Hop

Hop is character appearing in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield. He is the player character's neighborhood friend and rival, who eventually becomes Sonia's research assistant, after the latter takes her grandmother, Professor Magnolia's place, as the region's professor.

Appearance

Hop is a dark-skinned boy with purple hair and bright yellow eyes. He wears a blue fur-rimmed jacket, with a black T-shirt and pants, the latter with two purple stripes on the sides, along with black, white and purple colored sneakers and a comparatively smaller, green duffel bag.

Personality

Hop is passionate and determined to surpass Victor/Gloria so that he can subsequently challenge his brother, Leon and become the Champion, though he can often come off as a bold, rash and reckless youth. Hop idolizes his brother Leon and wishes to be like him, down to almost copying Leon's gestures and battling strategies.

Hop is later revealed to have an inferiority complex as he pressures himself to live up to Leon's legacy, who otherwise feels it would tarnish his brother's hard earned reputation. Opal pointed out that Hop's desire to follow Leon's footsteps is misguided. Hop's insecurities worsened after Victor/Gloria became the new champion, while his other rivals became Gym Leaders, causing Hop to feel that he was the only one left behind.

After the incident with Sordward and Shielbert was resolved and once Hop had bonded with Zacian/Zamazenta, he regained his confidence and found a new path for himself where he could standout, no longer feeling like he's living under anyone's shadow.

Etymology

Hop's name derives from Humulus (hop), which is a small genus of flowering plants of the Cannabaceae (hemp) family. It is, in fact, a type of plant often used in brewing beer. His hairstyle additionally slightly resembles a hops bud.

Biography

At the very beginning of the game, Hop barges himself into Victor/Gloria's house to tell them that his brother Leon is coming home for a visit. He then takes off, prompting Victor/Gloria to follow him to his house next door.

After meeting Leon and returning to Hop's house, the former presents the three Starter Pokémon—Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble—for Hop and the protagonist to choose from. Hop selects the Pokémon that's weak to the Pokémon chosen by the protagonist, and then immediately challenges the protagonist to their first Pokémon match. After the protagonist win the battle, Leon congratulates both of them for getting their stater Pokémon. As Leon ask Both Hop and the protagonist what they'll do now that they have their starter Pokémon, Hop said he will become the next champion, He will say that he and the protagonist are now rivals because of the goal they both share, so Leon decides to endorse both of them for the upcoming Gym Challenge.

During the player and Hop's trip throughout Galar, Hop continually challenges them, having seen them as his rival. After obtaining the Fire Badge from Kabu, Hop asks the player to travel to Hammerlocke City, but are stopped by Bede, who begins to insult Hop. Hop then asks them to go on ahead so he could beat Bede, but he ends up losing. This caused his confidence to suffer and he began looking around for other Pokémon, but he eventually regained his confidence. After acquiring the Dragon Badge from Raihan, Hop traveled to Wyndon City where he partook in the Champion Cup semi-finals, facing the player. The player ultimately beat him in the match, eliminating him, although he thanked them for being with him.

After Rose released Eternatus onto Galar to restart the Darkest Day, Hop wondered what he could do to assist his brother and remembered about the Slumbering Weald and the two phantom Pokémon they had seen there at the start of the game. Navigating deep into the forest, they found some ruins along with a rusted shield and sword. Depending on the game, Hop takes the opposite equipment before returning to Hammerlocke City to assist Leon. Taking the sword and shield causes Zacian and Zamazenta to appear during the fight against Eternatus, who is then captured by the player.

After the player is crowned champion, Hop becomes dismayed when all of his rivals had promoted further while he still remained the same. During the post-game events, he returns to the Slumbering Weald, with the player catching up and he requests a match with them. After returning the sword and shield, Sordward and Shielbert appear and take them, much to his anger. As with before, Hop will challenge the other brother but end up losing. He later helps the player alongside Piers end their havoc across Galar.

Back at the power plant, after Zacian/Zamazenta flees, Hop chases after it back to the Slumbering Weald while the player ends up catching their other counterpart. Hop manages to calm the Pokémon down before believing that it wants him to be his Trainer, so he throws a Poké Ball and successfully catches it. After one final match, Hop decides to become a Pokémon Professor and accepts Sonia's offer to be her assistant.

League Card entries

Regular League Card

This Pokémon Trainer got endorsed to take part in the Gym Challenge by his brother—the reigning Champion, Leon. Hop claims to have watched all Leon's matches. Commentators speculate that as a result, he might be quite the force to be reckoned with. The Champion himself has said that his brother has potential, but his carefully hoarded knowledge can go to waste as he tends to get easily flustered in battle. It's said that Hop's partner Wooloo is a great help to him both in battle and with chores around the house.

Rare League Card

This Trainer ultimately was defeated in the final match of the Champion Cup Semifinals. However, many Gym Leaders speak highly of his battle style, where he will let his Pokémon battle freely and really enjoy themselves. During the incident with Eternatus, he provided vital assistance in resolving the situation, proving beyond doubt that he is a skilled Trainer in his own right. It is expected that his battles with the new Champion will be the stuff of legend.

Other appearances

Pokémon

First battle

If the player character chooses:

Second battle

If the player character chooses:

First multi battle

If the player character chooses:

Third battle

If the player character chooses:

Fourth battle

If the player character chooses:

Second multi battle

Wooloo		Corvisquire
Lv. 22	♂	Lv. 21	♂
Ability: Run Away		Ability: Unnerve
Item: None		Item: None
Double Kick		Pluck		-	-	-	-
-		-		-	-	-	-
-		-		-	-	-	-
-		-		-	-	-	-

Fifth battle

If the player character chooses:

Sixth battle

If the player character chooses:

Seventh battle

If the player character chooses:

Champion Cup

If the player character chooses:

Eighth battle

If the player character chooses:

Ninth battle

Sword

If the player character chooses:

Shield

If the player character chooses:

Galarian Star Tournament

As the opponent, Hop can team up with Leon, Marnie, Bede or Opal.

Sword

If the player chose:

Shield

If the player chose:

Trivia

• Like Bianca in Black and White, Shauna in X and Y, and Hau in Sun and Moon, Hop picks the starter that has a type disadvantage to the one the player character chooses.
• Hop temporarily stops using his Wooloo when he begins to struggle with confidence issues.
• Like Gladion, Hop uses a Legendary Pokémon during his battles.
• Hop, along with others, appeared in the music video, GOTCHA!, of the alternative rock group, Bump of Chicken's single, Acacia.
• Hop has the most Gigantamax-capable Pokémon, that being his first partner Pokémon, Corviknight and Snorlax, although he only uses the former two.

Gallery

v · d · e List of Galar characters
Locations · Pokédex
AveryShTIoA Adventures Ball Guy Bede Adventures Gloria Casey Shield (Adventures) HoneyTIoA Hop Adventures anime Hyde Adventures KlaraSwTIoA Adventures Cara Liss Adventures anime Professor Magnolia Adventures anime Marnie Adventures anime Mom MustardTIoA PeoniaTCT Adventures PeonyTCT Adventures Oleana Adventures anime Chairman Rose Adventures anime Sordward Adventures Shielbert Adventures Sonia Adventures anime Victor Henry Sword (Adventures) Watt Trader
Gym Leaders	Milo Adventures Nessa Adventures Masters Kabu Adventures anime BeaSw Adventures anime AllisterSh Adventures anime Opal Adventures anime GordieSw Adventures MelonySh Adventures Piers Adventures anime Raihan Adventures anime
Champion Cup and Pokémon Champion	Marnie Hop Bede Nessa BeaSw AllisterSh Raihan Leon Adventures anime
Others	Dan Morimoto
See also	Kanto Johto Hoenn Sinnoh Hisui Unova Kalos Alola Paldea
Characters

v · d · e List of rivals
Kanto	Blue Adventures Gary Oak (anime) TracePE
Johto	Silver Adventures anime
Hoenn	Brendan Ruby (Adventures) anime May Sapphire (Adventures) anime Wally Adventures
Sinnoh	Lucas Diamond (Adventures) anime Dawn Platinum (Adventures) anime Barry Pearl (Adventures) anime
Unova	CherenBW Adventures anime BiancaBW Adventures anime HughB2W2 Adventures
Kalos	Calem X (Adventures) Serena Y (Adventures) anime Shauna Adventures anime Tierno Adventures anime Trevor Adventures anime
Alola	Gladion Adventures anime Hau Adventures anime
Galar	Hop Adventures anime Bede Adventures Marnie Adventures anime KlaraSw Adventures AverySh Adventures
Paldea	Nemona Adventures anime KieranTTMTID CarmineTTMTID