ORAS
Kicking off my 2022 Pokemon Special reviews with the infamous third remake chapter - Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. This review ventures into meta-analysis territory at times, but it is still largely a review. Keep in mind that this is all my personal opinion and interpretation of the chapter. That said, enjoy this stream of >1.5k words!
Some background info: I followed the monthly scanlations religiously in 2014-2015. I stopped around c10 because of how messy the plot was at that point. I had sky-high expectations due to RS being my absolute favorite at the time, and like many fans, I was disappointed with ORAS. However, after rereading both RS and ORAS this year, I’ve grown to think that ORAS is more emotionally fulfilling than RS and the other remake chapters due to being a “full circle” in many ways. It provides closure to several storylines from RS, FRLG, and Emerald, cementing the legacy of those chapters while also expanding their lore (albeit in a way that could have been better executed).
What honestly drove my shift in opinion was our real world in the last few years, shaken by a pandemic and countless global tragedies. The constant anxiety that you and your loved ones may die, wanting to shield them from the pain of knowing, corrupt billionaires profiting off earnest labor and unethical experiments, exposure of all the horrific things done to Indigenous communities, and more. All of these elements were present in the ORAS chapter, although not explored in-depth due to the pacing flaws of modern Pokespe. Either way, ORAS picks up where XY (one of my favorite chapters) left off by incorporating elements from our real world in a way that leaves the story with a highly anxious tone and astronomical stakes.
The underlying anxiety in ORAS was a different kind than in XY. In XY, the anxiety stemmed from the main 5 not being able to trust most adults, but at least they could trust each other, making a pact to always stick together. The RSE trio was the opposite. They have conflicting agendas throughout the chapter and are constantly physically apart. Sapphire and Emerald are mastering Mega Evolution, while Ruby is investigating Sky Pillar without having told her. Sapphire is led to believe that she is helping Devon fight off their protestors, but that was a lie fabricated by Ruby and enabled by Emerald. Sapphire gets transported away and (almost) stops Zinnia on her own, while Ruby and Emerald are fighting off a medley of foes (@ Archie and Maxie: I do not see it). The lack of transparency and communication between this trio serves a very different dynamic compared to that of the Johto trio, who are largely able to read each other’s minds and unspoken intentions in HGSS. Or the Kanto trio, who openly communicate their feelings with each other.
This seems like a negative thing, but keep in mind that Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald are all established to have trouble opening up to others due to childhood trauma, especially Ruby, who is the most self-absorbed of the three (keep in mind self-absorbed ≠ selfish). Sapphire and Emerald have grown since the last time we saw them: Sapphire is less reactive and Emerald is more cooperative. Both feel more mature, while Ruby appears to be stuck in old habits. I personally don’t think this was a character writing flaw, though I initially did when I read it in 2014. Why was Ruby seemingly regressing? Since then, I've learned more about human psychology in the face of catastrophe, and how we tend to revert to old learned behaviors even if we know they're wrong. For example, here's a relevant excerpt from a book I've been reading: Catastrophe by Christopher J. Ferguson.
I now realize that Ruby’s actions were the most realistic out of the three. Him being the focus character solidifies the story for what it is: a terrifying, panic-inducing, extremely stressful event. That said, the three protagonists together make a complete unit: Ruby is the emotion, Sapphire the intuition, and Emerald the reasoning. You need all three to save the planet.
It is telling that the “big” trio moment in this chapter is simply them agreeing to work together to save the planet. In FRLG, the main trio unleashed their combined ultimate attack at the Trainer Tower. In HGSS, the trio clashed against the Rocket admins. But in ORAS, there is no big fight scene involving all 3 Hoenn dexholders in the same place at the same time. This notable absence speaks to the main conflict of this chapter being miscommunication and lack of transparency, which had a bigger emphasis in the story compared to the actual threat itself, the meteoroid.
If I were to sum up what this chapter is to me - it would be a character study of different people, each with diverging histories and scars of their own, and how they deal with catastrophe. This story has emotional anxious people, people who blindly listen to authority, people who try to get everyone to work together, people who try to solve everything with money and technology, people who put the burden on their shoulders because family/tradition said so. It’s very reflective of the world we’ve lived in for the past few years.
As a final meta note, I love how the new added XY epilogue reveals that the events of ORAS caused people to turn to cults like Team Flare, adding yet another example of how human behavior manifests in the face of catastrophe. SwSh also acknowledged the urgency of the situation. ORAS has an established legacy in canon and a presence that feels more global compared to RS and many other chapters. It is a story of bonds and overcoming trauma and appreciating your loved ones in your final moments.
Alright, the main show is now over, and it is time for my award ceremony:
MVP award: Sapphire. Despite having reduced screen time and a bunch of other meta factors working against her, her extraordinary intuition, pragmatic mindset, and team player attitude despite her "drama" with Ruby made her the most valuable asset in the cast. My favorite moment was when she figured out within SECONDS that they had to Mega Evolve Rayquaza to stop the meteorite — all from using mere intuition. Her presence in this chapter is truly underrated.
RSE's best moment awards:
Ruby: stealing the scroll from Zinnia. I know Ruby had a lot of emotional moments in this chapter, but I liked the ones that showed off his cunning and calculating mind, which really highlights the multifaceted nature of his character. He gets his hands dirty in this chapter unlike in RS. When he gets in front of Steven and intercepts Goodra's limb, I actually got chills.
Sapphire: besides the Mega Evolution realization moment, the scene that starts her fight with Zinnia, where she shoves her into the water. Sapphire at this point is still siding with Devon Corp because she feels guilty about allowing them to take her Pokemon's life force. This reads as a callback to her own guilt about the Ruby/Salamence incident, which is explicitly referenced later in this fight. But this moment allows us a glimpse of Sapphire's trauma and her coping mechanism of being overly helpful despite the method clearly being wrong, just so she won't hurt or be a burden to anyone else.
Emerald: being the secure, smart king he is. Specifically, when Zinnia pokes fun at his height twice, he doesn’t violently react like he used to. In fact, Emerald being comfortable in his true physical self for the entire chapter was the best indicator of his character growth, which really shone through in this chapter. Honestly, Sapphire was the MVP to me but Emerald was the most consistent and reliable character in this chapter.
Best dynamic award: Ruby and Emerald. They had the most interaction in this chapter among the trio, and each interaction was gold. Ruby taking the lead and Emerald willingly going along (and vice versa at the very end) were good moments showcasing their growth as people - Ruby becoming more proactive and courageous, and Emerald listening to and trusting others. Standout moments for me:
(Emerald being the supportive best friend who goes along with your lies and hypes you up. How can you not love him?)
Of course, Ruby and Sapphire's relationship is the central point of this chapter. I adore Frantic. But here, I found myself appreciating them more as individual characters. I think Sapphire benefits much more from not being in Ruby's shadow or reduced to his love interest, because she is the Alpha and an action girl to the fullest. She was the model for a strong female character to me when I was younger, and she continues to be that for me now.
The best subplot award: Devon Corp causing the death of Aster at the Embedded Tower was the most interesting plot point and one of the heaviest in this manga. I wish this was the main plot if this wasn't a Pokemon product. I wish Rayquaza had stabbed Joseph Stone instead of Zinnia, tbh.
Best side characters award: Ultima and Briney. Much needed comic relief but also continuing their badassery from their debut chapters. I even named Ultima the MVP in my FRLG review from 2018. Besides Blue, of course.
Best random moment award: Red asking Blue which way to go + Saur looking exasperated. I don't know why I found this so funny, but I did. I absolutely love Red and Blue's friendship/dynamic - it is one of my favorites.
Final thoughts: ORAS still has many of the same issues I thought of when I first read it (issues I didn't address in this post because it's already been discussed countless times). But I've grown to appreciate what it offers and see things from another perspective. I cannot wait for the full volume release.