For the move with the Japanese name of Hop, see Splash (move).
Hop
ホップ Hop
Sword Shield Hop.png
Art from Pokémon Sword and Shield
Gender Male
Eye color Yellow
Hair color Purple
Hometown Postwick
Region Galar
Relatives Unnamed mother, Leon (older brother)
Trainer class Pokémon Trainer
Generation VIII
Games Sword and Shield

Hop (Japanese: ホップ Hop) is one of the rival characters in Pokémon Sword and Shield, the others being Bede and Marnie.

In the games

Hop is the player's neighbor and rival. His goal is to become the Champion, just like his brother Leon. Leon starts his journey with his first Pokémon, Wooloo, and the starter Pokémon weak to the player's choice. After meeting a mysterious Pokémon in the Slumbering Weald and receiving an endorsement from Leon, Hop and the player board the train to Motostoke, and their respective journeys begin. While an outwardly earnest boy, Hop's dreams are cast into doubt after a crushing defeat at the hands of Bede soon after earning his Fire Badge, compounded by frequent losses to the player and the pressure of following in his brother's footsteps. Believing he is making his brother look weak, Hop begins using different teams to get stronger but still comes up short, losing his first challenge at Circhester Stadium.

After the player wins at Circhester Stadium, Hop and the player learn more about the mysterious Pokémon of Slumbering Weald and their relationship to the hero. Motivated, Hop tells the player he has made up his mind and will no longer doubt himself, challenging them with his new, final team led by his newly-evolved Dubwool. Hop is able to complete his Gym challenge and eventually meets the player as their second opponent in the Champion Cup in Wyndon Stadium. He is eventually defeated, and while visibly upset, Hop congratulates the player.

After the semifinals, Hop and the player search for Leon, who said he would be at the Rose of the Ronderlands hotel to join the two for dinner, but he did not show up. With the help of Piers, Marnie, and Team Yell, the player and Hop pursue a member of Macro Cosmos to Rose Tower, where they find Leon having a discussion with Chairman Rose at the top. Hop later appears to congratulate the player for clearing the final round of the Champion Cup, and after some encouragement by his starter Pokémon, he decides he is going to cheer for them over his brother. However, after Rose interrupts the Championship match, Hop suggests heading towards the Slumbering Weald to stop the return of Eternatus and the Darkest Day.

In the deepest parts of the Weald, the player and Hop are unable to find the mysterious Pokémon they once saw, and instead, they discover a Rusted Sword and Rusted Shield. Hop takes the ShieldSw/SwordSh and make way to the Energy Plant in Hammerlocke. After defeating Rose, the player and Hop join Leon, who tries and fails to catch Eternatus. After the player knocks it out, Eternatus turns into Eternamax Eternatus. Hop joins the player in a Max Raid Battle against it, but they are unable to do anything until they use the Rusted Sword and Shield to summon Zacian and Zamazenta. Through the combined efforts of Hop and the Legendary heroes, the player is able to catch and stop Eternatus.

After becoming Champion, the player meets Hop again in the Slumbering Weald where Zacian and Zamazenta once slept, saying he felt compelled to come there. After congratulating the player and having another battle, the player and Hop attempt to return the Rusted Sword and Shield, but are stopped by Sordward and Shielbert, who attempt to steal the artifacts. The player successfully reclaims their artifact in a battle with SordwardSw/ShielbertSh, but Hop is defeated by the other brother and loses his artifact. Feeling responsible, Hop quickly pursues the brothers, who are causing Trainers' Pokémon to Dynamax by force and run amok in Stadiums. While helping the Pokémon in Max Raid Battles with the player, Piers, and the other Gym Leaders, Hop expresses newfound doubts, thinking he is only dragging his friends down.

Hop and the player eventually corner the brothers at the Energy Plant, where they drive ZamazentaSw/ZacianSh into a berserk state by exposing it to Dynamax energy. The player defeats it in battle, and the Legendary Pokémon runs off after nearly attacking Hop, who was trying to help it. Hop goes after it, leaving ZacianSw/ZamazentaSh in the hands of the player, who is challenged by the other Legendary Pokémon. After the player catches ZacianSw/ZamazentaSh, they go back to the Slumbering Weald, where they see Hop soothing a distraught ZamazentaSw/ZacianSh. Thankful, the Legendary hero offers to join Hop's team. Hop then declares he has a new dream; to become a Pokémon Professor to help people like he did during the past incidents, but he also says that he will always see the player as a rival. With that, he and the player have one more battle, with Hop using his new Legendary partner. After the battle, Sonia offers Hop a position as her assistant to help with his studies, which he accepts.

After the post-game story, Hop can be rematched as one of the challengers of the Champion Cup. This time, he uses a Gigantamax Corviknight.

League Cards

This is a transcript of the back of Hop's League Cards in Pokémon Sword and Shield.

Normal League Card
"This Pokémon Trainer got endorsed to take part in the Gym Challenge by his brother—the reigning Champion, Leon. Hop claims to have watched all Leon's matches. Commentators speculate that as a result, he might be quite the force to be reckoned with. The Champion himself has said that his brother has potential, but his carefully hoarded knowledge can go to waste as he tends to get easily flustered in battle. It's said that Hop's partner Wooloo is a great help to him both in battle and with chores around the house."
Rare League Card
"This Trainer ultimately was defeated in the final match of the Champion Cup Semifinals. However, many Gym Leaders speak highly of his battle style, where he will let his Pokémon battle freely and really enjoy themselves. During the incident with Eternatus, he provided vital assistance in resolving the situation, proving beyond doubt that he is a skilled Trainer in his own right. It is expected that his battles with the new Champion will be the stuff of legend."

Pokémon

Pokémon Sword and Shield

  This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.
Reason: Missing Raid partner teams
First battle

  If the player chose Grookey:



  If the player chose Scorbunny:



  If the player chose Sobble:



Second battle

  If the player chose Grookey:



  If the player chose Scorbunny:



  If the player chose Sobble:



First Multi Battle partner

Hop joins the player as a Multi Battle partner against a pair of Team Yell Grunts.

  If the player chose Grookey:



  If the player chose Scorbunny:



  If the player chose Sobble:



Third battle

  If the player chose Grookey:



  If the player chose Scorbunny:



  If the player chose Sobble:



Fourth battle

  If the player chose Grookey:



  If the player chose Scorbunny:



  If the player chose Sobble:



Second Multi Battle partner

Hop joins the player as a Multi Battle partner against the pair of Team Yell Grunts.

  If the player chose Grookey:



  If the player chose Scorbunny:



  If the player chose Sobble:



Fifth battle

  If the player chose Grookey:



  If the player chose Scorbunny:



  If the player chose Sobble:



Sixth battle

  If the player chose Grookey:



  If the player chose Scorbunny:



  If the player chose Sobble:



Seventh battle

  If the player chose Grookey:



  If the player chose Scorbunny:



  If the player chose Sobble:



Eighth battle

  If the player chose Grookey:



  If the player chose Scorbunny:



  If the player chose Sobble:



Third Multi Battle partner

Hop joins the player in the three Multi Battles against Macro Cosmos's employees.

  If the player chose Grookey:



  If the player chose Scorbunny:



  If the player chose Sobble:



Ninth battle

  If the player chose Grookey:



  If the player chose Scorbunny:



  If the player chose Sobble:



Fourth Multi Battle partner

Hop will team up with the player in a Multi Battle against Sordward and Shielbert.

  If the player chose Grookey:



  If the player chose Scorbunny:



  If the player chose Sobble:



Tenth battle
Pokémon Sword

  If the player chose Grookey:



  If the player chose Scorbunny:



  If the player chose Sobble:



Pokémon Shield

  If the player chose Grookey:



  If the player chose Scorbunny:



  If the player chose Sobble:



Champion Cup rematches
Pokémon Sword

  If the player chose Grookey:



  If the player chose Scorbunny:



  If the player chose Sobble:



Pokémon Shield

  If the player chose Grookey:



  If the player chose Scorbunny:



  If the player chose Sobble:



Artwork

   
Hop's League Card in
Sword and Shield
Hop's rare League Card in
Sword and Shield

Trivia

Names

Language Name Origin
Japanese ホップ Hop From hop
English, German, Italian Hop Same as his Japanese name
French Nabil From Cannabaceae, the family that contains hops
Spanish Paul From lúpulo (common hop)
Korean 호브 Hob From 홉 hop
Chinese (Mandarin) 赫普 Hèpǔ Transliteration of his Japanese name
Chinese (Cantonese) 赫普 Hākpóu Mandarin-based transliteration of his Japanese name
Russian Хоп Khop Transcription of his English name



Rival characters
Core series BlueSilverBrendan/MayWallyBarryCherenBiancaNHugh
Calem/SerenaShaunaTiernoTrevorHauGladionTrace
HopBedeMarnieKlaraAveryNemonaCarmineKieran
Spin-off games RonaldPauloLear


Non-player characters in the core series games
Galar Professor MagnoliaMumHopBedeMarnieSoniaLeon
SordwardShielbertMustardKlaraAveryHoneyHydePeonyPeoniaCalyrexBall Guy
Watt TradersIngredients SellersDigging DuoCamping King
Team YellMacro CosmosDanGym LeadersMorimotoCara LissJack


  This game character article is part of Project CharacterDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in the Pokémon games.