Every Scarlet and Violet character is “traumatized” and Pokemon fans want answers

The Pokemon games are always stuffed full of RPG mechanics and great Pocket Monsters to pinch, but one element that has occasionally been lacking is an engaging narrative.

Thankfully, fan sentiment seems to be that Scarlet & Violet actually deliver in this department, adding depth to the games.

But while this focus on the story is appreciated, it does mean there are some highs and lows for the characters, and fans are now questioning just why Game Freak decided to put all of these young Trainers through so much trauma.

It all started in a Reddit post aptly titled, “Why are these kids so traumatized??” Here, the author pointed out some of the more upsetting things that happened to Kieran, Arven, Nemona, and even Penny, before adding, “Gotta hand it to Game Freak, the character development in this game is phenomenal.”

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As a quick reminder — as the author puts things — Scarlet & Violet sees Kieran becoming a “bitter, angry teenager fueled by hatred and anguish” in the Teal Mask DLC, and then Arven is caught up in a “desperate attempt to save his dog.”

Penny’s character arc makes sense in this context, as they created a team of villains to get back at the people who made them outcasts. But even Nemona is bought up, with the author suggesting, “Nemona has no true friends because everyone finds her off putting.”

Other players chimed in with their own theories in the comments, with some entertaining ideas kicking around as to just why these kids went through so much turmoil. The top comment thinks this is just the “most realistic outcome from giving children living super weapons and kicking them out of the house at 10 years old.”

Another comment posits that it is all a reflection of actual school life, as they said, “Bullying and/or abandonment do a lot of damage to a growing child, and the school has non-existent policies to help students with either of them, so no wonder they’re messed up.”

A different theory altogether is that the younger (and perhaps more emotional or angsty) developers at Game Freak are slowly gaining more influence, as one person suggested, saying, “My joke/serious answer is that the millennial/younger developers at GF are finally starting to take the reigns on these games.”

Then, some S&V players are using the opportunity to simply compliment the Ninth Generation, with one saying it has the “most interesting and mature plot” of any Pokemon game. However, that is up for debate, as one person argued that “BW/B2W2 had the most mature and nuanced plot” but “SV comes in close.”

If all this drama has you in the mood to revisit Paldea, be sure to check out some of the best events such as Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Mass Outbreaks, then take down a 7-Star Dodonzo in Tera Raids, or bag a special Fuecoco thanks to the newest Mystery Gift Code.