Boss Rush Banter: Who is the Best Rival in Pokémon Games?

A staple in every Pokémon game is your rival, a fellow Pokémon trainer who you frequently battle with along your journey. These rivals can range from your best friend to your mortal enemy, with many recent entries giving two or more rivals instead of just one. We’ve seen a glimpse into our main rival from Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, a young trainer named Nemona, who “has a sunny and energetic disposition, and she absolutely loves Pokémon battles.” This new rival has a long line of predecessors to live up to though. Out of all of the rivals we’ve seen throughout the franchise, which Pokémon Rival is the best?

First off, let’s take a look at the guy who started the trend. Blue, or your rival in Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen, set the…