So what was the point in including Samson Oak? I've only really just beaten the Champ but I don't think that Oak actually did anything.

I mean he does give you the one and only Johto Apricorn balls but only one of each...why?..why just ONE? Did I miss something? If you use the ball and success or failure that ball is gone! It's not like you can say "plenty more where they came from!" So what's up with that?

And he studies regional forms of Pokémon, cool, makes sense. But by the time we meet him it's not like they are a surprise as we already met an Alolon Rattata and Alolon Grindr at least. So that fact that there are Alolan formes is no surprise. You'd think he'd he significant because he gives you a new Alolan form Pokemon to show off the gimmick but nope. It would have been a cool parallel to what Sycamore did in Kalos by giving away a Kanto starter to show off mega evolution and instead give us an Alolon Johto starter. I mean HGSS was years ago (Gen 4!) and the Johto starters need a competitive boost and some new appeal, what better way to do so than an Alolan form??

But no, he shows up and gives you one of each Apricorn ball and then buggers off.

Why was he even in the games??