Pokémon Sword and Shield hosts some of the most iconic and unforgettable Gym Leaders within the franchise. With the most current DLC, The Isle of Armor, slightly expanding upon the Galar region’s Pokémon League and Gym Challenge, it is only fitting to reflect further on these quirky characters. Namely, we’ll explore which D&D alignment best suits each and every Gym Leader of Galar, both current and upcoming!
10 Milo - Lawful Good
Milo is a perfect example of the “gentle giant” trope. Despite his extremely buff physique, this farmboy-turned-Gym-Leader is as soft as a Cottonee. Everything from the laidback music of Turffield to the style of his Gym’s Challenge reflects this. Indeed, Milo’s Grass-type Gym involves herding Wooloo to challenge him, and much like many other first Gyms before him, battling other trainers is completely optional, if players so chose.
Not to say that Milo doesn’t put up a fight when it comes to battles, and his Gigantamaxed Eldegoss is iconic. But let’s be honest, he’s also the kind of guy to undoubtedly hurdle himself in front of a rampaging Eternatus to save a Wooloo. Milo is truly a Lawful Good Gym Leader.
9 Nessa - Neutral Good
As the second Gym Leader to face in Galar, Nessa joins the ranks of many Water-type Trainers before her. And like her predecessors, she has a unique flare to her personality that makes her particularly unique among her peers. Her flare is her double career as a fashion model, a career she also shares with Unova’s Electric-Type Gym Leader Elesa. The calm, aloof confidence of her modeling translates over into a refined and athletic grace in her Gym’s Challenge, as well as her battle style. She loves her careers, loves her fans, loves Pokémon, and provides a good stepping-stone in players’ own Gym Challenges. Cool, calm, collected, and kind, Nessa is undoubtedly a Neutral Good Gym Leader.
8 Kabu - Chaotic Good
The element of Fire has always held a chaotic streak to it, a streak which has always carried over into Fire-Type Pokémon and Trainers. Kabu is no exception to this, taking the sportiness of the Gym Challenge to an 11, from his mannerisms, to his advice to the player, to even the very nature of his Gym Challenge. Indeed, his unique spin on double battles during his Challenge shows Kabu isn’t afraid to cross some boundaries, even if he is a fair and honorable man at the end of the day. So, it seems only fitting that he be considered a Chaotic Good Gym Leader.
7 Bea and Allister - True Neutral
Whether players face Bea or Allister in Stow-on-Side depends on if they have Sword or Shield. But even with their different Pokémon Types and Gym aesthetics, these two young Gym Leaders are surprisingly similar in their alignments. The carnival-esque style of their Gyms combine fun with tricky, and their respective battles also provide a roughly balanced challenge, considering their placement in-game. Even their extreme personalities - Allister being the shy, secluded mystic and Bea being the distant, hardened fighter - are eventually allayed through in-game lore. These two version-exclusive Gym Leaders are truly some True Neutrals in Pokémon Sword and Shield.
6 Opal - Chaotic Neutral
Opal joins the ranks of Kalos’ Valerie and Alola’s Mina as a renowned user of the Fairy-Type. Don’t let the type’s name or aesthetic fool you, though - Fairy Pokémon and their users are as fierce as they are frilly. Opal’s varied actions throughout Sword and Shield reflect this. One moment, she carries all the grace of a retired actress, and the seriousness of a Gym Leader. The next moment, she’s kidnapping one of your rivals to be her successor and expecting you to lie during her Gym Challenge. To summarize Opal: if a Gigantamaxed Pokémon was rampaging in Ballonlea, she’d undoubtedly try to stop it, but if said Pokémon was pink, though, she just might let it rampage a few minutes longer. Ballonlea’s Gym Leader is truly Chaotic Neutral.
5 Gordie and Melony - Lawful Neutral
This mother-son duo acts as the second pair of version-exclusive Gym Leaders of Circhester, with Gordie being exclusive to Sword and Melony to Shield. Their personalities reflect their type-usages - Rock and Ice, respectively - and as such, they come off as quite hard-headed and stubborn. Underneath their harsh exteriors, though, are Trainers who care for each other, their fans, and their Pokémon. They provide a decent challenge in their respective Gyms, setting up pitfall trap floors and mid-range leveled Pokémon Trainers between them and Players. Even their Gigantamaxed Pokémon can prove to be difficult tanks to topple, but even with all their challenges, there isn’t anything particularly tricky about Gordie or Melony. Both are straightforward, simple people, and make for perfectly Lawful Neutral Gym Leaders.
4 Piers - Lawful Evil
Moving on to the seventh Gym of Galar, we have Piers, the de-facto leader of Team Yell, aspiring rock star, and the first official Dark-type Gym Leader of the Pokémon franchise. Piers is a man who means well and truly loves his sister and hometown of Spikemuth. Still, if the the formation of Team Yell proves anything, he’s not just the kind to push boundaries to their limits, but also just as willing to cross them, if he sees it’s for the benefit of him or the ones he loves.
He’s certainly tame compared to the many villainous leaders before him - only acting more as a stubborn and serious obstacle than extreme regional threat - and he’s certainly honorable with his defeats and shortcomings. So, it only seems fitting that Piers is a Lawful Evil Gym Leader.
3 Raihan - Chaotic Neutral
Dragon-type use Raihan is the eighth and last Gym Leader players must contend against before tackling the Champion, and he makes sure that everyone knows this. Indeed, more than being a Gym Leader, Raihan can be considered - and arguably is - a personal rival and good friend to Champion Leon, even going as far as to challenge said Champion in the opening scenes of the game. From his ambitions to his mannerisms to even his beloved Pokémon type, he’s bold, he’s brash, and he’s proud of it. But behind that fiery exterior is, again, a good friend to Leon, and Gym Leader who values the honor and integrity of Galar’s Gym Challenge. He’d be reckless enough to take on Eternatus, stubborn enough to just maybe win, and boastful enough to post a selfie afterwards. Raihan is perhaps a perfect example of a Chaotic Neutral Gym Leader.
2 Bede - Neutral Evil
This rival-turned-future Gym Leader can certainly leave an impression on players, from his vibrant style, flagrant ego, and selfish goals. Bede undoubtedly has a slightly Evil streak to him, if his cruelty and smug arrogance around Hop and players suggests anything. But make no mistake, Bede is not mean for pure meanness’s sake. His clout as Chairman Rose’s de-facto son certainly gives explanation for his pride, and also explains why he’s so brutal in pursuing both Wishing Stars and the title of champion - he’s wanting to make his unofficial father proud. But Bede is also unique, in that we also see the foundation of his alignment swept out from underneath him mid-game. So who knows? Maybe with Opal’s help, one day our fabulously Pink rival will change to a True Neutral, or maybe even as Chaotic Neutral like his predecessor. But until then, this future Fairy Gym Leader is undoubtedly Neutral Evil.
1 Marnie - Lawful Good
Marnie has her own burdens to bear as little sister of Spikemuth’s current Gym Leader Piers, our rival, and eventually, Pier’s replacement as Gym Leader. Given her punk princess appearance, and relationship to Piers and Team Yell, one might think she’d fall under a similar alignment. But don’t be deceived by her or her Pokémon’s intimidating looks. Behind that grim exterior and passionate ambition is a sweet cinnamon roll. Indeed, Marnie often critiques Team Yell’s members when she catches them sabotaging others’ Gym Challenges, and does not resort to any tricks when battling the player or other NPCs. Marnie is a good rival with a good heart, and it only makes sense that she’d be a Lawful Good future Gym Leader.
