In Pokemon Sword and Shield, players are introduced to a handful of new rival characters. Each of these NPCs aims to become the newest Pokemon Champion. They all may have the same goal, but their personalities are drastically different. Some are friendly while others are hostile. There is no better example of this hostility than Bede.
This snooty adolescent does his utmost to stand in the player’s way of becoming the best in the Galar region. Serving as an antagonist for both Hop and the player, he’s known for making excuses and being rude. His bad attitude and sense of entitlement became meme material overnight for fans of Sword and Shield.
10 Ok, Bede. . .
Bede is not one to lose gracefully. He talks himself up every time he faces the player character. This never stops Pokemon trainers from wiping the floor with him, however. Cyrus527 highlights the sour attitude that Bede has each time he loses. He consistently makes excuses for his defeat, no matter how decisive that loss is. He’s as sore a loser as you’ll find in the Galar region. Bede’s ignoble response to being bested always makes for a rewarding win. No matter what he says, players know they’re the better Pokemon trainer.
9 Dio Brando
Bede has turned some heads with more than just his attitude. Fans of anime have drawn comparisons between his design and another antagonist. SIMIFU points out an iconic anime villain that Bede resembles. The strapping young man in question is none other than DIO Brando. DIO is one of the antagonists in the popular anime Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. He has several similarities with Bede beyond character design. The two both harbor an intense hatred of losing, and become vitriolic when things don’t go according to plan. The pair should be aligned in meme culture when they have so much in common.
8 Granny Meets Marnie
Bede has spawned a multitude of contrasts within the fanbase. Some may see a resemblance to DIO when looking at Bede, but Stoic_Miiverse makes a scathing comparison through the eyes of Marnie. Marnie is yet another rival character that is loved by the community.
When she mistakes Bede for an old lady, Marnie offers to help him cross the street. In an attempt to be a good person, she sets the short-tempered trainer off. Bede berates her with overly-wordy insults before threatening to have her crushed by Wooloo. It’s a great way to showcase how awkward this rival can be.
7 Joshua Lookalike
The lookalikes just keep on coming. PieManThe4th sees similarities with Joshua, a protagonist from The World Ends With You. Both of these characters have designs that scream overconfident ingrate. The only difference, in this case, is that Joshua actually has the brains to back up his claims. Just as with copying someone else’s work, the plagiarized products are never as impressive as the original. Bede is effectively an off-brand rendition of this popular Square Enix character. Seems like Bede has found another person he just can’t measure up to.
6 Distracted Bede
iBlewupthemoon shows off a meme that highlights how Bede’s Pokemon preference changes as the game progress. Initially, Bede’s team primarily consists of Psychic-type Pokemon. It is only after he is approached about become a gym leader that his team composition changes. The outgoing gym leader, Opal chooses Bede as her successor. Because she is the leader of the Fairy-type gym, Bede has to use a team of entirely Fairy-type to get the job. It’s pretty entertaining that a job offer is what made Bede ditch his favorite type and completely reorganize his team of Pokemon.
5 Snobby Bede
Bede is the prime example of a spoiled rich kid. He brags and puts people down, claiming that they’re nothing compared to his incredible team. But that attitude only holds up until he loses. When he fails, he runs home to his daddy to complain.
Senchansart highlights this, as Bede often runs to Chairman Rose when things aren’t going his way. While the Chairman isn’t his actual father, the comparison still stands. Bede is only tough when things are going his way. In any other situation, he’s even more insufferable.
4 Better In Pink
When players meet Bede, he displays his light purple jacket with pride. It’s only after Opal criticizes his outfit that he considers a change to his wardrobe. YeetMeister69000 captures the excitement that Opal felt when Bede wears his Fairy-type gym outfit. It is only after she sees how fabulous he looks as a Fairy-type trainer that she is convinced that he has what it takes to be the Fairy-type gym leader. While his skill is considerable, what Opal was looking for was someone with the right aesthetic to succeed her. It’s ridiculous logic that can only with these two outlandish characters.
3 Ok, Boomer
Bede may be the most recent rude rival, but he isn’t the first. The original jerk rival was Blue. This young man serves as the foil to trainer Red in the original Pokemon Red and Blue games. Reddit user cobra_king123 draws a comparison between the two unruly characters. While Blue has matured, it seems old habits die hard. A slight provocation is all it takes to send the trainer over the edge. Ironically, it seems Blue can dish it out but can’t take it himself.
2 Tough Guy Bede
When Bede isn’t able to beat the Pokemon trainer, he does what all bullies do and aims for an easier target. He notices Hop tagging along with the protagonist and takes the change to crush the poor rival’s confidence. Delta_Streamer21 recounts the events of Hop’s tragic loss with this meme. Bede rubs the loss in Hop’s face as if he’s a Pokemon master. It’s just a prime example is what a jerk this rival can be. Thankfully, players can crush him later on and remind him who the real champion is.
1 Wearing A Wooloo
Bede’s hair is a conundrum. How it retains that odd shape is a mystery. A meme from oyobhctib likens this hairdo to the wool of a Wooloo. The Tumblr user hypothesizes that the only possible explanation for such a wild haircut is if the Sheep Pokemon is in fact a part of Bede’s head. Given that Bede seems to have a head full of hot air, it makes sense that Wooloo’s fur would take up the bulk of his head size. Hopefully, he treats the Wooloo with more respect than he does other people.
