Lawrence III

Lawrence III is the main antagonist of the 2nd Pokemon film, Pokemon: The Movie 2000.

Lawrence III is first seen in his large airship reading a prophecy. He thinks that the prophecy was about him and that he is the Chosen One. He then sets to work on capturing the three legendary birds so that he could draw out Lugia, which he also plans to capture.

Using various weapons from his ship, he injures Moltres and captures it with electrical rings rather than a Poke Ball. This disturbed the harmony of the legendary birds, threatening to destroy the world with a raging current called the Beast of the Sea, although Lawrence III seemed oblivious to this, focusing primarily on his plan to capture Lugia. Making it feel like a game of chess, he then captured Zapdos when it moved to Fire Island, thinking that Moltres left. He also captured Ash and his friends when they were in a boat and brought them aboard his ship to see his crowning achievements.

He did not foresee, however, that the group, especially Ash, would not take kindly to his method of capture of the two legendary Pokemon. As he attempted to capture Articuno for his collection, Ash, using the combined power of his Pikachu, Charizard, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur freed Moltres from its device. Moltres then freed Zapdos from its electric cage, but then the two started fighting, destroying part of the ship, and allowing Articuno to join them in the battle. Lawrence III's ship crashed on Lightning Island.

As the prophecy said, Lugia did rise from the sea to stop the fighting of Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, and Lawrence III, still intent on capturing it, decides to capture it just like he did with Moltres and Zapdos. Though Lugia managed to break free and destroy the remains of his ship with Aeroblast, Lawrence III survived the destruction. Finding his Ancient Mew card, Lawrence III vows to start his collection again, but this time on a smaller number. It is also explained in the novelization of the movie that he would not capture Lugia again.

Lawrence III has no super powers, but he is greedy and is not a very pleasant man.

Trivia

 * Lawrence III is one of few human antagonists not affiliated with Team Rocket.
 * Although he makes plans for the future in his final scene in the movie, there is no indication if or how he ever gets off Lightning Island.
 * Though the novelization mostly calls him by his real name, it calls him "Stelthius", twice, for no apparent reason. His name is never mentioned in the anime and the closed captions call him "Gelardan".
 * At the end of the movie Pokemon Heroes: Latios and Latias, after Annie and Oakley are arrested, they read a book featuring pictures of Lawrence III and his ship.