You know, looking back at Alola, it's kinda wild how much the community's perspective has shifted. When the games first dropped, people were mostly complaining about the cutscenes. "Too much dialogue," they said. "Let me play the game." But honestly? If you strip away that dialogue, you lose what makes the Pokemon Sun and Moon characters actually work. We’ve had decades of "get eight badges and beat the bad guy," but Alola decided to be a family drama instead.
It's messy. It's weird. And it's surprisingly dark for a series that usually sticks to the power of friendship.
The Aether Family is Not Your Typical Villain Group
Most people think of the Aether Foundation as just another "evil team" in a lab coat. That’s a massive oversimplification. At its heart, the story of Sun and Moon is the story of Lusamine’s slow descent into actual madness.
She isn't just "evil." She’s a grieving widow who lost her husband, Mohn, to an Ultra Wormhole. That’s the detail everyone forgets. She didn't start out wanting to freeze Pokemon in blocks of ice. She started out wanting to find the man she loved. By the time you meet her in the game, the neurotoxins from the Ultra Beast Nihilego have basically rotted her moral compass.
Lillie and the "Z-Power" Wardrobe Change
You've probably seen the memes about "Nebby, get in the bag." It's funny, sure. But Lillie’s arc is arguably the best growth we’ve seen for a non-player character in the entire franchise. For the first half of the game, she’s wearing the outfit her mother picked out for her. It’s a literal uniform of control.
When she finally shows up in her "Z-Powered" form—ponytail, activewear, and actual confidence—it’s not just a cute costume swap. It’s her reclaiming her own identity. In the original Sun and Moon games, her story concludes with her leaving for the Kanto region to find a cure for her mother. It's bittersweet. She doesn't just "win"; she grows up.
Gladion is the other side of that coin. While Lillie stayed and tried to please their mother, Gladion ran. He took Type: Null—a literal "god-killer" Pokemon designed to fight Ultra Beasts—and lived in a motel for two years. He’s the "edgy" rival, but his edge comes from a place of genuine trauma. He isn't trying to be cool; he's trying to be strong enough to never be controlled again.
Why Hau is the Most Misunderstood Rival
Hau gets a lot of flak. People call him "too nice" or "a loser" because he picks the starter weak to yours. They miss the point.
Hau is living in the shadow of his grandfather, Hala, the Melemele Island Kahuna. That’s a lot of pressure for a kid who just wants to eat malasadas. His "carefree" attitude is a defense mechanism. If you pay attention to his dialogue late in the game, especially after Lillie is kidnapped, you see the cracks. He’s frustrated. He feels like he failed his friends.
In the Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon versions, he actually becomes the final challenge at the Pokemon League instead of Professor Kukui. Seeing him stand there as the last hurdle is a huge moment. It proves he wasn't just trailing behind you; he was finding his own path to the top.
The Island Kahunas and Trial Captains: More Than Just Gym Leaders
The Alola region replaced gyms with the Island Challenge. This changed how we interact with Pokemon Sun and Moon characters. Instead of standing in a building waiting for a challenger, these people are part of the community.
- Mallow, Lana, and Kiawe: In the anime, they’re Ash's classmates. In the games, they’re mentors. Mallow isn't just a Grass-type specialist; she’s a chef at her family's restaurant.
- Nanu: He’s probably the most "real" character in the game. An old, jaded police officer who happens to be the Dark-type Kahuna. He doesn't even want the job. He’s basically the antithesis of the "shining hero" trope.
- Acerola: She’s a member of the Elite Four despite being a literal child who lives in an abandoned library. The lore implies she’s royalty, which is a thread the game barely pulls on but adds so much flavor to her character.
The Guzma Factor
"It's ya boy, Guzma!"
Team Skull is a joke, and that's the point. They’re a bunch of kids who failed their Island Challenges and felt rejected by Alolan society. Guzma isn't a world-domination type of villain. He’s a guy with a massive chip on his shoulder because he could never become a Trial Captain.
His relationship with Lusamine is fascinatingly toxic. She gave him the validation the rest of Alola wouldn't. He became her "muscle" just to feel like he mattered. When you beat him, you aren't just winning a battle; you're dismantling his entire worldview. Seeing him eventually try to reform at the end of the game is one of the most satisfying character beats in the series.
The Problem with the Ultra Versions
We have to talk about the "Ultra" problem.
Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon did a lot of things right, but they kind of butchered Lusamine’s character. They turned her into a misunderstood "hero" who was trying to save the world from Necrozma. It took away her agency as a tragic, corrupted figure.
In the original games, she was terrifying. In the Ultra versions, she's just sort of... there. If you want the real story of these characters, the original 2016 releases are actually the way to go, even if the Ultra games have more "content."
How to Get the Most Out of Alola’s Story
If you're revisiting these games or jumping in for the first time, don't just mash the B button. The depth of the Pokemon Sun and Moon characters is hidden in the optional dialogue.
- Visit the motels: You'll find Gladion and other NPCs there, often giving more context to their backstories.
- Talk to the NPCs in the Aether House: There's a lot of lore about the experiments on Type: Null and the origins of the Ultra Beasts.
- Check Lillie’s diary: Once you reach a certain point in the game, you can read her thoughts back at Professor Kukui's lab. It’s heartbreaking.
Alola isn't just a tropical vacation. It’s a story about breaking free from expectations—whether those come from your parents, your traditions, or your own failures.
To truly appreciate the writing, pay attention to the silence between the battles. That’s where the real Alola lives. If you’ve finished the main story, head over to Poni Island and seek out the "Battle Tree" to see how characters like Red and Blue react to the Alolan legends. It’s a great way to see how the old guard stacks up against the new generation.