Well.. I was right all along! He was a good guy in the end! ^^

Leon: "Awww would you look at that, you got all the way here with that Pokemon I just gave you" Trainer: "Your job... h a n d i t o v e r"

I like the implication that this guy would've been us before everything happened. This guy is the protagonist, his rival was Raihan, Sonia was his friendly 'rival', the professor lady was his professor, so it makes sense everyone of these are grown adults. They have had their adventure, Leon was just as of an up and coming trainer as we are currently in the game. Starter was Charmander. And he's been undefeated for so long, hence this Champion theme has the Hall of Fame theme all over it. It is a contrast compared to Gen 7, where we were the champions already, and the theme was the main theme of Pokémon. I like the implications. And then we represent the new generation. We are the new protagonist for Galar, Hop is our rival, Sonia becomes the new Professor for us, etc. We see a lot of "people passing down titles", and that includes Opal, whose entire character revolved around finding a new sparkling Trainer to overtake her Gym, and had her sights in Bede, who had it rough finding his own spot in his world. And then we have Piers who represents that person who is so focused on keeping the past alive that he tries to no use Dynamax. EDIT: Ty everyone for the likes and your opinions! I wanted to add that this game is kind of the only one that has the adults doing the adult stuff as it's SUPPOSED to be and the young ones focus on their journey. Goes to show how Galar is very journey-centric.

my favorite thing about sword and shield is how they treat gym battles as major sporting events. i have never been as excited to battle a champion than when i fought leon.

So, when I fought Leon in Shield, he had used Max Rockfall on my Cinderace with his Charizard, setting up Sandstorm, which knocked himself out. Because Leon wanted to prove a point: the only one who could beat the Unbeatable Champion was himself.

leon is like the first champion who actually says "i'm the adult, leave the dangerous matters to me!" instead of expecting a kid to take down a group of terrorists on their own

Leon: *Throws off his cape* His sponsors: Am I a joke to you?

The one thing I will always love about shield is that we didn’t feel like some random kid never noticed but we were actually watched and had people rooting for us throughout the whole game, truly felt like the anime in alola when the final battle where everyone was watching

Making the old hall of fame theme the basis for the championship title battle theme was such a great move on their part. I love the addition of the chanting crowd too

Leon: here kid take this bunny Trainer: by the end of this week you’ll be jobless Edit: it appears I have to explain to everyone that the entire game takes place in one whole week, I’m not talking about the time it took me to complete the game.

Finally i became the champion. Now i can endorse Youngster Joey to enter the Gym Challenge.

the thing that really makes me appreciate this theme is that it feels like a love letter to the pokemon franchise itself in a way

A certain trainer from pallet town has finally become the very best that no one ever was.

I didn't want to end this man's whole career. Just like I didn't want to crush and humiliate Hop and Marnie in front of all the people

Everybody Gangsta Til Your Little Brother’s Friends Takes Your Job

They chose this song to be the Theme for VGC at worlds and it fits so well for the high level games we've seen so far

This theme is easily the most fun and lighthearted champion theme, which fits very well for Leon and the Galar Pokemon League, as a whole. While the battle is high-stakes, it doesn't have the tension of virtually every other champion theme; it's more about having fun, and, as Leon would say, having a champion time for yourself

Leon's 3 personalities: . Guys, I'm the undefeated champion! . Do you guys like the pokemon Charizard? . Guys, where the hell am I?

Thinking back, this theme fit him so well. Leon isn't an intimidating Champion like Cynthia or Lance, he is the people's Champion for a region where Pokemon are more like sports than any other. Like Alder, he's not just here to be the strongest. He wants to have fun, and make others have fun too.

At the end of every semester, I would always come back here just to celebrate my small victories in college. This has been my battle song since I've become a university student. And now I am on third year! 😊✨

Pokemon fans to Leon after they fought Geeta: "Perhaps I treated you too harshly"

Imagine endorsing the child that ends your career

This man has the absolute best losing pose ever. The way he tosses his hat off, like he's willingly and happily giving over his title to the next generation Edit: Thank you all so much for 4.6k likes

This theme is criminally underrated.

Players: **meme about champions letting 10 years olds save the world instead of doing their job** GameFreak: **gives them a champion that actually does his job** Players: **hates it** Absolute bruh moment

Maybe I’ve been playing too many Yakuza games, but when Leon reaches for his shoulder to throw off his cape, I half-expected him to rip off his shirt too and reveal a giant Charizard tattoo underneath

Literally the whole Galar region: Have you heard about our unbeatable Champion who is unbeatable and has never lost a battle before? Me: I'm about to end this man's whole career.

This theme always makes me cry happy tears _because_ it’s using the Hall of Fame theme. First heard that theme back in 1998-99 when I’d worked my butt off to beat my rival’s team (hadn’t known about any glitches at that point) and heard this song as a reward while having my team recorded. I was so happy I got to wipe the smirk off of rival’s face. Good times we’re had by my then-kid self. Over 20 years later, this theme is given a new context. It’s not about rewarding the journey, but celebrating the journey itself as a whole. The champion isn’t the smug prick of a rival Blue here and isn’t trying to keep you down. Win or lose, he’s proud of you for the journey you took to make it to him in the first place. The use of the Hall of Fame theme and the crowd cheering you both on makes this really beautiful and heartwarming. In a way, it’s almost like passing the torch from a Gen 1 old fart like myself to another young fan while wishing all them all the best of luck in all of their endeavors. That this champion’s partner Pokemon is Charizard also resonates with me as a lot of my friends back then started with Charizard in Red/Blue (I was a water-main myself and I miss my dear Blastoise). Tl;dr - this song makes me feel good and miss my childhood

This game's probably gonna have quite the special place in my heart a few years from now, since it's the first Pokemon game I ever beat

I played this and when he sent Aegislash, I was like, “He has a a top tier Pokémon” but then realized it’s a Sword and Shield, so of course he had it on his team

SwSh feel like the first games to treat the League as a big deal, rather than just "lel I'm Champion now *sits alone in fancy room*". This is something I always liked about the anime and was dying to see in a game. Gen8's Gym challenge is my absolute favourite in the series. I love it.

Leon is easily one of the coolest champions and this theme? Man oh man. He’s straight up supposed to represent the player, a guy who’s been undefeated since he was 10 years old, and the hall of fame theme emphasizes that. Not to mention any champion that fights the evil team is cool. Tbh the way SWSH handles the whole Pokémon league challenge was awesome

I love the look on his face once Leon is defeated. It goes from momentary anger "you beat me? You beat me?!" to happiness. "Wow, you're amazing!" And when he throws his hat up in the air, its like he's relieved that the pressure of being the Champion is now off of his shoulders. He's free.

Me: *sends out rock type against charizard* Leon: call an ambulance *max overgrow* But not for me

I gotta say, the abundance of crowd chanting in this particular Champion theme makes you feel like your battle with Leon is being spectated by pretty much all of Galar, unlike the Champion battles of previous generations (video games-wise, of course) where it's just you and the Champion in a room.

I never understood the hate this theme gets, it's probably my second favorite champion theme. It feels like it embodies the spirit of pokemon. Regardless of how I feel about Leon as a character, I can't deny that this theme just captures the essence of the pokemon world, and for that I adore it.

0:41 - 0:53 is just so PERFECT. The way you can hear the crowd quieten down and then blast back up is just something you can absolutely picture in your mind, imagine the crowd just sinking back into their chairs with anticipation and then erupting when the challengers release their first pokemon. This song is so underrated

Gen 1: 8 bit Gen 2: 8 bit the sequel Gen 3: bombastic trumpets Gen 4: sophisticated pianos Gen 5: eardeffning orchestras Gen 6: somber violins Gen 7: extravagant bass Gen 8: are howls and the crowd instruments?

I know it's nothing new, but I just love the fact he actually trains up the 3rd unpicked starter and uses it on his team in the championship match

Hearing this on the Worlds Finals yesterday was insane bruh. The fights we're top notch! Hopefully everyone had a champion time on this years worlds

I get emotional when I hear this theme. I haven't seen my friends or anyone really, in months. I couldn't play online with them due to different consoles. I picked up pokemon sword, thought I might try a pokemon game for the first time. The visuals were amazing, and the music was good. I felt like I was back in society, hanging out and battling hop, moving through the gyms. The story progressed, with "Challenger Wind" becoming more famous. Eventually, I made it to the semi-finals. Beating Hop and Marnie felt bad, genuinely bad. I knew they were just videogame characters, but after months of minimal human contact it felt real. I worked my way to the final battle, and the triumph of the music combined with the people filled with excitement, made me feel something that I hadn't felt in a while. A mixture of accomplishment and friendly rivalry. Leon was a fairly basic character, but his older brother traits felt real. As the Hall of fame theme kicked In (I learned what it was later, at the time I thought it was just a cool melody) i felt a feeling I can't describe. Quarantine has been rough, but Pokemon Sword gave me an escape and an adventure

making everyone else in the "elite 4" level 50 with 5 pokemon and then making Leon level 60 with 6 pokemon was something that I was not prepared for lol

I know the first half of the theme can sound disappointing without context, but when you're actually playing and 2:03 kicks in, the music invokes the most fun any champion theme ever has. This battle was perfectly built up from the beginning of the game and the entire region has been watching your journey too. This theme perfectly serves its purpose.

This is the first generation where you know who the champion is from the very beginning and every step of the way is building up to the final fight and it’s so badass

I love the clapping and cheering in these battle themes, makes it feel so alive and like the crowd is actually cheering on the trainers that are battling

Imagine being a professional and being undefeated then losing to a literal 10 year old This post was made by champion gang

I feel like a lot of people who dislike this theme haven't actually gotten to fight Leon. When this theme is played in a stadium full of people and you are up against the unbeatable Champion. It gets you going.

2:00 that part never fails to give me some intense chills.

After beating Geeta, I start to feel appreciate Leon even more. that one is easier than her Elite 4

People who complain about Leon, here you go. -he uses a starter as his best Pokemon, presumably like everyone who plays Pokemon casually -he is a meta depiction of what today's trainers are, they can only win and everyone knows they can win, which is also why he has a Charizard, look at the fan base -he changes his team based on your starter, or more likely, for the starter that wasn't picked -he uses meta Pokemon like aegislash, dragapult, and haxorus -he starts the battle no nonsense -he ends the battle on a high note, uncrowning himself (look at his hats design closely) and congratulating you -immediately moves on to making a tower where people can battle and have a great time rather than wallow in his defeat -he is characterized as being awful with directions, even going so far as his Charizard being his guide, which could be how his original journey went, and shows how well they know each other -typing wise, Leon seems to focus on offense over defense, and in a place where battles are viewed in massive stadium, it makes perfect sense, he wants to get the crowd roaring and excited -not only does he give you your and hops starters, he immediately takes in the third Pokemon, breaking the stereotype of an abandoned unpicked Pokemon, and showing how much he cares -even after being dethroned as champion and the owner of the battle tower, we still see him working through his minor issue of dealing with loss, hiding his face while congratulating the player when he does lose -that smirk when he gmaxes his Charizard, a thousand words in a single expression -while his music is lackluster to say Cynthia's or iris's, in it's own way, it's perfect, it's hype, it's excitement, it is, let's have a champion time, the song -at the end of the day, Leon is serious when he needs to be, but prefers being relaxed, chill, and just seems like a fun guy to hang out with, he doesn't let his popularity get to him like it would an idol, he has pride in it but still likes to help people and generally hang out. He could be anyone's friend, and they'd love to have him as one -he inspires his little brother like no one else and only wishes the best for him, even to surpass him someday -as of the expansion pass, we now have gmaxes of Blastoise and Venusaur, and while the fan base representation is still clear, at least it's not blatant favoritism for those that care -he acted as the first wave of defense against eternatus, giving you enough time to arrive instead of leaving it purely to you -You meet him at the very beginning of your journey, even before getting your first Pokemon, and he's around until you finally beat him and become the champion. He's there the whole time, having an actual presence in the game instead of somebody who just stands in a room, waiting for you to show up Get over yourselves, Leon's not just awesome, but one of the greatest champions we've ever had the honor of meeting -the biggest reason...he's us. Remember our first journeys? Most of the time, we had no idea where to go, overleveled our starters, and went after the cool looking Pokemon. Look at Leon, look at his partner, his team, his personality. He's us, all grown up, defeating him is seen as impossible, like it's impossible for our trainer to lose either, using saving before battles. He's...simply us Edit: wow this didn't just blow up, it became a nuke. in that case, I'll add a bit more, thank you everyone for liking and commenting :) Edit: ok, yes, the stereotype of the third starter was broken, several times, I admit, what I should have added was that he was the champion taking the third starter, yes, kukui did it first, but he wasn't a champion, he was a professor, difference Isle of armor edit: we meet Leon's teacher, who happens to be one of the strongest trainers we've ever come across, giving his own strength even more merit, on top of providing some more character, on account of, Leon COULD HAVE HAD AN URSHIFU, but he got lost...like he always does, giving credence to his entire journey being that way Crown tundra edit: Leon comes up with an entire new form of tournament for everyone to watch in wyndom, using the gym leaders as well as trainers who made it to wyndom. Even when he's not champion, he's coming up with new and fun ways to entertain the people of galar. Say what you want about him, but you can't deny, he just wants everyone to have the best time possible. The most champion time possible.

I loved the feel of the battling in Sword and Shield. It feels like YOU'RE the center of attention to millions of people, like you're a celebrity. You're not just sitting in a small room with another person. Playing this just gave me excitement. If swsh wasn't rushed then this would've probably been the best pokemon game in the world.

Unlike Cynthia, Leon put me at ease. Whilst I respect and fear Cynthia, I feel a deeper connection with Leon’s character. What a chill guy.

Congratulations Ash Ketchum on your victory over Leon, and truly becoming the very best, like no one ever was! You've come a long way since you first set out from Pallet Town twenty-five years ago as a rookie, and now you are the best there ever was. Savor this moment, it only happens once a lifetime.

i had a heart attack when i learned his g-max charizard knew a grass move. Damn, thats a lotta comments

Leon’s design has to be one of my favorites. Some people make fun of the cape, but if I were to become a Pokémon Champion, heck yeah I would wear a cape.

my boy did it, he finally became the very best like no one ever was

I love this theme. Not only does it heavily emphasize the Hall of Fame theme so well, but the song is a celebration. For all intents and purposes, in the story, you've already shown you have surpassed Leon. This battle is a victory lap, hence another reason why the Hall of Fame theme is so ingrained into the melody.

Me: “alright Drednaw. Time to Gigantamax and beat his ass!” Charizard: *M A X O V E R G R O W T H*

Me: *defeats two of his Pokémon* Ok what’s he sending out next? Leon: *Sends out Haxorus* Me: HAXORUS?! **flashbacks to Iris’s Dragon Dancing Haxorus**

God I fell in love with this theme immediately just hit me so hard with the crowd chanting which I love they included in the themes plus it's just nostalgic as hell

Ladies and gentlemen!!! Ash has finally did it!!! He has became the very best like no one ever was. 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

Hop waiting at Hammerlocke Stadium for Leon: Where the heck is Lee? He would've gotten here by now. Raihan: Eh, he probably took a detour. Shouldn't be that long. *Meanwhile in Unova* Leon: WHERE AM I?!

Ngl this battle was a lot harder than I expected

A final battle on who will determine to become World Champion. Ash vs Leon, stay tuned on 11/11/2022.

Let's be honest. Everyone thought they could just one-shot his Charizard with a rock type.

He’s like Pokémon All Might. He’s a guy who gives a cheery outlook to the public yet still genuinely cares, he’s the previous generation’s “main protagonist” character, he’s extremely popular, and he gives rise to a new protagonist who later takes on his role

Humiliating Hop, Marnie & Leon infront of everyone made me feel sad :(

I played in the Pokemon World Championships in London in 2022 and this was the theme that played during every game of the main event. Good memories.

my fave champ 100%, haven’t loved a pkmn character in this long tbh. he’s a sweet guy who genuinely enjoys his job and climbs to greater heights postgame. found him to be a compelling character and this theme encapsulates that. upbeat, powerful, and fun 👏🏼💕

Am I the only one who found this theme pretty emotional? I know everyone wants a Champion theme that’s intense as Steven’s or Cynthia’s, I really do. Still though, this theme made me tear up a bit. I think how they had made the champion theme for SwSh a heavily remixed version of the Hall of Fame theme is excellent. After playing Pokemon for almost a decade, hearing that sweet, satisfying Hall of Fame music kick on after beating so many of the games in the franchise is phenomenal. And to hear the hints of Hall of Fame in Leon’s theme, along with the crowd chants and the challenge Leon posed for my team (he almost beat me actually), was just ultimately a “fuck yeah” moment for me. It hit me hard hearing the Hall of Fame theme because it reminded me of those previous adventures I had in different regions. I was overflowed with nostalgia after hearing this, and it kinda made me reflect on how long ago it’s been since I booted up Pearl and beat it. And now here I was, going up against a Gigantamaxed Charizard with a Bolthund. And here I was, chuckling like some idiot. I really came a long way from starting off in Twinleaf with my Chimchar.

This ain't no Cynthia's theme, but hearing the crowd begin to sing the hall of fame music filled me with a weird wash of nostalgia, this was a song of triumph, this was a song of VICTORY!!!

No lie, Leon was surprisingly tricky. I went in expecting to sweep like I had everything else, but his levels were still ahead of mine, even after I used Exp candies to evolve Zweilous into Hydreigon. I was not expecting his Rillaboom to know Earthquake, which nearly defeated my Toxtricity if I hadn’t been so nice to him. All in all, very surprising difficulty spike, being the strongest in the region was no joke, the win felt earned

Leon: *gives me a pokemon* Me: so you have chosen unemployment

Leon saved my life by having his PARTNER protect US rather than HIMSELF! That's a true champion right there y'all!

The fact that this theme is a Hall of Fame remix makes me really want to cry, because it makes me look back on how far Pokémon has a franchise. Despite the things that GAME FREAK has admittedly done wrong, you’ve got to admit that Pokémon is a franchise that’s had a lot of good parts as well. When I hear this songs, I think about many moments from past Pokémon games that I enjoyed, and how much I’ve loved pretty much every part of it. From winning Gym battles, to beating evil teams, to becoming Champion...this song really makes me realize how much I really love Pokémon. This is the best battle theme I’ve ever heard in any video game.

Its been almost 3 years and it still blows my mind how good this theme is, it very quickly became my favorite champion theme and I seriously hope that Scarlet and Violet somehow keep the "gym and champion fights take place in big stadiums with a big crowd watching" thing cause honest to god that should be the norm for these type of fights

I didn't listen to this song before fighting Leon. In my opinion, this is one of those songs that works so much better in the middle of gameplay instead just listening to it on a youtube video. For instance, the song, Between Heaven and Earth, in Fire Emblem is good, but having the characters talking and fighting on the battlefield while the song is going on makes it better.

What’s with the hate for this theme? It sounds really good. Not every champion theme has to be menacing. This is more of a ‘this is the final battle and the journey has been fun’ type theme.

Y'know what? I'm gonna just say it Gen 8 is pretty dang good

For what was lacking in a good portion of the game, honestly the characters really made up for it. Every gym leader is memorable, the rivals were so much fun and had great interactions. Sonia was great, and Leon was a fantastic champion. I loved this game so much.

I have seen a lot of comments talking about how embarrassing it is that Leon gives you a pokemon and then you beat him but I think it's one of the best examples of hubris in a game I've seen. Leon gives you the starter for the sole purpose that you will push hop into being a great trainer because he recognizes that his rivalry with Raihan is what pushed him to be the best. He knows that Hop has what it takes to be champion (or at least challenge for the title) and let's face it Leon is right he does, Hop comes in second and catches a legendary pokemon but he completely underestimates how good the player character will be. It is implied story wise that the only reason you were able to beat Leon is because Hop completely copied Leon's battle style Hop always asks how Lee would do something down to copying how his bro throws a pokeball. If you can regurarly beat Hop you know how to beat Leon. I want to clarify I mean thematically gameplay wise their teams are completely different. Leon essentially gave you his playbook because he thought he was unbeatable. I think that is the reason Leon overvalues Hop's skill is becuse Hop copied his techniques. He even says you have a lot more to learn then Hop does before he recommends that Hop and you get pokedexes. The sad thing is he tried to force a rivalry when he didn't have to. Hop would've been Beads rival they hate each other the second they meet. Hop is disapointed he doesn't get a rematch. I have a sneaky suspicion that if Leon had not told Hop we were his rival Hop would've still treated you like his good friend instead, he only thinks you are a threat because Lee endorsed you. Leon loses because in his pride he over values his brother's ability and undervalues yours. He was hoping to lose to Hop he wants Galur trainers to be better then he is to be the best trainers and he succeeds that's why he doesn't mind losing to you. In the end Leon just bet on the wrong horse.

Let’s be real... This man was the one actual challenge the game threw at me

*WORLD CHAMPION ASH*

I adore this theme for the fact it starts off SO intimidating seeing Leon’s carefree face go stern & serious, then start off with a freaking AEGISLASH Then when 0:42 kicks in, you can imagine Leon saying “Hey kid. We’re supposed to give the crowd a battle only Champions can give. Go all out, and have a blast!” It gives such a FUN battle realizing that’s what Leon’s catchphrase “Let’s have a Champion time!” means

Even with this game's ton of mistakes and lacks, their characters are top in the saga. This guy is probably the best champion ever. You cannot hate it. He is not just a celebrity, is the guardian of Galar. He loves to battle and train and he even uses the starter Pokémon you and Hop did not pick up. He is the first champion that actually look like a top tier celebrity in an actual sports league with a lot of sponsors but with love for the people and giving a good show. He helped you and his brother almost during all your travel. Also, he knew he was invincible, but he was ready to leave the throne to the next generation as a part of the main message from this game: Leave the future to the young. It is all about succession; Piers with Marnie, Opal with Bede, Magnolia with Sonia, Leon with you, and the ancient heroes of Galar with you and Hop. Also, smiling after defeat only makes Leon even more awesome. PD: This is actually the hardest battle in the game. I thought I was over-leveled and it was going to be an easy win and his Aegislash just started to sweep my team. I was really going to lose. I won literally by luck in a final 1 vs 1 last Pokémon with low health. I have not feelt like this since Cynthia or Iris. And when you realize all the stuff Hop says to you in combat is the same his brother say when you fight against him, and that is because Hop tries to be like his brother, he learned from him and he tries to keep the family expected power level. Details in this game's characters are beautiful.

Leon: My Gigantamax Charizard and I are unbeatable! Me: *Laughs in Stealth Rock*

Yesterday, the day before Scarlet and Violet released, I went to refight Leon with my original team. Fun last send off to Gen 8 for me.

Everyone's talking about 2:03, but in my opinion, 1:39 is also amazing. If I recall correctly, it's actually a remix of an earlier location's theme. It really makes you reflect on your journey, and it really feels like the crowd is cheering you on.

The sun sets to Red While the sea remains Blue The grass is always Green With blooming flowers of Yellow Shining out of Gold With the elegance of Silver And the incredible speed of Crystal Burning passion that is Ruby Coolness of Sapphire Wisdom from Emerald Sharp edge of Diamond Smooth texture of Pearl Distortion of Platinum Seeing Black And White On the axis is X And other side is Y To the bright Sun Decorating a new Moon Shaping our double edged Sword And the protection from a Shield

Why can I not wear this man's cape, gamefreak?!

This was the hardest champion since Cynthia, not even joking.

Easily the best champion theme gamefreak has ever produced. When the crowd starts chanting alongside the music i actually have a mental breakdown from how incomprehensibly cool it all is. Having the gym challenge and the pokemon league be massive sport eventa with massive audiences cheering alongside them was the single best part of the entire game, they nailed the athmosphere of these battles perfectly.

I like this theme for two reasons. 1. It matches Leon perfectly. It's triumphant and energetic which when paired with the cheering crowd fits so well. Leon is the Champion. Galar's hero. He is undefeated. This isn't his battle theme it's his victory theme. 2. As the song goes on it turns into the Hall of Fame theme. By that point you would have beaten several of his pokemon. To the crowd it looks like you have a shot at beating him and they start to root for you.

Fun Fact: Leon is the undefeated champion of the Galar region and has a Charizard

Hop deserves to hear this music, not us

Love or hate Sword and Shield, one of the best things it did was give the gym challenge the spectacle it deserves. You're not just fighting some dudes in a building, it feels like an actual event worthy of the hype surrounding it

Battle theme: *plays* Crowd: so anyway, we started screaming

I love how the theme is a loving audience. There's a lot of clapping and raccous cheering its SO FUN

Just going through and rating all the pokemon champion themes and im gonna give this one a 10/10

Sword and shield were awesome and I’m tired of pretending otherwise