the very best, pt. ix

25 Mar, 2025

I have thus far resisted calling it Pokemonday, but I'm running out of novel ways to introduce The Very Best, our ongoing categorization of how cool and talented every Trainer in Pokemon X and Y are. No more ado, let us begin!

Surf's Up

Having now completed the Shalour City Gym and learned how to do a Mega Evolution, we now take Route 12 east to Coumarine City, where the next Gym awaits--but first, we're taking a small detour to the Azure Bay, an area I had previously forgotten about because I never really go there in normal playthroughs, because it's out of the way and doesn't really have any compelling reason for us to go there. We're about to run into more story, but for now it's just time to relax on the waves, beat up some Gym Trainers, and vibe.

Route 12: Swimmer Alessandro

Alessandro's team consists of a Binacle and a Qwilfish; at this point, the Binacle just doesn't have the stats to keep up with its peers, but Qwilfish is still pretty respectable--not enough to win any battles on its own, but at least it can put up a decent fight. Skill Rating: 2/5

Alessandro gives off seriously weird vibes. He starts out with a cheerful "Swimmin' alone!" like he's having a good time, then seems to blame his Binacle for losing, then, finally, says he needs a girlfriend. Please leave me alone, Alessandro. Coolness Rating: 1/5

Route 12: Backpacker Joren

Joren is another Backpacker with a Linoone; the last time we encountered one, it was at a point when Linoone is actually pretty solid, but by now everyone else has had a chance to catch up. It's still not thoroughly outclassed, but you need to do more than "okay" to be winning fights by the time we're pushing level 30. Skill Rating: 2/5

Joren is a listless wanderer who left the city behind and has no real destination in mind. He doesn't seem to be really interested in winning battles, and apparently he sometimes just stands and stares at the Skiddo ranch for hours on end. A perfect role model. Coolness Rating: 4/5

Route 12: Pokemon Breeder Amala

With a Seviper and a Miltank as part of her family, Amala's team is pretty respectable; both hit pretty hard, and Miltank is pretty fast and has solid defenses. Seviper's Poison Fang in particular has a lot of potential to really cause some problems for the unprepared. Skill Rating: 4/5

Amala calls her Pokemon her family, and also calls our Pokemon our family, and then after we've won she explains that, by family, she means her Pokemon. Yeah, I get it. Coolness Rating: 2/5

Route 12: Youngster Aiden

It feels a bit late to be running into a Youngster; unfortunately, Aiden doesn't have any of the particularly powerful Bug-types. His Whirlipede, Yanma, and Mothim come together to provide a team that's almost there, but not quite. Skill Rating: 2/5

I'm willing to put aside Aiden's standard "I'm using Bug-related language to showcase my love of Bug Pokemon" fare and give him props for his fairly mature attitude to losing a battle: "Man, you and your Pokémon don’t pull any punches, do you? It’s OK! I’m the same way. I hate losing to anyone, so I always give it my all!" While I think "I hate losing" is an attitude that is worth examining and working on, this is mature and demonstrates a lot of empathy. Coolness Rating: 5/5

Route 12: Pokemon Breeder Foster

Foster has a Zangoose and a Tauros, which I guess makes him the equivalent of Amala. Zangoose trades the utility of Seviper's Poison Fang for a more aggressive stat spread, which, while I'd rather have Seviper, feels like a pretty even trade to me. Skill Rating: 4/5

Foster lives rent-free in my head as the guy who says that burying his face in his Tauros's mane is a "jinx for battle", and then realizes upon his defeat that a jinx is bad luck. I don't feel like one would organically come to get those words confused, and that's baffling. I want to understand you, Foster. Coolness Rating: 3/5

Route 12: Fisherman Murray

It's the six Magikarps guy! A true classic of the genre! At this point it's just a trope, but I feel like at its inception the Six Magikarps Guy was a pretty solid jape. You're at the end of a route, your resources are maybe running a bit thin, and you're like "okay, one more guy and then we're onto the next town," and you see he has a full team of six. We haven't even seen a full team of six yet in this game! Then he has six Pokemon that the Pokedex spends all of its time dunking on. He's the easiest fight in the game. Skill Rating: 0/5

Fishing, according to Murray, is all about catching and releasing. The first part is definitely true, but he seems pretty sure he's not very good at the second part. Which, sure, I guess? Maybe if you released some Magikarps you'd have a better team? Coolness Rating: 2/5

Azure Bay¹: Swimmer Kieran

Remoraid, Skrelp, and Wailmer are all, regrettably, pretty subpar at this point in the game. Worse, his Remoraid could have evolved by now into Octillery, which has much better stats. He's even missed its signature move, which in Gen 6 it didn't just automatically learn on evolution! Kieran's team leaves much to be desired. Skill Rating: 1/5

Kieran has apparently swum here from Hoenn. That's probably a long way! I don't know much about long-distance swimming, though, so, like, maybe he's fine? He also seems to be impressed at how, so long as two places are connected by water, you can get there via that water. This feels unremarkable to me, but hey, at least he's found something he enjoys, I guess? Coolness Rating: 3/5

Azure Bay: Swimmer Romy

A solitary Slowpoke is pretty subpar at this stage in the game; I don't think Romy's winning many fights around here. Skill Rating: 1/5

Romy seems pretty chill--she's offering to show us some cool water illusions, she likes our Pokemon's moves, and then she does the thing where she asks "where does the water that Slowpoke sprays come from?" and suggests tears and sweat as possibilities. I believe the official answer is "it's mysterious energy", but props for making me think of Monster Hunter here. Coolness Rating: 4/5

Azure Bay: Fisherman Ewan

Clauncher and Carvanha feel like a Team Aqua team (though, of course, Clauncher is not a Hoenn Pokemon--maybe Kieran can bring some back with him?). Regrettably, as we are approaching level 30, these two are unlikely to be winning many battles. More's the pity--one more level and that Carvanha becomes a Sharpedo, and those guys are vicious. Skill Rating: 2/5

Ewan is trying to wax philosophical about our inability to change the world, but I don't really get what he's going for. Then he does some histrionics over losing and tells us he's afraid of deep water. I think Ewan's going through some things and came out here for the quiet? I'm just gonna leave him be. Coolness Rating: 2/5

Azure Bay: Sky Trainer Indra

Indra's level 31 Sigilyph actually kind of rules, even if my Aerodactyl crushed it handily. A strong stat spread and a moveset that requires some custom work--it's got Thunder Wave and Charge Beam--make it a potent threat in Sky Battles.² Skill Rating: 4/5

Indra seems to be just getting started in the world of Sky Battles, and his initial enthusiasm seems a bit dampened after we defeat him. Which is a shame, because I think he's really got potential. Coolness Rating: 3/5

Azure Bay: Swimmer Isla

Isla comes at us with a Corsola and a Lanturn. Corsola doesn't have much to offer, and while Lanturn can probably take a hit or two, it's still rather lacking in the damage department, leaving yet another underwhelming team in the Azure Bay. Skill Rating: 2/5

Azure Bay: Sky Trainer Elata

Elata has a level 28 Fletchinder and a Level 29 Pelipper. As fond as I am of Fletchinder, it isn't particularly amazing at this stage in the game. It's fast enough and hits hard enough that it can probably do some damage, so I'll give it some credit in the world of Sky Battles, but not enough to really slow anyone down. (I'd deduct points for that 4x Rock weakness, but Aerodactyl is pretty much the only Sky Battle eligible Pokemon that has Rock typing that I'm aware of at this point, so I think that's fine, actually.) Pelipper is a pretty solid Pokemon, capable of taking hits and dealing out decent enough damage, but overall Elata's team lacks anything to really set it apart. Skill Rating: 3/5

Elata seems to be having a good time. She seems to have enjoyed our battle, despite losing; she encourages us to keep aiming for the top and offers her continued support. We like Elata. Coolness Rating: 5/5

Coumarine City: Pokemon Trainer Calem

Another encounter with our rival! Same team as before, just higher level; he doesn't really have much to say here, except that he says he's hoping to see Mega Evolution. Sorry, man, I left that Lucario in the computer; I'm willing to have two members of my final team be Cynthia's Pokemon, but half my team would feel derivative.

Coumarine Gym: Pokemon Ranger Chaise

Chaise has a level 32 Simisage. The elemental monkeys are fine, but I think a little bit too jack-of-all-tradesy to be expected to win the fight on their own, y'know? Skill Rating: 3/5

Chaise believes in the power of nature. I respect that, I guess, though this gym feels very . . . cultivated. Coolness Rating: 3/5

Coumarine Gym: Pokemon Ranger Maurice

With a Ferroseed, Lombre, and Carnivine, all at level 29, Maurice's first two Pokemon are a bit underwhelming--though Ferroseed does cover a few of the Grass type's many weaknesses, and its Iron Barbs could wear someone down--but Carnivine, though slow, hits pretty hard and has respectable enough defenses. Overall not much more impressive than Chaise but also not markedly worse. Skill Rating: 3/5

Coumarine Gym: Pokemon Ranger Brooke

Brooke's level 30 Roselia and Wormadam are both pretty solid; or rather, Wormadam would be solid if it didn't have an x4 weakness to both Flying and Fire, the most common types people will be using against a Grass gym. Feels like a bit of an oversight. Skill Rating: 3/5

Brooke declares her intention to share the joy of defeating us with her Pokemon, then, upon her defeat, her intention to weep tears of regret over it. I feel like you need to rein it in a little, Brooke. Coolness Rating: 2/5

Coumarine Gym: Pokemon Ranger Twiggy

With a level 29 Gloom and a level 31 Exeggutor, Twiggy's team is probably the strongest we've yet seen in this Gym--Gloom is pretty unexciting but can probably soften you up a bit for Exeggutor, which hits hard enough that it can put out some serious damage, and has solid enough defenses that it will probably live long enough to land a hit or two. Skill Rating: 3/5

Putting aside the fact of being named Twiggy, Twiggy seems committed to emotional attunement with her Pokemon, which is respectable. I'm not sure if the correct way to go about that is to strive to never lose ever again, though. Coolness Rating: 3/5

Coumarine Gym: Leader Ramos

Ramos's team consists of a Jumpluff, a Weepinbell, and a Gogoat. Weepinbell is something of an also-ran here; Jumpluff's Acrobatics can hit pretty hard, and while Weepinbell is lucky if it lasts long enough to get poison up, those two combined can set up Gogoat for a pretty solid sweep. In his later teams at the Battle Chateau, Gogoat has access to Wild Charge and Earthquake to deal with flying and fire types, as well, and Jumpluff is more dedicated to setting up, with Stun Spore and Sleep Powder. Grass is a type that suffers immensely from how many common weaknesses it has, but Ramos builds a pretty respectable team out of it. Skill Rating: 5/5

Ramos has never struck me as particularly memorable; apart from the folksy/feisty old guy patois he uses in his dialog, there isn't much there. He likes gardening, and using plant metaphors. Coolness Rating: 2/5

And so, with yet another Gym Badge to our name, it's time to turn our sights south, to the Lumiose Badlands at Route 13, where Team Flare is causing problems at the power plant. That's right, it's time for our first villain dungeon! But first, we'll be paying a visit to Route 8 to make some new friends, using our newfound ability to fly and surf. Stay tuned, friends.

#the very best