Spoiler:
...there's a literal preschooler in the Elite Four in this game?
I'm talking about Poppy, the Steel-type Elite Four. Yes, I know we've had Acerola in the Alola games, but Acerola is at the very least 11 years old - the minimum age to be a Trial Captain and the typical age of the player characters. Poppy can't be older than seven at most (I've heard some reports that she's actually five), and she's the fourth-strongest Trainer in the region. Look, in a region that so much values education, having in the Elite Four a girl who is barely old enough to attend school looks... pretty suspicious. Last time we even saw Preschoolers as a Trainer class, they were just that - kids often accompanied by teachers, caretakers or parents, and they had two Pokémon at most. Poppy's parents are nowhere to be seen, and by her team's average level, it seems that they've put her through the wringer to command all those powerful Pokémon. The other Elite Four members don't bat an eyelash at this either, and just casually let her hang around and even put her in the League's payroll. The hell?
With the discourse on the treatment of child stars being recently reignited... it seemed in poor taste to me to add an extreme example of such in a Pokémon game. It would be one thing if it was pointed out that Poppy's inclusion isn't normal even for child prodigy standards or if Poppy herself talked about how strange her upbringing is (like Iono does with her celebrity life)... but neither of these happens. The rest of the characters are just so casual about it, and it makes my hair stand on end. Anyone else get a similar feeling?
I'm talking about Poppy, the Steel-type Elite Four. Yes, I know we've had Acerola in the Alola games, but Acerola is at the very least 11 years old - the minimum age to be a Trial Captain and the typical age of the player characters. Poppy can't be older than seven at most (I've heard some reports that she's actually five), and she's the fourth-strongest Trainer in the region. Look, in a region that so much values education, having in the Elite Four a girl who is barely old enough to attend school looks... pretty suspicious. Last time we even saw Preschoolers as a Trainer class, they were just that - kids often accompanied by teachers, caretakers or parents, and they had two Pokémon at most. Poppy's parents are nowhere to be seen, and by her team's average level, it seems that they've put her through the wringer to command all those powerful Pokémon. The other Elite Four members don't bat an eyelash at this either, and just casually let her hang around and even put her in the League's payroll. The hell?
With the discourse on the treatment of child stars being recently reignited... it seemed in poor taste to me to add an extreme example of such in a Pokémon game. It would be one thing if it was pointed out that Poppy's inclusion isn't normal even for child prodigy standards or if Poppy herself talked about how strange her upbringing is (like Iono does with her celebrity life)... but neither of these happens. The rest of the characters are just so casual about it, and it makes my hair stand on end. Anyone else get a similar feeling?
