Pokémon: Red Said His First Words - and They're Perfect

The protagonist and champion, Red, has finally made his way into Pokemon Masters alongside Blue and Professor Oak. A man of few words, Red maintained his silence over the years, speaking only in punctuation. Other characters in the Pokemon universe seem to have accepted this, possibly because he has a powerful team at this side. But now, the silence has been broken.

For the first time in Pokemon history, Red has said his first words, and they perfectly capture how he's been portrayed throughout the series. Upon obtaining Red and his Charizard as a Sync Pair in Masters, players will also unlock his Sync Pair Story "A Day with Sygna Suit Red." In the story, the player and Flint of Sinnoh Elite Four run into Red. When Flint and the player ask how Red gives his commands to his Pokémon without speaking, his response is, "Words are unnecessary!"

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Red's silence makes sense given his history as the original game's protagonist. Back when he debuted in Pokémon Red and Green, he is implied to speak on some occasions (such as his interaction with the Copycat who mimics everything he says), but he is never actually shown speaking in the games or in his subsequent main series appearances. Silent protagonists are common, especially in older games, as they allow the player to project their own identity onto the character. Other iconic Nintendo characters, like Link and Mario, also fall into this trope.

Instead of Game Freak deciding who Red is, the player gets the opportunity to flesh him out from themselves by deciding what kind of Pokémon he trains and how he goes about his adventure. This is mostly continued for player characters throughout the main series with some minor deviations.

However, since Red is only a playable character in the initial Kanto games and their remakes, his later appearances in the series have been as an NPC. When Red made his return in Pokémon Gold and Silver as a final, post-game boss, he has no words for the new player character when he is approached on Mount Silver. His only dialogue is "...," beginning what has become a running joke in the series. By maintaining the silent protagonist device with Red, players could continue to give him their version of his identity while also adding a bit of mystery.

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After a long hiatus in the mountains, Red returned in Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 for the Pokémon World Tournament. The games released over a decade after Red's previous appearance in Gold and Silver and took place several years after. Still, Game Freak chose to continue Red's silent streak, solidifying it as a part of his character. In Pokémon Sun and Moon, where players get to encounter older versions of Red and his former rival, Blue, it is clear that everyone in the Pokémon universe has accepted this as a part of who he is. Blue even asks, "What do you say Red?" when the pair meet the player, knowing full well Red won't say anything, and adding "Still as silent as ever, eh?" after receiving the expected lack of response from his friend.

Even though he speaks in Pokémon Masters, Red still mainly gives the player and Flint the silent treatment. His singular line perfectly captures who he's been over the past 24 years, and Red makes it clear that "Words are unnecessary" when you let your Pokémon do the talking.

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About The Author

An avid gamer with a poochy sidekick living just outside of Ottawa, Ontario. When not gaming she dons capes for writing, creating digital art, and sometimes game development. Games she's worked on can even be found on the app stores. Also loves metal music, horror movies, and a good book.

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