>three ultra beasts come through a tear in reality to find themselves in the alola region
>imitating the local species, UB-02 beauty starts an organization for the preservation of pokemon as a front to establish a gateway for the rest of her kind
> UB-02 expansion directly opposes her cause, joins team skull, uses Type:Null with the intent of being ready to fight her when the time comes
>UB01 is caught in the middle of the conflict, and instead choses to learn about this world, joining the protagonist as an ally
And yes, i do think gladion is UB-02 expansion. Failing an incredibly, disproportionately muscular character to match the sillhoette, it makes sense that "Expansion" would have a much smaller human body. Gladion also visually and thematically matches Lillie and Lusamine. Potential explanation as to his hand tremors and pained gripping is his trouble keeping his form stable due to the compression