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The Cards Of Pokémon TCG: Silver Tempest Part 54: Serperior CSR

Our spotlight on the art & artists of the Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield - Silver Tempest Trainer Gallery continues with Kricketune & Serperior.


In November 2022, Pokémon TCG released the final main series set of the Sword & Shield era. The expansion, Sword & Shield – Silver Tempest, came out on September 9th, 2022. It is the twelfth set under the Sword & Shield banner, and it adapts the Japanese sets Incandescent Arcana and Paradigm Trigger, with its Trainer Gallery subset adapting cards from VMAX Climax. The Lugia-themed Sword & Shield – Silver Tempest also continues both Radiant Pokémon as well as the Trainer Gallery, a special subset of Character Rares, Character Super Rares, Full Art Trainers, and Black & Gold VMAXes that began in the first set of the year, Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars. Follow me on a journey through this latest set as we appreciate the artwork, discuss the card's place in the set, and theorize as to what certain elements of the expansion may imply for the future of the Pokémon TCG. Today, we continue to explore the Trainer Gallery subset of Sword & Shield – Silver Tempest. Trainer Gallery subsets have been running through all main series Sword & Shield sets since early 2022's Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars. These subsets consist of Character Rares, Character Super Rares, Full Art Trainer Supporters, and Black and Gold VMAXes that can be pulled in the Reverse Holo slot, making openings of these sets quite dynamic. Today, we begin with the Character Super Rare section of this subset.

Silver Tempest cards. Credit: Pokémon TCG
Silver Tempest cards. Credit: Pokémon TCG

I like the painterly vibes of both of these, with the Kricketune V Character Super Rare going for a slightly cutesy, storybook style with bright colors and the Serperior V Character Super Rare using highly detailed watercolor brushstrokes for a sophisticated scene. The Kricketune V is illustrated by HYOGONOSUKE, who brings in one of the fan-favorite Trainer Classes as Kricketune's Trainer: the long-running Bug Catcher character. Kricketune is sure getting a lot of attention during the last leg of the Sword & Shield era, as it also got a stellar Super Illustrator Rare in Crown ZenithTeeziro, who is well-known as the artist of the Umbreon V Alt Art from Evolving Skies and the Celebi V Alt Art from Fusion Strike, is behind the Serperior V Character Super Rare, which shows the Pokémon and it's Trainer Rosa having a sweet moment in front of a beautiful volcano. I count us lucky that this card isn't prohibitively expensive, as Rosa is a highly popular character. The last time we got a Full Art Rosa, it became the chase card of Sun & Moon – Cosmic Eclipse… a set that had a Rainbow Rare Charizard.

Stay tuned for the continuing journey through this Lugia and Alolan Vulpix-themed set as we continue to spotlight the cards and artwork of Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield – Silver Tempest. Next time, the spotlight continues with the Trainer Gallery subset of this expansion.


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Theo DwyerAbout Theo Dwyer

Theo Dwyer writes about comics, film, and games.
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