Characters that really should be in Smash Brothers #1

I know I did this before, but I thought I'd go into a bit more depth now that I've actually played the new game (for those of you who are wondering, I love it. Most fun I've had with my 3DS in ages). So I decided to do a more in-depth look at some of the characters I really feel would fit in well with the current Smash Brothers roster.

I'm going to start with a rather weird one: Sceptile.

(photo from Bulbapedia)

Ok, so I'm guessing most people are going to say "We have enough Pokemon!" And on some level, I agree. But I am also of the opinion that the cast of Smash Brothers should be hundreds-strong, so naturally every represented franchise could feasibly have dozens of representations. Quite a few Pokemon could be included, from Machamp to Gengar to Pancham to Bisharp to Lopunny...the list goes on and on. Dozens if not hundreds of Pokemon could be in the cast. So why Sceptile?

Firstly, the starter Pokemon are iconic. One might argue that some are moreso than others and maybe the generation three starters aren't necessarily the most recognizable, but ultimately there's a reason why one (arguably two) of the new additions to the roster in the newest game is a starter Pokemon. Sure, Charizard was already pretty well fleshed out because of the Pokemon Trainer (who I miss, by the by...what a great mechanic), but they easily could have left him out but didn't. That's because Charizard is recognizable and even Greninja, a relatively new Pokemon, represents the franchise in a way that other Pokemon don't.

So starter Pokemon are recognizable and represent their franchise exceptionally well. But why Sceptile specifically? Well, first of all, if Greninja was included because of Pokemon sixth generation's recent release (perhaps to build up awareness of the franchise), then what better time to also introduce a third generation starter to the roster? After all, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are coming out soon, how much more relevant can you get? But even beyond that, there are two perfectly good reasons to pick Sceptile over other starters. First off, the reason why I say Sceptile over say Blaziken or Swampert (though either would work very well as well) is because SSB2014 introduced Charizard and Greninja, a fire and water starter. Sceptile would complete the trifectum with a grass-type starter and would be pleasing symmetrically. Secondly, Sceptile is humanoid and would fit well with the SSB atmosphere. His whole aesthetic would be unique and interesting amidst the established cast and his kit practically writes itself with powerful leaping skills and razor-sharp leaves. Being grass-type, he would have access to a moveset that is not utilized in this installation of the series...and you could even recycle moves from the scrapped Ivysaur character from Brawl. He even has a mega evolution, like Charizard, that could be used as a final smash.

So as far as relevance goes, Sceptile is a pretty obvious pick. I'd say other franchises need better representation than Pokemon, which already has five characters (six if you count Mewtwo's previous appearance), but like I said before, if we're talking a dream roster, I'd say the sky's the limit. Go nuts!