Get to Know Your Geeks: Starter Pokemon

If you've been following us for any length of time, you'll have inadvertently gotten to know us at least somewhat. But to give you a little more perspective on your Latter-Day Saint Geeks team, I thought it'd be fun to do a little get-to-know-you post with (almost) all of us. I hope to do one of these every few months. I wanted to start off with our starter Pokemon, who we'd pick and why. Enjoy!

--Spencer

Michael: Totodile

I think majority of people agree that one of the coolest starter Pokemon is Charmander. However, to me my starter Pokemon would be from the first Pokemon game I have played. I was introduced to Pokemon when my older sister was given Pokemon Silver by her now ex-boyfriend. She allowed me to play it as long as I didn't save over her file (which I did on accident ... maybe). As you know Professor Elm asks the player to choose a starter Pokemon and I chose Totodile because he looked the most enthusiastic. I think there hasn't been a more excited/happy Pokemon since. I have never regretted choosing him/her as a starter Pokemon.

Rob: Squirtle

Squirtle was my childhood favorite. and turtles are just cool. I mean, if you think about it, the cannons on Blastoise's back are just the natural extension of the freaking house that is connected to a turtle's spine. So, yeah, I'm cool with the fact that my favorite starter pokemon will one day evolve into the Pokemon tribute to a creature with its own self-made fortress.

Water is my jam too. The four basic elements all have their charm, but water is the one for me, be I a bender, or a Pokemon trainer. 

Popplio and Froakie are pretty formidable foes on the adorable and cutesy scales, so the water-type starters across the generations are pretty stacked. Don't even get me started on Oshawott, Totodile, and Piplup. The thing is, Squirtle will always be the one that I chose as a kid, so there you go. He's got my childhood heart.

Joe: Charmander

For me it’s all about the fire types. Cyndaquil, Scorbunny, Torchic, you can’t go wrong. But, most importantly, is my boy Charmander. The original fire starter and the good boy who turns into the bad boy who turns into the dragoniest non-dragon type in the game. I fell in love with him from his debut in the anime episode “Charmander: The Stray Pokemon” when he was cuddled up on that rock trying not to let his tail flame go out. I have played every version of Pokemon since Red and Blue and the first opportunity I get I pick up my Charmander and make him a permanent part of my squad.

Spencer: Cyndaquil

It's funny. I'm the one who proposed this post idea, but I had a hard time narrowing my answer down. I'm going to go with Cyndaquil. For one thing, he reminds me of ones of my best friends (you know who you are). But also I remember training up Cyndaquil back when I played Pokemon Gold for the first time. He was the strategic choice for the first couple gyms, like Bulbasaur was when I played Blue. And then if you look at Cyndaquil in the anime, as an adult, I remember him having to work hard to get his flame going and use his fire attacks. That's kind of inspiring. Also, he was always tired out and wants to rest; that's very relatable as a parent.