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The final test of any trainer in the Pokemon series is to take on the region's Champion in order to prove that they are the best of the best. Pokemon fans are likely familiar with the difficulty of these battles that challenge them to put their teams to the test against the strongest trainers in the game. However, some Pokemon Champions are far more memorable than others, whether that's due to their difficult nature, their involvement in the game's main story, or simply the effectiveness of their design.

Although a game's Champion is usually the final boss, there are instances where that is not the case, such as in Pokemon Black and White where Team Plasma's Ghetsis plays the role of final boss and the Unova Region's Champion Alder isn't battled until the post-game. Additionally, a region like Paldea has multiple Champion-ranked trainers at a given time, while one like Alola has no Champion until the player becomes the first to claim the title. As such, the only Champions considered here will be the ones known to currently hold the title at the time their game takes place, discounting player characters and former Champions.

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S-Tier

Cynthia

Likely the most iconic and memorable Champion in the eyes of many fans is Cynthia, who is the Champion of Gen 4's Sinnoh Region. Cynthia embodies everything that makes a Champion great, from having an infamously difficult final battle to assisting the player as they attempt to thwart Team Galactic's plans during the main story. Her notable team members include Spiritomb, Milotic, Lucario, and her ace, Garchomp.

Blue

As the original Champion of the series, Blue sets the standard for future Champions to follow after the Gen 1 games. Blue is notable given that he is the player's snarky rival who taunts them throughout the game, only to beat them to the Pokemon League and claim the title of Champion just before the player can. The satisfaction of finally getting the edge over Blue and his team makes for a satisfying finale.

A-Tier

Steven

Similarly to Cynthia, Steven is a Champion who not only provides a challenging final battle in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire but also aids players in the fight against Team Magma and Team Aqua in Pokemon Emerald, despite no longer being the Champion in that version. His battle is notable for the powerful Steel types he uses, such as Aggron and Metagross, and he even gifts players a Beldum if they visit his house in Mossdeep City after they become the Champion.

Leon

Leon perfectly captures the idea of a Pokemon Champion as a star athlete with his popularity among the citizens of the Galar Region. Unlike some Champions who are only revealed after the player defeats the Elite Four, Leon is present throughout the player's journey, even being the one to gift them their starter at the beginning of the Gen 8 games. Although his ace is his Gigantamax Charizard, Leon also uses the third starter not chosen by the player or Hop.

Lance

Originally the final member of Kanto's Elite Four, Lance gets upgraded to Champion in the Gen 2 games. Like any good Champion, he assists the player in stopping Team Rocket's plot, helping them infiltrate their base in Mahogany Town and encouraging them to soothe the Red Gyarados in the Lake of Rage. Despite being labeled a Dragon-type specialist, Lance's team consists mostly of Flying types, making the type his predominant specialty.

Kieran

Kieran is the most recent trainer to earn the title of Champion, being the Champion of Blueberry Academy's BB League in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Indigo Disk DLC. What makes Kieran a great champion is not only his difficult Double Battle-format fight but the tragic arc of watching Kieran go from a shy trainer in The Teal Mask to one obsessed with strength after being defeated by the trainer and losing out on becoming partners with Ogrepon.

B-Tier

Iris

Another Dragon-type specialist Champion is Pokemon Black 2 and White 2's Iris, who gets promoted from Gym Leader to Champion between the events of the Gen 5 games. While she doesn't get to play as big of a role in the games' plots as other Champions, Iris gets an interesting arc for players who get to see her grow as a Gym Leader in the previous titles before becoming the Champion.

Nemona

While Paldea has several Champion-ranked trainers, Nemona is the one players will get to know the most as their main rival throughout the Gen 9 games and the final boss of the Victory Road quest. Like Gen 1's Blue, players will battle Nemona throughout their journey around Paldea, but unlike the Gen 1 Champion, Nemona is much more friendly with the player and envies their strength as a trainer.

Alder

Despite being the Unova Region's Champion in Pokemon Black and White, Alder can't be battled until the post-game. While he helps the player take on Team Plasma at both Relic Castle and N's Castle, by the time players reach the Pokemon League, Alder has already been defeated by N.

Wallace

Like Iris, Wallace gets promoted from Gym Leader to Champion for Pokemon Emerald, where he takes the place of Steven as the final boss. Wallace is interesting as the only Water-type specialist in the series to be Champion, but he is less memorable than Steven as a Gen 3 Champion.

Diantha

Diantha has some of the highest-leveled team members of any Champion in the series, and her Mega Gardevoir can be a serious threat. However, she plays very little role in the Gen 6 games before the player challenges her in the Pokemon League, making her one of the less memorable Champions in the series.

C-Tier

Geeta

Geeta is considered by many players to be one of the weakest Champions in the series, using a team without a pseudo-Legendary and having a Glimmora as her ace. She also has very little to do with the plot of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, despite being touted as the Chairwoman of the Pokemon League.

Trace

Trace is the replacement for Blue in Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee, but is far inferior to the original Gen 1 Champion. He is incredibly weak as both a rival and Champion, with a team of mons that don't even know more than three moves.