Pokémon Sword & Shield is shaking up the formula of the end-game of the series and it's possible that the designs of some of the characters are hinting at how the events leading up to the final battle will take place. There is one fan theory that links the designs of the Champion and one of the rivals to Chess.

The Galar region has its own rules for the Pokémon League. A Pokémon Trainer is expected to travel the region and collect Gym Badges from the eight different Pokémon Gyms. In the other games, this would earn the Pokémon Trainer the right to challenge the Elite Four, followed by the Champion. In Pokémon Sword & Shield, collecting the eight Gym Badges gives the Pokémon Trainer the right to enter a tournament called the Champion's Cup, with the winner earning the right to challenge the current Champion.

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There is a theory on Reddit posted by user Supergupo that suggests that there are secrets in the designs of the Champion and the rival that hint at their larger role in the story. The current Champion of the Galar region in Pokémon Sword & Shield is a man named Leon who uses a Charizard in battle. Leon has a lot of regal elements in his design, as the bill of his cap has a spiked gold design that resembles a crown and his cloak is red with a gold trim, which resembles the cloaks worn by members of the British monarchy in real-life events. Leon's cloak also has a checkered design on its interior which resembles a chessboard. As the Champion of the Galar region, Leon is clearly the king and is the person that everyone wants to defeat.

Hop Pokemon
via.GameUp24

One of the rivals in Pokémon Sword & Shield is a boy named Hop, who is Leon's younger brother and wants to become the Champion of the region. There are elements of Hop's design that also tie him to Chess pieces, most notably his hair and his name. Hop's tapered hair resembles the bishop and the name Hop is also part of the bishop's name. The original theory on Reddit suggested that Hop's design also resembles the pawn, which also makes sense in regards to the distance between the roles of the two brothers, as Leon (the king) is Champion, while Hop (the pawn) is just starting out.

Pawns in Chess also have a unique quality known as promotion, which occurs if the pawn makes its way to the other side of the board. Promotion allows the pawn to transform into any piece other than the king, with most players opting to turn it into a queen, due to how it's the most versatile piece in the game.

Hop hasn't been featured much in the promotional material for Pokémon Sword & Shield, so it's unclear how big his role in the game will be, especially as there are other rival characters. It's possible that Hop is the player's final opponent in the Champion Cup and he will be one of the most fearsome enemies in the game, representing his promotion (and a possible shift in design). Much like the pawn, Hop cannot become the king, and he is destined to lose at the hands of the player, leading to the final confrontation with Leon.

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Source: Sugargupo/Reddit