#so.. potential shift in perspective for liko

[amelikos]

"Trust me"..

[scraftyisthebest]

I am thinking so much about Mega Evolution. Most particularly, the catchphrase Roy uses: "Gain true power and surpass yourself", and comparing it to Ash in Journeys, who used the phrase "The bond between us".

Like the contrast between the two is very striking.

Roy's "Gain true power and surpass yourself!" stands out because it's outlining that he's focused on using Mega Evolution as a form of power. He's trying to gain more and more power, because he's focused on it as a form of self-improvement. There's an underlying sense of "I must get stronger, and gain more power, because I must have the power to overcome both external challenges and my own weaknesses". But there's a lack of emphasis on the bonds aspect, which is a critical component of mastering Mega Evolution: the presence of a strong bond between Trainer and Pokemon.

Ash on the other hand has a pretty generic cheesy catchphrase: "The bond between us...", which while generic and in line with his character, has less emphasis on Mega Evolution as strength or power and more on bonds and connection, which he understood quite well at that point in Journeys. He's not focused on it as power. He's focused on it as a manifestation of the bond he shares with his Lucario. It highlights why he has a mastery of its power. It contrasts Roy, who not only focuses on it as a form of power but has an "I/you" component to his invocation, indicating he's using it for himself and it's his own power alone in his eyes. Ash in contrast has a "us" component in his phrase (and in the dub it's "Our bond of friendship..."). He's not saying "yes, let's get more powerful". The essence of his invocation, which underscores his mastery, is rooted in connection, which is "Behold the bond Lucario and I share, this is what we are capable of together!". Ash is someone who never had the most optimal team per se and is pretty unconventional to a point where early on no one had any faith in him, but his faith and belief in his Pokemon and his undying love for them is what his strength is, and by Journeys he understands this and embraces it.

It's very telling but what this suggests to me is that while Roy has managed to make pretty good use of his Mega Lucario so far, he doesn't have a proper, stable mastery of the transformation yet. He's focused in gaining more power to solve his problems and confront challenges, but he's not focused on the connection aspect of Mega Evolution. I feel like at some point, his usage of Mega Evolution is gonna hit a point where raw power isn't enough and he eventually loses control over it. His potential future development with the phenomenon won't be in obtaining or learning how to use Mega Evolution, as he's already the one in the group able to use it, but a shift in perspective as to how to see the transformation and make a proper use of it.

Meanwhile I feel like whenever Liko does get a Mega, presumably around the time Legends: Z-A rolls around, since they'll likely give her a new one introduced there (while Roy has an already existing one), the main thing she'll have to overcome is self-doubt and hesitation, something she's currently struggling with. In the current Mega Voltage chapter her arc from what little we've seen thus far seems to be centered on her getting back into her element as a Trainer after spending a year emotionally isolating herself and feeling stagnant. Which so far, she's doing a pretty good job at.

But she's an incredibly natural fit for Mega Evolution because she's never focused on power. The core essence of her being is connection. She wants to understand how Pokemon feel: she's compassionate, empathetic, and cares for others. And her true strength shines when she fights for others, further underscoring her empathy. She'll be able to make natural and stable use of it because she has an affinity for connection, and she'll be able to lean into the bond-driven aspect of the transformation. Her affinity for connection becomes her true strength. She fundamentally embodies the idea that bonds between Trainers and Pokemon unlock infinite possibilities and great power (something she shares in common with Ash no less!).

A prime example of how Liko's capacity for bonds and understanding is what allows her to become so formidable as a Trainer was shown quite recently in her and Meowscarada's battle against Nyabiko and her Incineroar. It was one hell of an underhanded and ruthless move to blow up Incineroar with a flower bomb near its flame belt, but what struck Nyabiko was the fact that neither of them needed to say a word to do it. Liko didn't outright say to trap Incineroar's flame belt. Meowscarada just implicitly understood what Liko was planning and did it. And Liko just confidently and silently smirked with a "Hah, gotcha" expression before Nyabiko could even realize what she was up to. The bond between them is so tight that Liko doesn't even need to say a word. That is a level of connection and understanding that highlights her strength: when Trainer and Pokemon understand each other at such a deep level that they don't need to vocally communicate to cooperate in battle. Even in the recent episode she understood what Hattrem felt against the raging Vileplume and acted on it accordingly.

There's an underlying throughline as Liko shows herself getting back into her element as a Trainer that her capacity for understanding others is the cornerstone of her strength. She has a powerful connection with her Pokemon, and she's capable of understanding what they want at a deep level, and they understand her in turn as well, so much so that at times Liko doesn't even need to say anything to make a move. She's capable of being a formidable Trainer as well as a compassionate one because her connection with her Pokemon runs deep and it opens up so many possibilities for her.

In a sense in the future I feel whenever the time comes for Liko to get a Mega, her affinity for connection will allow her to make use of it really effectively and naturally without much struggle because of her affinity for connection. She and Roy share a push-and-pull dynamic. Roy got his Mega first, and Liko witnessed it for the first time in Episode 92 and has definitely become curious about it, suggesting she's drawn to its potential. But namely, while Liko will be the one learning to use it for the first time, Roy will be the one who needs to take a shift in perspective to achieve a proper, stable mastery of it, focusing on it not as a form of power, but as a manifestation of connection and how bonds open up possibilities for true greatness. Liko is someone I think will be able to quickly master it because her very character aligns with the essence of what Mega Evolution is about, right now she just has to overcome her self-doubt and get back into her element after seeing how much Roy has tried to move forward. Roy on the other hand will need to lean back into connection and understanding that is where true strength and potential lies. That push-and-pull dynamic will work to the benefit of both of them in this regard.