[Sword & Shield] Hop is actually a sad character

[_confused_piplup_]

I will be honest: Hop isn't one of my favorite rivals and he pretty much belongs to the usual frenetic and impulsive rival in the pokèmon series, but there's something quite sad about him that I could recognize now that I ended the game (before dlc). Hop has to deal every time with the idea of being Leon's brother and therefore that he has to be strong like him. That's pretty much what many characters in the game expect and that's what makes his losses really painful for him. What I mean is that it must be hard to be Hop, especially when he looses. Then, he ends up being the professor's assistant thinking he's not strong enough when he actually got to the semi-finals. I mean, I am making this worse than what it seems but to be honest I really think he got too sad from loosing against us and Bede that he tried to find an alternative way. It's just sad how nobody in the end convinces him to get better as a trainer. Ngl, I don't see him as a good professor, but as a worth trainer (that has to be way stronger lol). He deserves to beat Leon at some point lol

 

[pokemon fan person]

He deserves to beat Leon at some point lol

i'm another person that thinks hop should beat leon

 

[_confused_piplup_]

i'm another person that thinks hop should beat leon

you're a good person lol

 

[Nah]

He eventually gets over feeling the need to worry about how his performance could affect his brother's image and seems to be fine with the job he has at the end of the game, so I don't really feel sad for him. Especially since it was obvious it was all going to work out for him in the end.

They could've used to have some build-up to him becoming a research assistant though, it just comes out of nowhere really

 

[_confused_piplup_]

But you know, it just kinda seems like he thinks he isn't good enough to battle and therefore he tries to find a way to replace his old dreams. Obviously I am overthinking but like, it feels sad to me...

 

[MikeyD]

I don't want Hop to feel sad

 

[ReKoil]

Who is Hop again? 😜

I personally find him kinda annoying tbh. Not as bad as Hau, but still... I guess I just don't like pushy people.
I feel like they should've tied him in with Crown Tundra. He shows up in Isle Of Armor.
Would've been nice to have 1 final battle against him where he has like level 100 mons.
Instead we get another tournament thing, whooptie flippin doo

 

[colours]

gotta say, he has way more development and depth than like... a vast majority of other pokemon rivals who are pretty one-dimensional lol (unfortunately...)

it really was a turning point when he lost against bede and it made him reflect a lot on how he could accomplish his goals. it sucked seeing him mope about it and going through a really sad phase, but seeing him grow from it into an actual, accomplished pokemon trainer (even if he isn't the champion) really says a lot, even if he couldn't beat leon himself.

i do agree with Nah though in that i wish we would've gotten a bit more build-up to him becoming a research assistant instead of him being like.. a gym leader or some sort of traveling trainer which i think would be more appropriate for him.

 

[_confused_piplup_]

gotta say, he has way more development and depth than like... a vast majority of other pokemon rivals who are pretty one-dimensional lol (unfortunately...)

it really was a turning point when he lost against bede and it made him reflect a lot on how he could accomplish his goals. it sucked seeing him mope about it and going through a really sad phase, but seeing him grow from it into an actual, accomplished pokemon trainer (even if he isn't the champion) really says a lot, even if he couldn't beat leon himself.

i do agree with Nah though in that i wish we would've gotten a bit more build-up to him becoming a research assistant instead of him being like.. a gym leader or some sort of traveling trainer which i think would be more appropriate for him.

yeah, i agree! the other thing I liked about Hop is that he could catch the other legendary pokemon. I am pretty sure in old pokemon games it wouldn't have happened!

 

[bobandbill]

I mean, he did a better job at catching a legendary than Leon did, haha. He's 'beaten' Leon in that regard.

 

[Momoro]

I don't feel sad for him, because in the end, he seemed to get over trying to beat his brother, and (out of nowhere) decided to become a research assistant.

So in the end, he doesn't get my pity 😂

 

[Lucifer]

Hop is the first rival to elevate the generic overconfident 'Gotta be the best' rival with development and depth.
His growth from believing that being related to the champion meant he had to uphold Leon's reputation and that to do so he needed to mimic Leon's tactics to finding his own tactics and path added a nice tone to the relationship between him and the player.

His decision to pursue a career as a professor was a bit abrupt but was a strong revelation. It would have been nice if he'd managed to defeat Leon after we did, perhaps something that he could have established in Crown Tundra, it's a shame we don't get an arc with him there as we do at the Isle of Armor.

I'd love to see more rivals like Hop and would love to see him in the anime.

 

[Drayton]

Hop is a try-hard to be his older bro, who is much succeed after several encounters he feels down and really depressed on how he can't be like his brother, later give up his ambition and move to a really better posittion for him than a rival

 

[shadowmoon522]

as far as this type of brothers shadow thing is concerned, i'd say peony had it a lot worse than hop did as peony clearly got pressured more and unlike hop, he didn't want to be his brother but rather be own man

he's also clearly still a bit sour about anything involving his issues with his brother.

 

[SadOldMan]

Hop is an interesting character, but the truth is that he enjoyes more on helping pokemon that batling. He is curious and tríes múltiple things to come to an answer, that's why he tríes so many strategies to best you. Hop has the inteligence and habilities to be a professor.
Though I couldn't stop feeling like we just beat the crap out of him thouout the whole game haha

 

[OumpaLumpa]

The moment Nintendo/Gamefreak or whoever has the ability to decide the plot, takes action and stops resetting characters, I believe we'll have the opportunity to see higher levels of character development. Having continuous resets of characters ends up having to squish in a single game all the characters and their development.

#bringBrockAndMistyBack