Team Skull Speculation

[DoctorWhy]

Still pretty sure @Mitchman was being sarcastic XD

 

[Mitchman]

Of course its sarcasm. Drill Dozer is one of my favorite games and I actually hope to god someone in Team Skull or one of the Pokemon inyroduced in Alola is a refefence to the Skullkers. Maybe even an Alolan Excadrill that is primarily red/yellow.

 

[Arceus the Dragon]

No doubt we would see Team Skull use Zubat as one of their main pokemon no doubt. Will evil teams ever use something that is not the same pokemon as others?

 

[Lone_Garurumon]

No doubt we would see Team Skull use Zubat as one of their main pokemon no doubt. Will evil teams ever use something that is not the same pokemon as others?

BW Team Plasma... Granted nothing that wasn't totally new was in the Dex for those games so this may be a moot point.

 

[El_]

Okay, as much as I loved Team Plasma, Skull really fits far better with Unova/New York than Medieval Knights or Sky Pirates ever did. Seriously, they're gangstas! Scraggy/Scrafty was begging to be featured on a team like this. I guess Hawaii is technically still United States, but still.

Pretty sure this has also already been said, but... GRAMPS is now... complete! Glactic, Rocket, Aqua, Magma, Plasma, Skull... lets just forget Flare. Oh, Flare, why'd you have to mess it up? That being said, I'm not really expecting much in the way of plot, even though I really like them aesthetic wise. They are basically modern Team Rocket, or what Team Rocket might have looked like if Pokemon originated in America rather than Japan. Who knows though, they may just surprise me.

 

[TouyaShiro]

Okay, as much as I loved Team Plasma, Skull really fits far better with Unova/New York than Medieval Knights or Sky Pirates ever did. Seriously, they're gangstas! Scraggy/Scrafty was begging to be featured on a team like this. I guess Hawaii is technically still United States, but still.

And Team Rocket to Japan? I think the idea of Plasma's regime and motive was more why they were designed how they were as opposed to actually fitting within the region. But that's my opinion. Same goes with Team Flare in relation to France. It's not like... oh, wait, maybe they could fit with France if it was the version of France that was in that super-old flash animation (called "The End of the World" if you want to search it up). "Go take a nap THEN FIRE ZE MISSILES!"

They are basically modern Team Rocket, or what Team Rocket might have looked like if Pokemon originated in America rather than Japan. Who knows though, they may just surprise me.

And I think that's a good thing. Though I don't necessarily agree with the whole "Team Rocket but in America" because I think Team Rocket's pretty mafia-ish, or at least Giovanni is, more than what they take from Japanese culture, the personal grudge and motivation of Guzma is a far more interesting story element to me than the usual plots to take over the world for the prosperity of the team and their eventual goal. I kinda hope the damage is a bit more brutal this time around as a result. (Ignoring the fact that Geosenge Town is basically screwed now.)

 

[PurplePopplio]

I like how teams don't represent the region that they are based on. It makes it a welcoming and heart-warming twist.

 

[Vulcanos]

And Team Rocket to Japan? I think the idea of Plasma's regime and motive was more why they were designed how they were as opposed to actually fitting within the region. But that's my opinion. Same goes with Team Flare in relation to France. It's not like... oh, wait, maybe they could fit with France if it was the version of France that was in that super-old flash animation (called "The End of the World" if you want to search it up). "Go take a nap THEN FIRE ZE MISSILES!"


And I think that's a good thing. Though I don't necessarily agree with the whole "Team Rocket but in America" because I think Team Rocket's pretty mafia-ish, or at least Giovanni is, more than what they take from Japanese culture, the personal grudge and motivation of Guzma is a far more interesting story element to me than the usual plots to take over the world for the prosperity of the team and their eventual goal. I kinda hope the damage is a bit more brutal this time around as a result. (Ignoring the fact that Geosenge Town is basically screwed now.)

First off, I'm disappointed they aren't pirates, but on the other hand, street thugs is a welcome reprisal from terrorists.

Secondly, I think having Team Skull be thugs might help in telling the story, because the majority of the criminal groups essentially hammer you over the head with outrageous plans right from the beginning, and it is going to be interesting when you're facing off against mooks that aren't mooks just because the game tells you they are but rather due to the organization of the group.

Third, Guzma's story might actually tie into the game for once. I mean, let's look at the criminal bosses from the past six Generations (Gen II didn't really have one... they were hoping Giovanni would come back)

Generation I: Giovanni wants to profit off of Pokemon, but uses his front as a Gym Leader for legitimacy while he secretly runs the mafia-like Team Rocket, whose goal is to make as much money as possible... though that doesn't explain why they would spend so much time on Mewtwo, for example.
Generation III: Maxie & Archie have conflicting views about the way of the world. They argue that humans are hurting the environment and want to solve the problem their way. Except, they are polar opposites; one wants a landlocked Earth, and the other wants a massive ocean. Both clearly don't know what they are getting into.
Generation IV: Cyrus hates humanity in general. He pretty much had ever since he was a young boy for... reasons. Wants to create a parallel universe under his own mindset. Doesn't know what he's getting into, and chooses to stay in the Distortion World than face reality.
Generation V: Ghetsis was the one with the most development at this point because Ghetsis acted like a cult leader. He had a set of loyal followers, as well as a prodigy in N that he would merely use as a puppet to fulfill his goals because N had special talents. Like a cult, he would use his charisma to convince people into joining his cause. When you throw a wrench into his plans the first time, he loses his grasp on sanity, and comes back with the mindset to pretty much destroy the world two years later. Defeat him, and he loses his mind, period.
Generation VI: Lysandre wanted to help people, but the more time he spent trying to help, the more time his cynical nature got the best of him and he became a misanthrope (a common thread amongst these people), so he creates a criminal outlet designed to destroy all of humanity for their sins by repeating the events of history. Pretty much dies in the process (which we'll never know for sure, but they ain't touching X&Y for a long time, if ever) because he stands pat on how all of humanity are scum.

There really isn't much of a connection between these villains and the game itself because any backstory they have is either nonexistent or only created to fulfill a convenience plot (and three of them pretty much hate all of humanity for no reason). With Guzma, I think what might happen is that he started this group out of his frustrations over not completing the Island Trials (which the Professor also might have failed himself, according to Guzma) and wanting to be a thorn in everyone's sides, but as you progress and beat the Island Trials, Guzma's internal insecurities start to get the better of him as his outward demeanor gets either more insane or more sinister, which actually builds up their motivations to do bolder and bolder schemes as purely retaliative over your actions. Thus making it different than your standard "We want to use the Legendary Pokemon to blow up the world, muwhahahahaha!" When he wants the Legendary, that's because he's out of options, and a person with nothing to lose is very dangerous.

Basically, it might be a legitimate tragic tale because when confronted with his shortcomings, Guzma chose destruction, while the Professor chose, in a way, salvation, as a way of coping with his failure.

 

[TouyaShiro]

@Vulcanos I think perhaps halfway or 3/4 through, maybe he'd try to take over the totem guardians? I mean, sure, that's not as big of a scale as the mascot Legendary here, but I wouldn't put it past him to make hasty decisions based on his knowledge and only find out about Solgaleo/Lunala after a failure of using the totems against you and the island.

I dunno how much I trust in Game Freak to actually do a deep story like that, but I don't think I'll let that stop me from praising the more personal approach, that's for sure.

 

[PocketMonster]

Personally i think team skull will be a pokemon cartel considering there are forms of pokemon only at Alola and then the Alola people seeing "normal pokemon" as a rarity.
just an opinion.

 

[Lone_Garurumon]

Personally i think team skull will be a pokemon cartel considering there are forms of pokemon only at Alola and then the Alola people seeing "normal pokemon" as a rarity.
just an opinion.

That does make a certain amount of sense, however, Guzma's statements about him and Kukui failing to become trial captains implies that his motives are actually rather personal. Though this doesn't mean there can't be a little something going on the side.

 

[Matleo]

maybe they will use more bone, skeleton, ancient(Tyrantrum) based pokemon ?
can see them using Alolan Marowak.

(Maybe this makes a dragon/ghost winged , on two legs skeleton immune to all special attacks (not depending on types) pokemon even more posibble?)

 

[Pesky]

@Vulcanos I think perhaps halfway or 3/4 through, maybe he'd try to take over the totem guardians? I mean, sure, that's not as big of a scale as the mascot Legendary here, but I wouldn't put it past him to make hasty decisions based on his knowledge and only find out about Solgaleo/Lunala after a failure of using the totems against you and the island.

I dunno how much I trust in Game Freak to actually do a deep story like that, but I don't think I'll let that stop me from praising the more personal approach, that's for sure.

That's my main hope for Team Skull. If Guzma's motivations are indeed more personal then going after the Totems would make more sense than the mascots. If he couldn't pass the trials to become captain then he'll just become one by force kind of deal. And it seems the Totems are widely known to exist rather than being shrouded in legends and myths like most other Legendaries.

 

[Vulcanos]

The fact that little is known to us about Totems would make them more interesting than the mascots because, at least from what we know so far, Totem Pokemon are quasi-legendary themselves due to their massive size and power. And, I doubt we'd be able to catch Totem Pokemon ourselves, so seeing them take control of one would be a feat.

 

[PurplePopplio]

What if instead of trying to control a Totem, they create their own version of a Totem?

 

[OdieCanardian]

I still hope Game Freak will reference PMD with Team Skull in some way or form.

 

[Gengarzilla]

GRAMPS is now... complete! Glactic, Rocket, Aqua, Magma, Plasma, Skull...

Plot twist: They're all secretly funded by Professor Oak.

But really, Snagem already completed this. ;p

 

[PurplePopplio]

I wonder if Team Skull will have a plucky, crazy mad scientist. :/

 

[Esserise]

The fact that little is known to us about Totems would make them more interesting than the mascots because, at least from what we know so far, Totem Pokemon are quasi-legendary themselves due to their massive size and power. And, I doubt we'd be able to catch Totem Pokemon ourselves, so seeing them take control of one would be a feat.

What if instead of trying to control a Totem, they create their own version of a Totem?

Is it a stretch to think that maybe the Totem Pokémon are "blessed" with their power by the island guardians? Maybe Team Skull will try to capture the guardians so that they can claim that power for themselves, and Totem-ize any Pokémon that they want. We know that Team Skull go around damaging Trial Grounds. Perhaps Guzma is so bitter about being denied that he wants to tear down the Trial system as a whole. Defiling the Grounds and imprisoning the source of Totem power would certainly be a way to do that, and it fits in very well with the idea of them being a more anarchistic team. Only question then is where Solgaleo and Lunala factor into it all. As far as we know, they aren't related to the Trials.

 

[Lone_Garurumon]

I actually wouldn't object to giving Team Skull absolutely no relation to the mascot legendaries at all. Their goals at the moment just seem too... Small minded to bring in such a huge power like that. Everyone whose brought in the Mascots has had some huge, world changing goal. Team Rocket was just a mafia, so they didn't attempt to enslave the birds or Lugia/Ho-Oh. It'd be kinda refreshing to not have the bad guys doing something like that after all this time.