Every Gym Leader in Pokemon Generation 8 (Galar)

Galar runs its Pokemon training scene like a televised sporting league. Every trainer who wants to challenge the Champion must earn eight badges by defeating gym leaders spread across the region, and the whole thing plays out in front of packed stadiums with commentary and live broadcasts. It is, essentially, Pokemon crossed with Premier League football, and it works surprisingly well. The gyms themselves each include a short puzzle or challenge before the main battle - herding Wooloo, navigating water mazes, answering trick questions from an 88-year-old woman who insists she is 16. Standard stuff.

What makes Galar distinctive among Pokemon regions is that two of the eight gyms have completely different leaders depending on which version of the game you play. Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield were released simultaneously in November 2019, and Game Freak built version exclusivity directly into the gym structure. Gym 4 in Stow-on-Side gives you either Bea (Sword) or Allister (Shield), and Gym 6 in Circhester is either Gordie (Sword) or Melony (Shield). That brings the total number of gym leaders across both versions to ten, and this list covers all of them.

Milo

The first gym leader in Galar is, by design, supposed to make you feel good. Milo runs the Turffield Gym, a Grass-type gym tucked into the south of the region where rolling green hills meet ancient stone carvings. He is cheerful, unfailingly encouraging, and genuinely seems to enjoy watching challengers improve. His team opens with Gossifleur at level 19 before sending out his ace, Eldegoss at level 20, which he Dynamaxes for the main event. The Eldegoss becomes a towering cotton-puff giant, using regular Dynamax Max Moves rather than a Gigantamax exclusive. Beat it and you earn the Grass Badge, TM10 (Magical Leaf), and the ability to catch Pokemon up to level 25. The gym mission beforehand involves herding 20 Wooloo into pens while Yampers run around trying to scatter them - an agricultural obstacle course that is either charming or mildly infuriating depending on your patience. Milo appears in both Sword and Shield with no version differences. He is also, it should be said, one of the few gym leaders who seems genuinely at peace with his job. No existential crises, no tragic backstory. Just a man, his Eldegoss, and a field full of sheep.

Nessa

Nessa runs the Hulbury Gym and doubles as a model, which means she gets a dramatic lighthouse entrance and promotional posters around town before you even set foot in her stadium. She specializes in Water-type Pokemon, which in Galar means things that bite. Her team is Goldeen at level 22, Arrokuda at level 23, and her ace Drednaw at level 24 - a snapping-turtle Pokemon with a jaw powerful enough to crush boulders. She Dynamaxes the Drednaw, turning it into something even larger and more aggressive. The gym puzzle is a water-valve maze where you redirect pillars of water to clear a path, fighting trainers along the way. Defeating Nessa earns you TM36 (Whirlpool), the Water Badge, and the ability to catch Pokemon up to level 30. Nessa appears in both versions. She went on to become one of the more visible characters from the Galar cast, appearing in promotional material well beyond the game's release. Her competitive edge in battle contrasts with her polished public image - she wants to win, and her Drednaw lets her make that point clearly.

Kabu

By the time you reach Kabu in Motostoke, the game has already told you he is a wall. Not metaphorically - trainers in the game world literally describe him as the point where many Gym Challenge runs end. Kabu has been at this long enough to develop a reputation, and he trains visibly: you encounter him in Galar Mine No. 2 before the gym, working through battles to sharpen his edge. His team is Ninetales at level 25, Arcanine at level 25, and Centiskorch at level 27. The Centiskorch gets the Gigantamax treatment - its flame-coil body expands to stadium-filling scale and delivers G-Max Centiferno, a fire move that traps your Pokemon. The gym mission scores you points for catching or defeating wild Pokemon in a competitive multi-battle format. Defeat Kabu and you earn TM38 (Will-O-Wisp), the Fire Badge, and captures up to level 35. He appears in both versions. Kabu is a serious gym leader without being dramatic about it. He respects the challenge, he just happens to be very good at stopping people from completing it.

Bea

(Pokemon Sword exclusive)

In Pokemon Sword, Gym 4 at Stow-on-Side belongs to Bea, a Fighting-type specialist and karate prodigy who treats every gym battle as a form of training rather than performance. She is stone-faced, focused, and has been practicing martial arts since she was very young. Her team is Hitmontop at level 34, Pangoro at level 34, Sirfetch'd at level 35, and Machamp at level 36, which she Gigantamaxes for a G-Max Chi Strike - a Fighting move that raises the critical hit ratio of her whole team. The gym mission is a sliding board puzzle where you use punching gloves to steer yourself down a slope to the finish. It is the physical comedy to Bea's deadly seriousness. Defeat her for TM42 (Revenge), the Fighting Badge, and captures up to level 40. In Shield, this slot goes to Allister instead. Bea's character resonated with players in part because she shows genuine emotion in loss - one of the tells that there is more going on beneath that composed exterior.

Allister

(Pokemon Shield exclusive)

In Pokemon Shield, Gym 4 at Stow-on-Side belongs to Allister, a Ghost-type specialist who is roughly ten years old, speaks in a near-whisper, and wears a plain white mask over his face because he is too anxious to let people see him without it. He is the counterpoint to Bea's intensity: where she is deliberate and controlled, Allister is unsettling and quiet. His team is Galarian Yamask at level 34, Mimikyu at level 34, Cursola at level 35, and Gengar at level 36, which he Gigantamaxes for G-Max Terror - a Ghost move that traps the target in battle. The gym mission mirrors Bea's sliding puzzle but with a ghostly atmosphere. Defeat him for TM77 (Hex), the Ghost Badge, and captures up to level 40. Allister became one of the more popular characters from Sword and Shield, the mask and the shyness doing more character work than many more prominent designs manage. He and Bea have met in official art, suggesting a rivalry between the two version-exclusive leaders.

Opal

Opal is 88 years old. She will ask you three questions during her gym mission and three more during the actual battle, delivering stat boosts or drops based on your answers. One of her battle questions is "How old am I?" and the correct answer is 16. She knows full well she is 88. This is not a mistake. Opal has run the Ballonlea Gym for decades, specializes in Fairy-type Pokemon, and has exactly the manner of someone who has decided that rules and expectations apply to other people. Her team is Galarian Weezing at level 36, Mawile at level 36, Togekiss at level 37, and Alcremie at level 38, which she Gigantamaxes for G-Max Finale, a Fairy move that heals her whole team. Defeat her for TM87 (Draining Kiss), the Fairy Badge, and captures up to level 45. Opal appears in both versions and is in the middle of scouting Bede - your rival - as a potential successor throughout the game. She appears in both versions, and she knows exactly how good she is.

Gordie

(Pokemon Sword exclusive)

Gordie runs the Circhester Gym in Pokemon Sword and specializes in Rock-type Pokemon, which is already interesting because his mother Melony runs the same gym in Shield with Ice types. They are both from Circhester, they have an openly tense relationship about their type choices, and they occupy the exact same gym slot in two different versions of the same game. Gordie's team is Barbaracle at level 40, Shuckle at level 40, Stonjourner at level 41, and Coalossal at level 42, which he Gigantamaxes for G-Max Volcalith, a Rock move that deals residual damage each turn for four turns. The gym mission is a tile-walking puzzle where collapsing floor panels send you back to the start, with the final stretch obscured by a sandstorm. Defeat him for TM48 (Rock Tomb), the Rock Badge, and captures up to level 50. Gordie has a slightly too-cool aesthetic that the game seems aware of, and his frustration with his family situation adds texture to what could have been a generic gym stop.

Melony

(Pokemon Shield exclusive)

Melony runs the same Circhester Gym as Gordie in Shield, but with Ice-type Pokemon, and she is unapologetic about all of it. She is warm, maternal, and has several children including Gordie, who chose to specialize in Rock types to forge his own path rather than follow in her Ice-type footsteps, causing a falling out between them. The family drama plays out in background dialogue. Melony's team is Frosmoth at level 40, Beartic at level 40, Galarian Darmanitan at level 41, and Lapras at level 42, which she Gigantamaxes for G-Max Resonance, an Ice move that halves damage for five turns - effectively putting up a damage-reducing screen on top of a gym ace attack. Defeat her for TM27 (Icy Wind), the Ice Badge, and captures up to level 50. The parallel structure of Gordie and Melony across the two versions is one of the smarter bits of version-exclusive storytelling in the series - same gym, same town, a family argument baked into the game's structure.

Piers

Piers is the only gym leader in Galar who refuses to Dynamax his Pokemon. Every other leader does it - Dynamax is the whole visual spectacle of the Galar gym experience, the thing that fills stadiums. Piers runs Gym 7 in Spikemuth, a decaying seaside town that never built a proper stadium and whose gates Team Yell shut specifically to give his sister Marnie a better shot at the Gym Challenge. He is a Dark-type specialist, former punk musician, and the leader of Team Yell (sort of - Team Yell are really just Marnie's overzealous fan club). His team is Scrafty at level 44, Malamar at level 45, Skuntank at level 45, and Obstagoon at level 46. No Dynamax on any of them. The gym mission is a straightforward gauntlet through Team Yell grunts. Defeat him for TM85 (Snarl), the Dark Badge, and captures up to level 55. Piers appears in both versions and is quietly one of the most interesting characters in the game - tired, responsible, holding something together that is actively trying to fall apart.

Raihan

Raihan is Leon's self-declared rival, runs the Dragon-type gym in Hammerlocke, and is extremely online - he takes selfies, posts battle content, and treats his public image as part of his training. His gym is the last before the Champion Cup, and he makes the most of that status. His team is Flygon at level 46, Gigalith at level 46, Sandaconda at level 46, and Duraludon at level 48, which he Gigantamaxes for G-Max Depletion, a Dragon move that depletes PP from the last move the target used. Only two of his four Pokemon are actually Dragon types - the rest support a Sandstorm strategy, with Gigalith and Sandaconda taking advantage of sand-boosted special defense. The gym mission is four double battles against trainers using different weather-setting teams, a warm-up for Raihan's own weather tactics. Defeat him for TM99 (Breaking Swipe), the Dragon Badge, and the ability to catch Pokemon up to level 100. Raihan appears in both versions and loses to Leon consistently, which drives him more than any victory would.