The New Professors of 'Pokémon Scarlet' and 'Violet' Are a Hint at the Games' Theme

When playing Pokémon games, you've got one job: to catch 'em all. At the beginning of your journey, you are typically tasked with meeting with the Pokémon professor of the area. They will usually want you to complete a Pokédex and compile all the information you can in the name of knowledge.

Over the years, we've met a number of professors in these games. And now that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are coming our way for the Nintendo Switch, here's what you need to know about the professors you will encounter in these new releases.

In the second trailer for Scarlet and Violet, released on June 1, 2022, we get our first look at the professors for these games. Professors Sada and Turo are briefly shown on screen introducing themselves before we get up-close shots of the starters and see some trainers in battle. But here, all we see is what their faces look like.

In a tweet by Serebii.net, the official Pokémon fan page, we can see full-body illustrations of the two professors — and they have very different styles. Saba is covered in what looks like prehistoric garb. Her clothes are made out of furs, she's wearing sandals, and she's got spikes around her neck and waist. Turo, on the other hand, looks like he stepped out of a time machine from the future.

In Turo's image, he's wearing a black and purple fitted jumpsuit with light purple stripes racing across it. For now, there's no confirmation as to why they chose these starkly different outfits, but many are speculating that it has something to do with the theme of the new games: the past and the future.

One of the replies to Serebii's tweet also points out that the professor's names lend to this theory, as well. Sada's name is a reference to the Spanish word "Pasada," meaning "past." In contrast, Turo's name is a reference to the Spanish word "Futuro" meaning "future."

How these two differences connect to the overall gameplay of Scarlet and Violet has yet to be revealed. It's also worth noting that other recent Pokémon releases like Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, as well as Sword and Shield, had one professor between both games, not two.

According to Game Rant, the games are based on Spain. This makes sense considering the Mediterranean aesthetic that we've seen so far, as well as the Spanish origin of these games professors. That influence can also be seen in the names of two of the three starters: Fuecoco and Sprigatito.

Plus, in Scarlet and Violet's first trailer, a map of the Iberian Peninsula and the Islas Baleares can be seen. Spain is located on the peninsula, and Game Rant says that of the gameplay that we can see so far, the architecture is also similar to what can be seen in that country.

In addition, a castle can be seen in the first trailer that looks similar to architect Antoni Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia temple which is located in Barcelona, Spain.

According to its website, La Sagrada Familia has been in construction for over 100 years and is still being worked on today.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will be released exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on November 18, 2022.