There have been plenty of strange NPCs inPokémongames, but some of the franchise’s most obscure NPCs are also arguably among the creepiest. The more prominent an NPC is inPokémon, the more likely they have a unique quirk of some kind to differentiate them. However, just because a character has a minor part in the games, this does not mean that they cannot be striking in their own way.
There are manycreepy examples ofPokémonlore, although most relate to the titular creatures themselves. However, there are other characters who can also be just as disconcerting, for a variety of reasons. For example, there are the infamous ghost girls, who are found haunting locations across the franchise’s regions. However, while these ghosts can be famous for themysteries they pose forPokémonplayers, some even stranger characters have been mostly ignored due to their sheer obscurity.
Gen 4’s Battle Hall Gives The Player A Superfan
The Protagonist’s Battle Record Raises One NPC’s Interest In Them
The Battle Hall is part of the Battle Frontier in Generation 4, and versions of it can be found in bothPokémon PlatinumandPokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. A key aspect of the Battle Hall is that it keeps a record of the number of battles undertaken there, and as the number increases major NPCs begin to appear to show their support. These characters include the protagonist’s mother and Professor Oak. However, in a particularlyobscure piece ofPokémonlore,there are also NPCs unique to the Battle Hall who become increasingly captivated fans of the protagonist.
The identity of this fan changes depending on the gender of the player character;a male protagonist’s fan is named Serena, while a female protagonist gains the attention of Winstoninstead. Unlike most NPCs that appear in the Battle Hall lobby, who appear in response to the total number of battle records, these fans gain new dialogue based on the number of unique species of Pokémon one wins battles with. However, while Serena and Winston behave relatively benign at first, the more their interactions with the protagonist begin to take on a more concerning angle.
The Battle Hall Fan Becomes Obsessive Over Time
Their Behaviour Quickly Begins To Show Parasocial Traits
The more experience one builds up in the Battle Hall, the more avid a fan the Battle Hall NPC becomes. While this may begin somewhat innocently, with the fan lamenting a recent lack of interesting Trainers at the Battle Hall, they become increasingly obsessed with the protagonist the more they take part in battles there. In the later stages of this progressing dialogue,the fan admits to things like losing sleep over thinking about what Pokémon the protagonist will use next, or choreographing their own supporting dance.
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In addition to this,the fan also gets closer to the entrance of the Battle Hall as these interactions occur. This small detail implies that as they become more invested in the protagonist, the fan wants to interact with them as quickly as possible. As a result, they get closer to the entrance in order to approach the protagonist as soon as they step inside. Combined with their dialogue, this behavior presents them as growing extremely attached to the protagonist, beyond what would arguably be considered healthy for any fan.
Gen 4’s Full Fan Dialogue Is Incredibly Obscure
The Requirements To See Everything Are Extremely Difficult To Achieve
The full range of interactions with Winston and Serena is extremely obscure, making it likely that most people will havenever read all of thesePokémonNPCs’ dialogue. As documented by YouTuberEtchy, this is becausethe protagonist must create a record of using every single species of Pokémon that can be battled with in the Battle Hall. 10 separate conversations are available when this record stands at 0, 1, 11, 31, 51, 101, 251, 351, and finally 475 Pokémon respectively. Of course, this includes many weaker species of Pokemon, making achieving this feat extremely difficult.
Out of the full 493 Pokémon available in these games, the only 18 banned from the Battle Hall are all Legendary and Mythical Pokémon.
Of course, it is worth noting thatthis chain of events arguably also paints the protagonist in a less than flattering light. The requirement of 475 unique victories is absurd, likely only achieved by the most dedicated of Battlers; within the games, this makes the protagonist somewhat obsessive themselves. Hall Matron Argenta is battled first at 50 consecutive wins with a single Pokémon and then rematched at 170 consecutive wins. Winning this second battle earns Argenta’s Gold Commemorative Print, the Battle Hall’s highest award; as such, there is little reason to battle with so many different Pokémon beyond this goal.
Seeing Serena or Winston reaching the peak of their adoration for the protagonist is something that very few people are likely to experience, as doing so requires experimenting with nearly every variety of Pokémon in the games. The Battle Frontier is one ofPokémon’s best postgame features, but even so this challenge lacks the tangible rewards to make doing so worth the effort. The only result is seeing the protagonist and their fan becoming increasingly obsessed in their own ways; while this is interesting from a lore perspective, ultimately most people will move on long before reaching this point.
