User blog comment:Aandrew07/Discussion of the Week: Flagship Monsters/@comment-1011548-20120721192943/@comment-4212769-20120722225122

@BrainmasterIII:

Maybe all of them could be a great Flagship, though it would be really awkward to show the final boss on the cover of a game. That takes away the excitement. Better not knowing and getting surprised. ;) (If you didn't look it up in this wiki of course...)

And you're forgetting the aspect of representation.

MH1 has Rathalos, because it is the "regular" Wyvern, as Wyverns being the main part of the game, it represents this very good.

MHG was the first game with subspecies, so Azure Rathalos was the perfect monster to represent this new feature.

MHDos has the new, smaller Elder Dragon appearing in normal environments instead of having their own area. So Kushala (as its design is based of a "regular" European Dragon) is a great monster to represent that.

MHF2 has the new sort of Flying Wyvern with only one with those traits so it fits well that Tigrex is the representant fo this game.

MHFU has this great panther-like Wyvern that falls under the category of the last Flagship. Other thing is that there aren't too many new monsters and Nargacuga was the best they could get as Hypnocatrice and Lavasioth are in another game already, same with Yama Tsukami, and Queen Vespoid and King Shakalaka not really have a very great appeal. The rest isn't really new as there was subspecies, Carapaceon and Pelagi already. So Nargacuga was the only choice. Though I'd wouldn't mind if it was Copper Blangonga. Pelagi would deserve a main series cover. :D

MH3 has the new underwater fights with new monster classes. And the monster that combines both not being too weak is... right, Lagiacrus.

MHP3rd got the new Wyvern Class of Fanged Wyvern so Jinouga was the best choice.

And MH3G has the unique Brute Wyvern able to do what other Brute Wyverns can't: Hitting with their claws. So Bracchidios was the best choice (and being the only new monster besides the final boss).

Only thing I would've changed is the Flagship of MHF1. I agree that Yian Garuga would be a good choice. And it'dve surely deserved it. Not only being that unbelievable strong and unique but being a Birdwyvern and those haven't been on a game cover till now.

I think without playing it I cannot say what represents MHFO though I would say Espinas because it's the first Frontier-only monster and so would represent the exclusivity of MHFO.