Hop is the player's neighbor and rival. His goal is to become the Champion, just like his older brother Leon. Hop starts his journey with his first Pokémon, Wooloo, and the first partner Pokémon weak to the player's choice. After meeting a mysterious Pokémon in the Slumbering Weald and receiving an endorsement from Leon, Hop and the player board the train to Motostoke, and their respective journeys begin. While an outwardly earnest boy, Hop's dreams are cast into doubt after a crushing defeat at the hands of Bede soon after earning his Fire Badge, compounded by frequent losses to the player and the pressure of following in his brother's footsteps. Believing he is making his brother look weak, Hop begins using different teams to get stronger but still comes up short, losing his first challenge at Circhester Stadium.
After the player wins at Circhester Stadium, Hop and the player learn more about the mysterious Pokémon of Slumbering Weald and their relationship to the hero. Motivated, Hop tells the player he has made up his mind and will no longer doubt himself, challenging them with his new, final team led by his newly-evolved Dubwool. Hop completes his Gym challenge and eventually meets the player as their second opponent in the Champion Cup in Wyndon Stadium. He is eventually defeated, and while visibly upset, Hop congratulates the player.
After the semifinals, Hop and the player search for Leon, who said he would be at the Rose of the Rondelands hotel to join the two for dinner, but he did not show up. With the help of Piers, Marnie, and Team Yell, the player and Hop pursue a member of Macro Cosmos to Rose Tower, where they find Leon having a discussion with Rose at the top. Hop later appears to congratulate the player for clearing the final round of the Champion Cup, and after some encouragement from his first partner Pokémon, he decides he is going to cheer for them over his brother. However, after Rose interrupts the Championship match, Hop suggests heading towards the Slumbering Weald to stop the return of Eternatus and the Darkest Day.
In the deepest parts of the Weald, the player and Hop are unable to find the mysterious Pokémon they once saw, and instead, they discover a Rusted Sword and Rusted Shield. Hop takes the ShieldSw/SwordSh and make way to the Energy Plant in Hammerlocke. After defeating Rose, the player and Hop join Leon, who tries and fails to catch Eternatus. After the player knocks it out, Eternatus turns into Eternamax Eternatus. Hop joins the player in a Max Raid Battle against it, but they are unable to do anything until they use the Rusted Sword and Shield to summon Zacian and Zamazenta. Through the combined efforts of Hop and the Legendary heroes, the player can catch and stop Eternatus.
After becoming Champion, the player meets Hop again in the Slumbering Weald where Zacian and Zamazenta once slept, saying he felt compelled to come there. After congratulating the player and having another battle, the player and Hop attempt to return the Rusted Sword and Shield, but are stopped by Sordward and Shielbert, who attempt to steal the artifacts. The player successfully reclaims their artifact in a battle with SordwardSw/ShielbertSh, but Hop is defeated by the other brother and loses his artifact. Feeling responsible, Hop quickly pursues the brothers, who are causing Trainers' Pokémon to Dynamax by force and run amok in Stadiums. While helping the Pokémon in Max Raid Battles with the player, Piers, and the other Gym Leaders, Hop expresses newfound doubts, thinking he is only dragging his friends down.
Hop and the player eventually corner the brothers at the Energy Plant, where they drive ZamazentaSw/ZacianSh into a berserk state by exposing it to Dynamax energy. The player defeats it in battle, and the Legendary Pokémon runs off after nearly attacking Hop, who was trying to help it. Hop goes after it, leaving ZacianSw/ZamazentaSh in the hands of the player, who is challenged by the other Legendary Pokémon. After the player catches ZacianSw/ZamazentaSh, they go back to the Slumbering Weald, where they see Hop soothing a distraught ZamazentaSw/ZacianSh. Thankful, the Legendary hero offers to join Hop's team. Hop then declares he has a new dream: to become a Pokémon Professor to help people as he did during the past incidents. However, he also says that he will always see the player as a rival. With that, he and the player have one more battle, with Hop using his new Legendary partner. After the battle, Sonia offers Hop a position as her assistant to help with his studies, which he accepts.
After the post-game story, Hop can be rematched as one of the challengers of the Champion Cup. This time, he uses a GigantamaxCorviknight. While not battling, he can be found in Sonia's laboratory at Wedgehurst.
In The Isle of Armor, if the player has completed the post-game story and evolved their Kubfu, Hop will appear at the Master Dojo and assist the player in figuring out the Max Soup ingredient required to make Urshifu eat the dish and gain the ability to Gigantamax. At first, he tests the nectars produced by Lilligant and Applin, but after deeming that neither of them seems right, he deduces that the honey produced by Vespiquen is the correct ingredient. He and the player then travel to Honeycalm Island, where the player gets thrust into a Max Raid Battle against a Dynamax Vespiquen. Once it has been defeated, the player will obtain a comb of Max Honey, the required Max Soup ingredient. Hop will afterwards stay at the dojo, showing the player Pokémon they've not seen yet for their Pokédex.
After the player has completed the events of The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra, Hop participates in the Galarian Star Tournament, and is one of two competitors that can be selected as a Multi Battle partner by the player in its first iteration, the other being Marnie. During the tournament, he will Gigantamax his first partner Pokémon. In subsequent iterations of the tournament, he can optionally be chosen as a partner or faced as an opponent.
"This Pokémon Trainer got endorsed to take part in the Gym Challenge by his brother—the reigning Champion, Leon. Hop claims to have watched all Leon's matches. Commentators speculate that as a result, he might be quite the force to be reckoned with. The Champion himself has said that his brother has potential, but his carefully hoarded knowledge can go to waste as he tends to get easily flustered in battle. It's said that Hop's partner Wooloo is a great help to him both in battle and with chores around the house."
Rare League Card
"This Trainer ultimately was defeated in the final match of the Champion Cup Semifinals. However, many Gym Leaders speak highly of his battle style, where he will let his Pokémon battle freely and really enjoy themselves. During the incident with Eternatus, he provided vital assistance in resolving the situation, proving beyond doubt that he is a skilled Trainer in his own right. It is expected that his battles with the new Champion will be the stuff of legend."
Hop debuted in Curtain Up! Fight the Fights!, where he met Ash and Goh outside Wyndon Stadium and challenged Ash to a battle. He used his Wooloo to battle against Pikachu, only for it to be instantly defeated. When the Masters Eight Tournament started, Hop joined Goh in the audience to watch the battles with him. He continued to serve the same role during the following Masters Eight Tournament battles, although, during the finals, he was instead joined by Sonia, as Goh had been forced to leave for a Project Mew mission.
Hop made a cameo appearance in Letter, where he tied a friendship bracelet to the right foreleg of his Wooloo. He briefly reappeared in Training, where he and his Wooloo were watching television.
Hop then appeared more prominently in Buddy, where he was revealed to be watching television with Wooloo so he could study Leon's technique and figure out how to become stronger. However, his admiration of Leon's Charizard caused Wooloo to run away. This prompted Hop to desperately search around town for it. By the end of the episode, Hop was reunited with Wooloo, whereupon he promised it that they will both challenge the Pokémon League together, and assured that it was perfect the way it was.
In Sky, Hop watched the battle between Leon and Raihan on television together with Wooloo.
In The Gathering of Stars, Hop returned to the Pokémon Lab, just in time to see Sonia setting off for her trip to the Crown Tundra. Before leaving, she handed Hop an invitation letter to the Galarian Star Tournament. He was later seen at Wyndon Stadium, walking out onto the field for the tournament's opening ceremony.
Dubwool is Hop's first known Pokémon. It was first seen as a Wooloo while playing with Hop, who gave it a friendship bracelet. Wooloo made another cameo in Training, where it was watching television with its Trainer.
Wooloo then appeared prominently in Buddy, where it became jealous of Hop's admiration of Leon's Charizard and ran away from home. It eventually jumped off a cliff to try and fly like Charizard, only to fail. Wooloo was subsequently found by Milo, who sent Wooloo home on the Flying Taxi. It reunited with Hop, who promised it that they will both challenge the Pokémon League together. He also assured that it was perfect the way it was.
Prior to the events of The Champion, Hop assisted Victor in battling against Eternatus during the Darkest Day. While they were unable to defeat Eternatus on their own, they were soon joined by Zacian and Zamazenta. With the assistance of the Legendary Pokémon, they were able to weaken Eternatus enough for Victor to catch it and end the Darkest Day.
In the present day, Hop was at the Wyndon Stadium, cheering for Leon as he prepared to start his Championship Match against Victor.
Hop debuted in Watch Out!! Strong Rivals. He was first seen in front of the Galar Mine, unable to enter due to a large boulder blocking the entrance. Hop, Casey, and Marnie combined their Pokémon's attacks to move the boulder. Afterward, everyone gathered at Turffield Stadium, where they each fought a Gym battle against Milo and won.
In Blazing!! Bede's Feelings, Hop informed Casey of an Arrokuda he spotted at a swamp earlier. Hoping it was one of her missing Pokémon, Casey grabbed Hop and ran off to go look for it. At the swamp, they successfully located Casey's missing Arrokuda, Kilo, only to find it was being eaten by a wild Cramorant. By combining his efforts with Casey, Kilo was retrieved, allowing Hop to catch Cramorant. Afterward, Casey thanked Hop and correctly guessed that he was actually the younger brother of Leon.
In Rising!! Opal of Ballonlea, Hop encountered Henry at Ballonlea Stadium, where they discussed their answers to the quiz given to them by Opal. Hop then went to have a Gym battle with Opal, which eventually ended with his victory. Later, after obtaining his sixth Gym Badge, Hop was approached by Marnie at Circhester. She asked Hop to come with her to Spikemuth, stating that it would be too dangerous for them and Henry to enter the town by themselves. While they traveled, Hop revealed that Leon had offered to endorse him for the Gym Challenge, but he had turned it down, not wanting to tarnish Leon's name if he happened to lose after being endorsed by him.
In Unbelievable!! The Shocking Truth, after arriving in Spikemuth, Hop and Marnie found Piers battling Sordward and Shielbert. Marnie stopped her brother from finishing Sordward and Shielbert off, allowing them to escape. After regrouping with Henry's group, Piers was informed by Leon and Sonia that Rose, Sordward, and Shielbert were working together. Hoping to discover whether or not Rose intended on bringing harm to Galar, the Gym Leaders gathered at Rose Tower, but were stopped by Oleana. While Oleana kept the Gym Leaders busy, Hop, Henry, Casey, Bede, and Marnie headed up an elevator to meet Rose, only to learn he wasn't in the building. Appearing on a video screen, Rose announced his intention to restart the Darkest Day and ensure the safety of Galar's future. Power Spot lights began appearing all over the region, causing Pokémon to start Dynamaxing at random. While some went back to their hometowns to help deal with the rampaging Dynamax Pokémon, Hop traveled with the others to the HammerlockeEnergy Plant, where they were joined by Leon's group. Upon entering the building, everyone found Rose ecstatic that his plan was a success.
In Shock!! Chairman Rose's Plan, Rose explained he meant no harm to Galar and sent Sordward and Shielbert to defeat Eternatus and prevent the Darkest Day from spiraling out of control. Despite their claims of being descendants of the heroes that once stopped the Darkest Day, Sordward and Shielbert were unable to win, forcing Rose to take their place. Oleana explained that Rose's actions were for the benefit of Galar and requested that everyone help stop Eternatus. The group agreed and made their way to the summit, where they found Rose had already been defeated. By teaming up, Hop, Leon, Marnie, Nessa, Melony, Piers, and Raihan managed to take Eternatus down, only for it to get back up and unleash its Eternamax form. The others were quickly overwhelmed, but were saved by the timely arrival of Zacian and Zamazenta. The two Pokémon attempted to use the Rusted Sword and Shield, only for Eternatus to grab them and Henry.
In PASS30, Zacian and Zamazenta struck Eternatus with a double Giga Impact, causing a massive explosion of energy and light. Once the light cleared, Henry, Zacian, Zamazenta, Eternatus had all vanished. Casey and Marvin reviewed footage of the incident and discovered something teleporting Henry away just as Zacian, Zamazenta, and Eternatus clashed. By tracking samples of Eternatus's poison on Henry's body and the material of the rusted artifacts, Casey found matching signals on both the Isle of Armor and the Crown Tundra. With no idea where Henry ended up, Oleana sent Hop, Casey, Marvin, Bede, and Marnie to both locations.
In PASS32, while riding a train to the Crown Tundra, Hop, Marnie, and Bede encountered Peonia, a girl trying to escape from her overbearing father, Peony. Marnie challenged Peony to a battle, stating that if she won, Peonia would be allowed to go free. After Marnie won and Peonia left, Hop and the others agreed to take her place as part of the Peony Exploration Team. The four traveled to Freezington, where their home base was located.
In PASS36, Hop, Marnie, and Bede arrived at Dyna Tree Hill, where they found a GalarianArticuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. Detecting traces of the rusted items in the area, Hop and the others split up to determine which of the Legendary bird Pokémon knew where it was located. Hop went after Moltres while Marnie and Bede faced Zapdos and Articuno, respectively. During their battle, Moltres carried Hop to Loop Lagoon, where the Rusted Shield was located. There, Hop reunited with Henry, Casey, and Marvin, who helped him take on the Malevolent Pokémon. They stunned Moltres long enough for Henry to take the shield, only for Moltres to get back up, grab Henry and the shield, and carry them back to the Crown Tundra.
In PASS38, Henry took Hop's place in the Peony Exploration Team and joined the Master Dojo as a student. In PASS40, Henry informed the others that he and Bede obtained the Rusted Sword and are heading back to the Galar mainland. With Leon and Raihan's help, Hop and the others reunited with Henry and Bede. There, they witnessed Zacian and Zamazenta use the rusted tools to become their Crowned Sword and Shield forms. They traveled to Hammerlocke to confront Eternatus again, only for a trio of nobles demanding that Sordward and Shielbert have their status as nobles reinstated block entrance to the city with their Gigantamaxed Pokémon. By Gigantamaxing their own Pokémon, Hop, Henry, and Casey, defeated the nobles, allowing Bede to use his Gigantamax Hatterene to determine where Eternatus was hiding. With Eternatus exposed, Zacian and Zamazenta combined their strength and finally took down the Gigantic Pokémon, ending the Darkest Day.
In PASS43, the Gym Challenge had resumed now that the crisis in Galar had ended. In the Champion Cup, Hop faced against Marnie in the semi-final battle.
Corviknight is Hop's first known Pokémon. As a Corvisquire, it was first used to help move a boulder blocking the way to Turffield. It later evolved into Corviknight after Hop trained on the Isle of Armor.
Snorlax is Hop's third known Pokémon. It was first used to help battle a wild Cramorant. It used its bulky body to catch Pokémon fired from Cramorant's Gulp Missile.
Cramorant is Hop's fifth known Pokémon. Hop first encountered it at a swamp, where it attempted to eat Casey's Kilo. With Casey's guidance, Hop freed Kilo, allowing him to catch Cramorant afterward.
None of Cramorant's moves are known and its Ability is Gulp Missile.
Sniffler (Japanese: ナミダくんNamida-kun) is a Pokémon belonging to Marvin. During the final battle with Eternatus, Sniffler was traded to Hop so he could use its Gigantamax form since Marvin lacked a Dynamax Band. Together, it, Twiggy, and Bit teamed up to defeat the three Gigantamax Pokémon guarding Eternatus. After Eternatus was defeated, Hop returned Sniffler to Marvin.
Hop, Bede, and Marnie encountered Regirock, Regice, and Registeel at the Crown Tundra. It was never specified who caught which giant or if they were kept.
The following is a list of cards mentioning or featuring Hop or his Pokémon in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
Hop's Pokémon Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
Interestingly, the Rookidee first used by Hop in the second battle couldn't have the Gigantamax Factor until the release of The Isle of Armor as it is caught before Hop ever visits the Wild Area.
If the player chose Scorbunny:
If the player chose Grookey:
