Red and Blue showing up in Pokemon Sun and Moon wasn't just a marketing gimmick. It was a massive cultural reset for long-term fans.
Imagine this. You’ve just spent forty hours trekking through Alola’s tropical trails. You’ve beaten the trials, survived the Ultra Beasts, and finally become the first-ever Champion of the region. You're feeling pretty good about yourself. Then, you step onto the sands of the Battle Tree, and there they are. Red and Blue. The original legends. They aren’t kids anymore. They’re grown men, looking a bit tired from the flight but still radiating that "final boss" energy that defined our childhoods in the 90s.
It worked because it felt earned. Game Freak didn't just throw them in a cutscene; they made you fight them immediately.
The Shock of the Battle Tree Encounter
Most players didn't see it coming. Usually, legacy characters are tucked away in some obscure post-game apartment or mentioned in a stray line of dialogue. But in Sun and Moon, Red and Blue act as the literal gatekeepers to the Battle Tree on Poni Island.
The contrast is wild. Blue is chatty as ever, rocking a literal "96" on his shirt—a nod to the 1996 Japanese release of Pokemon Red and Green. Red? He’s still the silent protagonist. "..." is all you get. It’s hilarious because it confirms that even as an adult, the greatest trainer in history just refuses to engage in small talk. He's there to battle. That's it.
You actually have to choose which one to fight. This choice felt monumental at the time. Do you go for Blue’s balanced, tactical approach, or do you dive straight into the buzzsaw that is Red’s high-level team? It’s a classic playground debate brought to life in 3D.
Breaking Down the Teams
Red's team in Sun and Moon is a terrifying homage to his Pokemon Yellow and HeartGold/SoulSilver lineups. He’s got the Kanto starters—Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise—all sitting at level 70. And yes, he has the Pikachu. But it’s not just a mascot. In the Battle Tree, that Pikachu is often holding a Light Ball, making its Volt Tackle hit like a runaway freight train.
He also rounds out the squad with Snorlax and Lapras. It’s a nostalgic powerhouse.
Blue, on the other hand, plays the "Champ" role with a bit more variety. He’s got his Alakazam, Machamp, and Aerodactyl. He’s also got an Arcanine and Exeggutor. What’s interesting here is how Game Freak updated their movesets to fit the Generation 7 meta. We weren't just fighting the ghosts of 1996; we were fighting modernized versions of them that knew how to use Z-Moves and Mega Evolution.
Seeing Red trigger a Mega Evolution for his Charizard—usually Charizard X or Y depending on the specific battle format—felt like a passing of the torch. It was the old guard mastering the new mechanics.
Why These Cameos Mattered for E-E-A-T and Fan Trust
In the world of game design, "fan service" can often feel cheap. If you just slap a familiar face on a screen, people see through it. But the inclusion of Red and Blue in Pokemon Sun and Moon served a narrative purpose.
Alola was a region obsessed with tradition and the "Old Ways" vs. the "New Ways." You had the Alolan forms—Kanto Pokemon that had adapted to a new climate. By bringing in the literal icons of Kanto, Game Freak grounded the Alola region in the wider Pokemon timeline. It proved that the world was moving forward.
- It established a timeline: Red and Blue are clearly older, likely in their early 20s.
- It validated the player's journey: Being recognized by these two is the ultimate "I've made it" moment.
- It provided a skill check: The Battle Tree is notoriously difficult, and these two set the bar high.
Honestly, the Battle Tree would have felt empty without them. It gave the post-game a soul.
The Design Shift: Red and Blue’s New Look
The "Adult Red" design sparked a thousand memes. He looks... grumpy. He’s wearing a t-shirt that's a bit too tight and a hat that looks like he’s had it for a decade. He looks like a guy who spends all his time on a mountain and only came to Alola because Blue dragged him there for a vacation.
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Blue, meanwhile, looks like he’s living his best life. He’s got the sunglasses, the open button-down shirt, and that smug grin that makes you want to beat him all over again. The character design told a story without a single line of script. It showed the trajectory of their lives. Blue became a world traveler and a researcher; Red stayed a hermit dedicated to the craft of the battle.
Technical Nuance in the Battle Tree
If you’re heading to the Battle Tree to take them on, don’t expect a cakewalk. The AI in Sun and Moon’s Battle Tree is significantly smarter than the average NPC. They will switch. They will use items. They will predict your type advantages.
Red’s Snorlax is a notorious wall. If you don't have a dedicated Fighting-type or a high-damage physical attacker, that Snorlax will just sit there, use Curse, and eventually sweep your entire team with Body Slam or Return. It’s a lesson in basic Pokemon competitive play wrapped in a nostalgia trip.
One thing people often overlook is that you can actually scout them. After you beat them, you can use Battle Points (BP) to recruit them as partners for Multi Battles. Having Red on your side of the field is a surreal experience. Seeing "Trainer Red sent out Pikachu" next to your own Pokemon is basically the peak of the franchise for anyone who grew up with a Game Boy Color.
Misconceptions About Their Appearance
A common myth back in 2016 was that you could find Red and Blue wandering around the other islands. You can't. They are strictly tethered to the Battle Tree area on Poni Island.
Another misconception is that their teams are static. While their "signature" Pokemon remain mostly the same, their exact movesets and held items can shift depending on whether you're doing Single, Double, or Multi Battles. This variability kept the encounter fresh. You couldn't just memorize one strategy and win every time.
How to Prepare for the Fight
If you're jumping back into Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, or Ultra Moon today, you need a plan.
- Level up past 70. Don't walk in there with a mid-60s team unless you want to get embarrassed by a Pikachu.
- Handle the Snorlax early. Toxic stall is a viable strategy, but a fast Close Combat from something like Terrakion or Pheromosa is better.
- Respect the Mega Evolution. Red’s Charizard is faster than you think. If it goes Mega Charizard Y, the sun comes up, and its Fire-type moves will melt anything that isn't a dedicated special wall.
- Bring your own Z-Moves. Generation 7 gave you a massive nuke button. Use it. Whether it's 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt or a generic Z-Move, you need that burst damage to break through Blue's Alakazam before it sets up Reflect.
The Legacy of the Alola Cameo
The Alola cameos set a precedent. They showed that Pokemon was willing to let its characters grow up. It wasn't just a static loop where Ash Ketchum is forever ten years old (at least in the games). It gave the universe a sense of history.
When people talk about Red and Blue in Pokemon Sun and Moon, they aren't just talking about a battle. They’re talking about the moment the series acknowledged its own aging audience. It was a "thank you" to the kids who started in Pallet Town and never really left.
To maximize your success in the Battle Tree, focus on building a team with high speed and diverse coverage. The Battle Tree rewards momentum. If you let Red or Blue dictate the pace of the fight, you've already lost. Use a Lead Pokemon with Taunt to shut down status moves, and always have a pivot—something like a Scizor with U-turn or a Tapu Koko with Volt Switch—to keep your matchups favorable. Once you clear the initial legends, the real grind for BP begins, allowing you to unlock Mega Stones and competitive items that define the Alola endgame.
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Tactical Next Steps for Trainers
To conquer the Battle Tree and fully experience the Red and Blue content, follow these specific steps:
- Farm for BP Early: Don't wait until the end. Use the Mantine Surf in Ultra Sun/Moon or basic tree battles to get a Choice Band or Life Orb.
- IV/EV Training is Mandatory: The Battle Tree NPCs, especially the legends, have optimized stats. If your Pokemon aren't EV trained, you are at a massive mathematical disadvantage.
- Recruit Blue for Multi Battles: Statistically, Blue’s AI tends to be slightly more flexible in Multi Battles than Red’s "all-out-attack" style. His Alakazam provides great utility for clearing out threats.
- Check the Weather: Many of the Battle Tree teams utilize weather strategies (Rain/Sun). Having a Pokemon with Cloud Nine or your own weather-setter like Pelipper can disrupt their entire flow.
The encounter with Red and Blue remains one of the high points of the 3DS era of Pokemon. It bridged the gap between the 2D sprites of our past and the 3D models of the present, proving that some legends never go out of style.