Hello guys and welcome to one more finale with one more contentor from early gens. Charmeleon is the 4th finalist from gen 1 out of all 5 competitions happened and Quilava is the 3rd finalist from gen 2 from all 5 competitions. For the competition the alolan cat settled for bronze, one good design of a cat and it almost got a place it deserved i.e. top 3. I would be much more happy if it’s in finale but yeah it’s better in 3rd too.
charmeleon is just the most “nothing” middle evo. Its not offensively bad, but its not special. Though I wonder what the world would be like if charizard kept the red color. I do like his color change a lot. Its a bit overly vibrant here but I do think he has cool color. Being #2 is nothing to scoff at, and he is solid. Just rather bland and predictable. Quilava just has the sleek cool look and his fire is pointy, and thats cool. Its like a jet of fire. Back in 2001 he was in my top 5 favorites. There are tons more pokemon now though. So he had to get bumped off the list.
Whatever the case, its quite a shakeup to see such a late generation pokemon hit the top 3. Now…Imagine a better world. One where torracat just didn’t turn into that disgusting abomination. Its such a solid design in torracat. If I wasn’t a blatant genwunner I’d make it #2.
I know you said it in emotion but pignite is worst one . Quilava and Charmeleon are honestly better there but as you said Torracat could be a deserving finale contendor.
Time to mention my own personal elimination order again:
Raboot < Crocalor < Pignite < Combusken < Braixen < Monferno < Torracat < Charmeleon < Quilava
So not even too far off from the actual elimination order tbh.
As long as Raboot is last, I´m ok with it. (I´m not joking, the lack of even a decent starter and overall games meant Gen 8 nearly wasted my enthusiasm for the RPG). Krokalor is ugly, but at least it is interesting.
. Quilava and Charmeleon are honestly better there but as you said Torracat could be a deserving finale contendor.