History AlternativeCharacterInterpretation / Pokemon

* Delia clearly loves her son but she seems more than happy to have him gone and there's a RunningGag of her ignoring him when they meet. According to ''Literature/PocketMonstersTheAnimation'', Delia [[TeenPregnancy married young and got pregnant at 19]]. She loves Ash but misses her youth and is happy to have him gone because now she can be more free to enjoy her youth. While just a author's side material and not officially canon, it's easy to also apply this interpretation to the anime. The reduction of the aforementioned gag in later episodes, if this is true, would be her having had her own fun and adventures while Ash was away and has scratched that itch enough to be satisfied.

** It's been confirmed by dialogue in-game and in other pieces of media that Gym leaders [[WillfullyWeak hold back]] against the trainer. After the Indigo Disk DLC showcases the Elite Four with much ''much'' more competent teams, others have speculated this included the Elite Four and Geeta. Because they treated it as more of a formality as part of their job (Especially Larry), others have speculated that Geeta in particular just wanted to get her "Champion battle" done as soon as possible because Nemona really ''really'' wanted to challenge the player at full strength. Others have also added another interpretation that Geeta didn't use her Chesnaught the first time because a rule with the league is to only use Pokémon from the region - neither of which are native to Paldea. Thus, it's much like the player's own restrictions.

** It's been confirmed by dialogue in-game and in other pieces of media that Gym leaders [[WillfullyWeak hold back]] against the trainer. After the Indigo Disk DLC showcases the Elite Four with much ''much'' more competent teams, others have speculated this included the Elite Four and Geeta. Because they treated it as more of a formality as part of their job (Especially Larry), others have speculated that Geeta in particular just wanted to get her "Champion battle" done as soon as possible because Nemona really ''really'' wanted to challenge the player at full strength. Others have also added another interpretation that Geeta did not [[spoiler: use her Chesnaught or Dragapult]] the first time because a rule with the league is to only use Pokémon from the region - neither of which are native to Paldea. Thus, it's much like the player's own restrictions.

* A ''lot'' of Pokémon species get this in ''Pokémon Ultra Sun'' and ''Ultra Moon''[='=]s Pokédex entries, which are full of calling out undeserved reputations and inconsistencies. Just some examples:

** It's been confirmed by dialogue in-game and in other pieces of media that Gym leaders [[WillfullyWeak hold back]] against the trainer. After the Indigo Disk DLC showcases the Elite Four with much ''much'' more competent teams, others have speculated this included the Elite Four and Geeta. Because they treated it as more of a formality as part of their job (Especially Larry), others have speculated that Geeta in particular just wanted to get her "Champion battle" done as soon as possible because Nemona really ''really'' wanted to challenge the player at full strength.

** Does Misty have a crush on Ash or not? There are [[ShipTease plenty of signs]] but at the same time it's vague enough for them to be PlatonicLifePartners instead.

** Ash is almost always depicted as being ObliviousToLove. Is he an ignorant IdiotHero? A somewhat dense 10-year old who simply doesn't get romance yet and isn't interested in it? UsefulNotes/{{Asexual|ity}}? That's not even discussing the interpretations that he might like one of his companions (typically either Misty or Serena) and either does not realize it or will not admit it. Or perhaps he does know, but [[ObfuscatingStupidity intentionally plays oblivious]] because [[InsecureLoveInterest he doesn't see himself as good boyfriend material]], or doesn't want to hurt their feelings.

* TheRival Nemona from ''VideoGame/PokemonScarletAndViolet'''s constant clinging to the PlayerCharacter left many wondering whether she's a StalkerWithACrush or [[StalkerWithoutACrush without]]. On paper [[INeedYouStronger she just wants a strong opponent]], but she exhibits some ClingyJealousGirl tendencies with some fans taking it even farther and [[MemeticPsychopath playfully suggesting]] she's actually a {{yandere}}.
-->'''Nemona:''' You don't have to go find randos to battle! You'll have all the battles you'll ever need... with me!

* Does Hop even want to be a trainer or is he simply trying to live up to the tremendous shadow being cast by Leon? After all, he seems all too happy to lose to the player and it's only after being insulted by Bede that causes any emotional distress...

** Cyrus-- is he WellIntentionedExtremist? Even his die-hard fans will admit that his actions were evil and he had to be stopped, but was it as simple as defeating a megalomaniac? Or was there a good motive under that insanity? Giving him a CryForTheDevil backstory--which you don't discover until he's already gone from the plot--throws a wrench in the works, as does that some of his agents want to continue his organization even with the realization that Cyrus himself had gone too far.

** Why does Misty drag Brock away when he flirts? Is it because she finds it annoying? Because she doesn't want him to embarrass himself? Because she thinks it's creepy? Or does she have a crush on him?

* Cameron could be considered the {{Antithesis}} of Ritchie. A league rival who represents Ash's negative qualities (dopiness and impulsiveness) but ''amplified''.

* Was James' Victreebel another over-affectionate Pokémon or genuinely just trying to eat its master? [[EpilepticTrees Is it even the same Pokémon as the Weepinbell James originally possessed?]]

* Does Miette ''actually'' like Ash, or does she just pretend to as a way of teasing and taunting Serena?

* Delia clearly loves her son but she seems more than happy to have him gone and there's a RunningGag of her ignoring him when they meet. According to ''Literature/PocketMonstersTheAnimation'', Delia [[TeenPregnancy married young and got pregnant at 19]]. She loves Ash but misses her youth and is happy to have him gone because now she can be more free. While just a author's side material and not officially canon, it's easy to also apply this interpretation to the anime.

** Darkrai is often depicted in canon media as dangerous and shady, and [[VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonExplorers sometimes]] all the way up to [[CompleteMonster utter monster]]. A common fandom alternative, though, is that it is no more malevolent than any other given Legendary and suffers from BadPowersGoodPeople, requiring withdrawal from people to prevent causing pain and making itself genuinely hated. This interpretation is also confirmed to be canon in the core games, with PowerIncontinence on top of the harmful nature of Darkrai's powers.

** Byron is reluctant to send his son Roark out to fight Team Galactic, even though it's the job of Gym Leaders to protect the region. Is it because he thinks Roark can't beat them, being a relatively new Gym Leader, or is he being an OverprotectiveDad and doesn't want his son to get hurt?

** There's also speculation that Jessie, James, and Meowth aren't villains, but deep cover heroes using the guise of incompetence to subtly influence Ash into becoming a better Trainer, and herding him into the right places to do good. Considering their motto used to start off with "To protect the world from devastation", this doesn't seem all that farfetch'd.

* It's a never ending debate on whether [[TheRival Paul]] is either a {{Domestic Abuse}}r who tortures Pokemon, never shows any care for them whatsoever, and deserves to have his license as a trainer taken away, or if he's simply a JerkWithAHeartOfJerk and very [[StealthMentor strict trainer]] who's also fair enough to his Pokemon and knows his methods will pay off in the end. If you look at the way Paul is from his first appearances to his last, you'll most certainly see he's made some changes.
* Ash;

** Is every season using the same Ash? Or did the series start using soft reboots at some point?
** Is Ash truly forgetful when he winds up using his Pokédex on Pokémon he's already seen? Or is he dexing them again to see if any new information has been discovered on that Pokémon? One particular example is when no information came up for Haunter during Ash's Kanto journey, but when he stumbled across another Haunter during his journey around the Orange Islands, the Pokédex actually had some information this time around.

** Did Misty's acquisition of Togepi allow her to tame her earlier feistiness and mature her into someone more nurturing?

** On a closer look, the moment that he started disobeying Ash was ''not'' right after he evolved to Charmeleon, but rather the first time he was called to battle after that. [[BloodKnight Given his nature]], he clearly took it as a grave insult that they were calling him out to ''lose''. That might have been the trigger that resulted in his disobedience afterwards.

* The recurring Jigglypuff. [[Recap/PokemonS1E45TheSongOfJigglypuff Its first appearance depicts its inability to sing]] until Ash and co. heal its voice, but they fall asleep when hearing Jigglypuff's song, causing it to [[BerserkButton get angry]] and leading to one of the series longest {{Running Gag}}s, with Ash's party being one of its most common targets. Is Jigglypuff really that [[TheDitz ditzy]], trying to [[AttentionWhore force them to listen to its song]] and [[DisproportionateRetribution getting unjustifiedly angry]]? Or is it actually trying to [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe pay them back the favor by singing for them]] and getting angry for, [[JerkassHasAPoint in Jigglypuff's eyes]], [[PoorCommunicationKills Ash and co. not appreciating its song and falling asleep]]?
* Burgundy herself is thought to be a {{Tsundere}} with some BelligerentSexualTension with Cilan.

* It might be possible that in "Bulbasaur's Mysterious Garden" Ash's Bulbasaur didn't want to evolve because he was worried that it would suddenly become disobedient like Charmander did upon evolving into Charmeleon.

* Does Miette ''actually'' like Ash, or does she just pretend to as a way of taunting Serena?

* The nurses are caring medical practitioners who you only visit when your Pokemon are badly injured but they say they "hope to see you again soon". It comes off as malicious to some.

* Delia clearly loves her son but she seems more than happy to have him gone and there's a RunningGag of her ignoring him when they meet. According to ''LightNovel/PocketMonstersTheAnimation'', Delia [[TeenPregnancy married young and got pregnant at 19]]. She loves Ash but misses her youth and is happy to have him gone because now she can be more free. While just a author's side material and not officially canon, it's easy to also apply this interpretation to the anime.

* The recurring Jigglypuff. [[Recap/PokemonS1E45TheSongOfJigglypuff Its first appearance depicts its]] [[BroughtDownToNormal inability to sing]] until Ash and co. heal its voice, but they fall asleep when hearing Jigglypuff's song, causing it to [[BerserkButton get angry]] and leading to one of the series longest {{Running Gag}}s, with Ash's party being one of its most common targets. Is Jigglypuff really that [[TheDitz ditzy]], trying to [[AttentionWhore force them to listen to its song]] and [[DisproportionateRetribution getting unjustifiedly angry]]? Or is it actually trying to [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe pay them back the favor by singing for them]] and getting angry for, [[JerkassHasAPoint in Jigglypuff's eyes]], [[PoorCommunicationKills Ash and co. not appreciating its song and falling asleep]]?

** You're wandering down a road miles away from home, your Pokémon are weak, possibly paralyzed or poisoned, several are knocked out, you're out of healing items and are desperately looking for a Pokémon center to heal your Pokémon but don't know your way around the area. As you struggle onward another trainer spots you and immediately challenges you to a battle, giving you no chance to back down and having no regard for the safety and well-being of your '{{Mon}}s. Or alternatively, they can be turned into morons if you just ran into a previous, optional trainer you skipped and they decide to challenge you without question, [[BullyingADragon especially if they're doing it after you beat the Pokemon League]]

** You're wandering down a road miles away from home, your Pokémon are weak, possibly paralyzed or poisoned, several are knocked out, you're out of healing items and are desperately looking for a Pokémon center to heal your Pokémon but don't know your way around the area. As you struggle onward another trainer spots you and immediately challenges you to a battle, giving you no chance to back down and having no regard for the safety and well-being of your '{{Mon}}s.

* This also applies to [[NiceGuy Cilan]]. His video game counterpart has [[ShrinkingViolet no confidence]] when facing the player character and his anime counterpart is rather [[LargeHam loud]] in comparison. Additionally, his anime counterpart is driven farther with what Burgundy states about him and how in her {{Imagine Spot}}, she suffered a [[HumiliationConga humiliating defeat]] from him and he taunts her. She is already made out to be a liar in the episode but when she challenges him later on in this episode, the audience ''sees'' Cilan enjoying toying with her needlessly when it would only take one hit to KO both of her Pokemon. Somehow, the idea of him being a {{nice guy}} in both continuities is shattered if you put this into perspective. This makes the idea of Cilan secretly being a bad guy and being one of the three members of the Shadow Triad more likely.

* ''[[UpToEleven The entire Pokédex]]'' becomes suspect with the introduction of the Galarian fossils, a grotesques quartet of MixAndMatchCritters who CameBackWrong thanks to the scientist [[MeaningfulName Cara Liss]] and whose Pokédex entries are heavily implied to be fabricated to make people believe these monstrosities actually existed. If these four mons can be given fake Pokédex entries, then what credibility can the rest of the Galarian Pokédex have when any random scientist in a lab coat can give a description and not be second guessed?

* Lyra (the female protagonist in ''HG/SS''). Both [[http://www.pokesho.com/img_4/4_hgss33.gif Japanese]] and [[http://toonness64.deviantart.com/art/Thats-MIND-BOGGELING-D-167739829 Western]] fandom love depicting her with a few screws loose, partially related to her ReplacementScrappy status. The Japanese version takes it up to eleven by making her NEVER change her expression. However, this is rarely used seriously.

* In ''[=JN032=]'', Goh states that he's glad to count on his Pokémon while trying to deny his friendship with Horace, implying that he equates capturing Pokemon with surrounding himself with friends he knows will never betray or leave him so that he's never hurt again.

* Professor Cerise explains in ''[=JN017=]'' that he knew that there was a Gengar haunting the building that would be his laboratory and decided to buy it anyway because he thought that [[ItAmusedMe having a poltergeist would be so much fun]]. But 6 episodes prior he acts terrified when it causes a rampage, especially when Chloe's Yamper is the only one who can stop it and only Chloe can command Yamper to attack. [[AdultFear Was he afraid of his daughter's safety?]] Was he acting scared so he can make Chloe gain confidence about liking Pokémon?