In Pokemon Sword and Shield, the game initially presents Chairman Rose as a heroic figure and close ally of the Champion Leon. Warning: Spoilers ahead! However, the Nintendo Switch game quickly reveals the character’s true nature, and his desire to capture the Pokemon Eternatus. Rose wants to avoid an energy crisis in Galar, but the problem is quite far off; 1000 years in the future, to be exact. So, why did Rose spring his plan into action so quickly? In a new theory shared on Reddit, poster bluesidra claims that Rose made his move because he feared there might be a new champion soon.
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In Sword and Shield, Rose and Leon are shown to have a very close relationship, going back to when Leon was just 10-years-old. Bluesidra posits that Rose was grooming Leon to catch Eternatus from the very beginning, which is why he endorses Leon so early on. As a result, Leon rarely seems to question Rose; in fact, the champion seems all too willing to help Rose whenever necessary. A new champion might have been less malleable for Rose, and the chairman’s plan might have taken much longer to enact if he was forced to build a relationship with a new champion.
At the end of the game, Rose’s plan fails. The chairman tries to force Leon to capture Eternatus before the championship match with the player, but Leon believes (correctly) that it can wait. After Leon’s refusal, Rose releases the legendary Pokemon to interrupt the match, inadvertently causing a second Darkest Day. Leon is unable to defeat Eternatus on his own, but the player manages to catch the legendary Pokemon after a climactic battle fighting alongside Hop, Zacian, and Zamazenta.
As far as Pokemon theories go, this one does a nice job clearing things up! When you consider how much time Rose invested in building up Leon, it makes a lot more sense why the chairman feels pressured to enact his plan quickly. Since the player does defeat Leon (of course), Rose would have been correct about the future. Of course, this is all just a fan theory, so readers should not consider this official canon, but it certainly adds an interesting layer to the story!
Pokemon Sword and Shield is available now, exclusively on Nintendo Switch. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the game right here.
Are you a fan of Pokemon Sword and Shield? Do you think this theory explains the game’s ending? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
