Smell Ya Later
Alright so itβs time I talk about one of my favorite characters in the Pokemon franchiseβ¦that isnβt Leon. If you guessed by the title that Iβm talking about Blue/Green Oak then youβre right.Β
[Image Description: Gif image from Pokemon Generations Episode: The Challenger. Picture of Blue (Green) Oak in his FireRed/LeafGreen outfit pulling out a pokeball. Heβs talking to an Elite Four member who is offscreen with an insufferably smug look on his face]
Ah yes, the OG rival. He was quite the brat in RBGY/FRLG and thatβs what many people like about him (in a love to hate fashion) since thereβs a huge catharsis factor in being able to beat him and his team down. And unlike most rivals in the series heβs one of the few that can in-game beat you and the story continues (3 times in RBGY, twice in FRLG). Blue provides some of the few moments in the series where a loss actually means something (something that I wish the games would take advantage of more). And of those few times, heβs one of the few that can actually knock your team out as he often shows up in the worst possible moments where your team likely isnβt at itβs best.
Heβs also always one step ahead of you. In comparison to most other rivals (bar Wally and Hop pre-Bede butt-kicking) he actually gets to places first and is outpaces you. Then you get the following:
βHey! I was looking forward to seeing you, <player>! My rival should be strong to keep me sharp! While working on my PokΓ©dex, I looked all over for powerful PokΓ©mon! Not only that, I assembled teams that would beat any PokΓ©mon type! And now! I am the PokΓ©mon League Champion! <Player>! Do you know what that means? Iβll tell you! I am the most powerful trainer in the world!β -Blue RBGY pre-champion battle
[Image Description: GIF image from the Pokemon GOTCHA! Music Video. A shot of Blue (Green) Oak) in his RBGY outfit in the Indigo Leagueβs Champion Room. As the camera moves closer to him you see his team po out. His team consists of Venusaur, Gyarados, Arcanine, Pidgeot, Alakazam and Rhydon. As the camera moves even closer to his face, we see that iconic smug grin of his form as he is usrrounded by a Green aura, his Pokemon are surrounded by a green aura as well]
This is quite possibly one of the most iconic fights in the series. Your once friend turned bitter rival actually beating you to the punch and claiming the title of champion for himself. No other rival other than Trace (Hau doesnβt count as he isnβt champion in USUM rather you and him fight to see who will be champion). And Trace by being a friendly rival, lacks the same oomph factor in the battle (I think Trace wouldβve benefitted from USUM Hau style final battle personally). You kind of feel bad kicking Traceβs butt. Itβs a huge moment of catharsis, however, taking Blue down.
And the humiliation for Blue doesnβt stop there. Something thatβs expanded upon more in FRLG is how Professor Oak kind of blatantly prefers Red/Leaf over him. In the case that you lose to him after receiving your starter Professor Oak says βHmmβ¦how disappointingβ. Like sir I know youβre grandson is a jerk but show at least some pride. Like I mean even in the league he comes off overly harsh as we have no evidence that he actually mistreats his Pokemon. Especially when you consider that one of his signature Pokemon is a Pidgeot which stands out in the many gen 1 threats he has on his team. He holds some sentimental attachment to the first mon he caught and that shows heβs not some irredeemable jerk. If anything heβs more self-absorbed than actually mistreating his team. Like take this line from generations βSee that? I happen to be an incredible geniusβ As we see throughout the series, Blue is indeed a brilliant tactician. But the issue there is that he isnβt giving his team their proper dues. But thatβs just being self-absorbed. Not like heβs kicking them when they faint or anything.Β
βHey, I heard that! Gramps, whatβs with favoring <player> over me all the time? I went and collected more PokΓ©mon and faster, too. You should just let me handle everything.β Β - Blue after receiving the National Pokedex
And then of course the above quote, even Blue can tell his Oak favors the player over him. Ouch. Add that to the fact that he and Daisyβs parents are nowhere to be found you can make the argument that maybe this kid just wants some attention and affection. Considering his name is Green in Japan, and green is associated with envy and you can see how the OG rival is likely just fueled by jealousy that Red has at least one parent still around and has the attention/affection of Oak. Does that excuse his behavior? Absolutely not. But it does contextualize it a lot.
But still being scolded by Grandfather like that so publicly definitely left a mark on our rival. And then comes the Gen 2 games where we see a huge shift in his character:
βWho are you? My nameβs Blue. I was once the Kanto Champion. Although it was short-lived thanks to Redβ¦ Anyway, take a good look around youβ¦ββA volcano erupts, and just like that, a whole town disappears. We can go on winning and losing in PokΓ©mon, but if nature so much as twitches, we can be overwhelmed in a secondβ¦ Thatβs the way it isβ¦ But, anyway, Iβm still a Trainer. If I see a strong opponent, it makes me want to battle.β - Blue at Cinnabar Island HGSS
This dialogue from Cinnabar Island is not something one would expect from Gen 1 Blue. Gen 1 Blue wouldβve challenged you to a battle right then and there like he did in Silph Co. But hereβs heβs more contemplative (even if still a little salty about losing to Red). Itβs a marked change thatβs further strengthened by his position as gym leader. Heβs taken on a esteemed position and proves to be highest levelled battle for a badge in the games. Yes being the 8th gym leader is not nearly as prestigious as his short reign as champion, but it provides a needed bit of growth for Blue as he learns to deal with losses better (which judging by his dialogue is implied that him losing is still pretty rare showing that he is definitely a powerful trainer). Not only that his Pidgeot which is not only his highest levelled Pokemon, but also knows Return in HGSS (a move that gains power the stronger the bond). Itβs quiet character development over the 3 years between the gen 1 and gen 2 games that makes Blue such a good character.
Of course this doesnβt stop there. Over his next appearance in Gen 5 we see him in the PWT in the championβs tournament (which sidenote one thing that I dislike about Pokespe!Blue and Gary is that they donβt achieve champion status when itβs clear that this is a key part of his character). His winning quote in the PWT is this gem βYouβre tough, Iβll give you that. But thereβs always someone better. You have to be more dedicated! Smell ya later!β
Itβs solid advice, and lacks the gloating of the βYeah! Am I great or what?β lines you could get from the battles you can lose to him in the early gen 1 games.
[Image Description: GIF from one of the promo videos or Sun and Moon. The animated part is framed by a still with adult Red on the left, and Blue (Green) Oak on the right. The caption on the still portion of the shot says Red and Blue. In the animated part, we see Red and Blue at the battle tree talking to the player character. Red saysΒ ββ¦ β¦ β¦β with Blue respondingΒ βStil as silent as ever, eh?β]
We see him once again in Gen 7 games as you approach the battle tree, your team weary from facing the Poni gauntlet. His iconic encounter music coming no doubt fills many who ever played the Gen 1 gamess with dread as you remember how many times that jingle played right when you really didnβt need it to happen. Yet this time itβs different, as he actually heals your team before you face him or Red. While some may chalk this up to the games being easier, consider that in this instance this is another sign of how much Blue has grown. Because Gen 1 Blue wouldβve forced you into a battle right then.
You know what else Gen 1 Blue wouldnβt have done? Travel the world with Red (okay but seriously when is the Viridian Gym ever open?). Somehow he has made peace with his bitter rival enough to travel to Alola and be co heads of the Battle Tree. Again subtle (and to be fair, I do wish we got to see more of his growth on screen) but major. I donβt think anyone who only played the Gen 1 games wouldβve ever seen that coming. But also the fact that heβs considered Battle Legend, second only to Red is amazing. It shows he truly is one of the most powerful trainers in the world, and itβs not just his ego talking.
[Image Description: A still image from one of the Pokemon Masters promo. Here we have Blue (Green) Oak in his Sygna Suit that matches his blastoise that is standing behind him in the stadium]
But then comes Pokemon Masters which I think provides some of the greatest insight to him as a character. We seem him more as a mentor (which is also how we see him in Letβs Go). Which is a fitting end for his arc as heβs one of the best around but he knows whatβs it like to be have been beaten down truly.
βBlastoise and I have overcome a lot of tough situations over the years. There were a lot of times when I felt so beat down, physically and mentally, that I didnβt think I could keep going. But being in those tough situations would always fire me up. And the joy I felt when we overcome them was like nothing Iβd ever felt before.β - Sygna Suit Blue Sync Pair Story
This is a powerful quote from him. Again Gen 1 Blue wouldβve NEVER admitted something like this to anyone. But you can see heβs shed much of his pride and allows himself to be vulnerable.
βAnd I guess I donβt really mind teaching people, either. Iβm better at it than Red is, anyway I canβt even imagine him teaching anything to anyone.β
And this quote shows him excepting his role as a mentor which I think heβs truly best at. Sure Red is more powerful than him, but the best of the best rarely make for good teachers. But the ones at the top who have tasted defeated multiple times like Blue has, will have an extra bit of wisdom that they can give.
So yes tl;dr Blue/Green Oak is a great character. No other character has been a rival, gym leader and champion in the series. Not only that heβs shown great growth from the cocky brat he was in gen 1 to a powerful trainer and mentor he is today.
[Image Description: A gif ofΒ an adult Blue (Green) Oak in his Gen 7 attire in his VS animation. Heβs sporting his signature cocky smirk and doing his iconic 3 finger salute.]
