How do Falinks groups (Troops? Barracks?) form? Are the individuals born together or do they come together over time? And how are the ranks chosen?

Falinks troops are generally siblings! However, they will sometimes ‘adopt’ a lost individual who was separated from their troop somehow. The ‘brass’ leader is simply the sibling with the largest horn; if two have horns of the same size, they normally will spar for dominance.

-Thea

what do you think about the SwSh and gf controversy?

i… have a lot of conflicting feelings to say the very least. If what’s been data mined is true and what’s been shared online so far is true, i have a very heavy heart. Pokemon means the world to me and i want to be able to trust gf, so the possibility that they’ve been playing us all from the beginning makes me upset and i wish they would consider their fans with more care if this is the case (but we don’t know the full extent of the situation yet, so i am keeping an open mind).

There’s no way we’ll know the truth until the games come out and until game freak has a chance to speak up about the situation and explain things from their end.

i would also like to add that criticism and harassment are two very different things. respectful criticism is warranted when you’re disappointed but you love something and want it to improve (and pokemon fans are allowed to be disappointed. just because you’re a fan of something doesn’t mean you need to blindly agree with and accept everything without respectful criticism. i don’t like that people are intent on shutting down all criticism). Harassment, however, takes things to a very dark place. i don’t consider the people sending awful messages and threats true pokemon fans who want the best for the franchise… sadly, there will always be a rotten few who drag an entire group down in the mud. i also don’t agree with people telling others not to buy the game, that’s a personal choice.

all in all, i just want to play the games and see for myself. i want to see the galar region and hope for the best!