There will be spoilers ahead, so be sure to give the chapter a read before continuing! I won’t be spoiling anything from the Scarlet & Violet games unless it’s been covered in the manga, so no need to worry if you haven’t gotten far.
After Iono announces her Mismagius is unaffected by Ground-type moves, Scarlet makes the decision to withdraw her Pikachu and send out Armarouge. Her attempt to use Night Shade is instantly foiled as Mismagius evades using Phantom Force, then upon its return from the shadows, knocks out Armarouge. After Scarlet’s quick and clever battling last chapter, I was shocked her Pokémon got knocked down after one hit. It felt a little convenient to see that happen after just a moment ago, she’d plotted every move, including her opponent’s.
This thought continued when she sent out her Floragato. Despite being a sharp and incredibly efficient battler, a Confuse Ray renders Floragato completely unable to land a hit, leading it to knock itself out. While I wanted Scarlet to have a chance to actually grapple with a difficult opponent, it felt weird that her skill seemed to have instantly vanished at the first obstacle. The reason I wanted this to happen in the first place was so we could Scarlet having to grow beyond her current level of skill, but instead it seemed that her skills just disappeared to allow this to happen.
After the battle is over, we soon learn the real reason why Scarlet hadn’t been battling like her usual self—she’d made a deal to give Iono a flashy battle in exchange for an all-you-can-eat buffet. While this is hilariously in-character, I can’t help but wonder why Scarlet was so determined to end the battle before Iono could Terastallize. Was this really for the sake of making a showy battle? I would imagine Terastallization would bring in more viewers. It definitely brought in engagement, but what’s flashier than Terastallization?
I don’t exactly know how I feel about this battle. I want to see Scarlet succeed, but to know she was in control of the battle from the start feels almost like a letdown. This would have been the first time we saw Scarlet actually have to work through a win. It’s not disappointing, because she purposely gave herself a challenge and solved it, but it would be interesting to see how Scarlet would handle something she isn’t 100% prepared for.
After Raifort informed Scarlet that she will be needing the help of Miraidon, I’m curious for how it will be involved in her mission. Now it sounds like Scarlet and Violet will be forced to interact. Not only that, but as it turns out, the hired security Cassiopeia warned Violet about appears to be Scarlet herself. I’m really excited for their first meeting, especially with those dynamics in mind. These two have already gone 13 chapters without saying a word to each other—I really hope we’re gearing up to something fun.
What did you think of this chapter? Were you satisfied with the conclusion of the Gym battle? How do you feel about Raifort as Scarlet’s client?
