This is yet another post discussing whether Arlo is actually Silver. While browsing Tumblr, I came across several similar posts and decided to contribute my own thoughts to the theory.
Here are a few clues that may confirm this theory.
× Both Arlo and Silver have red eyes.
× They both wear oversized clothes.
× Silver has red hair, while Arlo has black hair with a red streak (perhaps to resemble Giovanni more).
Additionally, Giovanni from Pokémon GO looks old enough to be the father of someone around Arlo's age.
× Desire for power: Both are driven by a desire for strength and dominance. Silver, in his early appearance, tries to prove his strength, while Arlo, as a leader in Team Rocket, seeks to confirm his
× Arrogance: Both are portrayed as overly confident and proud, and both believe they are superior to others
× Both Silver and Arlo treat Pokémon as weapons, not as friends.
All we know about Arlo is that he was once part of Team Valor and was friends with Candela. Someone with her character would definitely not want to have anything to do with a jerk like Arlo. So why would they even be friends in the first place?
About this a little later.
Silver's past is much clearer.
In the manga, Silver was kidnapped as an infant and raised in a cult-like environment within the Pokémon Hunter Sect. There, he was manipulated into believing that weakness was unacceptable.
If we assume that the character from the episode with Ash and Latios is actually Arlo/Silver, this theory makes sense—the Hunter both looks and behaves like Arlo. He also exhibits traits similar to Silver’s personality; when all his plans fail, he resorts to physical aggression (he even tried to hit Ash).
This Hunter is undeniably a strong trainer, as he was able to battle the world champion—who was using a legendary Pokémon—on nearly equal terms for most of the fight. Ultimately, he is defeated, arrested, and likely sent to prison.
Perhaps Officer Jenny recognized his potential and suggested that he would be more valuable as an ally than an enemy, leading to his recruitment into Team GO. There, he likely met Candela, who may have been the first person to give him a chance to become a better person.
4 What if Giovanni and Arlo don't know they are related?
If Arlo was indeed kidnapped as a child, he might not remember his past, and Giovanni may not have recognized him after so many years.
Giovanni allowed Arlo/Silver to leave and "play the hero" for a while because he knew that sooner or later, he would return to him.
It's also interesting that Giovanni specializes in the Ground type, while Arlo focuses on the Steel type. And steel comes from the earth.
Creative anime adaptations often modify characters from games to better fit the series. For example:
So perhaps Arlo was inspired in a similar way.
I’d love to hear what others think about this theory, so feel free to share your thoughts