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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are polarizing games due to all the good factors that make them great and the issues that make them problematic, but regardless they remain quite groundbreaking compared to past entries in the mainline Pokemon series. This is due to a number of reasons, such as Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Pawmi changing Nuzlockes forever with its signature moves or the fact that future titles can't possibly move away from the open-world setting of Gen 9, and instead, they could keep on introducing new features. Gen 9 games also break several traditions at once, such as getting rid of both tall grass and the line-of-sight mechanic for trainers in the wilds, or the fact that Nemona as a rival is the first in a long time to achieve her goal.
Because of the intended scope of Gen 9 games, they feature quite a rich cast of characters, from the multiple Academy teachers to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Gym Leaders, who end up having a more distinct personality than other games due to their jobs and specializations. Joining these elements and characters are Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Professors, who also break the mold, and they do so not once, but in four different ways.
PLEASE NOTE: This article contains MASSIVE spoilers for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Proceed at your own risk.
Which Traditions Professor Sada and Turo Break in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
One interesting way that Professor Sada and Professor Turo break longstanding traditions is that they are actually version-exclusive characters, in the sense that players only get to meet one of them throughout the game based on the version they picked. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's version exclusives are strangely not too many in terms of pocket monsters, but there are a few additional details such as the main Professor, the color of the book Arven reads, and the colors of the game's main Academy that change. Pokemon Professors had never been version-exclusive in the past, and mainline games have always featured just one per generation.
One of the biggest changes in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is that players don't get their Pokemon from Professor Sada or Turo, but instead their starter is given to them by Clavell, the Academy's director. Pokemon Sword and Shield did something similar as well, with Leon giving players their first starter rather than the Professor, but trainers could still meet this character shortly thereafter and be awarded the Dynamax band. Not only that, in fact, but Pokemon Scarlet and Violet players don't ever meet Professor Sada and Turo until the very end of the game.
Another major tradition that Gen 9 games break is that neither Professor Sada nor Professor Turo bestows the quest regarding the completion of the regional Pokedex onto players, which has been a staple of the series for the longest time. Instead, completing Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Pokedex is not treated as the big deal that past games made it, and players simply get it in regular dialogue with other NPCs.
The biggest tradition to be broken by Gen 9 regarding Professors is that they are actually the final boss of the game, which is something that has never happened before. Pokemon Professors have always been on the main character's side and helped them throughout their journey, but Pokemon Scarlet and Violet turn this concept on its head, making something quite unique. Usually, the final boss in mainline games has been tied to the villainous team of the generation, and while Gen 8 approached this differently, Gen 9 takes this idea to another level. Overall, Professor Sada and Turo will likely go down as some of the most influential characters in the franchise, and rightfully so.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now on Nintendo Switch.