Fans have speculated that the beloved Professor Friede from Pokemon Horizons will be biting the big one sometime in the near future. Ever since the fourth Pokemon Horizons Opening, “Only One Story,” fans worried that Friede would be exiting the series, one way or another. Professor Friede is the lovable yet hot-heated commander of the Rising Volt Tacklers. He’s oddly battle-ready but intelligent, making him unusual for a Pokemon Professor. The fourth opening features Friede walking into the white light, with many interpreting the moment as the professor going to the great beyond. Recent promo images and potential rumors may even further hint that Friede may not be long for the Pokemon world.
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The Pokemon anime hardly touches on the topic of death. Rarely any human characters perish within the context of the anime. Exceptions include characters who only existed in flashbacks and died offscreen, like Gibeon’s unnamed daughter. There’s also the occasional villain and goon who gets offed in the Pokemon films. Cyrus’s ambiguous ending in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl implies the character could be dead, but enough wiggle room exists to suggest the character is still alive. Friede’s potential exit from the series would be the biggest turning point in the anime, further establishing Horizons as a completely different show than the classic Pokemon anime with Ash.
There’s Reasonable Evidence That Professor Friede Is Going Away in Pokemon Horizons
The symbolic walk to the light in the “Only One Story” opening for Pokemon Horizons is often used as a visual hint that a character is leaving the mortal realm. The bright white light represents the afterlife, with his back against the viewer, teasing he is walking away from the viewer’s eyes. The viewer represents the rest of the cast, representing Friede walking away from the Rising Volt Tacklers as he heads to the white light.
While walking into the bright light is a strong metaphor, there are other hints that Friede may bow out of Pokemon Horizons. The recent promo image for the upcoming fifth act for Pokemon Horizons, translated as Pokemon Mega Voltage, has Friede noticeably absent. Furthermore, Captain Pikachu, Friede’s constant companion, is shown with the professor’s trademark goggles strapped to his body. The goggles are noticeably cracked, suggesting a heavy blow struck the hardware to break them. The cracked goggles, the missing Friede in all the promos, and the walking into the light do not paint a flattering light for the Professor’s future.
Another popular theory is that Friede will betray the group and abandon them. However, that feels less likely given how dedicated Friede is to protecting his friends.
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Professor Fried Could Just Be Trapped
Even though the Pokemon franchise has handled death before, it’s still difficult to imagine the anime killing off a main character. Horizons currently has the characters in Laqua, a mythical place where characters are trying to stop Gibeon from mining a mystical material that could threaten the world. Friede could make the ultimate sacrifice, sealing the entrance to Laqua on the other side to prevent any more people from getting to the legendary lands. So the character doesn’t have to die, but he would be out of reach for the majority of characters, which is arguably not much better.
What does Professor Friede’s Absence Mean for the Future of the Show?
Professor Friede served as the team’s leader and was the strongest trainer. His absence will create a power vacuum and force the other characters to not rely on him. This could potentially force characters like Liko, Roy, and Dot to step up and bridge the power ceiling between themselves and Friede. Without a powerhouse trainer to fight for them, Liko and the rest will have to become stronger to fight against the Explorers.
Furthermore, the death or loss of a main character could further differentiate Horizons from the classic anime. The original Pokemon anime was fairly tame when it came to tackling mature topics, especially after the first few seasons. Horizons set out to be different from the original show, including having a female protagonist and doing a time skip where the characters can finally age. A character’s death is new territory for the franchise, helping the series to deliver bold new stories. Franchises work best when they grow and evolve, and Friede’s possible exit could hopefully take the Pokemon anime to new heights.
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Image courtesy of Walt Disney Animation
