Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Should Learn From Gen 8's Approach to Champion Leon

gamerant.com:

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are coming out in a few months, and although little is officially known about the games, multiple sources claim they will feature the iconic Elite Four and Champion battles unlike Pokemon Sword and Shield. In Pokemon's eighth Generation, players didn't go up against Elite Four members at the end of the Gym Challenge, which acted more like a sports competition than the classic journey players have grown accustomed to. Still, the Gym Challenge had a final battle against the Champion, who in this case was the all-powerful trainer Leon.

Players are introduced to Leon early on in Pokemon Sword and Shield, and he ends up being the one who gives them their first Pokemon before picking the one who deals super-effective damage to the main character's starter. From his introduction, Leon is depicted as the best trainer Galar has ever seen, dubbed the «Unbeatable Champion.» Yet, Leon is almost never shown doing what he does best, and he ends up becoming a forgettable challenge that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet should avoid.

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While it makes sense story-wise for Pokemon Sword and Shield to have a strong and popular Champion, dubbing Leon the Unbeatable Champion is a disservice to the character given the ultimate goal of the base game is to defeat him. And yet, the real issue with the character is not that he ends up being beaten, but that he is repeatedly addressed as the best trainer around with no tangible proof of Leon's strength. There's a whole cult of personality around Leon, who has supposedly won so many matches and tournaments that his cape is adorned with medals and sponsorships.

However, this is the classic case of problematic writing