Opal and Bede are two of the most powerful trainers in Pokémon Sword and Shield, and the player will get a chance to battle against both of them throughout the main story of the game.
Opal has been a gym leader for many years, and Bede is just starting out on his journey to become a Pokémon gym leader; however, they both have their own strengths and weaknesses that allow them to be very unique compared to one another. Opal mostly raises Fairy-type Pokémon while Bede raises both Fairy-type and Psychic-type Pokémon, allowing for very different Pokémon parties for both characters.
10 Opal - She Has Years Of Experience
Opal is 80 years old, which makes her the oldest gym leader that fans have ever seen in the Pokémon franchise to date.
This age makes her extremely experienced, especially compared to younger trainers, including Bede, since he is only around ten years old. Experience usually trumps even powerful Pokémon because older trainers have more tricks up their sleeve and strategies to use during Pokémon battles.
9 Bede - He Knows How To Push Himself To Get Stronger
Bede has shown resilience in the face of challenge, and this is especially relevant when he initially loses his gym challenge status when Rose takes it away during the game.
Bede is one of the most promising young trainers in the Galar region, and he is only getting stronger by the day by learning more and more about Fairy-type Pokémon. Bede is respected by most of his peers, and it is one of the main reasons that Opal took him up as her pupil.
8 Opal - She Has A Gigantamax Alcremie
Alcremie is an interesting new Pokémon, and fans have quickly come to adore it because every Alcremie looks a little bit different from another.
Opal has a Gigantamax version of this Pokémon, which means that she can use one of the most unique Galar creatures in Pokémon battles. Most players weren’t expecting Opal to have a Gigantamax Alcremie when going into her gym; however, it was a pleasant surprise and a fun challenge to battle against.
7 Bede - He Has A Gigantamax Hatterene
Opal has a Gigantamax Alcremie, which helps her stand out from other Pokémon trainers in Pokémon Sword and Shield.
However, Bede also has a trick up his sleeve with his Gigantamax Hatterene, which is another strong Fairy-type that fans can encounter in the game. The protagonist gets a chance to battle against this Pokémon in the Champion Cup during the final showdown against Bede.
6 Opal - She Is A Calm And Strategic Person
Opal is one of the calmest trainers in the Pokémon franchise, and this is partly due to the fact that she has trained for so many years and is able to calm herself in stressful situations. This allows Opal to stay calm when she’s about to lose a Pokémon battle and never break a sweat.
Furthermore, Opal is also one of the most strategic trainers in the game, and there are lots of interesting ways that she is able to spice up a Pokémon battle.
5 Bede - He Is Very Stubborn
Bede is a stubborn child, and although this could be seen as a bad thing by certain Pokémon trainers, it is also a good thing because Bede is able to retake challenges over and over until he finally wins.
This is seen in the game when Bede attempts to battle the player in many different situations despite the fact that they were never officially rivals. Bede has a desire to win even if he knows that he probably cannot, which is a good trait to have in a lot of situations.
4 Opal - She Has A Diverse Pokémon Team
Opal has a very diverse Pokémon team consisting of lots of different creatures, including Alcremie, Mawile, and Galarian Weezing.
Although all these Pokémon are Fairy-types, they also have secondary types and diverse movesets that allow them to be very different from one another. This is an important trait to have for any Pokémon trainer, and unfortunately, a lot of Gym Leaders lack the forethought to have a diversified Pokémon party.
3 Bede - He Raises Two Specific Types
Bede raises two specific types, which allows him to attack his opponents Pokémon from two separate angles. These two types are Psychic-types and Fairy-types, of which he has many different Pokémon of these two varieties.
Opal does have a more diverse team than Bede in general; however, he is able to overcome this by having specific strategies for his two favorite types of Pokémon. An example of this dual type is Bede’s Gardevoir.
2 Opal - She Almost Became The Champion Of Galar
Opal almost became the champion of the Galar region, which is more than Bede can say about his standing in the Champion Cup. When Opal was younger, she came close to defeating Mustard in the final round; however, he eventually overcame her and went on to become the champion himself.
It is likely that if Mustard had not been part of the gym challenge that year, then Opal would have become the Galar champion for years to come.
1 Bede - He Was Trained By Both Opal And Chairman Rose
Bede has been trained by a few different mentors, including Chairman Rose and even Opal. Opal is currently training Bede to become the next Fairy-type gym leader after she decides to retire.
Bede is very strong since he has had so much experience with both of these powerful trainers, and as such, he has the experience of many powerful people in the Pokémon world under his belt.
NEXT: Pokémon Red & Blue: Ranking Every Gym Leader Based On Personality
