I would like to think that there will be no use for this since I have a feeling Scopely might handle the character stories better than Niantic ever did. We'll see.
I won't delete the blog or lock the Discord server down, as there is no point in doing so + people might want to pour through the scraps for material to play with for their own fanworks.
I, personally, have been running with the online Pokémon fandom for over a decade (after being a private fan for much of my life). Aside from an occasional fanart post, it's time for me to raise anchor and ascend that fixation to make new for a new one.
To those who see this post: has a Pokémon game, or any other franchise, got you into a new skill, or back into one?
For me: Before GO, I had stopped drawing for a long time. Not due to lack of interest, but I worked for a while as a programmer. I was so involved in our projects, I didn't do much beyond quick doodles. I just wanted to see more art of GO characters, so I doubled down and used it as a ground for practicing and not worrying too much about the end result.
I didn't get to make everything that I would have liked to make; mainly because some of the ideas I wanted to execute were so big, it would be better if I used them for myself, for my own characters, and not buried in a fandom.
These days, I draw a lot and focus on learning how to tell stories. I'm also brushing off old skills I had burnt out on due to my old line of work. So I wouldn't consider this a bad fandom run. Therapeutic, if anything.
Willow sends you out to help gather meteorites with them. Glad to see another leader quest.
Candela
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_1_1
+TEXT: Hey hey, %PLAYERNAME%!
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_1_2
+TEXT: There’re so many Trainers here. All the hustle and bustle’s really firing me up!
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_1_3
+TEXT: But you know what’s firing me up the most? Two words: Mega. Rayquaza! Pokémon battles are my thing, and Mega Rayquaza’s got red-hot strength in spades!
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_1_4
+TEXT: In fact, Mega Rayquaza’s so powerful that some folks from the Hoenn region say it’s strong enough to repel both Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre.
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_1_5
+TEXT: I’m burning to see a Pokémon like that in action. Aren’t you?
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_1_6
+TEXT: Yeah? Then now’s our chance! It looks like Mega Rayquaza’s landed at that Gym over there!
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_1_7
+TEXT: My team’s raring to go. How about yours? Think they’re ready to test their mettle against a Mega-Evolved Legendary Pokémon?
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_1_8
+TEXT: One tip before you go: using a supereffective Charged Attack will help you turn up the heat in battle!
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_1_9
+TEXT: Right. Let’s do this thing, %PLAYERNAME%!
(She's fired up like a corny '90s superhero, and I can't blame her. Mega Rayquaza is a gift.)
Spark
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_2_1
+TEXT: Heyyy, %PLAYERNAME%!
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_2_2
+TEXT: Are you helping Professor Willow find meteorites?
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_2_3
+TEXT: Same! And just between you and me, I’m taking a tour of the best food joints in town along the way.
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_2_4
+TEXT: I passed by what looked like a FIRE boba tea spot a minute ago. We’ll have to grab a sip once we’re done here!
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_2_5
+TEXT: But first, meteorites. I saw a couple fall around the streets here earlier. I’ll scoop up the ones back there, so how about you keep searching up ahead?
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_2_6
+TEXT: And don’t forget to pop an Egg in an Incubator before you go! No reason not to hatch while you, uh...catch? Meteorites, I mean. Just...pretend that made sense.
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_2_7
+TEXT: Now, I gotta run—boba’s on me later, bestie!
(His fans may eat… drink? well with this one! Come to think of it, aside from Spark having a big appetite and totally in-character, it's probably a nod to their Kung-Fu Tea promo)
Blanche
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_3_1
+TEXT: Hello, %PLAYERNAME%.
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_3_10
+TEXT: I have every confidence in you, %PLAYERNAME%.
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_3_2
+TEXT: I’ve arrived here by calculating where the next meteorite is most likely to land, taking into account radar data...
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_3_3
+TEXT: ...the planet’s trajectory, present atmospheric conditions, current Pidgey migration patterns, and so forth.
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_3_4
+TEXT: I assume you employed the same methodology?
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_3_5
+TEXT: No? You “just felt like coming here”?
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_3_6
+TEXT: Ah. I...suppose that works as well.
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_3_7
+TEXT: However you found your way, it’s fortuitous you’re here.
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_3_8
+TEXT: Mega Rayquaza has been seen dipping through the clouds nearby.
+RESOURCE ID: gofest2023_city_3_9
+TEXT: Since I have my hands full collecting meteorites around here, I recommend you spend your time observing Mega Rayquaza—perhaps even challenge it to battle, if you feel up to the task.
Dialogue from "A Valorous Hero" + Raid: Shadow Legends
Last, but always the most, here's Nemona's Candela's text for her quest, once again sourced from Pokeminers. My thoughts below the cut, as always!
Since this is the last of the leader hero quests, I've also included comparisons to the three of them throughout this little series, as well as my observations towards the buildup of Shadow Raids. So, this post's end notes will be a little longer.
+TEXT: A Valorous Hero (4/4) +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_0_0
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_0_3 +TEXT: Sorry. I’ve just been feeling kinda burnt out lately.
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_0_4 +TEXT: I hate to say it, but my battling techniques have gotten stale. I need to reignite my inner fire somehow.
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_0_5 +TEXT: Wait—I’ve got an idea! Professor Willow’s always talking about how great you are at Pokémon battles.
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_0_6 +TEXT: How about letting me see some of that passion in action? Watching you battle might be just what I need!
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_0_7 +TEXT: You’ll help me out, yeah? Nice. I knew you’d agree, %PLAYERNAME%.
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_0_8 +TEXT: Let’s make sure our teams are in top shape, then we’ll get to it.
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_1_0 +TEXT: I’m all set, %PLAYERNAME%.
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_1_1 +TEXT: My team’s raring to see you and your Pokémon blaze into the fray!
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_1_2 +TEXT: So. Where should we start? There’s plenty of options—take on a Gym, battle with friends, go a couple rounds in the GO Battle League...
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_1_3 +TEXT: You and I could even go head-to-head!
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_1_4 +TEXT: Oh—I’ve got it! See that Team GO Rocket Grunt over there?
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_1_5 +TEXT: Let’s take ’em down. We can save whatever Pokémon they’ve got their hands on and flex your battle skills at the same time!
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_2_0 +TEXT: You’re on fire, %PLAYERNAME%! + +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_2_1 +TEXT: Didja see how fast that Grunt ran off? Hah! You smoked ’em.
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_2_2 +TEXT: Speaking of Grunts, they’ve been acting weird lately. The last few I battled acted off after I beat ’em. Usually they throw a huffy quip at me before sulking off.
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_2_3 +TEXT: But lately they just laugh!
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_2_4 +TEXT: Rrrgh... Think I need to up the intensity? Maybe have Ponyta give ’em a good Stomp at the end?!
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_2_5 +TEXT: Anyway. Enough analyzing—that’s Blanche’s thing. Let’s get back to battling. Why don’t we find a Gym you can take on.
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_3_0 +TEXT: That was a blistering battle, %PLAYERNAME%!
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_3_1 +TEXT: My mind’s ablaze with new ways to train.
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_3_2 +TEXT: Thanks for helping me find my fire!
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_3_3 +TEXT: I should probably be the one teaching you stuff, but you know plenty already.
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_3_4 +TEXT: Does that mean you’re looking to take up the reins of team leader yourself? Hah, I could get behind that!
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_3_5 +TEXT: You know, you really gave me the inspiration I needed—I’d say that’s pretty heroic.
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_may23_candela_3_6 +TEXT: All right. Enough talk. Ponyta and I are off to get in some training. See you later, %PLAYERNAME%! And you better be ready to battle the next time you see me.
🔥🔥🔥
If you missed out on Willow's Diary (back from 2019 or so) entries, Candela struggled with sharing her feelings and asking her help. This quest shows how far she's come with that and contrasts her personalty well against Arlo's. She's secure enough in her own sense of power to not only share her feelings with you and ask you for help, but vouch you for leadership. That is saying a lot. 100/10 would vote for anytime.
Candela's thought process falls right in between Spark's and Blanche's. She doesn't want to waste time over-analyzing, but she knows when to slow down before rushing into the fray.
I found it interesting that each leader observed the rockets with their strongest assets: Blanche noticed their numbers (analyzing; Blanche likely keeps track of the GO Rocket grunts on a highly detailed scale); Spark noticed their activity (intuition; hunters and protectors tend to notice patterns within their prey); and Candela noticed their reaction to their losses against her (empathy; laughing after being beaten is usually a huge red flag in storytelling and would make anyone worry IRL.)
On the first few read-overs, I was taken aback by how she speaks. The dialogue feels as if it's meant to emulate how pun-laden the mainline characters are, especially the 'genki' ones like Ash and Nemona. But those come off as more charming in how silly and hyper-focused they are. This has a more "how do you do, fellow kids?" energy. Compared to Spark and Blanche's written voices, it's not the best execution. I know that she has a "soft mode" (check her old appraisal lines and her introduction when you choose a team) and "fired up" mode in terms of how her dialogue reads; but the latter mode needs work. That being said, I may not be giving credit where credit is due. Candela is supposed to be both heroic and a massive ham. If that's still the case, then they've nailed it.
Puns puns puns oh my god jesus christ
Similar to Spark, I can see how someone like Arlo could easily underestimate her potential. The more I take inventory of her behavior and dialogue that's been put on display over the years, the more she comes off as a Badass Murder Cheerleader type.
She almost reminds me of Cliff with how focused and warm her dialogue is: only saying what needs to be said, very inclusive and treats you like an equal while knowing she's you're guide and protector (which all three leaders have displayed traits of in their own ways). I would go as far as to say Cliff may have been more like Candela before his 'fall,' but prone to irrational ragers, unlike Candela.
Regarding Shadow Raids
The 'laughing at losing' bit actually makes me wonder if it's laying the foundations for the scope of what's to come. Candela sees the grunt's reactions from a self conscious angle, which is not only a normal response, but tells me she's out to actually demoralize the grunts in battle. Rightfully so, considering their cruelty. However, if you know what's on the horizon, we know that laughing when you're beaten down is something that a person will do when they put a lot of faith in something or someone. They see the Shadow Raids (which you could interpret as gym takeovers) as a huge gamechanger.
I already had a hypothesis, since the excavation event, that GORocket is more 'cultlike' than other instances of Team Rocket. They were also singing praises to Arlo when you beat them, so…
My thoughts below the cut. There aren't many, but...
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_0_0 +TEXT: Hey! %PLAYERNAME%! No time to explain—take this Incubator and follow me, quick!
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_1_0 +TEXT: Phew! Appreciate the hustle, %PLAYERNAME%. Did you use that Incubator I gave you?
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_1_1 +TEXT: I bet you’re curious why we’re in a hurry.
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_1_2 +TEXT: It’s because Elekid ran off—right as I took my eyes off it to put an Egg in that Incubator! +
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_1_3 +TEXT: To be fair, this isn’t the first time my Elekid’s gotten a case of the zoomies. I think it just gets restless sometimes. And hey, chasing after it is a great way to get my daily steps in!
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_1_4 +TEXT: As for that Incubator, I had a feeling you’d be up for helping me track down Elekid and thought, “Why not hatch an Egg along the way?”
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_1_5 +TEXT: Professor Willow tells me you’re no stranger to hatching Pokémon. I’d love to hear all about your escapades, so c’mon, dish!
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_1_6 +TEXT: Actually, hold that thought—I think I see Elekid over thataway! After it, %PLAYERNAME%! We can chat on the way!
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_2_0 +TEXT: Wanna hear more about what I’ve been up to?
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_2_1 +TEXT: Okay, so, I had this wild idea that exposing Pokémon Eggs to different kinds of music might influence what interests they develop as they grow up.
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_2_2 +TEXT: No results yet, but I’ve been making a lotta playlists. Ooh, you should share some of your favorite tunes with me later!
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_2_3 +TEXT: I’m getting excited. Haha. Thinking about Pokémon always amps me up!
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_2_4 +TEXT: Like, how do they instinctively develop so many unique characteristics? And at the same time, they all have their own personalities!
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_2_5 +TEXT: For example, Elekid are known to rotate their arms to generate electricity, but they supposedly tire easily. And then there’s my Elekid, who’s always running off.
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_2_6 +TEXT: That’s what makes my buddy so charming, though! I wouldn’t have it any other way.
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_2_7 +TEXT: What’s your Buddy Pokémon like, %PLAYERNAME%? You should ask it to join us while we track down Elekid. I’m itching to see if your buddy’s personality is anything like yours!
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_3_0 +TEXT: A-HA! Elekid spotted dead ahead! And it looks like it’s tuckered itself out.
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_3_1 +TEXT: Our wild Pokémon chase is finally coming to an end.
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_3_2 +TEXT: Y’know, I bet things only went as smoothly as they did because you were here.
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_3_3 +TEXT: I didn’t even have to worry about Team GO Rocket trying to mess with us!
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_3_4 +TEXT: Come to think of it, they’ve been weirdly preoccupied lately... But hey, I’m not about to look a gift Horsea in the mouth. +
+RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_3_5 +TEXT: Enough about them, though. Thanks again for being my hero today, %PLAYERNAME%! I dunno how long it would’ve taken me to chase down Elekid without your help.
+ +RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_spark_may23_3_6 +TEXT: Well, I’ve got places to be and Eggs to hatch, but don’t be a stranger! Let’s chat again real soon!
⚡⚡⚡
I don't have much to add due to the fact that the dialogue feels fast-paced despite being nothing but text, so the gameplay experience will be interesting. Kudos on the writers for channeling that.
But, fuck me sideways: Spark is one of those mixtape guys? I love it and I'm here for it.
This is why I love Tumblr and I encourage the Leader-Loving Niantic Hating base to stick around with the online GO fandom. It's sad to see such good characters wasted in bad hands, but the people who appreciate them keep them alive.
Part of the reason why I still play and GO and bother with Twitter (because most of the 'story' stuff is fed there) is to engage in the game enough to get some context and give more material for the fandom, myself included, to play with in their fanworks, dreams, speculations, and shameless, out-of-control, lust.
No need to miss them. Even if Niantic shits the bed, the fandom will still be here.
More insight on Blanche! My thoughts after the dialogue:
Encroaching Rockets aside, this will be a comfy little quest to play.
I'm getting the vibe that the other quests will also highlight the fact that a leader can't do everything on their own.
RESOURCE ID: blanche_apr23_event_title TEXT: A Mystic Hero
RESOURCE ID: bonus_double_guaranteed_xl_evolve TEXT: 2 Guaranteed Candy XL for evolving Pokémon
RESOURCE ID: quest_blanche_sr_title TEXT: A Mystic Hero
RESOURCE ID: quest_blanche_sr_title_0 TEXT: A Mystic Hero (1/4)
RESOURCE ID: quest_blanche_tr_title TEXT: A Mystic Hero: Timed Research RESOURCE ID: quest_blanche_tr_title_0 TEXT: A Mystic Hero: Timed Research (1/3)
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_0_1 TEXT: Ah. %PLAYERNAME%. My apologies—I didn’t see you there. I’ve been preoccupied with completing my latest research report.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_0_2 TEXT: Early findings are promising, and I’m eager to discuss the results with Professor Willow.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_0_3 TEXT: But I must admit I’m having the slightest difficulty sourcing materials for the next step.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_0_4 TEXT: I’ve been so absorbed that I haven’t found a moment to shoo off the Team GO Rocket Grunts nearby. What’s more, they appear to have increased in number.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_0_5 TEXT: Nevertheless, these are my issues to resolve. What can I help you with today? It’s rare for you to stop by.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_0_6 TEXT: Professor Willow suggested you check on me? Well, I appreciate the thought, but it’s quite unnecessary.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_0_7 TEXT: Everything is under control here, so please, feel free to focus on your own studies. Now, where to source additional Berries...
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_1_0 TEXT: Hm? I’m certain these Pinap Berries weren’t here earlier. And you’ve returned, %PLAYERNAME%? Then I suppose this was your doing.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_1_1 TEXT: You didn’t need to trouble yourself, but this does take one thing off my to-do list. Curious about how I’ll use them?
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_1_2 TEXT: As you may know, my field of study includes Pokémon Evolution.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_1_3 TEXT: I’m currently investigating whether feeding a Pokémon various Berries immediately prior to it evolving has any influence on its physiology.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_1_4 TEXT: Speaking of which, the next step of this project is to see a Pokémon evolve. I’ll need to be on my way so I can locate one that’s ready.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_1_5 TEXT: Let’s continue our discussion another time, %PLAYERNAME%.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_2_0 TEXT: Did it occur to you to evolve your Pokémon because of what I said earlier, %PLAYERNAME%? Thank you.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_2_1 TEXT: You’ve saved me quite a bit of time. I now have just about everything I need to get back on track.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_2_2 TEXT: The end goal of my research? To learn more about Pokémon, of course. There’s no end to that endeavor, as Professor Willow might say.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_2_3 TEXT: On a personal level, I’d be satisfied if my research led to more insight on Lapras.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_2_4 TEXT: Lapras are able to understand human speech and are very intelligent. Their intellect and good nature are why I have one as my partner Pokémon.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_2_5 TEXT: Yet to the best of our knowledge, they do not evolve. I’d like to understand why.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_2_6 TEXT: I’ve been working on hypotheses as to why some Pokémon are able to evolve while others are not, but that is a far longer-term project.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_2_7 TEXT: Perhaps I speak from a place of bias, but I think you’d do well to have a Lapras accompany you on your travels too, %PLAYERNAME%.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_3_0 TEXT: I hope you and Lapras make all manner of discoveries together, %PLAYERNAME%—just like the discoveries you’ve helped me make today.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_3_1 TEXT: Thanks to your timely assistance, I can share my report far earlier than I initially anticipated.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_3_2 TEXT: You’ve shown me today why Professor Willow always calls you his hero.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_3_3 TEXT: You’re an observant friend and Trainer who has a knack for sensing when others are in need, even if they don’t see it themselves.
RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_blanche_apr23_3_4 TEXT: I suppose that makes you my hero too, %PLAYERNAME%.
❄❄❄
They have a very cool and sweet nature. Like most of the fandom suspected, they get Marianas Trench-deep into their work. Their quiet confidence that stops short of being cocky is also endearing. I still remember when many in the fanbase assumed Blanche was more quiet and insecure. I'm glad that isn't canon. Blanche actually gives me secret gremlin vibes.
Encroaching Rockets aside, this will be a comfy little quest to play. It'll be interesting to see Blanche's body language alongside of this. (I'll try and record it.)
I'm getting the vibe that the other quests will also highlight the fact that a leader can't do everything on their own.
Apparently, the GO Rocket quest from Vegas won't be in the global Hoenn tour!
There's a Rhi-related quest instead. Disappointing! (No offense, Rhi. We still love you!) Maybe it'll come later since some of the season spoilers hint as much. Regardless, I'll work on my essay based on my observations since the logs are more than enough. Expect it to be a five part series that's actually edited. It'll take a while to write between working, so I don't expect it to be complete until GOFest or so. Who knows, more content might come out. I'd like to see Rhi interact with the GO leaders and how he reacts and refers to each of them.
I might even make a video, but it's been thousands of years since I've narrated anything.
I read the Hoenn quest leaks, and had some thoughts! Feel free to share you own with me by tagging this tumblr or quoting. Spoilers ahead!
PokeMiners is a group of dataminers for Pokemon GO!
I'm going to try my best to keep my perspectives and speculations surface-level. Yes, there is a lot here; but having a year between story updates gives you too much time to think.
GO Rocket Leaders In General:
I genuinely feel sorry for them. I've always felt sorry for them, and I've always thought the three of them were in a boiling frog situation given the brand of Giovanni they're working under. These lines cement those feelings. If anything, they're worse off than I thought and are extremely vulnerable but talented people brimming with potential under the right form of guidance.
All of them are riding on a facade of confidence in various flavors. It's an interesting take on its own. They're acting like how they think they should act while how they genuinely feel still comes through. This might be one of those 'fake it til you make it' tales, which would be cool, if not a little meta.
The theme of the three of them running away from themselves becomes more obvious. We saw the GO Leaders overcome their weaknesses; we're witnessing little fragments of the GO Rocket leaders being consumed by them.
Cliff cites Arlo and gives him proper credit for where his knowledge comes from. Sierra doesn't care much, but she does take credit for telling you the info. Arlo uses it as a moment to dunk on Candela AND Willow. (I might have to make an entire post just unpacking Arlo's details alone.)
Arlo and Cliff start out aggressive, with Cliff becoming more personable and Arlo going a bit more resistant. Not entirely tsundere, as he's still very resistant and insistent on keeping a status quo. Despite being appointed leaders (or at least execs/admins), you see parts that would turn potential followers away.
I'm appreciating the level of psychology and nuance they're introducing in such a simple format, and exploring the aspects of what being a leader can take. Self-care, self-forgiveness, and facing your shortcomings are pillars. If I had to say: Cliff lacks self-care (all his care is on Giovanni); Sierra lacks self-forgiveness, and Arlo lacks the courage to face his fears.
I'm also appreciating the fact that all six of them are embodiments of certain core traits, mirroring the positive and negative sides of them. The GO Rocket leaders show a new potential: that their negative sides aren't something they need to overcome, but to utilize in a better light. Pokemon has always shown us that the world is more complicated than good vs bad; that "good" fairy types can be some of the most dangerous; and that scarier types like dark (called "evil" in Japan) and ghost can be misunderstood saviors.
Based on these details, I will write another post later on exploring how each Rocket Leader could potentially contribute to the GO Leaders, and vice-versa.
Cliff:
Cliff's backstory as a rancher fills my prior suspicions about him relying on calculation. Running farms and ranches takes a lot of work and cannot be done alone; not only do you have books to balance and resources to juggle, but you have to develop extra senses for your animals (or, in this case, Pokemon) and the seasons. I wonder what made him lose it?
Combined with the prior themes of abandonment, I'd suspect that some parts of Cliff's demeanor is what pushed people away. You can't run a ranch by yourself, and we see it decaying in his intro video. You can see how he'd be a great and encouraging leader, and he presents his wisdom in a way that's easy to follow. But, there are cracks in his line of thought and personality.
What stood out to me was how he thought Willow was your leader, and was surprised to hear otherwise. Even with all the time that's passed, Cliff has holed himself into a line of thought. Even Arlo presents himself as being observant enough to refer to Willow properly.
I'm now under the impression that Cliff may not be as well-liked as I thought in GOR. I've known people like Cliff. Very loyal, but this loyalty is steeped in sadness, fear, and insecurity. He's happy to be around the grunts and play with them, like when they invaded the 2020 festival and he was eager to get back to hanging out with them after beating you up. But, you also see in his intro where he's losing his absolute shit at the grunts sitting around; presumably without even asking what they were doing (for all we know, they could have been on a break or avoiding overexerting themselves). While most of the grunts love Giovanni, Cliff has made Giovanni into his religion.
Sierra:
Sierra gave me whiplash. When you beat her normally, she assures you that it's not going to happen again. In this text, she's more obviously self-deprecating. I would not be surprised if she blamed herself for all of her loss and situations; like her own Absol (And misappropriated to misery, just like an Absol).
For context to #1, I'm still not sure if she was just an orphan; or if she was an orphan who ALSO lost her own husband and child when she got the chance to start her own family, which would add another layer to her reclusive nature and lone lioness motif. The intro shows two sets of images and it's easy to interpret it as two different bad outcomes. Her being in charge of the Rocket eggs says a lot about her hidden nature as it is. She definitely wants a family or a place to belong to, but she keeps telling herself otherwise.
She acknowledges loss as a lesson, but she also still treats it like something that could warrant punishment. I get the impression that her fear of failure isn't an ego thing, but acknowledging the price of her security. If she fucks up too much, she may lose the last sanctuary that she's known under Giovanni. It needed to be noted that this Giovanni comes off as less forgiving and on par with the Rainbow Rocket version than the one defeated by Red.
This brings me back to her same-differences with Spark. Both are willing to take their chances, but Spark is ready to gamble. His lapel pins are a pair of die that, together, make "88", a good luck symbol. If one could assume that both she and Spark had the exact same experiences up to a point, Spark took his losses as lessons, and learned to trust his instincts in order to take those gambles. It's as if he says: "I've been through worse, I can take it because the prize at the end might be worth it!" Sierra took them as punishments, and she's afraid of losing her safety net.
I think it hits me harder because she's witty. It's rare you see a female character who's both hot AND funny, and is clearly in on the joke if she isn't the one who's leading it. It makes me want to see her have a happy ending. Definitely Bayonetta and Fujiko Mine energy.
Arlo (Holy shit, this guy is baggage incarnate despite having the least revealed backstory how is that even possib):
Starts out aggressive like Cliff. He does become more tsundere, but it needs to be noted that his level of resistance towards receiving any affability is beyond the moe trope. I found it unsettling and well-written.
He's more focused on resisting his feelings, unless they involve his play for power.
He has absolutely no love for Giovanni. I can't recall a Pokemon character like this who's worked for Rocket. I've seen admins show greed and cynicism to some things, but they've largely been respectful to Giovanni (or at least pretended to be). Arlo does nothing of the such, and even corrects himself to imply that the glory will be his, and not Team Rocket's.
I'll admit; it is interesting to see Rocket being used as a tool from within. If Arlo had his shit together, he could be one of the few named Poke G-Men (Could he still be?) Candela said Arlo didn't even like Team Rocket, and he still doesn't, even after all of this. I had a headcanon that Arlo is a double agent. And he's... still kind of is. At least for himself.
He's reminding me more and more of Lear from Pokemon Masters before his character evolution. I'm pretty sure Lear was inspired by Arlo, likely a mashup of both Candela and Arlo. Lear and Arlo are both nobles, and it's safe to assume, considering the things Arlo has said, that they were expected to play into a harsh game of life, and that any kind of softness/sweetness was seen as weakness. Both of them go pants-on-head crazy when they get a blow to their ego and do something big. Though, I'd say Pasio is a somewhat more positive thing (the ethics of making an artificial island aside) than, uh, what's involved in making Shadow Pokemon and being a dimensional/space terrorist.
Arlo cannot proverbially get off of Candela. The fact that he's actually an engaging orator and capable of having some clarity on a situation makes his obsession with her more jarring. Even though it's just some quest text, I could tell he could be a good teacher. He has the underpinnings of some of the most well-loved rivals in the franchise. He's also very much a mad scientist.
Even with Arlo's insanity, it's hard NOT to feel bad for him. His shit goes way deeper than just BAWW CANDELA MEEN uWu; We need to remember that he's still an adult carrying on like this with a lot of power, battle skill, and authority (rather the facade of it) in his hands. There's a lot to unpack here. I'll dig more into that in the future.
Because of this, Candela is Arlo's strawman. Flowing with the theme of the GOR leaders running away from themselves, it's easier for him to blame her than it is for him to look deeper within and fix himself or question his presumed upbringing or personal beliefs. If I had to guess, this is likely a factor as to why Candela was crying when she gave Willow her part of the Mysterious Scraps to Willow one week later. There is no sane reason to go as far as Arlo did to get revenge against one person for merely 'beating' him. It's bad enough that he was, presumably, gunning to become Valor leader. But I think it goes beyond that. People who act like Arlo have a hard-set narrative in their heads, and lose it when people don't play to their fantasy. This actually reminds me of some of Giovanni and how he seems to surround himself with the competent, but insecure, so that he can control his little world. He's just blunt about it.
With the new dialogue, the fact that his uniform resembles a fireman's outfit and his intro quote: "Remember, fire is a fickle thing. When controlled, it provides warmth, but in the wrong hands, it burns."
enforces that Arlo is afraid of enduring pain in order to become stronger, as well as unable to comprehend that some elements must be embraced as they are, and not tamed. It also (and likely mostly) shows that Arlo goes into unknown situations with the expectation that trust won't be granted, so he has to shield himself. This makes more sense when we understand that many Pokemon, especially fire types, will work hard to avoid hurting the humans they come to love in trust. He's trying to compete against someone who's been shown to hug the soul-eating Litwick. I'm beginning to assume Arlo didn't become a leader because he wasn't ready to endure and only wanted to aggressively dominate. The catch is that Candela's or (presumably) Moltres' fires weren't his fear, but his own inner flame that's dying to thrive.
Pretty crazy for Giovanni to run an entire campaign presumably spearheaded by the grudge of your newest member and admin who is only loyal to his own reflection and his personal vendetta; isn't it? Gio really is a devil-figure. He knows what he's doing and he doesn't care. I am under the impression that Gio's plan is to take everything once Arlo has failed.
So, what DOES this reek of?
A redemption plot! No idea if I'm right. I guess we'll see! But, I've heard this story too many times from too many different angles not to see the potential makings of one. I expect at least one of them to pull a 180, if not all three.
What would it take for these three to leave Rocket?
Cliff and Sierra would have to get the boot from Giovanni to leave Team GO Rocket. This would be a devastating blow to both of them, as they've found refuge within Team Rocket.
I imagine Cliff would be the only one who really begs to come back, while Sierra would blame herself, try to move on, and likely become more isolated.
Of the three, Arlo might be the one in the most danger and may not simply be sacked; he may even use the chance to usurp Giovanni. He's sly and manipulative; so is Giovanni. I came to suspect that the target of Arlo's manipulations might be Giovanni, and it looks as if that's the possibility. I do think Giovanni may be one step ahead of Arlo; well-aware that they're both using one another, and milking Arlo of his knowledge and insight until it becomes too inconvenient to play into his shenanigans.
I'll add that it seems as if I may have bias towards Arlo and Candela, but they've had the most loaded story in GO that shows a lot and still has its own mysteries behind it. Arlo also feels more like the game's antagonist than Giovanni does, at times.
I'll follow up in the future with my thoughts regarding how each pair of foils balance off of one another.
Cliff states that Team Rocket saved his life at one point, which is probably what made him to loyal to them
Yes, I am aware! I remember finding that interesting when reading about on Bulbapedia when trying to understand the Go-verse. Not sure if they would expand on it or not in pokemon Go, but it's certainly an interesting backstory.
I will admit, I was pretty disappointed with Cliff's personality. Before really reading into his quotes, I got the impression that he was the "I don't want to hurt you, but I'm loyal to team rocket so I'm gonna" and I thought that would be interesting cause I don't think we've gotten that type of team rocket member before? The only one that I remember is that random npc that battles you in radio tower I think that basically goes " what? A kid?! I don't want to hurt a kid, but I if I must....". Like that underlining kindness( kinda) despite doing something very wrong. But then I read Cliff's quotes and was proven wrong lol. He's just a Giovanni simp/j. In hindsight, I should have just expected that, and my disappointment is kinda silly all things considered. I got my hopes up based on nothing lol.
Anyway, I know Cliff's loyalty towards Team Rocket is due to them saving him in the past. It's really interesting and I hope that they expand on it more!
That's actually how complicated simping/loyalty/worship can be. Cliff always displayed a conflict of interest. He also scolds Blanche and tells them that they think too much. This is likely a projection from Cliff himself. Being a Blanche foil, he's probably, naturally, very analytical. But he's been scared out of it and is following Giovanni, his savior.
And yet, you can tell that Cliff gets tugged back and forth. He's hyper loyal, but he also knows better. Way better. Lots of simps have bad idols, but aren't yet at the point of dropping them. Doing so means having to question themselves. Cliff might not be ready for that (the extent of his dialogue, especially from 2020, implies he's afraid of being alone) so he's still gonna catch hands for Big G.
He's like the radio tower guy, but with way more baggage and power.
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