltra Beastsby now, thanks in part to the original Ultra Recon Squad fromPokemon Ultra SunandUltra Moon. Rhi inherits the legacy of these characters, who have largely stepped out of the spotlight but acted as a major leap forward for thePokemonuniverse, establishing thoroughly populated alternate planets. Rhi has a solid future advancing Ultra Beast and Ultra Space lore inPokemon GO, since Niantic is still working on adding all the Ultra Beasts, but ideally he’s only the first in a wave of curious newPokemoncharacters.
Past games have included supernatural humanoid characters like Rhi before.Pokemon XandYincluded AZ, a mysterious man who is thousands of years old and sheds light on Lysandre’s nefarious plans to destroy the world with the ancient “ultimate weapon”. Sadly, AZ’s role was very minor; he only appeared in a handful of scenes, meaning the game barely scratched the surface of his knowledge about Infinite Energy. Rhi and the original Ultra Recon Squad do far more to advance fans' understanding of an important part ofPokemonlore, and ideallyPokemon ScarletandVioletwill learn from them.
ScarletandVioletalready have the perfect reason to introduce a supernatural trainer:Terastallization. The games will almost certainly feature multiple human researchers looking into the Terastal phenomenon, but it could also feature a human character that blends the best parts of AZ and Rhi. An ancient human who was altered by Terastallization or even a being partially responsible for Terastal effects could shed insight on both the gimmick and the broader history of the Paldea region. Such a supernatural character could also inspire Pokemon battles that use Tera types in special ways, adding some extra challenge to parts ofScarletandViolet’s story.
In a world as abundant with supernatural forces asPokemon,it only stands to reason that there would be lots of people who’ve been uniquely affected by the monsters around them. Whether that means intergalactic travelers like Rhi or immortals like AZ, thePokemonfranchise ought to explore this niche more. Games likePokemon Legends: Arceushave done a lot to push the franchise’s lore forward lately, but the niches of altered humans and extraterrestial humanoids still have a lot to give.Pokemon ScarletandViolet’s gimmick deserves to be handled with the help of a new character who helps to show just how big thePokemonworld is.
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