>>41814082N's battle in my opinion is the strongest moment in the series involving a newly introduced character. He's fought at various points in the game, is built up as a more important climax than the pokemon league itself, has motivations and a backdrop that make him stand out from most characters in the series, and is a character that could only ever exist in pokemon's setting. His final battle happens in a bizarre circumstance where his team has raised a massive castle out of the ground, he himself has beaten the champion of the region, and both of you acquire zekrom and reshiram before the fight starts. His battle theme plays off a leitmotif used in various cut-scenes, locations, and of course other battles with him. His team itself has the gimmick of rotating every single member every time you fight him, and always for pokemon locally available.
If you have the goal of toppling or at least coming close to red's impact, avoid being Red 2. Build a strong concept for a character around the setting and themes of your game and give them time to etch a space into the player's mind. Don't just think about making a strong pokemon rival, think about making a strong character.
