Eric The Red

At least….

But there are two things I feel are worth mentioning

1. Team Rocket is actually where the basis for the Shadow Pokemon concept originated, even though we didn't get actual Shadow Pokemon until Orre. Back in the first ever generation of the franchise, Team Rocket had a Trading Card Game set to themselves and while regular Rocket-owned Pokemon in their base forms were just named like any other Pokemon, once they evolved under Team Rocket's abusive and heart-hardening training, they were elevated to "Dark Pokemon".

But Dark Pokemon weren't like Shadow Pokemon because they didn't have their minds twisted and their hearts shut down by some dark aura - they were just really mean and aggressive Pokemon that could be used to commit dark deeds for criminals looking to profit.

Until the anime got in on it and gave us its own take on Dark Pokemon with the villain of the fourth movie.

This guy didn't train Pokemon to become dark, he captured them with his specially created "Dark Balls", which did twist the Pokemon's hearts and minds with dark aura in order to turn them dark. This was basically the prototype for Shadow Pokemon.

2. In between the end of Gen 3 and Team Go Rocket's appearance late into Gen 7, the Shadow Pokemon concept returned one other time and again used by a different villainous team: Team Galactic.

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“UwU Pwofessow why won't you teww me how to mwake mwy XD001 stwongew?? You so totawwy awen't being nice. UwU”

What have you done...

I’ve noticed before but it is very apparent in all her animations.

Meeyahhh well I wouldn’t say that. The way they’re styled is like as if they are straight out of a shonen manga. And not just because they are designed by a manga artist who’s specialty is making some villains look quite dashing in his work that usually have a post-apocalyptic-esque setting. Pokemon Colosseum and XD are definitely games that feel more like a video game adaptation of a manga rather than your usual Pokemon experience.

But I think if were to dig a little deeper, we’d see that a character’s hair is reflective of the personality of the character, but not to such an exaggerated extent.

We have a queen like hairdue accompanied by golden adornments and the crescent behind her.

We have a large flaming head of vaunted strength and aggression.

We have an “angler fish lightning bolt” style here that is inquisitive but telling of Ein’s speciality in electric type synergy. Other than that it’s very clean and sharp to signify his profession as a scientist.

And here we have a friendly little man all neat with a balding but almost clown-like hair due. Telling of a friendly facade.

And here we have a menacing banshee or wraith style that flows with the wind like a ghost. Clearly telling of the person as “I am the bad guy and if you try to investigate me you should prepare for unforeseen consequences.”

And finally we have Miror B. who I think needs no introduction or explanation.

But aside from villains I will say the funniest hair style I could name belonging to anyone in either game would have to be Dr. Kaminko for his style that clearly accompanies his absent-minded inventor character.

With honorable mention to Gonzap and his lightning-struck mustache and eyebrows and Lovrina who’s twintails rival Miku’s.

But all that being said I think the hair styles in Orre are aligned quite well with the style of the games and are welcomed in the Pokemon franchise. 

Because as we know, the main-series also had their fair share of unique hair styles reflective of their personality. And I’m not talking about clear examples like Colress or Alder. I mean, how could we forget the two best characters and their hair styles SWSH had to give us?

Well given everything I know about Michael’s character and the most I can assume of Lovrina’s character in XD, them together would strike me more as a platonic pairing unless their friendship is strong enough and meaningful enough to span years.

Michael is a kind, pure-hearted boy who is open to playing along with his sister’s games and forgiving his enemies as evident by dialogue in the beginning of the game and post-game after the Orre Colosseum challenges are met. He was born into a family of scientists and grew up most-likely surrounded by father and Lily’s complicated jobs. He and his sister were raised to be well-behaved and polite and as of the end of the game they remain the well-behaved kids they were.

Lovrina is almost the opposite to Michael’s upbringing in terms of behavior, but she may be similar in some aspects. She and her brother, Naps, may have been born into a family of scientists as well. Though her upbringing lead her to Cipher, she at least had Naps remain as her subordinate whether by her choice or by the choice of her superiors. It is unknown whether or not Lovrina is Naps’s older sister or Naps is Lovrina’s older brother, but I do believe Lovrina might be the smallest and youngest agent Cipher has ever had as I had discovered Naps does dwarf his sister very slightly. It’s not unusual for younger siblings to outgrow their older siblings though so who knows.

Yet despite their differences, Michael and Lovrina both have a significant feature in common in that their achievements are not reflected in how they look. Lovrina helped create the new strain of Shadow Pokemon, including the resilient Shadow Lugia despite her looks as a bossy stereotypical girl. Yet, Michael reversed everything she accomplished for Cipher and demolished her syndicate despite his look as a small young bright-eyed trainer. And despite this, Lovrina was impressed enough to name him the first member of her own fan club, thus setting a peace treaty between the two child prodigies born on opposite ends of the tracks.

Now, how would I really rate this ship?

I can’t see it realistically being romantic right off the bat, but rather a platonic friendly rivalry or mutual friendship between the two. Not to say the potential isn’t there but going by what’s canon, they are still friends and they could get along more with some battling and training together as friends as opposed to enemies.

Lest we forget, with Michael’s new friendships with the rest of the redeemed Admins, (excluding Ardos who continues to hate him with a passion) Michael could spend his time teaching these former criminals how to live the normal life in a Cipher-free Orre Region.

So I can see Michael spending time with Lovrina (and Naps) and teaching them how to adapt to society with kindness, compassion, and significantly less tampering with the natural order of the world. He would have it in his heart to save them as he would the Shadow Pokemon they made.

I headcanon that Michael believes everybody deserves a second chance at life, just as Shadow Pokemon do. A belief in becoming more than what the world made you. Evil is just a word to him, mercy and forgiving is what he believes in. The victory is not at the end of the battle, but after the battle when you extend your hand in friendship to a heart who knew nothing but a cold unforgiving world.

I will admit that I have not thought of Ein and Venus as a couple very much. It’s fun to imagine that they might be, but I can’t recall much evidence for it in game, but who knows. 

They could have had Lovrina and Naps long before they were even part of Cipher. Given how young Ein and Venus look, they very well could have been a couple before or during their time with Cipher.

And given Venus’s attitude for being imposing star and Ein’s obsession with bringing out the potential of the most powerful Pokemon, it’s quite possible that Lovrina and Nap’s childhoods under them weren’t the best. Those whose parents were too centered around work usually don’t have the most meaningful childhoods.

Venus and Ein’s time with Cipher would replace their time with their children. Perhaps Cipher themselves were tasked with raising Lovrina and Naps with surrogate parents and caretakers. Lovrina would grow up to be a spoiled brat who got whatever she wanted while Naps would be the one to be bossed around and afraid.

My crackheadcanon would be that Venus and Ein would not have the time to raise Lovrina and Naps properly with love and care, but Lovrina spitefully followed in her father’s footsteps to outdo him in his accomplishments and eclipse Venus as Cipher’s queen who makes demands of her underlings and gets all the praise. In a sense, Lovrina would hold the best and worst traits of both Ein and Venus’s characters.

Why thank you! It is always a pleasure to bring Orre content and continue to serve its memory as a region full of extraordinary people and their Pokemon ^^

If Ein and Venus had a daughter, I would totally be for it.

Though Venus’s title “Lady” would imply that she is single, giving her the full name of Lady Venus as the Under denizens call her. But Cipher was built on lies, so I say sure! Go right ahead with this headcanon. Ein and Venus would make an interesting couple to say the least.

Also, that would mean that Naps was also raised by Ein and Venus since Naps is Lovrina’s brother after all. I’m not sure if he’s an older brother or younger brother though, I’d like to think he’s younger but he’s got a Luigi situation of being taller than his older sibling.

My own headcanon definitely involves Lovrina having Ein as a mentor of some sort when she was younger. Who knows how long she and Naps have been under Cipher’s alliance. They could have been Ein’s children, they could have been orphans, but one thing’s for sure that they are still here after whatever amount of effort it took to get them here. I respect them for thriving under Cipher’s rule.

Last thing though, if we take your headcanon to account, that means both Lovrina and Naps would have something in common with Michael and Jovi in that they are all children of scientists in Orre with questionable pasts. Not important but a fun thing to realize if we go that route.