User blog:JustinMasterMine/Pathetic Pinhead Proposal: Shamus (Pokémon)

Well, I thought I would check this wiki out. The concept of the Pathetic Pinhead seems to have quite a bit of potential, helps that there's plenty of contributors from the Villains Wiki community. So I think I may give this a try.

What's the Work?
Pokémon: Best Wishes is a season of the Pokémon anime set in the fifth generation, the Unova region. The season is notably reviled as Ash Ketchum was more dimwitted and incompetent compared to most generations (an infamous example being bringing only his Palpitoad to fight Elesa). There are many one-time characters who have appeared across the anime series who have never been seen again since, one of them being a character who is much more dimwitted and incompetent, and he also crosses the line of being much more than just being a mere bully.

Who is Shamus? What has he done?
Shamus, also known as Suwama in Japanese, was the abusive former trainer of Ash's Tepig. He only appeared in "The Battle Club and Tepig's Choice!" in a flashback and "Evolution by Fire" in person. Shamus abandoned Tepig for being too weak, and when it tried to follow him, he tied it to a pole by its snout, and left as it cried for him to come back. Tepig eventually escaped but couldn't eat due to the rope, and eventually Ash found it and rescued it, leading to Tepig joining Ash's team. Ash and his friends later met Shamus in Icilbe Town's Pokémon Battle Club, where he defeats another trainer named Kylan using his Emboar and Heatmor, which he nicknames "Fire Warriors". Ash and friends are initially impressed with his battling talents until they see him trying to force Kylan to give him his Mienshao and Watchog after they lost to his team, until the others tell him to stop. Later, Tepig tries to show affection towards its former trainer, but he says that Tepig was weak and threw it towards Ash when being told to apologize. Cilan proclaims it's "Judgment Time" and Shamus confesses how Tepig was too weak by his standards so he thought it'd be happier set free. Don George interrupts to suggest that they battle. Later on, Ash challenges Shamus with Snivy and Tepig, with the latter in depression due to its bad memories with Shamus. During the battle, Shamus boasts about how he feigned sadness so that Tepig would let him leave, then when he left he said he'd find a Tepig with more talent and laughed. Thanks to Ash and Snivy's encouragement, Tepig regained its confidence and evolved into Pignite, and beat both of Shamus' Pokémon. Shamus feigned an apology to take Pignite back, calling Ash a loser trainer and expecting Pignite to forgive him, but his former Pokémon burned his hair into an afro and chose to stay with Ash. Shamus then runs away from the arena, yelling that he'll remember this.

Immorality
Before anyone says he's just a jerk, he abused Tepig by tying it to a pole just because it didn't have enough experience and it would've died of starvation because it couldn't eat, and he also extorts other trainers to give him their Pokémon. Kylan says that he really didn't want to battle Shamus but he forced him to because he wanted Pokémon with potential. He also boasts about his hobby of abandoning Pokémon, implying that he's done it multiple times before and he enjoys doing this. While Shamus believes weak Pokémon would feel happier set free, he never considers the feelings of his Pokémon (with his abandonment habit and all) and believes he can just take and dispose of them at will. He doesn't even use the friendlier alternative of a PC, otherwise he wouldn't just TIE A YOUNG ANIMAL TO A POLE AND LEAVE IT THERE.

Cowardice, Stupidity and Incompetence
While Shamus may be decent at training Pokémon and defeating his opponents through his team's sheer power, keep in mind he has a habit of abandoning Pokémon and stealing ones who are strong, so it's unlikely that he brought out his team's potential all by himself. He even said that he'd find a Tepig with more talent after abandoning his original one, so his Emboar is likely its replacement. And he shows all three qualities when he loses through the newly-evolved Pignite, making a fake apology while calling Ash a loser just because all of a sudden Pignite was powerful enough for him now, believing he can get away scot-free. Of course, Pignite rejects him and joins Ash.

Lack of Charisma
While Ash and friends initially praise Shamus for being a great battler, the moment they see his true colors they lose all respect for him in a second. Iris gets furious towards his rudeness and Ash even asks him if he can even call himself a trainer. Even Pignite has no respect for him in the end when he makes his apology since Ash treated Pignite decently while Shamus could just ditch it again if he wants. He may have the attitude, but Shamus' charisma is anything but; he's just a smug, hubristic douche who believes he can do whatever he wants without considering the repercussions.

Hateability
Shamus isn't as notable as monsters like Ghetsis or Grings Kodai due to appearing in only one episode of an infamous season of the Pokémon anime. The whole episode makes you feel lots of sympathy for Tepig and lots of antipathy for Shamus, as Tepig used to idolize its former trainer even after he left it, and later got shattered when he boasted about not caring about it in front of its face. Shamus' abuse even gave Tepig insecurities and made it fear that Ash would abandon it too if it failed. So it becomes much more satisfying when Pignite rejects Shamus in the end. Also his defeat showed him comically running away, but the scene plays out more of an unlikeable jerk getting his comeuppance and was meant to be satisfying.

Final Verdict
He's not as well-known or depraved as most of the characters approved here, but I think maybe he's gained a reputation for himself despite being a one-shot.