I recently wrote about how Goh is becoming a far better trainer than Ash as Pokemon Journeys continues to progress, and I stand by that claim. However, there are some trainers - one in particular - who our protagonists will never have a patch on, no matter how strong they get or how many ‘mons they catch.
To this day, there remains one specific Pokemon trainer who is so overpowered that I think the folks at The Pokemon Company had one too many Gloom gummies when they conceived of him.
Of course I’m talking about Tobias.
For those unacquainted with the most stupidly powerful trainer The Pokemon Company ever created, Tobias is a recurring character throughout the Sinnoh arc of the Pokemon anime, which focuses on Ash’s journey through the region you probably know from Diamond & Pearl. He is - to put it bluntly - a total weirdo. His first appearance in the show sees him shrouded in some kind of strange shadow, which simultaneously terrifies and amazes poor Barry. Shortly after, it’s revealed that the reason he managed to get eight badges so easily is because he has a Darkrai. A Darkrai!
To put that into context, Darkrai is a Dark-type Mythical Pokemon with a base stat total of 600. It has a monstrous special attack stat of 135 and is lightning quick, boasting 125 speed. Its official Pokedex description in Pokemon Platinum is, “To protect itself, it afflicts those around it with nightmares. However, it means no harm.” I think that same sentiment also applies to Tobias, although he’s probably a bit more outwardly weird than Darkrai.
After debuting in episode 183 of Diamond & Pearl, Tobias reappears in 184 - still as a weird shadow person - before finally emerging unshadowed in 185. Here, Tobias breezes through the quarter finals of the Lily of the Valley Conference before proceeding to take on Ash in the semi finals, which take place in episode 189. Surprising absolutely nobody, Darkrai easily defeats three of Ash’s Pokemon before Ash’s Sceptile finally manages to knock it out. Bear in mind that Tobias has made it to the semi finals of this tournament without revealing any of his other Pokemon. So, when Darkrai goes down, you think, “Surely Ash has a chance now - what else could Tobias have”?
Tobias, being the enigmatic weirdo that he is, manages to do something so outlandish here that you feel the opposite of shocked. As in, you’re not even surprised about what he does - you’re annoyed at yourself for not calling it earlier.
Tobias sends out a Latios, because of course he does. Why not give the weird shadow trainer with a Darkrai a Latios as well?
Latios obviously defeats the rest of Ash’s team. It’s worth noting that Latios also faints, but Tobias still has other Pokemon that he hasn’t revealed yet, meaning that he wins by default once Ash’s last ‘mon goes down. Tobias progresses to the final, beats his opponent with just Darkrai, and is crowned champion of the Lily of the Valley Conference.
This means that Tobias has four other Pokemon on his team that the anime didn’t even bother showing. If his first two are Darkrai and Latios, what else has he got? Mewtwo? Giratina? Deoxys? Arceus, the literal God of Pokemon?
Anyway, Tobias is ridiculous. I’m convinced he’ll come back to the anime one day and just start showing off all his Legendary and Mythical Pokemon as if it’s nothing. He’ll probably be the Champion of every region by then, too, because he is the most stupidly overpowered trainer in the history of Pokemon - as in, nobody else even comes close to him. I’m not quite sure what the writers were thinking when they designed Tobias, but I’m excited about the idea of them bringing him, his Darkrai, his Latios, and his four other unknown but obviously ridiculous Pokemon in the future.