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theangrypokemaniac · 1 year

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Several reasons, @iloitse.

1. He's hated mainly for replacing Brock, and every following complaint is rooted in that, but it was a different situation to now.

We never knew Pokémon could last this long, how bad it'd get, and that one day, lineup changes would be expected.

This was the first time it happened.

All this talk of 'together forever' and 'you will always be my best friend', that the bonds formed on the road, from hardship and isolation, are eternal, and then they pull this on us!

It comes from nowhere: Oak asks them to visit Ivy, then Brock suddenly decides to stay.

Ten kids who needed him are left to his feckless, wandering old man, but a grown woman and three teenage nerdettes can't even bloody sweep up after themselves.

We lost Brock for no noble reason, just to simp for Ivy whilst working himself to death keeping these idiots alive.

Sod that, Brock! Come and run free with us!

It cheapened him. Someone devoted and supportive was now dumping Ash and Misty, two children, to their unknown fate, so he could perv on an old bird, begging for her 'gratitude'.

Therefore Tracey represents the sad, pathetic and degrading exit Brock got.

It's temporary only in hindsight.

For all we knew, Brock, someone we cared about, was gone for good, and I suspect that'd be the case had we immediately rolled over and accepted Tracey.

Anger at his loss should be seen as a sign of his value, when we couldn't imagine the anime without him.

Complaint got Brock back, which is a lesson to keep in mind.

Whenever they piss you off, don't just shrug and fall into place because 'it's like that now'.

Resist, fight back, withdraw all financial support, and they'll cave first.

If more if us had done that, we wouldn't be in this mess.

2. The Lost Lapras:

In his cack-handed introduction, (that is, if he's meant to be liked) Tracey, a complete stranger, imposes himself upon Ash and Misty, informing them he's their new travelling partner, about ten minutes after they've met.

Since they know Professor Oak, he insists on tagging along too, whether they like it or not.

Misty even says:

"Hey, you can't just invite yourself."

But he does! And her resentment of it, however fleeting it was, grants us permission to feel the same, as she and Ash don't want him either.

He's not only forcing his presence on them, but on us too, one episode after Brock left, fans still in a state of disbelief, insisting it's somehow a mistake.

Him showing up, determined to take his place, killed those hopes.

Now the rest of the episode intends to make up for it, proving he's not such a bad fella after all, but the damage was done.

Anyone who 'broke' the original trio was up against it, but to be so forward, presumptive and overconfident just got on our nerves.

Well too bad. I'm here now, and you'll just have to accept it.

I don't think so, love. That's why much of the original fanbase walked away at this point.

3. He's unfortunately something of a bland personality, with no stand-out moments or mannerisms anyone remembers.

There's a restraint and almost subdued quality to how he's written, as if consciously held back from fully taking part.

I don't remember Tracey generally being arrogant and selfish, but that was our first impression of him, and no other defined traits ever turned up to help him shine.

Therefore, having nothing else to grab, the idea he was secretly 'like that' underneath remained.

4. His 'thing' of drawing Pokémon, whilst harmless, isn't particularly interesting, either as an occupation or viewing experience.

We all drew Pokémon. That's our job. He ought to do mad stuff beyond us.

It works for an episode, perhaps even stretching to a mini-arc like Todd, but not for the whole region.

Ash, Misty and Brock had dreams needing a hands-on approach with Pokémon, which leads to action in fights, adventures, getting out and to hell with the risks.

Whereas Tracey's quest is entirely dependent on keeping back, staying quiet and still.

That's no good!

5. The Joy of Pokémon / In the Pink:

Tracey draws Joy and Jenny, and finds the latter attractive, so probably likes both.

If Brock's successor had been a fun, unique presence, he may have won converts in time.

Yet not only does Tracey bring nothing to the team, he's now leeching off his predecessor for character traits, and even that's a passing hint soon discarded.

What's the use in getting rid of Brock then?

Not that this is so damning now, since Cilan, Clemont and Kiawe all replaced Brock, and all were blatant rip offs.

6. Brock came in as a solid, tough parental substitute, and retained that sense of authority.

Here was a comforting father figure who always came through in a crisis.

If there's trouble, he'll take care of you.

Tracey doesn't have that safe, reliable aura. No one looks to him for protection.

We were all children then. Having the 'adult' taken away, to make room for a boy you can feel isn't up to it, feeling it in that unspoken, primal level children do, is frightening.

Quite a bit of the vitriol against Tracey came from the age-old terror of losing one's parents and being left vulnerable and alone, which most of the main cast have experienced, and now, in a sense, it'd happened to us as well.

It's telling that when returned, Brock remained throughout Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh, usually in the background, but that was enough.

Once retired, every following male was older than Ash, cooked and healed, shared knowledge about Pokémon, and constantly worried about a brother or sister.

Now we have Goh, who's useless, we have to stay at home.

It's too scary out there without Brock.

7. Brock has a sympathic backstory which immediately invites pity and good will.

Fans love that. Now they can ponder over all the things never said and theorize how the past shaped him.

Tracey came with NOTHING.

We don't know his family, hometown, or nationality even.

Just a pad, pencil, Venonat and Marill, and that's all yer ever getting, to this day.

(Although given the looks of this lad I suspect he's from Johto.)

Anyone willing to give him a chance is sabotaged before they even begin, as there's no material to work with, no substance to love in the first place.

How could we like a character who wasn't truly there?

Incidentally, someone on an old fansite attempted to supply him with a past.

They'd decided he was ashamed of his relatives for being 'hicks' who 'watched Nascar', so that's canon to me.

8. The Power of One:

The end of the world is imminent.

Had Tracey played a crucial role in its salvation, that would give him something, a footing to plead his case to viewers.

But he does eff all!

The writers ignored him, the dub cut his lines, so now even the production on both sides of the globe don't like him either!

This effectively condones our resentment, and perhaps it's a clue they'd listened and given up on Tracey by then, which is certainly more humble and responsive than they have been lately.

The most he does do, in pulling Ash and Misty to the shore, is just him in the right location, and unlike the rest of the cast, isn't motivated by any hidden depths.

• Ash ran into danger because he's a hero.

• Misty dived into the sea because she loves him.

• Team Rocket sacrificed their lives because they have good in them.

Not only could Tracey's action here be given to anyone, even a Pokémon, it's not based on any known quality.

You can't say it's love for his friends pushing him on, as that was never displayed previously, at least not so notably it was his stand-out trait.

9. There's just three Pokémon on the team.

Of them, only Marill has any popularity, and wasn't used enough.

Not until Hoenn did any Pokémon besides Pikachu and Togepi wander around freely, but Marill should've too and had interactions with them.

Boys liked Scyther, but it's a praying mantis, so girls didn't, and as they dominate the 'fandom' part of fan bases, their revulsion stuck.

Venonat was an odd choice. To me it looks fluffy and cuddly, but that's not an opinion too many share.

It's an endless circle: Tracey isn't 'present' enough to give his Pokémon the screen time to be lovable, and if they're not around, we can't warm to him as their owner.

This is the integral flaw in Tracey's existence:

When the spotlight's on someone else, he's boring and does nothing important.

But if he's the star, he's depicted as deeply unpleasant, suggesting that's how it'd always be were he given more to do.

I don't understand how the writers got it so wrong. I almost suspect it was deliberate.

10. Tracey Gets Bugged

You all know what's coming.

I remember him for two episodes.

He's a complete arsehole in both.

Team Rocket are minding their own business when Beedrill bursts the balloon and a scarred Scyther attacks them with its knife arms.

I used to be a Jessie maniac. What they did to her caused me supreme upset.

When she swears vengeance, we're expected to sympathise with the swarm, even though:

• Girls hate Scyther (my mother especially).

• It's a load of giant insects, i.e. the stuff of nightmares.

• The scarred Scyther who cut Jessie also beat Tracey's Scyther half to death, simply for being old and tired, so it could become leader.

• All the remaining Scythers (as in, the family of Tracey's Scyther) accepted this and left it to die.

Aside from his debut, this is the episode with the most Tracey coverage. We learn a little and watch him catch a Pokémon.

Every part of it offends me.

• Bug Pokémon are his favourite (freak).

Boys tend to develop an insect fixation to torment girls.

• He belittles Misty's fear of them.

• He jeers at Jessie's hair.

I like Ash and Misty so they're let off, not that they were at the time, but at least they haven't usurped Brock.

Any cheek is banter with old enemies, the same as they mock one another. Tracey never earned that right.

• He directs Scyther during battle, effectively ordering and intending What Happens Next.

• Scyther is rewarded for its behaviour by joining the cast, serving as a constant reminder for this picture:

...

All these years on, when I've not seen the classic era for a while, and the last four generations have destroyed what I felt for Team Rocket, besides soiling my memories of how they used to be, for now I know how it ends, and realize loving it was a waste of my life.

Even after all that, merely looking at this image awakens the distress I experienced as a child.

I HATED this episode, and refused to watch it again for years. When I did, I still closed my eyes at that point.

They might be burnt, blown up and electrocuted regularly, but it's cartoon damage and impossible to take seriously.

But getting slashed with a sharp implement feels much more serious as it's realistic.

There's a cold malice in it, intending to ridicule Jessie and James.

Here's a pair obsessed with their appearance, so we'll humiliate them with near-baldness, knowing it's the worst punishment.

That's the most graphic injury Meowth ever had.

I think he's been shaved, between the eyes, but as it's from a blade, it looks like part of his face was sliced off.

Skinned alive, even.

And we're supposed to consider this a happy ending 'cause Tracey's Scyther earnt the respect of the vicious monster who almost murdered him.

This, remember, is Tracey's starring episode, and what's the result?

Alienating the entire fanbase!

• Brock fans hate him for replacing a better character.

• Ash and Misty fans hate him for spoiling all the shipping potential by being there.

• Team Rocket fans hate him for delivering the most violent attack they ever received.

I know, I know, it'll be gone by the next installment, but in that moment, he disfigured them.

11. From a distance, Tracey appears the worst companion of them all, if one measured the negative coverage each is given.

This is very unfair. Later ones deserve it much more than him. But he was introduced at time when people still spoke their minds and were open in their dislike.

Nowadays everyone remains silent and puts up with stupidity for some reason, meaning the real bastards get away with it.

12. The most we know is Tracey was created to pander to Americans.

You can't come back from that.

I can never convey how much I hated Tracey back in the day, in that irrational, full-blooded and brutal hatred only children possess, but it's all gone now, even if I've dipped into it here as the memories flood back.

Can't hate Tracey now I've known Max.

Can't hate Max now I've known Iris.

And sometimes I go insane and imagine I can't hate Iris now I've known Goh.

Every single time, I think it's the worst it'll ever be, and it always gets worse.