So according to Bubbly Basin, Trace is officially the Kanto Champion, or at least the most recent Kanto Champion we know of. And I have a few thoughts on that.
-The implication seems to be that Trace actually won the title back from Chase/Elaine, which is something Blue never managed to do with Red. So, yeah, get wrecked, Blue! (By the way, no word yet on Chase or Elaine, but if Trace exists, so do they.
-Dunking aside, Blue almost certainly won the title back from Trace if/when he decided to step down as Viridian Gym Leader. I had assumed Trace would mind the Gym while Red and Blue were serving as Battle Legends in Alola, but if he’s the Champion at that point, then someone else would have to be. I personally think it’s Leaf. The only other option is Silver, but A: he wants nothing to do with Viridian Gym in particular, and B: he probably takes the Mahogany or Blackthorn job instead.
-People are taking this as proof that Let’s Go is the canon Kanto game to Pokopia, but the Kantrio’s costumes being from FRLG makes me think twice about that. Granted, they could just be outfit changes between their journeys in FRLG and their superboss fights in Let’s Go (assuming Leaf and Green are the same in Pokopia, which I don’t buy because Leaf’s record mentions the Sevii Islands specifically, though Adventures!Green has a loose connection to Sevii due to her parents living there…), but it’s telling that Ditto copies the FRLG outfits. (Also, Misty’s outfit is her Let’s Go design, but that’s nothing new thsnks to Masters.) And people forget that there’s a timeskip between the Kantrio’s journeys and the Let’s Go kids’, which would still be the same amount of time no matter which protagonist(s) disbanded Team Rocket. And I was going to say Red is still considered the Legendary Trainer, but that falls flat when Red gives the Battle Master title in Let’s Go, so…
-As previously mentioned, I’m not buying that Leaf and Green are the same in Pokopia just because of the Sevii article. Granted, “Green” could be a pseudonym used to keep others off her tail in pursuit of Mewtwo, but I dunno, unless such a thing is already in the game, an article confirming the existence of Mewtwo would probably make more sense in relation to Green specifically. That, or a commentary on her “be my Pokemon” schtick.
-So we definitely have a clear pathway into Masters for Trace now, right? Because if Trace is officially recognized as a Kanto Champion, then A: that’s probably why Chase and Elaine don’t currently mention him, and B: he probably gets to host a Neo Champion Stadium. And with the precedent set by Geeta when she dropped, he could potentially declare it for Kris and/or Hugh!
