10 Badges?!

[CliveKoopa]

Also Lyra is shown to have a Zephyr badge and Hive badge in her badge case in that order. Then in a later episode, Brock talks about Whitney and Morty.

Besides, even if that were true, that still doesn't explain the whole badge case issue (where they, you know, actually indented the badges in such a way where it is impossible to do any other badges than the eight on there?)

The anime is stupid for doing that. Ash should have just wore them in his coat like he did with Kanto and Johto.

As for the statement from Norman its possible he believed his power to be greater then other gyms and thus thought Ash wasn't a worthy enough opponent at his current skill level.

That's an interesting theory seeing as he is seen as some kind of celebrity in his hometown, which is shown in the episode before Ash gets his Balance Badge. It makes more sense than a set order.

Veilstone isn't a port city its in the middle of land on all four sides. And ever stop and think that Paul traveled back to Sinnoh much like Ash? It is also possible that Paul started at Oreburgh because he felt that would be a good place to challenge first.

That's true. It doesn't actually state what other badges he got and in what order after getting Oreburgh's gym badge.

Can you for certain say that there is a set course or anything? Also if you were to cross reference the show with Platinum you would realise there is no set order cause the gyms are mixed up. Maybe Normal said what he did because maybe there are groups of 8 gym leaders and you have to battle them in those groups or maybe he was trying to get Ash to take a certain path. We don't know so this topic is really a waste of time. All we can do is say "Well there are different badges within a region so there must be more then 8 but who knows what order a person can do them in except the writers"

I, personally, couldn't care less what Norman said or what the PokeNAV says. As far as I'm concerned, there is no set order in Hoenn and there is more than eight gym badges. Also the indents prove nothing, that's just there for advertising the upcoming badges from the games.