[Help Request] How does my evil team sound?

[LadyLurantis940]

I need some feedback on this evil team I'm using for a developing Kalos story. Anything is appreciated! (Unless it's mean. :( )

TEAM CYBER

Name: Team Cyber
Goal: Their goal is to rid the economy of help from Pokémon. Upon elaboration, it's revealed that they mean changes such as evicting Audino from Pokémon Centers, removing Pidgeot from mail companies, banishing Diggersby from mining corporations, and so on, their ideals being that humans become less dependent on Pokémon.
Motives: The leader of the organization, Heather Keizer, discovered the "truth" about Pokémon-human industries when she was replaced by a Dodrio at her assembly-line job. So, her passion for gathering other furious workers began. First, it was a teenage babysitter named Darrien, whose service was unneeded after competition came with a Gardevoir. She later became his top admin. Second, it was a male mathematician stationed in Aquacorde whose skills were deemed unmatchable to an Alakazam's. For years, she's been plotting a revolt against Pokémon in the workplace, recruiting person after person. Team Cyber now uses the power of technology to wreak havoc among all human-owned Pokémon and their trainers. They also reluctantly use Pokémon, knowing that they have to in order to combat those who oppose them.
Leader: Heather Keizer - 36 (Female, Assembly Line Worker, replaced by Dodrio)
Leader's Pokémon:
Linoone (MAIN POKÉMON - Heather immediately took a liking to this serious Pokémon. Although she resented his company for firing him, the Linoone reminded her of her supervisor, who was a close friend.)
Vespiquen
Dodrio (This Dodrio is the one who replaced her. Afterwards, she captured it as a declaration of metaphorical war. When her identity, goals, and motives are revealed to Alice, his Dodrio comes in on cue, balancing a platter of wine FRUIT JUICE and bread on his wobbling heads.)
Magnezone
Mega Aggron
Durant
Admins:
Darrien Shears - 19 (Male, Babysitter, replaced by Gardevoir)
Azumarill
Jumpluff
Kangaskhan
Miltank
Chatot
Ludicolo
Giselle Hollow - 27 (Female, Pro Wrestler, replaced by Sawk)
Mega Lucario
Pangoro (MAIN POKÉMON)
Machamp
Hawlucha
Hariyama
Poliwrath
Jennifer Harriet - 42 (Female, Florist, replaced by Florges)
Butterfree
Florges
Roserade (MAIN POKÉMON)
Mega Venasaur
Bellossom
Solrock

Storyline so Far: While on their quest, Team Cyber rationally focused on the Pokémon Showcases first, attacking performers to easily steal their not-well-battle-trained Pokémon. Our main character, Alice, is one of these performers, working with Wisteria (her friend) and an aspiring detective named Lucy to fight back against them. (The beginning, I hope, is quite interesting; but you'll have to wait until it's out [If I put it here] for that. ;) )

 

[gimmepie]

Honestly, this seems like a solid antagonist already. They have a clear goal and their motivations make sense, are realistic and understandable, tackle some interesting questions the Pokemon franchise never wants to answer and could be very compelling to an audience of older fans.

 

[Bulky Ledian]

It's an interesting concept if nothing else. What I really want to know is how a 3-headed bird with anger issues replace anyone at an assembly line job

 

[gimmepie]

It's an interesting concept if nothing else. What I really want to know is how a 3-headed bird with anger issues replace anyone at an assembly line job

3 heads vs 2 hands I imagine.
Ngl though, I'd probably sub it out for Machamp.

 

[Venia Silente]

While conceptually the idea behind the evil team is solid as mentioned above (in particular: they rise against a problem that does naturally worsen over time, unlike Teams Aqua, Magma, Galactic and Flare), I'm a bit more concerned about how and why to make the team functional in-universe, which honestly depends on how exactly do Pokémon function in your world:

So.... Pokémanz... lemme talk about them: are they sapient? Sentient? They are certainly not humans, but if a Pokémon is given a job (not just an occupation) it means that is enjoying what in legal terms is employability. Does this means Pokémon in your world have sentient rights and responsibilities, as it would be needed to enter a contract? Or, if your world's Pokémon are more animalistic, why would there be pressure to replace workers in positions such as education with creatures with mental powers that could affect children in ways not studied and not understood? (just look at Hypno's 'dex entry and the various memes about it in the fandom)

I'm presuming the Pokémon in your world would function at a level similar to that of animals only somewhat on higher intelligence (and cleverness), but even counting all that down it means their situation is not much unlike that of robots, which means from most social perspectives your character is outwardly and obviously wrong about holding the Pokémon responsible about it - in this situation, they themselves have no choice about being used for work. Worst case scenario, she'd have to go about the same way Team Plasma (outwardly) went in order to change things "for the better".

Dodrio (This Dodrio is the one who replaced her. Afterwards, she captured it as a declaration of metaphorical war. When her identity, goals, and motives are revealed to Alice, his Dodrio comes in on cue, balancing a platter of wine FRUIT JUICE and bread on his wobbling heads.)

That she captured the Pokémon means one of two things:

a) she committed a crime of theft, as she took with her an active company asset, which in the worst case scenario could have been loaned by another company or by the government
or
b) she committed a crime of kidnapping, as she took (and is holding) with her a sentient being against its wishes; not much unlike, basically, kidnapping an infant

Honestly the context in which the character is revealed makes me think more it's scenario a) which would also require some abuse or torture for conditioning the Pokémon. Moreover, in the case of b) where Pokémon in your world are sentient (needed to be legally held to a contract), why would the Dodrio accept to be taken by the human who obviously does not want anything to do with it and is likely mistreating it? It has been shown at least in anime and manga canon that if a Pokémon decidedly does not like how the Trainer is treating them, they are within their rights to leave.

All in all, the idea sounds interesting, but I feel you'd have to place it early enough in the history of a world that has for long lived with Pokémon (say, contextually parallel to what would have been the 1850s to 1920s in our history) to not conflict with the more general "background, solved problem" we see in the mainline contemporary games and - in particular - anime.

...Oooor your character could be the kind of person to call the entire historical progress of a society a mistake or even "fake news". Which, while it works, brings to question how is she even recruiting - those people who lost their jobs have better things to do than the equivalent of angry posts on reddit. Which is to say: more job hunting.

 

[LadyLurantis940]

Venia, thanks for the input! While I can't answer all of your questions in detail, I can give a few simple answers and improve. So...
1.) Pokémon are definitely far more intelligent than animals, as shown in the anime and games, with complex thoughts, emotions, and connections. They each have distinct personalities, so not all Dodrio are angry little pests, and not every Alakazam is dead serious, while outlying traits like sad Sobble and protective Gardevoir are recurring. As you couldn't pay a Pokémon with money, I assume the exchange would include food, shelter, and healthcare.
2.) So, quite obviously, the organization aren't idiots and it's kind of like cruelty to elephants at circuses. (So sad, by the way...) Her mindset is that if you whip it enough, it'll start listening. It started to fear her. And actually, some of the admins and grunts end up quitting because they've grown attached to their partners. I plan for Darrien to end up fighting against Heather in the end. The organization has to handle the fighting back, and its rot from the core, which exposes how its ideals have strayed from their original morality. At first, Heather was just angry. Then her fury was left to fester. Angry people do insane things for revenge.

You really made me think about some loopholes and I actually filled in some of them with my answers, so thanks again!

 

[Venia Silente]

Glad to help. I think this seems to work so far and should make for an interesting story once developed.