Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl aims to reintroduce the Sinnoh region to veteran Pokemon players and make newcomers familiar with a generation that is now 15 years old. Although Sinnoh characters and plot points have been referenced in previous games, these remakes will be the franchise’s first Sinnoh-centric experience in over a decade. A particular Pokemon tradition that has been part of the franchise since the beginning is the villainous teams, and one standout faction will be seen in the remakes.
Starting from the simultaneously incompetent and violent, mafia-like Team Rocket, the evil teams became gimmickier and developed more ambitious plans as time went on. Sinnoh’s own antagonistic posse, Team Galactic, has a lot going for it. In some ways, the team’s members stand out as a strong collective of antagonists. They combine the best of what their predecessors and successors have to offer, and provide a unique experience for characters in mainline Pokemon games. Seeing Team Galactic again in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl evokes how strong it was, even after it was succeeded by several other teams.
Team Galactic’s Gimmick
While not a complete copy of them, Team Galactic is a bit of a rethread of Team Aqua and Team Magma from Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald. All three of these teams are based on the main Legendary Pokemon’s core concepts. Team Aqua fancies Kyogre, where as Team Magma prefers Groudon. Both Pokemon are based on weather. Kyogre is an aquatic creature whose very presence summons heavy rain, while Groudon attracts powerful sunlight but is also an earth-based monster. Both Pokemon are central to Team Aqua and Team Magma’s plans. The former had genocidal ambitions in a misguided view of human-Pokemon relations, as they wanted to flood the world and return it to a state as accessible for Pokemon as possible. The latter, on the other hand, aimed to expand landmass to give human civilization an opportunity to innovate and industrialize as much as possible.
Team Galactic is thematically based on Diamond and Pearl’s “mascot legendaries,” specifically Palkia, whose abilities revolve around space. Team Galactic’s plans, spearheaded by the leader, Cyrus, are even more radical than their Hoenn counterparts’ ideas. Team Galactic wants to essentially combine Team Aqua’s idea of getting rid of humanity by creating a new space, and Team Magma’s desire to provide an anthropocentric environment to make humanity thrive. By using the powers of several Legendary Pokemon found in Sinnoh, from the Lake Guardian trio to Dialga and Palkia, Team Galactic aims to recreate the entire Pokemon universe. Alongside the fittingly named admins, such as Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, these plans are in tune with the galaxy, making Team Galactic’s plans complement their overall presentation.
Team Galactic’s Leader
Even after two decades have past and over half a dozen villainous teams have been introduced, the most iconic, popular, and impactful antagonist in Pokemon history remains Team Rocket, and the Pikachu-obsessed trio from the anime is only part of the reason why the team is so memorable. The only team to be an antagonistic force in two separate generations, the team’s leader, Giovanni, was also the subject of a famous plot twist that is common knowledge nowadays.
Indeed, Giovanni was once the final Gym Leader of the Kanto region. Team Galactic’s Cyrus may not share the shock value and nostalgia that accompany Giovanni’s character, but his role in the Gen 4 games’ story helped shape the perspective of players and popularized Team Galactic as a team.
Cyrus is notorious for his deadpan demeanor and complete disregard for anything that remotely resembles life in his surroundings. Having suppressed any form of emotion in his way of thinking, Cyrus is one of the most ruthless Pokemon villains in terms of how he executes his plan. Rather than relying on petty thuggery that disregards the safety of Pokemon or people, or trying to awaken ancient Pokemon and manipulate them, Cyrus flat out kidnaps rare and strong Pokemon to torture them. What he does is arguably more sadistic and impressive than Team Rocket outright murdering Pokemon.
Diamond & Pearl were originally content with having Cyrus swear revenge in his final battle against the player and leave it at that. In Platinum, his nihilistic outlook is at full display. Exclusive to the game is the Distortion World, the homeland of the game’s mascot, Giratina. Cyrus’ own actions regarding Dialga and Palkia provoke Giratina, who transport the Team Galactic boss into its world. When Cyrus first makes it to the Distortion World, he is amazed by how hollow it is. After having one final rematch with the player, he vows to continue creating a world without spirit, and stays in the Distortion World.
Cyrus’ motives and actions are now infamous among his fellow Pokemon villains. He is not the last leader to manipulate his grunts for his own desires, as Ghetsis in the following generation is also a guilty party. However, Cyrus sticks out due to having specific motives and not having technically lost. He is still in the Distortion World as of Platinum, and can likely use this new home as inspiration for his plans.
Team Galactic’s Legacy
With the most recent villain Chairman Rose having underwhelmed fans, it is safe to say that Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will reinvigorate an already long-lasting appreciation people have for Team Galactic. The team is aesthetically fitting when it comes to both regional lore and its leader’s ultimate plans. Said leader is a contender for the most amoral character in a Pokemon game, while also being a contender for the most intimidating. Cyrus’ ability to kidnap and influence the actions of not one, but two trios of Legendary Pokemon has yet to be matched. The novelty of interacting with Legendary Pokemon in the story has long worn off, but Cyrus’ role in Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum was unlike any other due to how stern and cold he was.
While Team Galactic is decidedly popular, it was not the last team whose positive feedback was near ubiquitous. Pokemon Sun and Moon’s Team Skull also acquired an impressive fanbase thanks to the grunts’ comical personalities and the leader Guzma’s sympathetic characterization. If Team Galactic’s Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl counterparts are well received, even with the lack of Platinum content, the team will certainly overshadow Chairman Rose and hopefully inspire Game Freak to create more memorable villains.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl release on November 19, 2021 for the Nintendo Switch.