Being a Dragon Master - Is there more than just raising an Axew?

[Appletree]

As we know, Iris is a Dragon Master, she needs to raise her Axew in a mighty Haxorus.

But...why do the "Future Dragon Masters" obtain an Axew? Is there a reason for that? Do you need to show your skill like Iris and her Excadrill did?

And even more, can you still collect badges, being a Pokemon Sommelier/Connoisseur, coordinator (not that they exist in Unova) or something else? Or can you only raise an Axew and later on another thing like Gym Leader?

 

[Necrozma]

I believe that being a Dragon Master starts off by connection to one single dragon.

That is why Iris obtained Kibago and which is why she isn't capturing more dragons as everyone are expecting her to. I believe that once she fully completes her goal with Kibago (raising him into a strong Ononokusu) path to being a Dragon Master will open to her. Think about it, it will be much easier for Iris to handle other Dragon types after developing this special connection with Kibago, it will become much easier for her to understand all other sorts of dragons. I think writers think that too which is why they allow themselves to give Iris various sorts of interesting Pokémon while keeping her goal intact.

 

[Peppermint Phoenix]

I agree that she (and all specialists) can enter leagues. Not entering leagues because you are specialist raises the question "why specialize?" Becoming at true master of a type should entail being able to beat users of type which are good against it as well as all types. Further more Iris only has only one Dragon. I assume getting Axew is a benefit of training which would explain where Iris gets her dragon knowledge and evolving Axew is training. Much like how students train in the fighting dojo. So anyone can get Axew. Iris was just a student they wanted to have because she showed skill.

One more thing Iris is training to be a master she isn't already one.

 

[Kip]

Different people approach their goals in different ways. Iris may not be collecting dragon pokemon left and right, but that doesn't mean she isn't learning about them. It's similar to what Tsutarja said. Iris can learn about Dragon Pokemon from raising Axew. I'd imagine it'd be quite difficult to train multiple Dragon type pokemon at the same time. Not impossible, but difficult. If Iris learns from Axew, then it would likely make it easier for her to connect with and know how to raise other dragon pokemon she may capture. She doesn't have to catch fifty at once to raise, one at a time works fine too, and in the end, she can still reach the same goal as someone who may have decided to train several at once. There isn't just one set method to become a Dragon Master, and if Iris's way works in the end, good for her.

Also, I think dragon master's are free to do whatever they choose, in regards to collecting badges/etc. It's like what I just said, some people may grow more through Gym battles, or by becoming a sommelier, in order to reach their goal.

 

[Charbok]

Since raising dragon types are more difficult I think it;'s best if you focus on raising one so that you can learn more about them and try to raise a stronger one. Even if Iris is only raising Axew right now, she still has knowledge about other dragon types.It all depends on the type of trainer you are.

 

[Ghetsis-Dennis]

Wouldn't it make more sense if it was Deino instead of Axew to be a Dragon Master, since it's the pre-evolved form of this region's pseudo-legendary, who are more powerful than any other regular Pokemon?

 

[Eitarou]

Wouldn't it make more sense if it was Deino instead of Axew to be a Dragon Master, since it's the pre-evolved form of this region's pseudo-legendary, who are more powerful than any other regular Pokemon?

Uh, no.

Pseudo-Legendary is nothing more than a fan term for those Pokemon.

Also, this is the anime, where stats don't matter.

 

[Adamant]

It was stated pretty clearly in the episode the concept was introduced that "Dragon Master" is a title given to those who prove themselves as extraordinary dragon trainers, and it can be assumed that you're appointed with this title by the current masters. Training Kibago was said to open the way for Iris, but that's all there was to that. The elders of the village, and the masters, obviously think she has potential, but it'll still be a long way for her.

 

[Karpi]

Maybe she is supposed to be capturing other dragon types right now. She already had Excadrill, so he doesn't count, and Kibago was a step in the right direction toward her goal, but maybe she got distracted/forgot/decided it was to hard to have more than one dragon pokemon.

 

[Necrozma]

Maybe she is supposed to be capturing other dragon types right now. She already had Excadrill, so he doesn't count, and Kibago was a step in the right direction toward her goal, but maybe she got distracted/forgot/decided it was to hard to have more than one dragon pokemon.

It was already stated in anime how raising Dragon types is hard and takes patience. Now imagine Iris with three dragons, instead of one? It wouldn't make sense, it will be hard enough for Iris to evolve Kibago into Ononokusu especially since she has a long way to go.

 

[Reivaxe]

I always found it interesting how this goal is for Iris. It does seems to me like a Dragon Master could simply be someone who connected with a dragon's heart and fully evolved it until it reached it's full potential. But it also seems that People we know to be dragon masters have more than one dragon on their team. I always wonder how Lance got his team of mostly-dragon-and-dragon-looking pokemon seeing how its so hard to train them.

It also makes me think about Iris's role once Axew is fully grown. Will that be it? Will she leave with her Hax and search for other dragons to train or will she become the new gym leader for the Dragon gym? Or will she leave Haxorus to the gym (until she is ready to come back of course) and get the next cool 3 stage dragon-type of the 6th gen and stay with Ash so that she can repeat the process with a brand new, completely different baby dragon? Or will she do something like that but with Deino once they reach the end of B&W?

Theres so many ways they can go with this ... I could see both Iris and Dent staying for future gens seeing how we have no clue if Dent will ever reach his vague goal and for Iris her goal can revolve around doing this process over and over again until oneday she has a ton of fully evolved Beastly Dragons that she has trained one-by-one.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

Iris goal of dragon master was showed to involve aside from evolving Axew in Haxorous to become competent and strong dragon trainer who is able to fully understand hearts of dragon pokemon and their feelings.Something with which Iris is struggling with as it was showed with Excadrill.

Once Iris master her skills as dragon trainer starting to better understand feelings of pokemon she will overcome first and hardest step toward establishing connection with dragon types and using them to full potential.It was stated couple of times how it takes lot of time and patience to raise dragon types with Iris currently showing to have potential and skill to become recognized and respected dragon trainer one day having good approach toward handling Axew and utilizing things she learned over time.

Common misconception is how Iris would need to catch loads of dragon pokemon to achieve goal,but thats not necessarily required with quality of trainer not being measured through amount of pokemon he has but in how skilled he is with his pokemon having what it takes to learn using them to their fullest.Not to mention seeing how rare dragon types are not having wide variety to choose from and how hard it is to raise them is probably reason why she isnt catching more dragon pokemon currently being just fine.
Once Iris learn how to use Axew properly would serve as ground-breaker opening pathway toward having easier time in training future pokemon of this type.

Probably most known master of dragon types is Lance who is referred as "unbeatable dragon trainer"implies how someone would need to reach E4 kind of strength but since trainers like Drayden who are at lower level are also labeled as dragon master shows how there are probably existing different meanings of master.

We can see that best with Misty example whose goal of becoming water pokemon master was vastly different and more complex from Iris involving to become strongest water trainer in world doing it through traveling,collecting water types,battling strong trainers and expanding your horizons.
Judging by Whirl Cup and title "Alpha Omega" which defined whole term abit it was also showed how there exist prestige water competitions through which you can advance this dream proving your worth as trainer to other water trainers all around the world to show you have what it takes to become best.

Iris goal of becoming master of dragon types is probably easier to accomplish since it doesnt require to become best trainer in world or anything,being enough to establish close bond with dragon types understanding their feelings and learning how to raise and use them properly which would open her door toward becoming experienced and strong dragon trainer one day being implied by elder and other people from dragon village who sent her on journey with this task.

 

[Jukain]

First of all, it was heavily implied that the reason she was given Axew is that she proved to be an exceptional trainer; however, Axew is clearly not all there is to her goal. It's plain why she kept Excadrill on her, but why she still wanted to catch other pokemon is a mystery. Perhaps she only thinks that she only has to train Axew, and is thus free to obtain any other pokemon she wants. Technically, she may be right. Nobody limited her on what pokemon she could have. (at least that we're aware of) I may also agree that training one dragon is bad enough, but more than one at the same time would be a challenge for even the most accomplished of trainers. She could still catch another dragon, though. Although, I think to do so would be risky. I'm not certain on the matter. Axew cannot be all there is, though, as that sounds too easy to be a qualification for "Dragon Master". I think this is merely to get into the door. She has already shown the capability to train a dragon, now she must prove she can.

 

[Caseydia]

I have been trying to ask and answer this question for a while now. If this is what it only takes than there is no need for Clair, Lance, Drake and Drayden to even keep as many dragons as they do have. But won't people expect her to atleast have more than one if she claims to master them? I mean come on.

 

[Necrozma]

I have been trying to ask and answer this question for a while now. If this is what it only takes than there is no need for Clair, Lance, Drake and Drayden to even keep as many dragons as they do have. But won't people expect her to atleast have more than one if she claims to master them? I mean come on.

You master the species, but you start off my connecting your heart to a single one. That is why everyone in the village have a Kibago. Just read the previous posts in the thread, it's hard as it is to train one dragon. You'd like her to catch more of them? C'mon.

 

[MarshiyanMisutaa]

I have been trying to ask and answer this question for a while now. If this is what it only takes than there is no need for Clair, Lance, Drake and Drayden to even keep as many dragons as they do have. But won't people expect her to atleast have more than one if she claims to master them? I mean come on.

Are they "Dragon Masters"? It's look like distinctive kind of job like Breeder or Sommelier.

 

[Adamant]

As the episode heavily hinted at, "Dragon master" seems to be a very specific title given only to people of that village if they have proven themselves to be worthy of it. Kinda like a professor title, it seems, just more exclusive.

No relation to stuff like "Pokemon master" and "Water Pokemon master", though, those were just shortform for "the best in the world".

 

[Ampharos King]

Well, Emmi (the COTD from "A Dragon Master's Path") is planning on becoming a Dragon Master by training a Druddigon. It is not required for a trainer to successfully raise an Axew and evolve it into a Haxorus in order for one to become a Dragon Master.

Similar to the titles of "Water Pokemon Master" or "Top Coordinator," the "Dragon Master" title is a simple epithet used to distinguish the experts of their field of specialty.

Drayden is the only trainer in the anime who was directly distinguished as a "Dragon Master," and he was shown to own a Haxorus in Iris's flashback. There have been other Dragon-type specialists in the anime, including the Champion Lance and the Hoenn Elite Four member Drake. The "Dragon Master" terminology did not exist at the time of their introductions. Neither Lance nor Drake were shown to own a Haxorus. We can only assume that both of these specialists are also "Dragon Masters" as well.

Axew's evolutionary line is also not the only family of Dragon-type pokemon. Every single region thus far has introduced at least one non-legendary Dragon-type pokemon. However, Dragon-type pokemon are so limited in number that some Dragon-type specialists in the anime, like Clair and Lance, were seen owning and using pokemon like Gyarados and Charizard (which have features of Dragon-type pokemon but are not of the Dragon-Type).

So no, it is not required for an aspiring Dragon Master to raise an Axew in order to gain this honorary title.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

I have been trying to ask and answer this question for a while now. If this is what it only takes than there is no need for Clair, Lance, Drake and Drayden to even keep as many dragons as they do have. But won't people expect her to atleast have more than one if she claims to master them? I mean come on.

Im not sure about Drake but Clair definitely isnt dragon master.Also dos it really matter how many dragon pokemon Iris will have?

In order to gain title of master of dragon types you dont need to have bunch of pokemon but prove your worth as trainer to have what it takes to deserve being called by this name.And for Iris to achieve such thing she first needs to learn how to understand feelings and heart of dragon pokemon utilizing them to full potential with Axew being more than enough to start improving in that aspect.

Iris can still catch another dragon later on but right now given how hard it is to raise this type in general having too many pokemon of that type wouldnt allow her to establish bond with them properly having too much work on her hands.It is important first that she masters how to understand and use properly Axew which would help her in developing right approach and bond with other dragon types when she start raising them bringing her one step forward toward fulfillment of her dreams.
Im sure other powerful dragon trainers like Lance or Drake also started out with one dragon making their progress forward through baby steps before going on bigger things and adding more dragon types to their collection.

Drayden is the only trainer in the anime who was directly distinguished as a "Dragon Master," and he was shown to own a Haxorus in Iris's flashback. There have been other Dragon-type specialists in the anime, including the Champion Lance and the Hoenn Elite Four member Drake. The "Dragon Master" terminology did not exist at the time of their introductions. Neither Lance nor Drake were shown to own a Haxorus. We can only assume that both of these specialists are also "Dragon Masters" as well.

Wasnt lance referred as dragon master too?
Not sure if he was labeled as one in anime when appearing in Johto and Hoenn but E4 members are often labeled as one type masters given how they are most powerful trainers who specialize in specific types.

Than again judging by Drayden being called by that name shows how title of dragon master could have different meanings with Iris goal not requiring reaching that kind of skill and strength.

 

[Spindae2]

Of course there is! But it would be stupid for her to catch 5 Dragon type Pokemons and struggle with them! She wil probably catch the dark/dragon Dino an start raising him to! But Axew is prime matter and after him being strong she can focus on other Pokemons!