#switch code

then we were introduced to the switch code which is the idea of the perfect matchup between a bakugan and a battler; a partner who can bring out a bakugan’s maximum potential. this makes sense when you consider that hawktor wasn’t entirely comfortable with dan’s aggressive fighting style and how drago wasn't used to shun's quick and stealthy movements.

ren also gave rubanoid to linus, believing that a pyrus battler could make better use of rubanoid's abilities than he could.

furthermore, barodius knew that he didn't hold the key to maximizing linehalt’s power; that key belonged with ren, which is why barodius went so far out of his way to manipulate ren into doing his bidding.  

a not so quick aside, but i genuinely believe hawktor was the best partner for shun after skyress. he was just the right mixture of bird and ninja, and his rough edo/shitamachi dialect and mannerisms carried an easygoing vibe that just wasn't present with ingram's overly serious and samurai-esque character. hawktor's personality was informal and playful enough without being too close to the level of marucho's usual goofy partners.

it paired off nicely with shun's more reserved and no-nonsense nature instead of adding to it, and i like to think it helped soften him. plus the bird aspect of shun's partners completely disappeared in season 4 with taylean and jakkor and i think it's a very important element to keep.

i'm glad hawktor was introduced in the season that dealt with the idea of perfect pairings and i'm inclined to say shun could have the switch code for hawktor and not skyress. shun and skyress shared a special bond but there was a reason why skyress couldn't stay with him so it's unlikely that shun and skyress would be the right partners for each other in the long run.

this does bring up interesting questions such as: who has aranaut’s switch code? does it lie with fabia or did it lie with jin (and similarly with rubanoid, linus and sid.) did these new partnerships come to pass because there was someone more ideal for them out there? or were they perfect for each other from the very start?

the switch code as a concept is really fascinating, especially when considering the japanese descriptions from the old s1 website. they speak of the bakugan coming to earth through a link with their respective battler, further reinforcing the idea that bakugan and battler bonds are, in a way, predestined.

we see this especially with how all the brawlers met their bakugan (sans runo.) drago came to earth right in the middle of dan’s battle, preyas came to earth months before and still found his way to marucho, golem quite boldly proclaims that julie is the perfect partner for him, skyress came with the wind through the window in shiori’s hospital room because that’s where shun spent most of his time as shiori got sicker, etc.

that's why i find it especially annoying when ms1 takes that concept and makes it needlessly complicated. what was once a special bond between battler and bakugan is now a "key and gate"?

there's such a thing as a "malfunction" in their bond which has nothing to do with dan and drago's unity as a team???

so the switch code no longer represents dan and drago's friendship and compatibility as partners but instead it's a thing that mag mel can physically steal from them?? stealing drago's power to escape is one thing but taking drago's dna code?? when razenoid already has drago's dna code inside of him?? what????

you see how strange it gets and how it starts to make little sense? now dan and drago's switch code has become a macguffin of sorts to drive the plot of ms1 forward when it was once the simple work of fate inevitably pulling two beings together in a partnership (if it hadn't already.) it makes absolutely no sense for code eve's power to be able to change dan and drago's bond of friendship into a key that can then be stolen and used to free the supervillain she imprisoned herself and/or make him stronger. (insert code eve is a terrible orb deity jokes.)

it's disappointing because maybe this could've been the season where dan and drago performed worse as a team because their friendship was put to the test, a callback to season 1 if you will. i like the idea behind the mechtogan, because it's an ability that requires battler and bakugan to be in sync in order to summon and command one, but not the execution because, well, it's a giant robot fighting on behalf of the bakugan. it gets boring to look at real quick.