Is Red considered “the strongest Champion” in “the lore”? I don’t think the games have described or treated him any differently than the other Champions. Is this just a “Pikachu is Lv88 and no other Trainer has a level that high, therefore he is the strongest” thing? Because even that isn’t true anymore as of BDSP.
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I feel like it's more of a vibe (that's mostly died out by now) rather than anything quantifiable. Red's the only Champion-esque trainer whose entire characterisation is 'battling Pokemon and being the strongest', since that's the only context you see him in and he has no dialogue, so imagining that he's canonically the strongest is almost, like, throwing him a bone. After all, it'd be kinda sad to spend such a long time training in complete solitude on a mountain too dangerous for anyone without 16 Gym Badges to approach, let alone climb, only to lose to someone who has other hobbies, responsibilities, and/or personal relationships.
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QuentinQuonce
formerly green_typhlosion
It's also that he was the first player character to reappear, so there's a slight mystique to him that none of the others have.
He's the most recognisable due to RBY being the first games; beating him in GSC represents the player surpassing him. There's not really an equivalent to that in most other games, so the fandom tends to hold Red in this high esteem despite the fact that numerous other protagonists in the games have accomplished bigger feats than he ever did.
Pretty much. Cynthia has long dethroned him.
With that said, even by objective standards like in-game appearances, he's up there. Easily a top 5 Champion, no doubt. You could even argue top 3.