Leon is the champion in Pokémon Sword and Shield, and he is the final trainer that the player will have to defeat to become the champion themselves. Leon is a powerful trainer, and he has a Gigantamax Charizard as his Pokémon partner, which will make him very difficult to defeat during the final showdown between the protagonist and Leon.
Leon is an important character in Pokémon Sword and Shield, and as such, there are many bits of information that the player can find out if they learn about his past or motivations. There are so many things that are not well known about Leon, but this character is actually more interesting than he appears to be on the surface.
10 Leon Failed Opal’s Test As A Gym Competitor
Opal always tests new gym challengers when they come into her gym so that she can find a successor to the Fairy-type gym once she retires from Pokémon battling. The player gets to experience a mini-game involving this test while completing her gym.
Some players may not be aware that Leon actually failed her test, along with Sonia, when they were gym challengers. This is revealed by a few notes that are left in one of the rooms within Opal’s gym.
9 Leon Is Terrible With Directions
Leon’s terrible sense of direction is one of his worst qualities, and it is revealed through a few different lines of dialogue in the game, mostly between Hop and Leon.
Leon seems to not be able to find his way when he is in a complicated building or forests, which can lead to some troubling situations for him. This was probably even more relevant when he was a gym challenger because he was traveling all over the Galar region.
8 Leon Was Mostly Trained By Mustard As A Young Trainer
Mustard was introduced in the Isle of Armor DLC as the master of a dojo on the island. This character is very powerful, and it is revealed that he was Leon’s Pokémon battling teacher when he was younger.
Mustard is where Leon learned many of his Pokémon battling techniques, and it is easy to miss this important fact about Leon if the player didn’t play the DLC or if they missed the piece of dialogue that reveals this.
7 Leon Built The Galar Battle Tower
The Battle Tower in the Galar region can be used by the player after finishing the game and completing the Swordward and Shieldbert questline. In this building, players are able to challenge a host of powerful trainers that will teach them more about Pokémon battling and help get newer players ready for online battling.
The battle tower was constructed by Leon out of the remains of Rose Tower following the main plot of Pokémon Sword and Shield, which is a fact that many players are unaware of.
6 Leon Doesn’t Have A Favorite Type
Leon doesn’t seem to have a favorite type, which can be seen by the Pokémon party that he challenges the player with during the game. Leon has a bunch of different Pokémon, including a Seismitoad and Charizard, among many others that are all separate types from each other.
It is possible that Leon does prefer Fire-type Pokémon since his partner is a Charizard; however, it seems that he doesn’t have a definitive favorite type based on the Pokémon that he carries with him most of the time.
5 Leon Left The Player A Gigantamax Charmander In His House
After finishing the game, the player will find a Charmander that is eventually capable of Gigantamaxing once it evolves into Charizard. Gigantamax Charizard is rare, so the player should definitely head to Leon’s house after defeating him in the Champion Cup and obtain this Pokémon for themselves.
It is easy to miss that Leon left the player this Charmander, but it reveals a lot about his character that he was so kind towards the player even after being defeated in battle.
4 Leon’s Name Means “Lion”
The name Leon means lion, and this name makes sense considering that a lion is a symbol in the UK, and Galar is supposed to be based on the UK.
Leon is very ferocious and has a powerful Charizard by his side, so Leon definitely is a fitting name for this powerful trainer. A lot of players miss the different meanings of the character’s names in the Pokémon franchise, but they almost always have some type of importance behind them.
3 Leon Is Nicknamed “The Unbeatable Champion”
Leon has a nickname that was given to him by his fans, and it is very fitting with his character. Leon’s nickname is the “Unbeatable Champion,” which makes sense considering that he has been the champion of Galar since he was ten years old.
Leon is proven beatable when the player defeats him during the Champion Cup; however, prior to that event, he had never been defeated in battle after becoming champion.
2 Leon Is The Only Champion That Gives A Protagonist Their Starter Pokémon
Leon gives both Hop and the protagonist of Pokémon Sword and Shield their starter at the beginning of the game. This action has never been taken by another champion, and it is usually the professor of the region that gives the player and their rival their starter Pokémon.
This was a nice change of pace in PokémonSword and Shield since most players weren’t expecting the champion to greet the player at the beginning of the game and give them a Pokémon.
1 Leon’s True Dream
Leon’s true dream is revealed throughout the game when Leon is speaking to different crowds throughout the Galar region. Some players may expect his dream to be becoming more powerful himself, but that is incorrect.
Leon’s true dream is not to become an unbeatable trainer; it is actually to make sure that the other trainers in the region are unbeatable because Leon has a lot of pride for Galar. Considering that Leon is the champion of the region and he has a kind heart, it makes sense that he would want everyone else in the Galar region to become as powerful as he is.
NEXT: Pokémon Sword & Shield: 10 Things About Marnie You Missed
