Playing through Ultra Pokémon Sun and Moon over the last couple of weeks gave me a chance to reconsider the major characters and story beats, and I’ve walked away believing one thing: the world of Alola failed Guzma.
In the latest episode of the Favecast, embedded above, Gita Jackson and I talk about why Team Skull is so beloved by the Pokémon fandom, and more specifically, how it feels unfair that Guzma was never allowed to become a trial captain. The fickle Totem system is celebrated, even though there is no rhyme or reason to the way these monsters act. You can’t help but wonder if Guzma becomes a ‘villain’ because he lives in a broken system that isn’t actually merit-based and is the only one who can see it.
We also talk about games we haven’t finished—not due to lack of time, but by choice. I, for example, am afraid of going through with ending E of Nier Automata. It’s not the first time I’ve grown too attached to a video game to complete it. Gita also reveals the messed-up way she played The Sims as a teen.
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