Pokemon Sword and Shield released last winter on the Nintendo Switch bringing with it a cast of colorful characters. There are new guides like Professor Magnolia and a dashing champion in Leon to name a few. One of the most memorable people in the recent Pokemon games was Hop: this generation’s rival character.
While opinions of this character are mixed, most of the fanbase has a strong opinion of the chipper young man for one reason or another. On the road to champion, Hop will join players along the way. This rival leaves a mark on many who aim to best him. So much so that he begs to be memed.
10 Moral of the Story
While many of the memes to follow often look down on Hop, he’s an earnest fellow just looking for some friendly competition. NikkiMontage from Reddit captures this perfectly. His journey as both a trainer and a person is multifaceted, and new aspects of his personality are revealed as the game continues. He often uses a bombastic personality to hide his insecurities as a trainer. Eventually, he learns to tone it down and just be himself. By that time though, most players have already gotten fed up with the talkative tween.
9 No Mercy
Hop’s dream in Pokemon Sword and Shield is to become a champion just like his brother, Leon. Unfortunately, for this to happen, players would have to lose. In this beautiful fanart, Stoic_Miiverse from Twitter highlights the joy some players feel when crushing those aspirations. Many see Hop as an annoyance, and in turn, trounce his teams in battle without remorse. From the beginning of the game, all the way until the final credits roll, skilled Pokemon trainers will wipe the floor with the wannabe champion. Some even do so with glee.
8 Family Privilege
Traditionally, both the rival and the protagonist start with a single Pokemon. This isn’t the case in Pokemon Sword and Shield. In this meme by seki108, Hop starts with his own Wooloo in addition to the starter given to him by his brother Leon. It’s a strange situation that seems to point to familial favoritism.
Only the champions little brother could get away with starting his adventure with not one, but two Pokemon. He even challenges his rival to a two on one battle in their first confrontation. While most users eviscerate the novice trainer, things do seem a bit skewed in Hop’s favor.
7 She’s Onto Us
Nothing is more aggravating for some players than the random interruptions from both Hop and Sonia. Multiple times over the course of the game, these two will halt gameplay to explain something most players already know or have a conversation they don’t care about. These moments occur frequently enough to make Pokemon trainers paranoid. An overactive rival and a nosy would-be professor make for a dialogue-heavy adventure. Chaoxys from knowyourmeme captures this by recreating a famous scene from another meme staple, Spongebob Squarepants.
6 Can’t Live Without You
Not everyone hates this generation’s rival. The-Last-UniRaptor on DeviantArt uses a clip from Tony Stark’s heartfelt speech in Iron Man 3 to encapsulate just how much Hop meant to them on their trip through the Galar region. Hop is indeed a polarizing character, but his clumsy and ambitious nature resonates with some members of the fanbase. It’s not hard for some to relate to a character who doesn’t have it all figured out. Since Hop is a little hyperactive, some of his earnest cheer can be grating. Buried underneath it all, though, is a kid with a big heart.
5 Nervous Nelly Hop
Ryu_Kokki hypothesizes what the trauma of repeated thrashings has done to Hop’s mental state. Towards the end of the game, Hop’s vigor and enthusiasm dissipate when he sees he doesn’t have what it takes to beat players. He even gives up his dream of becoming the Pokemon champion, opting instead to be a professor like Sonia. It’s hard to imagine that his rival is not directly responsible for this course change.
4 Jabberjaw
One thing that anyone who’s played Pokemon Sword and Shield can say is that Hop talks a lot. This rival will chat anyone’s ear off who gets close. Reddit user funnypoopiesepicly pokes fun at this fact with a mock doctor’s exam. Because Hop talks so incessantly, there’s no time for him to inhale anything but air. Cigarettes are entirely out of the question, as they’d stop his lips from moving. While Hop may mean well, it’s not hard to see why his personality isn’t for everyone.
3 Flawless Victory
Hop’s positivity knows no bounds, even when the situation looks hopeless. Pokemon trainers can wipe the majority of his team, only for him to vow a miraculous comeback with just one member of his team left. Unfortunately for Hop, this is something that just doesn’t happen. Reddit user antsant1987 points this out in their meme. After his final team member is defeated, Hop transitions from brimming with confidence to utter disbelief in an instant. No matter how many times he loses, Hop dawns the same flabbergasted face in defeat.
2 Type Advantages
The first battle between rivals in Pokemon often serves to teach players the basics of battle. This includes introducing type matchups. If one uses a super effective move before an explanation is given, they’re treated to a tidbit of unique dialogue from Hop in their freshman encounter. Hop will ask if his rival already knew about type matchups. Any veteran player will laugh to themselves, as they’ve known about them for ages. Knowyourmeme’s SGN captures this thought process flawlessly, sharing a satisfaction only series regulars understand.
1 Select the Champion
Everyone who’s beaten a Pokemon game in the past knows that the rival eventually loses the title to the player after a penultimate battle in the finals. The user always becomes the Pokemon League Champion. Reddit User Robbedob uses the select all squares verification test as his meme template. This test is used to determine if users are automated on a plethora of websites. Because a fan of the series knows that the rival never wins, they’ll select the squares containing the player character. This joke serves as one final jab to the buoyant but ineffective trainer known as Hop.
