Who is your favorite rival in the core series games?

For me I really came to enjoy Wally as one of my favorite rivals, I liked how in the R/S/E games, he goes from him just being an absolute pushover to him having a pretty stacked team. If memory serves, he makes it clear that he learned from his battles, and his team has inspiration from past gym battles.

I also really liked the progression of both rivals in the Gen III Hoenn games, Brendan/May decided to quit being a trainer and would rather focus on research, which even made me a bit disappointed back in the 2000’s. Up until the mid-game you’re once again one step behind them.

So you end up not even having rival battles in the late game, but once you’re about to leave Victory Road, you’re met with the Wally. The same boy who was once a pushover, and he is no longer a pushover in this battle either. I know a lot of people wanted more Wally battles along the way, but it’s a neat little plot twist with him being a strong trainer in the end as a bit of a surprise for the player.

I do have another rival that I like, and that’s Silver. I don’t really have much to share other than he grows a bond with his Pokemon throughout the Johto game’s story, and it’s hinted with his Crobat in one of the late game battles. I also really like how he transitions from just liking/disliking Pokemon based on strength. If I remember right, he does admit that he was wrong for viewing Pokemon as tools to get to the top, and also becomes a bit friendlier to the protagonist. Also raise your hand if he was named ??? By you if you played the Gen II games in your younger days.

So, who is your favorite rival in the core series?