Quoted By:
BW2's story sort of retreats into the usual Pokemon territory. Without N as their leader, Team Plasma completely falls apart. Maybe that was the idea, but it makes the campaign less memorable. N's narrative in the first game is part of what made it stand out. Not exactly because of muh ethics debate, but because of what his convictions meant for the plot. Having a villain aim for the Championship title as your "rival" suddenly added more stakes to the badge quest, and called for every major figure in the Region to participate. It's why everyone remembers the Castle seige where the Gym Leaders show up to back you. It was the payoff to an entire game's worth of buildup. Of all the more modern story driven Pokemon games, this is still probably my favorite one.
SM is about Lillie, and not the player. Not only does SM remove player agency, it thrusts you into a family dilemma which you have almost no business dealing with. N may have been the central figure of BW1, but he was also challenges you as an antagonist and is an obstacle to eventually overcome.
