>Originally considered the “most liked by Game Freak” of the Gen 2 starters in terms of treatment in mainline games
>Fastforward to Legends ZA pre-release, when leaks are coming out in full force
>The Mega’s design then becomes widely lambasted for literally looking like a toilet
>”Well, maybe it will look better in motion!”
>It doesn’t and the toilet-lid-top-jaw flops around as it moves
>”Well, maybe it will look better armoured!”
>It doesn’t, it just looks like a deformed Totodile with an oversized red head that forces it to Mr-Fantastic-stretch its arms to make the jaw work
>”Alright, but it should be great competitively, right?”
>Doesn’t get any Speed increase and only Dragon STABs are Outrage, Loaded-Dice-less Scale Shot and Dragon Claw. Sheer Force + Life Orb on base form outdamages the Mega
>”O-ok, but it should be done justice in ‘da lore’ with its dex entry… Right?”
>Legends ZaZa Dex Entry: Yeah base Feraligatr’s actually a huge pussy who’s weaker than his baby form, so the Mega makes him baby again so he can be strong!
>Meganium ends up getting the most well-liked new form design-wise and competitive-wise out of the Johto trio
>After all this, mogged by Chimecho of all things getting a Mega whose design is widely-praised for being a leagues better execution of a pre-evolution-callback concept.

It feels like Game Freak actively regrets ever creating Feraligatr nowadays and wishes the line stopped at Totodile. Meganium only “won” at this point by being the Gen 2 starter with the least amount of strange contempt held towards it by the company.