Preview SM136: Rising Fire! There's More Than One Rival!!

[FinnishPokéFan92]

I thought the same thing. It could also be either a reference to Torracat battle, or maybe Guzma will own the fan favorite Volcarona.

So far, Guzma has only owned Pokémon he has in the games, which I think will be the case going on too. I personally more believe the first explanation for the title.

 

[Twilight-Kun]

The hints suggests that he'll get to battle the Masked Royal.

Ash loses to Gladion, then Gladion lets him battle Masked Royal because Gladion has no desire to battle him

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Ash loses to Gladion, then Gladion lets him battle Masked Royal because Gladion has no desire to battle him

Ash lost to Gladion previously. And before you bring up Alain, he technically wasn't even Ash's main rival, or arguably even a rival at all.

 

[BigDocFan]

I thought the same thing. It could also be either a reference to Torracat battle, or maybe Guzma will own the fan favorite Volcarona.

Would be nice to see Guzma own a Volcarona, we haven't seen it since its debut though I would love to see Forretress appear again

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

People are in denial if they believe Alain wasn’t a rival at all. If they’re considering Alain a not-rival, then Hau's not a rival either.

 

[KyseL]

People are in denial if they believe Alain wasn’t a rival at all. If they’re considering Alain a not-rival, then Hau's not a rival either.

I honestly see both Alain and Hau as minor rivals. They both appear and interact with the main cast too late and to little to be considered anything beyond that.

 

[StacheKing Dave]

I honestly see both Alain and Hau as minor rivals. They both appear and interact with the main cast too late and to little to be considered anything beyond that.

I agree with you on Hau, but not so much on Alain. Alain at least had a few battles with Ash beforehand, Hau was in one episode and then "bam" league.

 

[KyseL]

I agree with you on Hau, but not so much on Alain. Alain at least had a few battles with Ash beforehand, Hau was in one episode and then "bam" league.

Both battled with Ash twice, Alain's appearances in the main show was more spread out, though, but when it comes to the interaction between them and Ash the difference isn't so big. None of them are really comparable to Gary, Paul, Gladion or even Trip.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

Both battled with Ash twice, Alain's appearances in the main show was more spread out,

Alain battled Ash thrice and had more than one appearance before the league, unlike Hau.

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

Can we just see one battle with Ash that is not packed with gags? First one Ash only one because of Meltan's love for eating metal. Second one Ash only one because Hala somehow knew Rowlet was sleeping. Guzma is a real threat to Ash AND the Alola League. PLEASE take this battle seriously.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

Can we just see one battle with Ash that is not packed with gags? First one Ash only one because of Meltan's love for eating metal. Second one Ash only one because Hala somehow knew Rowlet was sleeping. Guzma is a real threat to Ash AND the Alola League. PLEASE take this battle seriously.

The first battle was no surprise, since Faba was a gag character to begin with, but otherwise, yeah.

 

[UxieLover1994]

Alain's appearances in the main show was more spread out, though, but when it comes to the interaction between them and Ash the difference isn't so big.

According to some Japanese interview, Alain was intentionally planned as the Kalos League winner from the start. They gave him his own arc beforehand so that fans won't view him as a scrappy, which obviously failed.

The writers would have to tread carefully throughout this league if they don't want Gladion/Guzma/Kiawe to end up hated by fans for beating Ash.

The hints suggests that he'll get to battle the Masked Royal.

Given the anime has gone through several cases of bait-and-switch, the hyped Ash vs. Masked Royal battle may also be a lie.

 

[MarshiyanMisutaa]

The first battle was no surprise, since Faba was a gag character to begin with, but otherwise, yeah.

Responsible for every bad thing happened; gag character now. What a development!

 

[BigDocFan]

Hau had so much potential to be a proper rival like in the games but the anime blew it

 

[nickdt]

According to some Japanese interview, Alain was intentionally planned as the Kalos League winner from the start. They gave him his own arc beforehand so that fans won't view him as a scrappy, which obviously failed.

The writers would have to tread carefully throughout this league if they don't want Gladion/Guzma/Kiawe to end up hated by fans for beating Ash.

Given the anime has gone through several cases of bait-and-switch, the hyped Ash vs. Masked Royal battle may also be a lie.

I don't think their will be much off an issue if Gladion wins tbh, since unlike Alain, he is build-up from the start too be on the same lvl (Slightly stronger than Ash). Guzma and Kiawe people will have an issue with. Guzma came too late and Kiawe isn't on the same lvl as Ash and Gladion, especially with Kiawe being a one-trick-pony (Lycanroc steamrolls Kiawe and if need be, Pikachu can knock out Charizard).

 

[KyseL]

I don't think their will be much off an issue if Gladion wins tbh, since unlike Alain, he is build-up from the start too be on the same lvl (Slightly stronger than Ash). Guzma and Kiawe people will have an issue with. Guzma came too late and Kiawe isn't on the same lvl as Ash and Gladion, especially with Kiawe being a one-trick-pony (Lycanroc steamrolls Kiawe and if need be, Pikachu can knock out Charizard).

Not to mention Guzma is the straight up villain of this arc which would send a very confusing message to the audience.

 

[Daenerys]

According to some Japanese interview, Alain was intentionally planned as the Kalos League winner from the start. They gave him his own arc beforehand so that fans won't view him as a scrappy, which obviously failed.

Damn. I remember folks whining that Tobias had no backstory and most people used that against him whenever they complained about Ash losing at the Sinnoh league. So the fact that the writers actually tried to give Alain one of the most extensive backstories that a league rival has ever had and still couldn't satisfy most fans is really sad.

 

[Twilight-Kun]

Can we just see one battle with Ash that is not packed with gags? First one Ash only one because of Meltan's love for eating metal. Second one Ash only one because Hala somehow knew Rowlet was sleeping. Guzma is a real threat to Ash AND the Alola League. PLEASE take this battle seriously.

Can't wait for Guzma to job to Melmetal rather than one of Ash's pokemon he actually trained and raised instead of catching because it was friendly with one of his pokemon

 

[L-05308]

Damn. I remember folks whining that Tobias had no backstory and most people used that against him whenever they complained about Ash losing at the Sinnoh league. So the fact that the writers actually tried to give Alain one of the most extensive backstories that a league rival has ever had and still couldn't satisfy most fans is really sad.

Are you saying.... Bulba Forums will always have a noisy group of users complaining, no matter what happens? I’m totally shocked!

 

[UxieLover1994]

Are you saying.... Bulba Forums will always have a noisy group of users complaining, no matter what happens? I’m totally shocked!

No it's not just us. Almost any site or Facebook group relating to Pokémon will be critical of league battles.

The problem with Tobias was that he had no backstory, and popped out of nowhere to steal the Sinnoh League from Ash with a 62IV Darkrai. He's dismissed as a Gary Stu.

The writers try to fix it with Cameron by making him a more interesting character. Instead, he comes off as an idiot who only wins through sheer luck, and after fulfilling his part by knocking Ash out, he loses to Virgil and is "erased". Cameron can bee seen as a Status-Quo Stu.

For Virgil, he comes across as a mere interesting character in that he has every Eeveelution except Sylveon (which had just been announced at the time). The writers missed a major opportunity for the Unova League: Ash vs. Virgil, with the latter's Eevee evolving into Sylveon mid-battle to "finish" the collection, and at least have Ash lose in a more believable matter.

With the negativity behind Tobias and Cameron being stus and Virgil being a wasted opportunity, they opted to give the next proposed champion Alain more screen time in the hopes that people will root for him in the Kalos League. Poor writing and defying basic logic wrecks Alain's reputation, making him one of the most hated characters in the franchise, and his win has been cited by many (including myself) as when the anime jumped the shark.

If the Ash vs. Hau battle is any indication, the writers have not learned their lesson; in fact, they can even screw over other trainers' victories in favor of Ash. So, in conclusion, every league is bound to cause controversy in these forums, whether by Ash losing to a sue/stu, or winning a preliminary final by deus ex machina.