Silver's Starter and Sneasel

[The Outrage]

Awhile back there was a thread about bad people and their Pokemon, and Silver's name came up a couple times and talked about how unlucky his starter must be.

Well, upon visiting Elm's lab, I was ambushed by one of Elm's aides talking about how the red-haired boy came back to return the starter he stole. Professor Elm, seeing how happy it was told Silver that he should keep it, and Silver walked off happily.

Now the guy he stole the Sneasel from didn't say anything but he does say that a Pokemon's happiness is all that counts. With that said, would he let Silver keep Sneasel if it were happy?

I only got the dialogue if I gave him an unhappy Shuckle, so I'm not sure if he references Silver in the other one.

This also brings me to my next point, can Pokemon be happy with a jerk trainer? Looking at Silver, I say yes since he still acts pretty douchey to people and shoves Clair at Dragon's Den. Just because they are jerks to people, doesn't mean they are to Pokemon.

Also Paul's Pokemon all seem fine with him, except Chimchar, though his brother does mention that a person's training method has to match that of the Pokemon which is why Paul never got Chimchar to work.

 

[Falconwing]

Read my fic. I think that Kirk stole that Sneasel from Silver to begin with. I mean, it is pretty much his trademark pokemon (for some reason).

Silver likes to seem tough, and he manifests that in his interactions with people and pokemon. But after he learns that loving pokemon makes them better, he begins to care for them more and they appreciate it.

His social skills are still... shall we say, absent?

 

[MasterKenobi]

So that is what the Trainer was talking about when he said some Red-haired boy came and "stole" his prized Pokemon. It must have been that Sneasel that he was referring to.

I believe that Pokemon can be happy with their Trainers as we see through Silver's Golbat eventually evolving into a Crobat.

As for Paul, I think he may be somewhat of a lost cause as he hasn't the will to lose since seeing his brother defeated.

 

[batmon]

He learned how to love them at the end when you meet up with him at Rock Tunnel in Kanto. You can tell because his Golbat evolved.

 

[Aladar]

I'll use Paul as a possible explanation here.

Chimchar's awesome but without Blaze, he's a goodey-two-shoes.

Paul's other Pokemon on the other hand, while not shown evil, are just like him. Competitive, proud, battle pragmatists. And guess what- they like their trainer for the way he is.

The same goes for Silver and his Pokemon IMO.

 

[The Outrage]

I'll use Paul as a possible explanation here.

Chimchar's awesome but without Blaze, he's a goodey-two-shoes.

Paul's other Pokemon on the other hand, while not shown evil, are just like him. Competitive, proud, battle pragmatists. And guess what- they like their trainer for the way he is.

The same goes for Silver and his Pokemon IMO.

The thing is, Silver outright states that he didn't care about his Pokemon's feelings. Paul on the other hand, the Pokemon he does keep share his personality except for Chimchar and isn't shown to be overly abusive. His Torterra seems fine with him and Paul didn't get mad about his Torterra helping Ash's Grotle. His Electabuzz definitely takes on his personality.

So yeah, in the anime, happiness is more complex and is more of a personality fit type of thing over the simplistic happiness system in the games.

As for Sneasel, I can imagine that it would prefer to battle and might have enjoyed Silver.

Read my fic. I think that Kirk stole that Sneasel from Silver to begin with. I mean, it is pretty much his trademark pokemon (for some reason).

It's his "trademark" because of Pokemon Special. Until I learned about that manga, I never made that connection and still don't. It's as much as game Silver's trademark as game Red's trade mark is Poliwrath.

Besides, judging by Kirk's dialogue in-game, he doesn't seem the type to be a thief, and certainly incapable of doing so since he doesn't even put up much of a fight (even verbally) against you if you refuse to return Shuckle.