Summary
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s DLC adds a lot of new content for players to enjoy, including two major new characters, Kieran and Carmine, who act as the rivals for the player throughout their journey in The Teal Mask. This brother and sister duo seem quite different from one another, and their individual arcs over the course of the DLC end up going in different directions. While these characters develop their own unique identities in The Teal Mask, there are some clear parallels to be drawn between Carmine and Nemona from the base games ofPokemon Scarlet and Violet.
UnlikePokemon Scarlet and Violet’s base game, the characters players have come to know like Penny, Arven, and Nemona are not a factor in The Teal Mask DLC. Instead, the focus is placed on the new characters of Kieran, Carmine, and their teacherBriar from Blueberry Academy. Even with a lack of these beloved characters from the base games, Carmine carries on the energy of Nemona in the DLC. However, despite their initial parallels, the two characters are not identical and there are nearly as many differences between them as there are similarities.
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Similarities Between Carmine and Nemona
BothCarmineand Nemona can be tough rivals players will have to face in battle on multiple occasions throughout their respective storylines. These two trainers are clearly talented and have ambitions that lead them to want to be the best they can possibly be when it comes to their battle prowess. As such, they will frequently challenge the player to battles, even when the situation is not the most appropriate like when Carmine challenges the player to battle for who gets one of the two festival masks in the shed, or when Nemona wants to immediately re-challenge the player to a battle right after one ends.
The dynamic between the player and these two rivals is also similar given that they are both older students compared to the player, which seems to create their rivalries as the top trainers in their class defending their titles against a young new trainer. There is a clear passion for battling in both Nemona and Carmine, but this passion never seems to get in the way of their friendship with the player, even if Carmine expresses her feelings differently than Nemona. Both trainers have a strong connection to their home regions as well, with Carmine being protective of her home ofKitakamiand Nemona being a well-liked student throughout the Paldea Region.
Differences Between Carmine and Nemona
Although on the surface it appears Carmine andNemonaare very similar characters, there are a few key differences in their personalities that help distinguish them from one another. While Nemona has a much more bubbly, friendly demeanor, Carmine can be much harsher and has a quick temper. Both characters are clearly outgoing, but Carmine is a bit more full of herself and uses her energy to goad and antagonize the player in a way that Nemona avoids in favor of a much more supportive and humble approach to her rival.
Carmine also undergoes a different arc in The Teal Mask than Nemona does in the basePokemon Scarlet and Violetgames. As the main character associated with the Victory Road quest, Nemona’s main character growth stems from watching the player grow into a stronger trainer than her as they conquer thePaldea Pokemon League. Meanwhile, Carmine’s growth is tied more closely to the story of Ogerpon in The Teal Mask she learns the truth of its battle with the Loyal Three. She’s changed by how she handles knowing this truth while trying to protect her little brother Kieran, leading to a conflict between these two siblings that forces Carmine to rethink her view of her brother.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violetare available for Nintendo Switch. The Teal Mask DLC is also available now.
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