6th Gen Takes Juan to know Juan!

[blue]

Juan made his debut in Pokemon Emerald replacing Wallace as the 8th Gym Leader who replaced Steven as Champion. He didn't really have much of a major role other than being a Gym Leader, he was away from Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire originally but does that mean he will be excluded from these games? Do you think Juan will return as the 8th Gym Leader? Discuss away!

 

[MarioManH]

Juan will be put as the 8th Gym Leader, seeing that the games do coincide with the anime to a degree. The main problem is knowing who's going to be champion, because it's either:
Steven is the Champion and Wallace will be a Contest Master
or
Steven is a "Roamer" and Wallace remains the champion from Emerald.

 

[Timbjerr]

I actually prefer Juan over Wallace as Sootopolis Gym leader, but Steven over Wallace as champion. I hope I can have one without the other. XD

 

[Meksal]

I never liked Juan as a gym leader, he seemed more like an excuse instead of an actual storyline change.

 

[antemortem]

If it means having Wallace as the Champion, I'm vehemently against it because I want either Steven or someone new. Juan was a fine Gym Leader, and I loved his newer in-game sprites so it'd be interesting to see him again in-game. Kingdra as another leader's signature Pokemon was off-putting though.

 

[Altairis]

If it means having Wallace as the Champion, I'm vehemently against it because I want either Steven or someone new. Juan was a fine Gym Leader, and I loved his newer in-game sprites so it'd be interesting to see him again in-game. Kingdra as another leader's signature Pokemon was off-putting though.

This. Since we're getting Ruby/Sapphire remakes, I assume that we will get Steven as Champion and Wallace as Gym Leader. However, since Juan was pretty important in Emerald's storyline, I doubt that they will leave him out entirely. Do you think maybe that they'll put in a tag battle with Wallace & Juan vs. you like they did with Flint & Volkner in DPPt?

 

[Chibi-chan]

I liked Wallace as a gym leader more than I liked Juan ):
It was very interesting plot wise to know that he trained Wallace and stuff, and I seem to be one of the few people who liked Wallace, so I was okay with him. He also was kind of relevant in the anime I think?? I have a feeling it might be Wallace again, if Wallace isn't champ anymore.

Or maybe.....the Sootopolis Gym will be a team duo of Juan and Wallace! That'd be so fun! ^o^/

 

[Sheep]

Juan seemed like a character thrown into the story on a whim for the sake of bumping Wallace to champion in Emerald. I'm hoping he'll either be more of a contests person come OR/AS or a new leader in the battle facility/frontier/whatever it'll end up as rather than a gym leader; that role isn't really suited for him.

Keep Wallace as the eighth gym leader, please! :(

 

[antemortem]

I'm hoping he'll either be more of a contests person come OR/AS

That would honestly be a cool dynamic. Maybe he could tutor you in how Pokemon Contests work or be like Fantina and just appear there the first time but with the added bonus of competing against you in high level (what was it, Super? Master?) contests. That would be so awesome dsfskjd

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

Couldn't they just pull a Drayden & Iris in the Hoenn remakes, where Wallace is gym leader, Steven is champion, and Juan is free roamer in Omega Ruby, and Juan is gym leader, Wallace is champion, and Steven is free roamer in Alpha Sapphire?

 

[Chibi-chan]

That would honestly be a cool dynamic. Maybe he could tutor you in how Pokemon Contests work or be like Fantina and just appear there the first time but with the added bonus of competing against you in high level (what was it, Super? Master?) contests. That would be so awesome dsfskjd

If Wallace became a Contest rival I think that would be the most amazing thing ever... Wally and Wallace, the two rivals of ASOR

 

[Elaitenstile]

Juan and Wallace are two very shameful idiots. Did you even count the amount of ladies stashed away below the ice? I mean what?

Wallace should be some kind of connoisseur, maybe he can be a spotter like Scott. A contest rival also sounds real interesting.

 

[Zeffy]

The should really just get rid of Wallace.

 

[antemortem]

Juan and Wallace are two very shameful idiots. Did you even count the amount of ladies stashed away below the ice? I mean what?

Wallace should be some kind of connoisseur, maybe he can be a spotter like Scott. A contest rival also sounds real interesting.

Or maybe he can be the spotter instead of Scott. Scott was a useless tub of lard anyway.

 

[Hiatus]

I like them both, really! If they wish to keep these guys, maybe they could have them exclusive to each version; perhaps Wallace could be final leader in OR while Juan does the other, or vice-versa. Either that, or it'd be nice if they could make them available in both games and allow you to choose between which you'd like to face.

 

[Elaitenstile]

Worth pointing out that all the leaders were built up without any real story. I would argue that Wallace only seems less thrown in than Juan because you'd played Ruby/Sapphire to begin with.

Their stories were a bit elaborated in the anime, and it was easy to guess that Roxanne just finished trainer school to bear the tough responsibility of a Gym Leader and Flannery was inexperienced and simply taking the place of her dad. Norman was also our dad, so I guess that's another interesting background. Though I'll admit, none of the other leaders had anything on them.

But you are right about the Wallace part, Juan said he was Wallace's 'mentor' but he's just a bit weaker than him, that's all.

 

[Taemin]

They could pull something like they did with Iris, and have Wallace as Gym Leader in one version of the game, and Juan in the other. Assuming that the Champion is Steven, and neither one would be there. -w-

 

[Jellicent♀]

If they involve Juan again, I want him to be a bit more important. Hell, even Wallace had more of a role when he was Gym Leader, while Juan is just that guy in the coat that everyone's waiting for you to beat. He had my favorite team between the to as Gym Leader, and he was definitely much more of a challenge thanks to that Kingdra and Crawdaunt. Seeing him participate in a Pokemon Contest would be fun as Hell, though. <3
I'd love to show him how much prettier my Pokemon are than his. c:

 

[Rivvon]

Considering how FRLG and HGSS came out, it's safe to assume that ORAS will be Emerald remakes with the version differences of RS applied to them. In that case, I would like to see them "pull a BW," so to speak.

First time through, you fight Wallace as the 8th Gym Leader, and Steven as the Champion.

Defeat Steven, watch the credits roll, and Juan replaces Wallace as 8th Gym Leader. Wallace replaces Steven, and Steven goes off to Meteor Falls with a stronger team like he does in Emerald.

I have nothing against Wallace, and I love him as a Gym Leader. Juan is pretty cool as well. But having an all-Water Champion along with an all-Water Gym (and the final one, no less) severely reduces the challenge and was not a design choice I enjoyed at all. I think the method I described above helps keep things consistent between both RS and E, and gives the main part of the game a bit more challenge with diverse types amongst the league members.

 

[curiousnathan]

I always felt like Juan and Wallace were too similar, so I'd love to see Juan not appear in ORAS. I remember always getting confused between the two of them as a kid and young and naive Pokemon trainer. d:

Hence, I'd really love to see Steven retain/regain his championship, or if not even see Wally up there with the title. I just hope gamefreak don't pull another Iris on us and have May or say, Roxanne serve as champion.