Summary
Pokemon Scarlet and Violetput a strong emphasis on their side characters, with the trio of Arven, Nemona, and Penny having quite a bit of influence throughout the games' routes. The tech-savvy Penny served as the catalyst to Starfall Street, allowing her to act under the moniker Cassiopeia as she directed players to challenge the members of Team Star. However, while her skills were made apparent through hacking theLeague Points system, her technical prowess wasn’t as relevant during the expedition into The Great Crater of Paldea. Because of this, it seems like she could benefit from a return in the titles' DLC.
Penny and the team were a compelling addition to liven up the descent intoPokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Area Zero, engaging in banter and helping to battle alongside the player. With that said, Penny’s main attribute of hacking wasn’t as relevant to exploration as anticipated. Though the character showed off her skills by turning on the lights in the Zero Gate starting location, her knowledge wasn’t necessary to disengage the locks for the Zero Lab. Instead, this was done by the player with a simple press of a button as each research facility was encountered.
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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Penny Could Thrive at the Technologically Advanced Blueberry Academy
Despite not having as much influence on the technological side of the Great Crater, Penny’s talents were quite clear throughout the game’s story, culminating in Geeta asking for her help in keeping the League Points system secure. Such a task could merit the character’s return inthe Indigo Disk DLC, working as a chance for Penny to see all that the Blueberry Academy has to offer while expanding on her skills and knowledge. Given that the academy takes on a futuristic approach to its battling arena and atrium landscapes, Penny could learn quite a bit about how these different habitats and terrain were made possible.
It’s unclear what conflicts will arise in the Indigo Disk’s story and how its Legendary will become available, but the chance forScarlet andViolet’s Pennyto show off her tech skills could be pertinent in helping the player. Perhaps a mysterious area of the Blueberry Academy could be made accessible through her hacking efforts, opening up an underwater room where Terapagos resides. Something like this would help Penny to be further entwined with the plot, which could be beneficial to the DLC’s reception for players who enjoyed her character growth in the base game.
Similarly, given the DLC’s overarching name is ‘The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero’, it would be wise to let Penny, alongside Arven and Nemona, see their adventures through. As the three characters were the ones to experience the true nature of the Great Crater with the player, it would make sense for them to have lingering questions over what they experienced and how it ties into theTerastal Phenomenon. Letting them tag along in unraveling the mysteries of the DLC locations could help to close out their character arcs while furthering the lore of Area Zero.
BecauseScarlet andVioletdid so well in establishing their side characters, the opportunity for Penny to return in the Indigo Disk DLC to show off the true extent of her tech skills could be well-received by fans. With the emphasis on the future-like qualities of the Blueberry Academy, her role could be quite significant in explaining how the building operates and what relevance it holds toArea Zerobeyond its Legendary. Though there is still much to be revealed about the Indigo Disk DLC, its setting could be the perfect conduit for Penny’s expertise.
Pokemon ScarletandVioletare available now for the Nintendo Switch.
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