Character Analysis: Champion Alder

[Zander]

Behold, everyone's least favorite Champion, Alder. Some people may like his casual attitude and his laid back battle theme. But Cynthia literally spoiled everyone and now the expectations from a Champion is no less than a God. But what did gamefreak give us instead? Some main character from an anime looking dude who loses both his Champion battles!

Unacceptable! Or....is it?

 

Now these are the points as to why Alder gets to be super chill and relaxed as a Champion.

 

This is a video from Game theory.

 

This video, as the title suggests, shows how rich a Pokemon master can become by comparing pokemon money to real world money. The result? A 10 year old kid would be in debt of 4000 US Dollars if they decided to go on a Pokemon journey and beat the Champion. That's right. Being a Pokemon trainer is a really bad choice for a job.

 

This leads me to conclude that pokemon battling is not for people who are poor. This video also gives a strong idea that the Pokemon league is actually a huge entertainment industry. People pay to watch matches and the elite four and champion get a cut from that. But how else do champions sustain themselves then? Let's look at them:

 

Blue. His grandad is a world renowned professor. And he's 10. He helps his grandad in research. Professor Oak is happy with him. Safe to say that he gets all his daily life needs from professor Oak.

 

Lance. If you played the original games, Lance was an elite four member. He barely scrapes through as a Champion. We can assume that he's barely making money via the entertainment industry. He also gives you a very low cash reward on winning further suggesting his poverty.

 

Steven. He is the son of the President of Devon Corp, the owner of all the items sold in pokemarts. Plus he excavates stones like an archaeologist. Safe to say that he meets his daily needs just fine.

 

Cynthia. She is a real mystery. Her hobby is traveling across the region researching legendary Pokemon. Her entire life is devoted to Pokemon. In the anime, we can see her struggling to decide between buying a sandwich and an ice cream from the team rocket stall. This shows that she actually cares about her finances and suggests that she's not too rich. But she has multiple contacts around the world. Including an elite four member of Unova, Catyln, who let's Cynthia stay at her villa for free. So yeah, she's kinda good.

 

Iris. She's a pure dragon lover. She was born and raised in a village. She's not used to the rich life. She doesn't want a rich life. All she wants is more dragon pokemon. Okay to say that she would survive just fine without caring too much about daily expenses.

 

Diantha. She's a straight up model. Modelling is a very high paid job. And she's the most popular in Kalos? Yeah she rakes in money like no tomorrow. This is further proved by the reward money given by her. Yep, it's the highest among all the Champions from every single generation. She's definitely good.

 

Alola. The Alolan region builds a Pokemon league from ground up. Everyone shares everything they have. Nobody has a luxurious lifestyle. They're all nature fanatics because of all the greenery. Nobody cares about money. They survive barely and that's good enough.

 

This brings us to Alder. What about him you ask?

ALDER IS RICH AS FUCK

You heard me. He's rolling in cash. He gives you the SECOND HIGHEST cash reward among every single Champion from all generations. And it's very very close to Diantha's reward. This shows that he is literally the most laid back guy ever. Combine this with the fact that the Pokemon league is an entertainment industry? Yeah he doesn't care.

 

Now my second point. Alder's age. In Black2/White2, we see that Alder has a grandson called Jenga. A grandson.

Let's see how old that makes Alder.

 

Assuming he married at 21. Had a kid by 22/23. His son would have to be 21. So 23+21= 44 years old. 

If his son had a kid at 23 as well. And assuming Jenga is 10-11 years old. 

Alder's age= 44+2+11 = 57 years old.

Alder is 57 years old. That's like old old.

 

Blue is 10 and 15 in USUM. Lance might be 30. Steven might be 27. Cynthia might be 28. Iris might be 15 maybe? Diantha could be 26 because modelling. Alola is Alola. In comparison, 57 years! No wonder he got beaten twice. He's literally at the age of retirement. That's why he takes life so easy.

 

So what happened in black/white and Black 2/White2?

Unova is place of technology. The life in some places(Lenora's town) is super relaxed and in some places is full of rush(Castellia City). People are used to entertainment and a cool lifestyle. Due to such a lifestyle, it can be assumed that everyone in Unova is super chill. Alder was one trainer who valued experiences. He wanted to experience everything in life. Of course, including becoming the Champion. And that's just what he did. But after that what? Absolutely nothing that's what. Everyone is still happy and chill. There's no threat and Alder starts roaming about the region without caring about his Champion status because he wants a new experience. But when he's roaming around the region, team plasma incident happened. A person called N rose. You could call N an 'over the top pokemon activist' who fought for pokemon rights. Then came us, the player. That's like 2 super ultra serious characters who only want victory. This is obviously not the style of Unova. Nobody is serious in the region. Even gym leaders have jobs because there is so less activity (restaurant, museum, painter, model, miner, pilot, actor). 

Of course the entire events of the game took place. 

Alder had to return to the Champion hall so he could stop N. But of course he wasn't expecting a legendary Pokemon. His old age plus lax battle style completely got him bodied. And thus he decided to retire. But he knew it would be unfair to the player who worked so hard just to reach the top. He admires the player's dedication. And decides to remain Champion until the true victor of the Pokemon league takes his place. 

He of course gets bodied again. But he knew it was coming. He embraces his loss and gives the player a place in the hall of fame. Just like they deserved.

 

In Black2/White2 he's already retired. He's just coaching young trainers and enjoying life. He knows his old age won't get him anywhere so he's chill.

 

But notice how we never ever know why he's rich? What's his job? How did he become Champion? What was he like earlier? This is probably the least expanded Champion in the Pokemon universe. There are so many secrets to his life.

 

So next time you see Alder, don't just dismiss him off as a useless guy. He may just be the most knowledgeable and powerful among all the Pokemon champions without you knowing it.

His first battle with the player does start of with a level 72/62 pokemon after all....

[Wolfox]

TBH, I always liked Alder. He was an amazing character (which you should know I put a lot of value into). As a character, he's easily the third best champion. Also, Diantha is a Movie Star, not a model. just thought I'd clear that out

[The Swordsman]

I've always liked Alder as well and I wouldn't use that video as evidence as it filled with errors thanks to Mat treating the game's world and the anime's world as the same, while leaving out somethings in the anime that throw a wrench in his theory like Pokecenters in that verse providing both food and board for free as well as healing your pokemon.