So is there a timeline where the player didn't meet Giovanni

No, the Pokémon Timeline remains the same.

While the concept of a multiverse was toyed with across various games, the Timeline has always remained static and unchanging.

Ethan always stopped Giovanni from returning. There is no other Timeline where Rocket succeeded in returning to power.

They even restated this in the recent Generations Episodes.

>>29346193
>Ethan always stopped Giovanni from returning.
But what about in the original GSC?

>>29346153
Maybe? But it is entirely unimportant.

>>29346209
Yes, even then.

Giovanni never returned in the original games, so by time paradox, Ethan must have traveled to the past to stop him. This is the information and explanation we have been given.

Silver is also Giovanni's son, despite this being not officially revealed until HG/SS.

You must remember that remakes also replace the originals. They're essentially the updated version of the game, so information about Silver's heritage, and why Giovanni never returned, is not a change to the story, but rather an update/addition.

>>29346209
Team Rocket was destroyed again before Giovanni even got the chance to return.

>>29346254
>Timeline where Giovanni just grows and grows in power
>Maybe even powerful enough to try some of that legendary dominating the world crap
>Unimportant

>>29346272
So are you saying that it just happened off-screen in GSC?

>>29346308
>So are you saying that it just happened off-screen in GSC?
Exactly. More simply though, HG/SS replace the originals. The originals are the same games, but missing plot details, and are outdated in numerous ways. For all intents and purposes, the originals have been replaced.

But yes, if you were playing the originals, those story points are still the Canon explanation no matter what.