Sinnoh Grand Festival Speculation Thread

[Hellion]

Now that Dawn has got her five ribbons necessary to gain entry in the Grand Festival and that it's been announced the Grand Festival will be held at Lake Valor, I thought I'd start a thread to discuss the upcoming Grand Festival and how you think it'll go down. Which rivals do you see fighting one another ? How far do you think Dawn, Jessie and the main coordinators will go ? Do you think we'll see any surprise participants ? Do you think Ambipom will come back for the Grand Festival ? Discuss.

For example, I think we'll see Johanna participating in the GF. She's already tied to the contest storyline being Dawn's mother, but the writers have also given us a Dawn v match is the Mismagius episode (although a dream), a Dawn vs Johanna "pratice contest battle" during the Twinleaf Festival and now in DP167, Johanna is gonna be a judge in a contest where Jessie is expected to get her fourth contest, marking the first time she'll appear in a contest episode that Dawn doesn't take a part of. I feel like the writers have been consistently reminding us of Johanna's presence in the Contest arc for a reason. Fantina would also be a good guess for a special appearance.

As for matches during the Grand Festival, I see Dawn defeating Zoey and Jessie defeating Ursula.

 

[Musashi]

marking the first time she'll appear in a contest episode that Dawn doesn't take a part of.

Musashi won her second ribbon during the Melissa gym battle, so this wont be the first time.

I don't see Ayako being in the Grand Festival (aside from maybe a judge) because it just doesn't make sense to me. She hasn't been collecting ribbons, so she shouldn't there.

For battles, I see Musashi beating Urara, Hikari defeating Nozomi, and Hikari losing to Naoshi, who eventually wins the whole thing.

No clue where Kengo would fit into this. I could see him being beaten by anyone except possibly Hikari. We've already seen her beat him before.

 

[Hellion]

Musashi won her second ribbon during the Melissa gym battle, so this wont be the first time.

I meant Johanna/Ayako being in a contest episode in which Dawn hasn't participated in.

I don't see Ayako being in the Grand Festival (aside from maybe a judge) because it just doesn't make sense to me. She hasn't been collecting ribbons, so she shouldn't there.

Well, she is a past GF winner, so technically, she already has five ribbons. Plus, her appearance in DP167 is random, that's what I meant when I said that it would be her first appearance in a contest episode in which Dawn doesn't participate. It makes sense to see her watching her daughter in a cameo, but what the heck is she doing in DP167 ? The contest isn't in Sunyshore, so she won't be there to be with Dawn. It just seems like the writers are trying to tie her again to the Contest world and remind the viewers that she's part of this world... To be honest, I think she'll be there, but I don't think she'll win.

 

[Musashi]

I meant Johanna/Ayako being in a contest episode in which Dawn hasn't participated in.

Oops. Sorry.

Well, she is a past GF winner, so technically, she already has five ribbons.

Yeah, but that was a long time ago. It doesn't seem fair that she should be able to enter at anytime just because she already won one.

It makes sense to see her watching her daughter in a cameo, but what the heck is she doing in DP167 ?

Maybe she's going to be a judge in the Grand Festival so she's getting some practice in?

 

[Cybersai]

This is how it will likely go:

- Dawn won't face every single rival herself. Some of them will knock each other out to save time.

- Jessie will probably beat Ursula. Not only because they had a little rivalry in the last Contest, but because Dawn beating Ursula 3 times in a row would be repetitive and too close together. Jessie also deserves to score one win in this GF for making it so far.

- Jessie will in turn probably lose to Zoey, or maybe Dawn herself.

- Dawn/Kenny will probably have a battle, if this is the last saga, Dawn should beat Kenny again since he beat her last and this ends the whole childhood stuff.

- Dawn will beat Zoey. If Dawn's arc is coming to a close, she will of course beat her main rival.

- Dawn will then lose to Nando, who will win the trophy.


^ What I just typed, right there, is probably very close to what will actually happen. I won't be surprised if I turn out exactly right.

 

[Jukain]

I will make an analysis of how long I think this GF will last. Both of the previous GFs were only 3 eps long, and both featured May battling against her two rivals. Dawn, however, has so much competition that I don't think we'll be able to fit this GF in 3 eps. I will agree that the battle to be looking out for is Dawn vs. Zoey. I'm not sure if she'll win or lose, but I also don't think anyone can win against Nando. I also highly doubt Dawn is going to survive this region, but honestly, whatever end they have with that will be fine.

 

[Hellion]

Dawn, however, has so much competition that I don't think we'll be able to fit this GF in 3 eps.

Agreed, I think we're looking at a 5 episode arc... The Wallace Cup was 3 episodes and it only had on performance round and only Dawn, Zoey and May were heavily featured, but even then, the finals and the seminfinals in the same episode felt a bit rushed... Plus this time, Dawn'll have at least 5 rivals for the writers to focus on...

I'm not sure if she'll win or lose, but I also don't think anyone can win against Nando.

Back when I first saw him, I immediately thought Robert 2.0, he's winning the GF. But now that it's sorta confirmed he's gonna be one of Ash's rivals in the League, I don't really see him winning the Grand Festival or the League... If he wins the Grand Festival and shows up to the League it would be weird... like What are you doing here ? You just won the Grand Festival, be a full time coordinator!

Speaking of Robert...

Yeah, but that was a long time ago. It doesn't seem fair that she should be able to enter at anytime just because she already won one.

After the Hoenn Grand Festival, didn't Drew say that Robert had started training for the next Grand Festival... it would be weird if you had to win five ribbons each year to participate in the Grand Festival if you've already won it. The Johanna being a judge makes sense too though, but given the developpement they gave Johanna and Dawn, it just seems a little anti-climatic... but I get your point.

 

[Cybersai]

I'm sure they're not going to introduce yet another Contest rival when this GF is packed already. Nando can win the GF since he's probably a good trainer, yet when Ash faces him he'll probably beat him.

Nando already beat Zoey in a Contest, so he's pretty strong. Dawn will probably lose to him quickly and he'll win the GF.

Later on Ash'll beat him though.

 

[Hellion]

I'm sure they're not going to introduce yet another Contest rival when this GF is packed already.

I agree that out of the currently known rivals, Nando seems like the likeliest suspect to win the GF and that the writers probably aren't gonna create and introduce an original character to win the GF... That's why I'm saying that we may already have encountered the Grand Festival winner and it's none of the 6 main coordinator (i.e. Johanna or Fantina)

Nando can win the GF since he's probably a good trainer, yet when Ash faces him he'll probably beat him.

That would sorta be a low blow for Dawn... She's not able to defeat Nando in a contest battle, but Ash is in a real battle... Also, it would show Nando being a better coordinator than a trainer and sorta break his whole doing both quests thing (which is 97% of his personnality and plotline).

Also Dawn losing quickly to any of her rivals would be boring... especially if this is Dawn's only GF on the show. If this really is her last series, my guess is the writers will let her go with a bang... a toughly disputed defeat that's determined by a minimal margin.

 

[Cybersai]

Look at it this way:

- Ash is not going to lose to Nando.

- If Dawn doesn't lose to Nando, who is she to lose to? And on top of that, who is going to beat Nando?

 

[Hellion]

Ash is not going to lose to Nando.

Probably not

- If Dawn doesn't lose to Nando, who is she to lose to?

Johanna, Fantina, Marina, the Evil Togepi, Santa Claus, Doctor Doom's dunsparce, whoever the writers want her to lose to.

And on top of that, who is going to beat Nando?

Jessie, but most probably Zoey. Both of them have lost against Nando, both of them could use redemption... could go like this

Dawn v Kenny - Dawn wins
Nando v Zoey - Zoey wins
Ursula v Jessie - Jessie wins
GF winner that for argument's sake i'll call Johanna v COTD

Dawn v Zoey - Dawn wins
Johanna v Jessie - Johanna wins (Oh look, they'll have some interaction in DP167, introduce them to one another, give them a back story...)

Dawn v Johanna - Dawn closely loses

Although, as I've said before, Nando is right now the best bet to win the whole thing, but it would feel weird to have him in the League after that...

 

[Cybersai]

I really don't think Johanna will be competing. I see her as a judge easily, not competing.

Although, as I've said before, Nando is right now the best bet to win the whole thing, but it would feel weird to have him in the League after that...

Why is that weird? Ash as a trainer is much more experienced than Dawn, his current team is stronger than Dawn's is, and Ash beating Nando after he had won the Grand Festival isn't going to make anyone bat an eyelash.

It's not that it makes Dawn look weak or anything, its the simple fact that Ash has four more regions of experience over her, and Nando isn't going to get lucky twice.

 

[Hellion]

That's not what I meant... His entire storyline, his entire personnality is based upon the fact that he does both contests and gyms... that he doesn't concentrate on one or the other, that he isn't better at one or the other. If he were to win the Grand Festival, but subsequently lose to Ash in the first or secound round of the League, that just makes him fall in the coordinator category... it would go against the (minimal amout of) character developpement that the writers put on him...

 

[Cybersai]

There are 5 rivals involved in this, that is too many characters to expect a 6th to pop up out of nowhere toward the end. It just isn't likely. Nando already beat Zoey in a Contest, he is being set up to win the whole thing.

 

[Hellion]

That would make Nando Robert 2.0... appearing in one contest, defeating the main rival and winning the GF... how original !

Plus, as I've said, the 7th character (Dawn + 5 rivals = 6) doesn't have to pop out of nowhere if that character has already been introduced... it could be Fantina, that guy from the Wallace Cup, Johanna...Plus Zoey could show her improvement by winning against Nando as redemption for Hearthome.

I think it's safe to say that Dawn won't be facing all of her rivals, so some of them will be facing each other... Besides Dawn, the only one Zoey has an established rivalry with is Nando... so it would make sense from a writing stand point to see Dawn v Zoey in the second battle round with Zoey defeating Nando in the first round.

I don't disagree with you on Nando having the best shot, I just think it would be well boring and out-of-character, especially if he loses early in the League against Ash

 

[dman_dustin]

I don't disagree with you on Nando having the best shot, I just think it would be well boring and out-of-character, especially if he loses early in the League against Ash

I think you're missing the point, Nando is an EXCELLENT coordinator, having won the Hearthome Contest against Zoey.

However just because you are good at being a coordinator doesn't mean you're automatically a strong battler. I'm sure Ash could beat some of the Grand Festival winners in a real battle, because Ash doesn't need to worry about timers or points, and he can really do what he wants.

And besides Nando already lost to Ash in the beginning of DP, so he should be weaker than Ash is now, even if he was training since Ash is doing the same thing, and believing that Paul could be beaten by Nando is really a laugh.

After the league he may very well want to devote on just contests, or because he already won a Grand Festival, he might focus on battling. Either way a huge flaw is him thinking that he can split his focus on two different things. If he's focusing on both battles and on contests, one thing is going to have to slip and it probably is going to be battles, since he was never really that strong in the first place (or shown to be strong).

That would make Nando Robert 2.0

Not really since it was Drew that faced Robert, a more proper comparison would be a mix of Robert and Soledad, I would just say Soledad but Soledad was introduced in the Kanto Grand Festival. Also ignoring the fact Nando is likely to appear in more episodes than Robert or Soledad.

 

[Trainer Yusuf]

I think it will happen like this:
Scenario 1: Most possible long one
First Round
Musashi vs. Urara- Musashi wins.
Hikari vs. Kengo- Hikari wins.
Nozomi vs. COTD-Nozomi wins.
Naoshi vs. COTD- Naoshi wins.
Second Round
Musashi vs. Hikari- Hikari wins.
Nozomi vs. COTD-Nozomi wins.
Naoshi vs. COTD- Naoshi wins.
Third Round
Nozomi vs. Hikari- Hikari wins.
Naoshi vs. COTD- Naoshi wins.
Fourth Round
Naoshi vs. Hikari- Naoshi wins.
Later
Grand Festival Winner=Naoshi.

Scenario 2- Most possible short one
First Round
Hikari vs. Kengo- Hikari wins.
Musashi vs. Urara- Musashi wins.
Naoshi vs. COTD-Naoshi wins.
Nozomi vs. COTD- Nozomi wins.
Unimportant people
Second Round
Hikari vs. Nozomi- Hikari wins.
Musashi vs. Naoshi- Naoshi wins.
Third Round
Naoshi vs. Hikari- Naoshi wins.
Later
Grand Festival Winner=Naoshi.

Scenario 3- Only Hikari's real rivals.
First Round
Hikari vs. Kengo/Urara- Hikari wins.
Musashi vs. Kengo/Urara- Kengo/Urara wins.
Naoshi vs. COTD- Naoshi wins.
Nozomi vs. COTD- Nozomi wins.
Second Round
Hikari vs. Kengo/Urara- Hikari wins.
Nozomi vs. COTD- Nozomi wins.
Naoshi vs. COTD- Naoshi wins.
Third Round
Nozomi vs. Hikari- Hikari wins.
Naoshi vs. COTD- Naoshi wins.
Fourth Round
Naoshi vs. Hikari- Naoshi wins.
Later
Grand Festival Winner=Naoshi.

 

[Pidgeot]

Didn't they say in one of the episodes that no matter what region you get ribbons in, you can still compete in any Grand Festival?

For example, if you had two Kanto ribbons, two Hoenn ribbons, and one Sinnoh ribbon, you could still compete in the Johto Grand Festival?

If so, in the semi finals, it could have May VS Zoey (second battle together), and Dawn VS Drew/Ursula. And then in the finals, May VS Dawn. Dawn wins the grand festival.

 

[Elite Fire]

Didn't they say in one of the episodes that no matter what region you get ribbons in, you can still compete in any Grand Festival?

For example, if you had two Kanto ribbons, two Hoenn ribbons, and one Sinnoh ribbon, you could still compete in the Johto Grand Festival?

If so, in the semi finals, it could have May VS Zoey (second battle together), and Dawn VS Drew/Ursula. And then in the finals, May VS Dawn. Dawn wins the grand festival.

No. If you won the Aqua Ribbon aka. The wallace rup ribbon. You could use it in any region.

 

[MarshiyanMisutaa]

No. If you won the Aqua Ribbon aka. The wallace rup ribbon. You could use it in any region.

You can use that at different region cups too?