Plot Discussion Thread(Villain Team, Rivals, Pacing etc.)

[DjautheJackal]

I want the Champion to be an Industrial Baron, whos on the good side, and for the enemy team to be a bunch of eco terrorists ready to get slapped down by the cold application of modern advancement.

Rival wise, an aloof guy/girl from a higher socio-economic class would be good.

 

[Terrysaurus]

the evil gang might be illuminati(lol) or masons since there r plenty of symbols on rocks that i found to be in illuminati cipher here:
https://br.pinterest.com/pin/362117626286309853/
there is also a graveyard with with mason symbols in england and the masonic main symbol looks like the "XX" upside down and that symbol is on many rocks in game from the very 7 seconds of the trailer u can see it on a stone that looks like "W" while its 2 X (XX) hidden by grass. the same symbol is also on the female trainer's clothes ("...XXXXXXX..." upside down).
about illuminati ellement, i can see the all seeing eye being in the cerne abbas giant equivalent in-game(the big white figure in the hill).https://m.imgur.com/account/Terrysaurus/images/cnlTsVu
i could be wrong but it certainly is interesting, so many stone marks and hints.
so yeah illuminati/Masonic evil gang could be a thing

 

[Gargoss]

I think the Galar region may have as much of a connection to Unova as it does to Kalos.
The background of Galar's history seems similar to a Unovan legend - The Original Dragon.

"A kingdom with two princes, from a royal bloodline overseen by a Deity-level Dragon Pokémon becomes divided when the princes have different ideas of how to lead their kingdom forward to the future. One wants to continue in the footsteps of their forefathers and the ideals of relying on the bond between Humans and Pokémon. The other believed they can no longer live in the past, and should face the truth that Humanity must progress under their own power without relying on Pokémon to survive. The convictions of the two princes was so strong that it caused indecision in the Original Dragon, which chose to split itself into two separate beings in order to guide both of them in their goals."

That was the extent of the original story - the two princes eventually went to war with each other, and the twin Dragon Pokémon Reshiram and Zekrom deserted them, escaping to the Unova Region, no longer believing either of them worthy to rule. What conclusion the princes' dispute came to after that was never mentioned in the 5th Gen games. Here is how I feel this legend ties into the Galar Region and its history:

"In order to gain the advantage against his brother - let's call the two Ram and Rom, based on the Dragon Pokémon they were paired with - (Zek)Rom created specialized suits of armour to give his army's Pokémon extra power. However, (Reshi)Ram's soldiers continued to hold ground thanks to the strength brought forth by their trust in their Pokémon, and his secret weapon - Meltan - to dismantle Rom's new metallic armour. After the Dragons left them, Ram called for a truce, with each following their own path ruling half the region - Rom accepted, as he needed time to amass more resources to continue his campaign. A border wall was constructed to define the new provinces, and Ram's subjects resumed a relatively peaceful life.

During this period, Rom sent his army elsewhere - to the neighbouring region of Kalos - under the guise of a 'holy crusade' to pillage the resources required to make new weapons of war. One of the casualties of these crusades was a Floette that was loved by a former king of Kalos - AZ. This lead to the firing of the Ultimate Weapon, targeting Rom's province, draining the land of life from plantlife, people and Pokémon alike - and the demise of Prince Rom.

When Prince Ram came to lend aid to potential survivors, he was met by an inhospitable wasteland - the soil was mostly infertile, and a savage, impassable blizzard cut the far end of the province off from him. Through decades of effort, King Ram and his descendants gradually restored the devastated region - after the blizzards died down, Ram discovered immigrants from Kalos and established peace with the Kalos Region - and the region eventually became known as Galar."

I believe the Cerne Abbas Giant-inspired Pokémon is actually a depiction of the Original Dragon, before it seperated into Reshiram, Zekrom and Kyurem - my working name for it is 'Zekyuresh' - showing its abilities in manipulating Lightning, Fire and possibly Cold (depicted by the swirling of the fire breath). The 'tail' could be a simplified version of the tail-frames that Reshiram and Zekrom have when not charging their energy, there are jagged spines running down that side of its body like a dinosaur or dragon, and it's size does macth a potential fusion of the Gen 5 Dragons.

If the figures shown with it are Meltan, this story could also explain their disappearance - they lived alongside the Original Dragon since ancient times, and left when the Dragons did.

 

[Terrysaurus]

it doesnt look like kyurem tho. the cerne abbas guy. the original dragon is kyurem/zekrom/reshiram all 3 together. idk if u forgot kyurem or idk.

about the cerne abbas giant being a dragon~ ill also agree here that there ARE hints that make it look like one. It has a tail and it breaths fire (or wind or even water(?)) and it shows thunders bellow the fire ball jutsu and all that looks mysterious. cerne abbas giant is also acompanied by a fried pan on top of the hill in which he is, and the fireball looks kinda like a pan so it further supports the cerne abbas reference. anyway it most likely is a monster/dragon pokemon than a giant. the eye looks illuminati but it could be anything. even meltan above some other monster. who knows.

 

[Terrysaurus]

meltan is basically the philosophers stone. i looked it up the same day when ot got released and saw connection between the hexagon and alchemy. further investigation showed that alchemists tried to turn liquid metal(mercury) into gold. the hex is golden and only metal in room temperature thats liquid is mercury so meltan has a golden hex and a body made out of mercury. its eye is the philosopher's stone that supposedly turn's all metal to gold. to turn metal to gold requires energy. thats why it got a power cable as tail.

sword and shield are both items made out of metal. a metal making pokemon sure would be handy here. it prob gonna be part of the plot.

 

[Gargoss]

I did remember Kyurem - it was an unknown consequence of the Original Dragon splitting itself apart, a third Dragon that was cold and devoid of Feelings. As it slinked away before Reshiram and Zekrom realized its presence, it was only rumoured to exist, and was excluded from the legends. Kyurem does get subtly referenced in my story, as the cause of the impassable blizzard, before leaving to seek out its brethren.

The only reason I didn't include Kyurem's design in my explanation of the picture is because its form is simply a pale shadow of its former combined self, losing most of its features and replacing them with poor icy facsimiles to give it a more stable physiology. The majority of the Original Dragon's features would be based upon Reshiram and Zekrom, as Kyurem is basically just the aspects of their former self that neither of them wanted to take with them...

 

[Dragon Pulse]

I've always wanted for the main antagonist of a game to be someone completely unexpected, as if there's a hidden anonymous villain, or a plot twist. Or maybe they could be the Champion or Professor? I doubt Game Freak would do that though. I'd enjoy something surprising and dark though (obviously not too dark though as these games are still strategically aimed towards kids in a way).

 

[WhiteBlair]

I've always wanted for the main antagonist of a game to be someone completely unexpected, as if there's a hidden anonymous villain, or a plot twist. Or maybe they could be the Champion or Professor? I doubt Game Freak would do that though. I'd enjoy something surprising and dark though (obviously not too dark though as these games are still strategically aimed towards kids in a way).

Yes please.

I believe GameFreak has already gone dark as they could with SM: An abusive mother, animal cruelty, abandoned children, aliens, fusing and almost-self-inflicted death. XY denied the chance to effectively use Malva so, hi SW/SH how're ya? I'd love to see someone close to our characters betray us.

 

[DSDark]

I would like to see a story it's not simply get the box legend to change/control/rule the region. Galar is very industrial, it may not have always been that way. I'd like the "villains" to try to find a balance between nature and industrialization or to undo the industrialization. They would want to catch the legends because they be used to balance the region out or undo man's influence on the region. This would be believable and you could even decided to help them out with the balancing but not undo the industrialization.

I want the "villains" to have a goal that makes you question what side your on. The idea of team galactic, and flare is unbelievable and pretty silly. Rocket, aqua, and magma is easily opposed. Team skull was just silly but you could empathize with them to a degree.

However Plasma under N was great and you could see n's point along the way. I want that again

 

[WhiteBlair]

I would like to see a story it's not simply get the box legend to change/control/rule the region. Galar is very industrial, it may not have always been that way. I'd like the "villains" to try to find a balance between nature and industrialization or to undo the industrialization. They would want to catch the legends because they be used to balance the region out or undo man's influence on the region. This would be believable and you could even decided to help them out with the balancing but not undo the industrialization.

I want the "villains" to have a goal that makes you question what side your on. The idea of team galactic, and flare is unbelievable and pretty silly. Rocket, aqua, and magma is easily opposed. Team skull was just silly but you could empathize with them to a degree.

However Plasma under N was great and you could see n's point along the way. I want that again

Hm, I actually quite like the idea when combined with @Dragon Pulse 's.

The Villain Team could be on the side where heavy industrialization is killing Galar's natural environment so, they show their actions through protests and attacking properties, but putting themselves in wrong position within society while being morally right. You and the antagonist, whom now is friend to you and holding an important position in the region, try to stop the team as per the antagonist's then-justifiable opinion to a point you understand you're being used to wipe the urban-terrorists(?) from excessive urbanization (I.E: Villain Team showing you the Pokémon they take care in their HQ to protect them from pollution).

The antagonist then reveals their intention and you perhaps battle in the Pokémon League, should the character is Champion, to solve it for once and all. Not only that would be an interesting approach to the storyline, but resemble the BW-level of story as well as having a Villian Team and the Villain.

 

[getinthebagnebby]

Hm, I actually quite like the idea when combined with @Dragon Pulse 's.

The Villain Team could be on the side where heavy industrialization is killing Galar's natural environment so, they show their actions through protests and attacking properties, but putting themselves in wrong position within society while being morally right. You and the antagonist, whom now is friend to you and holding an important position in the region, try to stop the team as per the antagonist's then-justifiable opinion to a point you understand you're being used to wipe the urban-terrorists(?) from excessive urbanization (I.E: Villain Team showing you the Pokémon they take care in their HQ to protect them from pollution).

The antagonist then reveals their intention and you perhaps battle in the Pokémon League, should the character is Champion, to solve it for once and all. Not only that would be an interesting approach to the storyline, but resemble the BW-level of story as well as having a Villian Team and the Villain.

This is, like... exactly the same idea I was starting to have. The Evil Team is either morally right but going Too Far, or just kind of Chaotic Good but their deeds are blown out of proportion (by the Real Antagonist) to make them seem worse than they are. (I'd love it if the Real Antagonist was a big-name industrialist who presents themselves like a benevolent rich dude working for the good of humanity, etc. (kind of like Lysander but, you know, not so obviously the bad guy) but is actually really only concerned about wealth and power, with no regards to Pokémon or the environment - this would honest to god be the most realistic villain yet)

Perhaps the Real Antagonist is trying to bring back an ancient Pokémon (which is what's depicted in the hill art) to achieve their goals, and you have to awaken a sleeping "protector of the land" of some sort - the titular sword/shield Pokémon, which are wolfish - à la King Arthur (if they don't use any Arthurian mythos they are not utilizing the full potential of this region, I'm sorry).

I have... many ideas now...

 

[DSDark]

Hm, I actually quite like the idea when combined with @Dragon Pulse 's.

The Villain Team could be on the side where heavy industrialization is killing Galar's natural environment so, they show their actions through protests and attacking properties, but putting themselves in wrong position within society while being morally right. You and the antagonist, whom now is friend to you and holding an important position in the region, try to stop the team as per the antagonist's then-justifiable opinion to a point you understand you're being used to wipe the urban-terrorists(?) from excessive urbanization (I.E: Villain Team showing you the Pokémon they take care in their HQ to protect them from pollution).

The antagonist then reveals their intention and you perhaps battle in the Pokémon League, should the character is Champion, to solve it for once and all. Not only that would be an interesting approach to the storyline, but resemble the BW-level of story as well as having a Villian Team and the Villain.

This is, like... exactly the same idea I was starting to have. The Evil Team is either morally right but going Too Far, or just kind of Chaotic Good but their deeds are blown out of proportion (by the Real Antagonist) to make them seem worse than they are. (I'd love it if the Real Antagonist was a big-name industrialist who presents themselves like a benevolent rich dude working for the good of humanity, etc. (kind of like Lysander but, you know, not so obviously the bad guy) but is actually really only concerned about wealth and power, with no regards to Pokémon or the environment - this would honest to god be the most realistic villain yet)

Perhaps the Real Antagonist is trying to bring back an ancient Pokémon (which is what's depicted in the hill art) to achieve their goals, and you have to awaken a sleeping "protector of the land" of some sort - the titular sword/shield Pokémon, which are wolfish - à la King Arthur (if they don't use any Arthurian mythos they are not utilizing the full potential of this region, I'm sorry).

I have... many ideas now...

exactly and in sword and shield the box legends are both wolf pokemon that aren't industrialized. The protest team is really to catch them to help with the cause.

 

[getinthebagnebby]

exactly and in sword and shield the box legends are both wolf pokemon that aren't industrialized. The protest team is really to catch them to help with the cause.

Maybe the regular team grunts are just people who believe in the cause, and the admins/boss are up to something shady (similar to Plasma), which turns out to be awakening the sword/shield, which turns out to actually not be shady at all because it really is for the cause

 

[DMB1985]

I think the hill figure might be the same figure Pokémon as the wolf from the logos. It's hard to tell from the trailer but it's head looks dog/wolf like (or possibly raccoon...). I think that will be the third, non-box legendary.

As for an evil team, I'd quite happily see the back of one. It might be a Pokémon staple but I think the idea has grown stale and repetitive and in need of replacing. I'd rather just have one main and maybe a couple of sub antagonists than an evil team.

 

[DjautheJackal]

Okay here's my fan theory:
The Pokemon swoard and shiled legendaries will represent the tories and the labour party of england, respectfully.

Proof:
The shield symbol is red. The Labour party is also red. The shield is looking to the right, meaning that he is "On The Left", ergo he is a socialite. Furthermore, The opposite is true of the blue one representing tories. For a third legend like they usually have, Perhaps the Green Party, representing nature, or the liberal democrats, who are in the center, so perhaps he could be two-faced to be looking at the other two.

So we'd get another irrelevant third game then?

 

[Ulicies]

Looking at the starting town, my theory is the game explores the class disparity between you and your rival for the whole game, with different NPC's making references to class differences throughout your journey.

The cottage you begin in is quaint and homely, hinting toward the protagonist's family being of humble means, while the opposing house is a mansion, encompassing an entire estate of farmland and even swallowing up the entire rest of the little village. The opposing house is capped off with a Pokebattle court in its yard. This is a parallel to a tennis court in my opinion, since a tennis court is perceived as more upper class, especially a private one built within your own estate.

This theme of class warfare could also be the driving force behind the villain team, vilifying the industrial revolution that in their minds arbitrarily picked winners and losers within the Galar region.

 

[Nerdy McNerdface]

Honestly I can't see GameFreak do my idea of a friendly rival, it's actually kind of dark if you think about it. However thinking about the trickster tropes, it's actually kind of surprising that GameFreak has never really done a trickster/prankster for a major character in any of their games, there are some trickster-types in the manga and anime though. That's a very very common trope throughout Japanese media and I'd think it'd be perfect, and refreshing, for a innocent-looking friendly rival who has a fox-like smile that may mislead you from time to time but at the same time is still stronger than you in many ways, being more talented and tricking you a lot but is also in your face in a silent fox-like smiling way while maintaining that friendly "keep doing your best" charisma.

Just wanted to say I love this idea a ton. Doesn’t even have to be the rival - they could be a character important to the plot yet not an evil team member, rival or gym leader (could be elite four, champ or a Zinnia-type who exists purely for the story). I don’t mind who they’d be, I just love the trickster types so much.

Anyway, thinking of plot... I’m expecting at least SOME kind of connection to the parallel universes theory, for a start. Maybe it’s in postgame, maybe it’s in the story, but after the Rainbow Rocket cliffhanger in USUM I think there’s gotta be some kind of follow-up, no matter how minor. Maybe Rainbow Rocket is a division of a bigger team, or maybe they’ve just chosen Galar as their next target, I just think it’d be nice to see em either way.

Minor thing related to the parallel universes: I wouldn’t mind the URS returning considering their ability to travel to worlds willy-nilly. It’s incredibly unlikely (which is kinda sad because I love Dulse and Zossie a ton) but it’d be fun to see them back.

When it comes to evil teams, I think they’re gonna put another spin on it like with the Skull/Aether twist. I like the idea of there not being an evil team, rather just a few admins and a leader that are super powerful (which was one of my original URS speculations back in the day), but the way evil team grunts work might not fit that. I’m thinking that a team related to technology could work, considering the region’s apparent industrial influence (and I also love both steampunk and sci-fi aesthetics so yeah). I want the villain leader to be a woman like last time, and I think making them unexpected could work again too. Perhaps the character currently filling the “mentor champion” role turns on you? Or the villainous leader is the Professor? There’s a lot they can do with this one, and I can’t wait to see how they handle it!

For the rival, I guess I don’t mind much here. I like angry rivals, I like friendly rivals, as long as they’re likeable and hold some kind of role in the story I’m good.

This is probably my biggest hope but I really want Ryuki to be from Galar. He seems like the type of eccentric rock star you’d find in an urban place, and Galar has a lot of bustling cities in the northern area. Considering that you find him in USUM at the Kanto Gym Recreation, I wouldn’t be surprised if he himself is a gym leader - and considering his type preference, a late-game one.

Speaking of gym leaders, please give them and the elite four slightly more of a role. Gen VII did a good job of emulating Gen V’s Gym Leaders and made the captains and Kahunas characters with relationships you genuinely enjoy, and I’d like to see that return but with the elite four too this time. Plot relevance is optional but would be awesome.

That’s pretty much my thoughts off the top of my head. I’m really excited for Galar, and the plot will probably be fun for me regardless, but those are things I think would be cool to see!

 

[Trainer Yusuf]

One thing to note is that there seems to be no specific location that can be used by the evil team. Unless they pull an N's Castle/Plasma Frigate and just bring out their HQ from nowhere it seems we are back to underground bases. This also implies the villain team will not be focused on a specific area.

Another thing is as many people have noted titles seem to refer to not just a generic coat of arms, but also Excalibur and Prydwen, sword and shield of King Arthur. This also suggests this will be yet another chosen hero storyline, but it also possibly might mean that evil team might not focus on the Macguffins for the legendaries, since like XY legendaries the items are the legendaries themselves. The twist could be that villain team need to use the legendaries in their dormant form rather than awaken them from their sleep, since they have to turn them back to the items they are inspired form. This could also lead to an intermission period where you and the evil team try to chase the legendary after they are awakened, until it is recaptured by the evil team.

 

[axelme]

what about if they did something like the champion and elite 4 were all evil. like the champion was the leader and the elite 4 were his or her 4 generals. the task would be to defeat them and crown a new elite 4 and champion.

i do see a school in the trailer a girl is wearing what looks to be a school uniform. being set in london i've basically talked myself into believing that we're getting a harry potter like add in. perhaps a school where the 4 mascots pokemon represent the 4 houses

 

[DjautheJackal]

Well usually the third game is actually the best. Perhaps Game Freak actually support the Green Party and consider them an improved third version that improves upon the values and ideals set forth by the tories and labour party. remember that necrozma was stronger than solgaleo and lunala

Eeeh I don't wanna be a communist