It's certainly true that Pokémon trainers are not too different from superheroes. They use their skills and specialties to teach Pokémon to fight and win in battles against other Pokémon, and they train hard to get stronger any time they’re beaten.
Some trainers feel so much like they would fit into a superhero world that it’s already like they belong to one. It’s easy to imagine, for example, some trainers fighting side by side with the Avengers or fighting against them with villains who have bad things in mind. Here are 10 Pokémon trainers who would fight really well into the Marvel universe.
10 Cynthia
Cynthia is one of the best Pokémon trainers. She has been able to defeat all of the members of the Elite Four, which is an impressive feat, since they’re the most powerful trainers. She works with lots of different kinds of Pokémon, combining their powers together. She’s essentially created a team of the best Pokémon that will serve her in battles, not unlike putting together a team of superheroes, like the Avengers or X-Men, who will work well together and achieve victories through teamwork.
9 Misty
Misty, of course, is one of the most well-known Pokémon trainers. She’s currently a gym leader at the Cerulean Gym, where she specializes in Water-type Pokémon.
This makes her a great ally for someone like Namor, who also lives and fights mostly near or in water and is at his strongest in those positions.
8 Acerola
Acerola is a member of the Alola Elite Four, which means she’s one of the most powerful Pokémon trainers. She specializes in Ghost-type Pokémon. She’s a little bit spooky in appearance. Her tendency to use Ghost-types puts her in the realm of more mystical Marvel characters whose abilities also involve ghost-like characters. Doctor Strange is one such person, as is Scarlet Witch. These three would likely be able to work well together against ghostly and otherworldly enemies.
7 Candice
Candice is the Gym Leader of Snowpoint Gym, and she specializes in Ice-type Pokémon. She would be able to team up very well with a character like Iceman, who also works with ice and the cold.
She’s also got a perky, youthful appearance that would make her a great addition to a team like Young Avengers or even a student at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.
6 Elesa
Elesa is the Leader of Nimbasa Gym. She specializes in Electric-type Pokémon, which would make her a great teammate for someone like Storm or Thor, who both have the ability to use lightning. Elesa also just generally looks like a superhero, with a really awesome costume, complete with headphones that look like lightning rods. She’d fit right in amongst the spectacular costumes of Marvel heroes.
5 Falkner
Falkner specializes in Flying-type Pokémon and is the Gym Leader of Violet Gym. Falkner also looks a little like he’s already a Marvel character, dressed in a blue gi with blue hair.
He seems like he would get along well with a character like Iron Fist, who also has a martial arts focus to his look and powers. Plus, Falkner’s Pokémon are Flying-types, which would come in handy in battles and which make him similar to characters like the Falcon, who also has a falcon who flies with him into battle and helps him.
4 Hala
Hala would fit perfectly into the Marvel universe. The main reason why is that he specializes in Fighting-type Pokémon. Pokémon of this type would be a huge advantage in battles for superheroes (or supervillains) since they especially excel at combat. Where other Pokémon use more magical means of winning fights, Fighting-types are out to actually throw fists and would, therefore, be right at home in the Marvel universe. Hala is a very strong Trainer, which means that his Pokémon are likely incredibly powerful too, able to stand up against other strong Marvel characters.
3 Janine
Janine, the Gym Leader of Fuscia Gym, specializes in Poison-type Pokémon. This would make her a great villain in the Marvel universe, as she could easily use this to subdue heroes, and poison is generally a tactic that heroes don’t use.
Her father Koga is also a member of the Elite Four, which also makes her a character who might want to prove herself against her older, more powerful counterparts, not unlike members of the Young Avengers.
2 Kahili
Kahili is a member of the Alola Elite Four alongside Acerola. This already makes them both easy additions to the Marvel universe, as they could work together as a team. Kahili also specializes in Flying-type Pokémon, like Falkner. But she’s also incredibly into golf and is actually an expert at the sport; this is a weird detail about her that could come in handy in battle, since it means she has an (albeit unusual) weapon. She’s very prim and proper, even though she’s very young, which is very similar to Emma Frost, who also has high standards and expectations for the mutants she oversees.
1 Marley
Marley definitely appears as if she would hang out with characters like Sister Grimm or Negasonic Teenage Warhead, since they too have similar gothic fashion senses. She specializes in Pokémon with high speed and, in particular, Arcanine, who is her signature Pokémon. These high-speed Pokémon would make her a great ally to someone like Quicksilver, who also is known for using his ability to move very quickly during battles.