Gladion

[pkmin3033]

A trainer who unofficially works for Team Skull, brother to Lillie and Lusamine's son, Gladion functioned as something of a rival character to the player. He later became President of the Aether Foundation at the end of the game and, in the aftermath of USUM's announcement, this concept art - later debunked as fake - were "leaked" on the internet.

But it does raise an interesting question - what role would you like Gladion to have in these games? If a sequel/continuation to SM, how do you imagine he'll fit into the story as the Aether Foundation's new President? If an alternate setting, would you like to see him as a member of Team Skull again, or as something else?
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[riddlemeree]

Gladion was nice and all, but I really feel like there was something missing to him--something that just did not make him feel complete as a rival, or even a character in general.

I wouldn't mind him being in the Aether Foundation this time, but I feel like that would mean that we'd have missed the opportunity to expand more upon his character. The game would be banking upon the fact that we know all about him due to the earlier installment, but due to the fact that he never got the chance to have any development to begin with would just make the interaction empty rather than something meaningful.

However, him being in Team Skull again would just feel rehashed. There wouldn't be anywhere for him to go from there either that we haven't seen from him.

What I'm hoping for is something completely different. Maybe like him and Lillie in opposite sides to what they were before (which would also be great on showing Lillie as well). No idea, but that's just what I want.

Overall, he has a ton of potential and these new installments might make him into a really great and memorable character.

 

[Alexander18]

Gladion was one of the best characters in SM. He is made in a brilliant way.

 

[Nah]

Gladion was one of the best characters in SM. He is made in a brilliant way.

How so?

 

[clbgolden]

I hope we get more battles with him. In Sun and Moon there were only like, three, even though he was (sort of) a rival. A few more fights during the main story and a daily post game fight with him would be great.

Also, better keep that god-tier battle theme...

 

[Hikamaru]

I loved Gladion as a character, but like some of the others mentioned, we didn't get to battle him much. Ever since that one piece of fake artwork of him in an Aether Foundation getup, I would love to see him actually become the President of Aether Foundation, but I also hope we get more development for him.

 

[Desert Stream~]

that fake concept art scared the heck out of me... I only liked him because he was edgy, if they made him not edgy it would ruin the whole game

 

[Alexander18]

How so?

What do you mean? His appearance in SM speaks for itself. He is definitely better of the two siblings.

 

[MegaKuriboh]

As much as I love Gladion, I do feel like his development was rushed, he simply wasn't seen enough for his development to be effective, he kinda felt like a bootleg Silver, although Gladion was never truly an asshole, just angsty. I wanna see him more in USUM, if it's a Platinum type game, let him appear in Melemele sometime, maybe surprise us with a battle, if his Null is too OP for that time he could use Porygon or Riolu instead. I wanna see more of his interactions with Team Skull too and maybe push a bit more at first that he's a threat, and then he'll slowly warm up to you until the battle at Aether happens. Honestly when I first played SM I was so confused that he was teaming up with me when he hated us not even two trials ago. I love Gladion, but please give him a bigger role.

 

[Nah]

What do you mean? His appearance in SM speaks for itself. He is definitely better of the two siblings.

just want to hear, in detail, why you like Gladion so much is all

 

[Alexander18]

just want to hear, in detail, why you like Gladion so much is all

Because he has a cool personality and has a decent team.

 

[jombii]

I hope we get a Gladion's Aether Foundation, one that is really committed to their cause and not just a front for shady activity. Plus, we might get more out of Type: Null or Silvally, like more spotlight. From the announcement pre-SuMo, I really believed that it would play a bigger part than just "being on Gladion's team."

 

[OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire]

I hope we get a Gladion's Aether Foundation, one that is really committed to their cause and not just a front for shady activity. Plus, we might get more out of Type: Null or Silvally, like more spotlight. From the announcement pre-SuMo, I really believed that it would play a bigger part than just "being on Gladion's team."

As did I...
If this is an alternative version then maybe they could make it that Gladion never stole it from Lusamine. And instead Lusamine uses it to battle the Ultra Beasts.

 

[Palamon]

I'd like to see Gladion's role altered and explained. Make him a member of the Aeither Foundation this time around, and give us more to him than what we got in S/M. Sure, him being a member of Team Skull (kinda) was alright, but I always found him to be Edgelord Supreme without much development. Either way, I feel like I'd like to see this happen.

also maybe he can have nebby this time. joking, of course

 

[pkmin3033]

As did I...
If this is an alternative version then maybe they could make it that Gladion never stole it from Lusamine. And instead Lusamine uses it to battle the Ultra Beasts.

There are three Type: Null in existence, so how about if both happened? Be a bit of a blow to Lusamine if her Type: Null never evolved and failed, prompting Gladion to swoop in with his Silvally...which could evolve at that point, even.

Honestly, I felt that - much like everything else about him - Gladion's Type: Null evolving into Silvally was a waste of potential development. Evolving to battle the beasts to save his psychotic mother would be a better reason than just "oh, it's been with me a really long time now" or something.

 

[OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire]

There are three Type: Null in existence, so how about if both happened? Be a bit of a blow to Lusamine if her Type: Null never evolved and failed, prompting Gladion to swoop in with his Silvally...which could evolve at that point, even.

Honestly, I felt that - much like everything else about him - Gladion's Type: Null evolving into Silvally was a waste of potential development. Evolving to battle the beasts to save his psychotic mother would be a better reason than just "oh, it's been with me a really long time now" or something.

Yeah. It would've been better if he accompanied Lillie and the Player. His Type: Null could've evolved and rushed to save Lillie from their psychotic mother.

 

[pkmin3033]

Yeah. It would've been better if he accompanied Lillie and the Player. His Type: Null could've evolved and rushed to save Lillie from their psychotic mother.

Gladion is too much of an Edgelord Tsundere to accompany the player anywhere, haha. Although as a result I never got a sense of a change from him - Silvally was just there with him because it had to be in order to provide a slightly tougher (hahahaha!) battle, not because he really deserved it.

Yeah. Gladion was miserably underused and hopefully that'll be something they fix in USUM...although not to the point that USUM become Pokemon: Gladion Version the way SM were Pokemon: Lillie Version.

 

[Alexander18]

Gladion was never underused. He appeared the right amount of times. Neither him nor type null were a waste of potential. Both of them far surpass a certain sister who appeared too many times and did nothing throughout the game.

 

[pkmin3033]

Sometimes less is more, but one thing I don't think Pokemon has ever had is a properly developed character. I can't see USUM changing that in the least, because the writers just don't have a clue and they don't NEED to have a clue to sell games, but I don't think fairer representation and appearance between the two siblings is totally out of the question, whether these games are sequels or alternate re-tellings or whatever. Whether that means less Lillie or more Gladion - or both - I couldn't say. But either way, with what little they had with him, I still think they could do better by their standards.

 

[OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire]

Sometimes less is more, but one thing I don't think Pokemon has ever had is a properly developed character. I can't see USUM changing that in the least, because the writers just don't have a clue and they don't NEED to have a clue to sell games, but I don't think fairer representation and appearance between the two siblings is totally out of the question, whether these games are sequels or alternate re-tellings or whatever. Whether that means less Lillie or more Gladion - or both - I couldn't say. But either way, with what little they had with him, I still think they could do better by their standards.

That's true. Even N, AZ, and Zinnia weren't all the developed despite being interesting characters.