Okay so. What are your headcanons for relationships and the league? By which I mean, was Leon under any legal pressure to date/to not date/to date certain people/etc.? Was there any other pressures?
oh boy yes!!! sdkfjbdskjfbds this might get ranty I am sorry. I am just EXCITED.
We all know Leon became champion at age 10, which apparently was regarded a very young age to become champion or maybe even challenge the league at all. I am pretty sure it was rigged by Rose for him to win. Possibly also for him never to lose. Leon is taught from this young age the importance of having a “stage persona” for the media. He needs to be popular.
In exchange for making Leon into Galar’s greatest champion, I believe Rose had a very strict set of guidelines that Leon had to abide by lest he be replaced and sent home, a failure. Leon of course, does anything Rose asks of him for all the years leading up to swsh events. When it comes to relationships, and not just of the romantic kind but ANY kind, I think Rose intentionally limited them. Even his FAMILY didn’t get to see him often outside of on TV. Most of the gym leaders don’t get to know him very well. Leon had to play the part of the hero and this image could NOT be ruined by selfish feelings or scandals. Leon turns out to fit the role perfectly.
For all these reasons and more I think Leon was either kept far too busy or just not allowed to maintain and create friendships, hang out with people very often to get to know them, go visit his family at home whenever he wanted, etc. I think this is also the reason he gets “lost” so often. Yes, he’s bad with directions generally because he never got to travel Galar on his own after the challenge, but not bad enough to just... end up in a different town. I think sometimes, when he gets really... REALLY lost, it’s on purpose. It’s to get away for a while where nobody knows where he is, not even himself. Rose seems to not be bothered by this, knowing Leon will always do exactly as he’s supposed to without fail.
When Leon starts to question Rose, as we see towards the end of swsh, Rose charges ahead of schedule to trigger the darkest day, probably sensing that Leon has every intention of losing his title in the finals when that was clearly not the preferred plan. Oleana, who was in charge, is freaking out. Leon, despite how they argued the day before, rushes to Rose’s side and attempts to fufill his role as the hero, which we know he fails to do.
I think possibly there were other characters in on the big secret of either the league corruption or the darkest day itself... but I’d have to look into them more to know! Characters that make me squint are Piers, Raihan, Bede, Oleana, Magnolia, Opal and Mustard!! They KNOW THINGS!! I am very excited to see more information on all of this get revealed in the anime and manga.... hopefully!!
