“ | Steal Pokémon for profit. Exploit Pokémon for profit. All Pokémon exist for the glory of Team Rocket. | „ |
~ Team Rocket's oath. |
“ | TEAM ROCKET will do anything for the sake of money! There is no job too dirty, no deed too heinous, no crime too wicked! | „ |
~ An old man in Lavender Town talking about Team Rocket. |
Team Rocket (in Japanese: ロケット団, Rocket-dan, literally Rocket Gang) are the main antagonists of the Pokémon franchise. They are a terrorist organization engaging in criminal activities in the Kanto, Johto, and (Pokémon FireRed/Pokémon LeafGreen) Sevii Islands regions.
Biography[]
Games[]
Kanto[]
Team Rocket is an organization bent on criminal business and eventually trying to achieve global dominance over the world. In Pokémon Red/Pokémon Blue Pokémon Green/Pokémon Yellow as well as in their remakes Pokémon FireRed/Pokémon LeafGreen and Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!/Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!, Team Rocket is the main criminal organization in Kanto region. Team Rocket Grunts steal items and Pokémon and recruit new members for the team. They performed several illegal activities in Kanto including breaking into people's homes and performing robbery in Cerulean City and stealing ancient Pokémon fossils in Mt. Moon from scientists and archaeologists.
While they are introduced in the games, they act as petty thieves. Their activities become borderline terroristic when they invade Lavender Town in order to steal rare Pokémon that are living in the Pokémon Tower including a Marowak and its baby Cubone. Team Rocket kills the mother Marowak and its ghost still haunts the Pokémon Tower. In the process of capturing rare Pokémon, Team Rocket had taken an old man named Mr. Fuji hostage inside the Pokémon Tower. It is later revealed that Team Rocket had a secret HQ called the Rocket Hideout underneath Celadon City with the entrance being hidden in the Rocket Game Corner (which Team Rocket also runs and operates legally). This becomes evident when there are Team Rocket Grunts hanging out in the streets and houses of the city, claiming that people should not touch the posters on the casino walls.
After defeating numerous Team Rocket Grunts (and, in Pokémon Yellow, Agents Jessie and James) in the Rocket Hideout under the casino, the player meets and fights Giovanni, the boss of Team Rocket. After being defeated, Giovanni leaves behind the Silph Scope which enables it's user to see invisible beings, namely ghosts. Team Rocket and Giovanni evacuate from the Rocket Hideout and leave Celadon City.
Later on, Giovanni, together with the Team Rocket grunts, scientists, and agents, appear in Saffron City, having taken control over the whole city and Silph Co. Giovanni intends to steal the valuable scientific goods that Silph Co. had been developing, especially the Master Ball which can capture any Pokemon without fail. After his defeat in Silph Co. and saving saffron City, the player meets Giovanni one last time where he is revealed to be the Gym Leader of Viridian City. After his final defeat, Giovanni disbands Team Rocket and leaves to travel and train more, realizing the error of his ways.
Sevii Islands[]
In Pokémon FireRed/Pokémon LeafGreen, the player can travel to the Sevii Islands and fight the local branch of Team Rocket under the leadership of two admins (hinted to be, in fact, Executives Archer and Ariana from the future Neo Team Rocket) and Rocket scientist Gideon. It is discovered that this branch (who were operating in the Rocket Warehouse) had been researching Pokémon evolution and how they can force a Pokémon to evolve. After finding out about Giovanni's defeat, the admins leave the Sevii Islands to re-organize Team Rocket and find Giovanni.
Johto[]
In Pokémon Pokémon Gold/Pokémon Silver/Pokémon Crystal, as well as in their remakes Pokémon HeartGold/Pokémon SoulSilver Team Rocket is re-organized in the Johto region under the leadership of the Rocket executives: Proton, Petrel, Ariana, and Archer (in Pokémon HeartGold/Pokémon SoulSilver, they received names and went nameless in the originals). They start with a small money-making business under Proton's command, residing in the Slowpoke Well and selling severed Slowpoke tails for high prices. After their defeat in the Slowpoke Well, Team Rocket moves to Mahogany Town, creating their new HQ underground below a store. In Mahogany Town, they sell Rage Candy Bars and sell expensive tickets to the Lake of Rage. They were also performing new and unethical scientific experiments, that included trying to speed-up Pokémon evolution with radiation, which results in the creation of the Red Gyarados that went on a rampage in the Lake of Rage. Champion Lance and the player team up to destroy Team Rocket's business and attack their underground hideout (called the Team Rocket HQ) by fighting executives Ariana and Petrel. Team Rocket is defeated and they leave the Team Rocket HQ.
Later, Team Rocket, under Archer's command, conquers Goldenrod City and takes over the Goldenrod Radio Tower, broadcasting over the whole region and attempting to send a message to Giovanni about the revival of Team Rocket. They take the Radio Tower's Director hostage in a hidden area of the Goldenrod Tunnels in order to impersonate him and take full control of the Radio Tower. The player defeats all four executives, and Archer disbands the so-called Neo Team Rocket. In the Celebi event in Pokémon HeartGold/Pokémon SoulSilver, it is revealed that Giovanni got the message over the radio from the Goldenrod Radio Tower and was rushing to Goldenrod City to take control over the team.
Alas he is defeated by the player, who had traveled through time with the Legendary Pokémon Celebi and fights Giovanni at Tohjo Falls. Defeated, Giovanni walks away in despair. Some players speculated that the splash sound, which one can hear after Giovanni walks away to the cave's exit, indicates that Giovanni jumped from the falls and ended his life in a suicide. However, this implication was proven to be false when Giovanni reappeared in the Pokémon World Tournament event of Pokémon Black 2 Pokémon White 2 as one of the competing battlers.
Alola[]
- Main article: Team Rainbow Rocket
In Pokémon Ultra Sun/Pokémon Ultra Moon, an alternate version of Team Rocket now known as Team Rainbow Rocket, led by Giovanni who succeeding achieve his goals. He summons the leaders of all of the known villainous teams succeeding him. These leaders come from alternate dimensions in which they managed to successfully achieve their goals. Team Rocket first takes over the online hub Festival Plaza and re-themes the castle to be darker in color with the team's logo on it, where Sophocles asks the player to help him defeat them. The player is forced to battle a Grunt using the Battle Agency, where they have to rent other people's Pokémon instead of using their own. After defeating the Grunt, Team Rocket leaves Festival Plaza. The player is then given the option of having the Team Rainbow Rocket skin for the castle in Festival Plaza.
Team Rocket then goes to Aether Paradise and takes over Lusamine's mansion. The player and Lillie go to investigate, and it is revealed that Faba was the one who let Team Rocket into Aether Paradise, having done so to further his own career. After defeating Faba and a rogue Aether Foundation Grunt, he lets them into the mansion. The player and Lillie are attacked by two Team Rocket Grunts, who are defeated by the former Team Skull leader Guzma. The player must then traverse two puzzles and battle Team Aqua's leader Archie, who comes from a world where he was successful in using Kyogre to expand the sea. Archie is in possession of Kyogre, while Team Magma leader Maxie comes from a universe where he was able to expand the land and is in possession of Groudon. After defeating the two, Archie and Maxie come face to face. Despite being from two different worlds, the two leaders are at odds with each other and begin arguing before vanishing.
The player then proceeds to the next floor and battles Cyrus of Team Galactic, who comes from a universe where he destroyed the world and created a perfect new one. Cyrus is in possession of either Dialga or Palkia (depending on which version the player has) and, after losing to the player, allows them to leave. The player then battles Lysandre of Team Flare, who comes from a world where he eradicated everyone except Team Flare. He is in possession of Xerneas or Yveltal, depending on the version being played. Like Cyrus, he allows the player to leave after defeating him.
The last of the previous bosses that the player faces is Ghetsis. He is from a world where he successfully separated people and Pokémon and uses either Reshiram or Zekrom against the player. After losing, Ghetsis snaps and attempts to murder Lillie, only to be teleported away along with Cyrus and Lysandre by Colress. The player advances to the final room and comes face-to-face with Giovanni, who has kidnapped Lusamine. Giovanni, unlike the other leaders, comes from the "main" timeline. He battles the player using Mewtwo, and loses even after Mega Evolving it. Defeated, Giovanni retreats as Lusamine and Aether Paradise return to normal. Giovanni is last seen wondering what worlds to unleash his plans on next. He then teleports away. It is left unclear whether Team Rainbow Rocket is disbanded.
Pokémon Masters[]
While Giovanni has presence since he was added during in the Lurking Shadows event, Team Rocket made their formal debut in the Kanto-themed chapter of the second arc of the game's story mode. Here, grunts are seen with Giovanni on a beach before Red confronts them, with it later being revealed he defeated half of their forces alone before going into hiding to remain safe. Grunts are next seen in some ruins on Pasio, with the player, Paulo, Lillie, and Blue battling them as they search for their hideout. Following their quick defeat, all but Paulo venture forwards, who is talked to by a grunt about their shared desire of power while also offering them a place in Team Rocket.
Shortly after Paulo's vanishing is noticed, several grunts ambush the three trainers, forcing them to fight their way out of the trap. As they head out, the group reunites with Paulo and finds Lt. Surge in the center of the ruins, with the latter informing them of Professor Bellis being kidnapped by the group and their lab trashed during their absence. The grunts are revealed to have taken Bellis to their hideout, where Giovanni appears to demand her aid in unlocking the power of sync stones for his Pokémon.
After Blue, Blaine, and Lorelei find the group's hideout, Blue, alongside the player, Lillie, and Paulo all venture off to face the evil team, with Brock, Sabrina, and Red joining them later to continue the fight. As this goes on, the player and their allies eventually reach Giovanni and Professor Bellis, to which they defeat the former and rescue the latter. However, as Giovanni is defeated, his summons two of his grunts (both former members of Team Break) to stop them, to which Giovanni manages to steal Bellis' research data before the heroes have to flee from Red's Gigantimaxing Snorlax. Retreating back to Bellis' lab, the heroes discuss their results with Misty and Erika, as Giovanni prepares to strike with his army of grunts and his Mewtwo.
After resting up, the group, now allied with Misty and Erika, head to stop Giovanni once and for all. Upon their arrival, two grunts emerge to attack, but they are swiftly defeated. After they flee, the heroes venture forward into the area, where Giovanni is with Red and Blue. After returning the data, Giovanni has Mewtwo power up before it vanishes, with several members of the heroes heading off to investigate Giovanni's Pokémon warping away and Pokémon to run amok, which Bellis reveals is caused by Mewtwo's psychic powers.
Due to this, the heroes head off to find Giovanni, fighting off grunts until they reach him. Upon reaching him and a group of his grunts, Giovanni unleashes Mewtwo to attack the heroes, to which Red and Blue manage to fight him on the beach. While they originally defeat him, Giovanni has his Mewtwo mega evolve as he summons two grunts to aid him. While they at first defeated Mewtwo once more, Giovanni powers up Mewtwo once more to defeat Red and Blue, who, with the heroes, regretfully let Giovanni escape in order to stay safe. Despite this, the heroes still celebrate their mission, with Bellis noting that she will have the International Police aid them in case of any further incidents involving evil teams wanting to abuse the power of sync stones.
Despite their first defeat, Team Rocket return in the Johto-themed chapter of the same arc, working alongside Giovanni and the team's admins to take over Pasio. Causing an outbreak of Pokémon suddenly Dynamaxing, the first admin to make an appearance outside of the beginning cutscene is Proton, who tries and fails to stop the heroes from finding the Dynamaxed Pokémon. Following this defeat, the heroes then use the device to find the hideout deep within the tundra, while Silver, Koga, and Janine manage to encounter and defeat Petrel and his personal minions. As the three heroes do as such, Lance, Karin, and Morty manage to find Giovanni, Archer, and Ariana, with their goals of giving Giovanni the power of Dynamaxing his Nidoking complete. Destroying the base he was in, Giovanni stands alongside his two admins as Silver challenges his father to a battle, ready to settle their rivalry once and for all. After failing this duel, however, Giovanni and his admins depart to continue their schemes by defeating Lear.
Members of Team Rocket are next seen within Lear's mansion, being corralled into the building by Bugsy and Whitney in order to ensure the gym leaders had the advantage. Proton and Petrel are the first of the admins to appear inside the estate, hoping to buy Giovanni time by defeating the heroes. Upon being matched by Lance, Clair, Bugsy, and Whitney, the other protagonists head to Giovanni to stop his plans, Ariana is the next of Team Rocket's admins to stop the heroes, with Lyra and Kris being the ones to stay behind as Ethan and Silver advance. Now within the heart of the manor, Giovanni manages to defeat Lear's Hoopa in an attempt to use it to conquer Pasio, only to be stopped by the arrival of Ethan and Silver. With Ethan defeating Archer before joining Silver in defeating Giovanni, the heroes end up victorious over the schemes of Team Rocket once again with the aid of the protagonist, Paulo, Looker, Bruno, and Chuck, forcing the villains to retreat. With their failure, the forces of Team Rocket once again slink into the darkness, awaiting for the time they rise again to act upon their hegemonic desires in a more public manner.
Team Rocket next appears in the Hoenn-themed chapter of the same arc, to which a scouting team notes of a changing field of energy within Pasio. Detailing similar events in Hoenn's past, Giovanni notes his desire to use these circumstances for his own benefit. To act on this, Pertel and Proton appear to manipulate Team Magma and Team Aqua respectfully, planting a device to make Groudon, Kyogre, Courtney, and Matt got into a rage-fueled trance. Grunts of the team are later seen stealing Pokémon during the chaos. Members of Team Rocket are additionally seen within a role of the arc's Unova-themed chapter, trying to apprehend N for standing in the way of their ambitions, demanding to have Reshiram and Zekrom. However, their attempts at doing so are foiled through the arrival of the Shadow Triad, who ultimately kidnap both master and beast to bring them to Ghetsis. Left to lick their own wounds at their base, the team is among the first to learn of Team Plasma's defeat, causing Giovanni to scheme over the idea of using Kyurem's power for his own gain.
In the Kalos-themed chapter, it is also revealed that the rogue members of Team Flare were merely spies acting on behalf of Team Rocket, attempting to gain information about a superweapon the organization was building and force Lysandre into antagonizing their group. First appearing to interrupt a performance Diantha was holding for a peace ceremony, their attempts to gain control over the crowd are quickly stopped by both the champion and Emma, using their Pokémon to thwart the grunt's schemes. Forced into fleeing, Looker proceeds to inform Paulo on the nature of the group after the attack, Sycamore also noting of Lysandre's lack of change in his views. As the heroes head into a marketplace, Looker steps aside to talk to Malva, who was working on both fronts. Here, Malva explains that the sudden outburst was unordered by Lysandre, alongside noting of her hopes for Looker to root out those she sees as troublemakers within the group.
While Looker denies the idea of acting Team Flare's actions, Malva also brings up knowledge of these figures attempting to steal weaponry for their own gain (Team Flare keeping this as a form of "insurance" for Lysandre), something that causes the detective to do his own investigation into the matter instead. As this talk is going on, however, more agents of Team Flare appear to cause chaos within the town square, causing the protagonists of the Kalos games to take action. As Tierno and Trevor help civilians escape, Calem, Serena, Shauna, and Paulo stay behind to fend off against the grunts. While the goons were more than ready to take the heroes on, it is the arrival of Diantha and Malva's own Team Flare agents that forces the unruly members to flee. As the more noble agents of the group give pursuit, Malva appears to blackmail Looker into helping, warning of the potential of escalation to their conflict. Malva also reveals to the detective of her spies throughout Pasio, ready to spring when given the command.
This second attempt to twist Looker into helping succeeds, albeit not without some grumbling on the gumshoe's end. After this ruse was revealed, Looker and his allies head further into their base, with Diantha and Paulo remaining inside the complex to fight Proton and his minions. As Looker and Emma go on to face Petrel, his confidence is broken through the arrival of Archer and Ariana, worried about the task of taking on three higher-ups of Team Rocket at once. However, the arrival of Annabel, Diantha, and Paulo ultimately results in their defeat, leaving the executives forced into a retreat while the grunts are captured by Team Flare. Following their defeat, Archer is later seen discussing the results of their infiltration with Giovanni, the crime lord being pleased with the knowledge obtained of Team Flare's weapons of mass destruction. Giovanni is then seen chucking while facing an Ultra Wormhole, hinting that the true nature of their plan involves things much greater than Pasio itself.
Following this, Team Rocket make another appearance in the Alola-themed chapter, having bought information relating to Ultra Beasts and their wormholes from traitorous members from the Aether Foundation. Developing technology in order to remotely open Ultra Wormholes, Team Rocket proceed to cause chaos in Pasio, spawning both random Pokémon and the more dangerous aliens in order to catch them for themselves. As this plot is revealed to a captive Lusamine, Team Rocket grunts make their first full appearance alongside their informants, praising their deviousness as they swarm the woman. As this is going on, Team Rocket grunts appear alongside Team Aether's own in the tundra, fighting against the trial captains in order to pacify their threat. Gaining the upper hand through an ambush, the trial captains appear to be defenseless against their assault under the arrival of Tapu Lele and Tapu Bulu, who manage to defeat the grunts' original teams after being tamed by the heroes.
However, instead of fleeing from the guardian deities and their new trainers, the grunts reveal their true potential through their captured Ultra Beasts, their actions forcing the protagonists to make a getaway end after being assisted by Olivia, Nanu, Looker, and Anabel. At the same time the remaining professionals confront the grunts' attack, Lusamine is left to stand alone against the vicious attack from the two teams, with even her Necrozma being left weakened by their ranks. As the situation seems dire, however, Faba stands up to defend himself against the team, having been revealed to be merely searching for other job opportunities and wanting to redeem himself towards his leader.
While Faba does admit his fickle mind is mainly desired by the jobs offered to him, he still stands behind Lusamine's ideals for the Aether Foundation, being disgusted with the treason attempted by some of its grunts. This, combined with the arrival of Team Skull, leave the grunts helpless as they are swiftly defeated, with Guzma even managing to threaten an Aether Foundation grunt into revealing how to shut down their wormhole-based technology. After Team Skull's grunts track down the devices, they successfully manage to force the devices to shut down their operations, resulting in the twin teams' plans being foiled.
Anime[]
“ | Jessie: Prepare for trouble! James: Make it double! Jessie: To protect the world from devastation! James: To unite all peoples within our nation! Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love! James: To extend our reach to the stars above! Jessie: Jessie! James: James! Jessie: Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light! James: Surrender now, or prepare to fight! Meowth: Meowth! That's right! |
„ |
~ The Team Rocket Trio's Original and most famous motto. |
In the anime Team Rocket is even more militarized, with robots, tanks, and war helicopters under its control. However, Team Rocket's military power is seen rarely, and the team is usually represented not by Rocket grunts, but by special agents, heading field missions, grunt attacks and local money-making. Unlike in the game timeline, Team Rocket as a whole has never been totally defeated in the anime. Even though the organization as a whole played lesser role during "Pokémon Advanced Generation" and 'Pokémon Diamond and Pearl" sub-series, Team Rocket becomes more important once again in "Pokémon: Best Wishes" series, as Giovanni himself, usually an extra character, appears on a regular basis and directs the advance of Team Rocket in the Unova region.
The most well-known agents, usually referenced to as just "Team Rocket" in the anime, or as "Team Rocket Trio" by fans, that constantly interfere with the protagonists are Jessie & James, with the talking Pokémon Meowth that accompanies them. They serve as the main antagonists of the series. The Trio has provided most of show's comic relief since the second season (going so far as fourth wall-breaking), with the exception of the "Pokémon: Best Wishes" sub-series where they took on a more serious role until late in that series.
In the Pokémon XY series, the trio takes on their classic comedic role. They follow Ash to the Kalos region, and have reverted to capturing random Pokémon, not just legendaries. Jessie has also regained her Wobbuffet. Although they are once again "blasting off" after their defeats, the trio showed competence in battling and capturing Pokémon, and Giovanni still has respect for the agents after their helpful actions in the Unova region. Despite all their efforts, all of their attempts to steal either other people's Pokémon fail, with Ash, his friends, other trainers, and/or third-party villains thwarting them. In some cases, they even screw themselves over.
Despite their misdeeds, the trio are not truly evil and are close friends despite arguing whenever things go wrong. Sometimes, they are forced to team up with Ash and his friends, for varying reason: sometimes, they are forced to cooperate to get themselves out of trouble, while other times, it's for the greater good (most famously in the second movie, where the trio openly helped Ash save the world). In the eighth and nineteenth movies and some TV episodes, Meowth is captured somehow, prompting Jessie and James to covertly follow the heroes in order to retrieve him.
Dr. Fuji, who is a scientist of Team Rocket in the anime, is also responsible for the creation of Mewtwo, by altering the DNA from the legendary Pokémon Mew. Giovanni takes Mewtwo and trains him until the Pokémon realizes that he is used as a pawn instead of an equal partner and destroys Rocket Hideout and the lab. Giovanni later finds Mewtwo's location and deploys the Rocket Grunt army under the command of agent Domino to capture Mewtwo and the other Pokémon clones under Mewtwo's leadership, and then sends the Rocket grunts to create a new base for Team Rocket in Mewtwo's hideout. With the help from the protagonists and Meowth, Mewtwo is released from Giovanni's grip and teleports the Rocket army away, while destroying their memories about the battle, leaving Giovanni and Domino to wonder about their sudden change of place.
Pokémon Origins[]
In Pokémon Origins, a standalone anime adaptation of the original games, Team Rocket fulfills the same role as it does in those games. Team Rocket grunts are the main enforcers, causing trouble all over the region, only to be defeated by a young Pokémon Trainer Red. One of those grunts even outright murdered a Pokémon - the Marowak Mother who tried to protect her kin from Team Rocket's poachers. The team is still led by Giovanni, who is showed to be a corrupt businessman that values Pokémon only for profit and has forgotten the true spirit of Pokémon Training. While in the games Giovanni must be beaten three times (in the hideout, in Silph Co. and the Viridian Gym), his Pokémon Origins version first meets Red during the Silph Co. takeover and soundly defeats the young trainer, leaving the damaged skyscraper on his helicopter. Red challenges Giovanni once again in Viridian City.
This battle made Giovanni remember his old days as a Pokémon Trainer, when there was more to his life than just business. After a long battle, Red managed to win and Giovanni tried to give him the Earth Badge. However, Red refused to accept a badge from the leader of an organization as abominable as Team Rocket. Giovanni resolved this quarrel extraordinarily - by disbanding Team Rocket, despite the protests of his followers. With newfound respect for Red, the Viridian City Gym Leader decided to resign and start a new journey, yearning to become a better person and an even greater Pokémon Trainer.
Members[]
Bosses[]
- Giovanni: The boss of Team Rocket and Viridian City Gym Leader, he sends Rocket agents to capture many powerful Pokémon for business and the creation of his army to conquer the world. In the games he usually acts as a shadowy mafia boss, while in the anime and manga his organization is paramilitary and has mechas as well as war helicopters. He is also Ash Ketchum's overall archenemy.
- Madame Boss: Giovanni's mother and the original founder of Team Rocket in Pokémon anime backstory (as revealed in the Japanese CD-drama "It's a white tomorrow, Team Rocket"). Usually interested in money-making, she is also responsible for the first search for Mew's DNA and other data.
- Mask of Ice: A.K.A. The Masked Man is the main antagonist of the Gold, Silver & Crystal chapter in the Pokémon Adventures manga, serving as the leader of Team Rocket after Giovanni disappears but before the Rocket Executives take over. He uses special masks to mind control Team Rocket troops into submission. Later on, his true identity as the Gym Leader Pryce is revealed.
Executives[]
The highest ranked members in the organization, directly below Giovanni as seen in the HeartGold & SoulSilver Pokémon games. When Giovanni was defeated in the Kanto region and went missing, they assumed command and started to reorganize Team Rocket in the Johto region. The names are Archer, Ariana, Proton, and Petrel. It seems that Archer and Ariana were originally a duo of Team Rocket Admins from the Sevii Islands branch of Team Rocket and were operating different experiments in the Rocket Warehouse (this occurs in the FireRed & LeafGreen versions).
In Pokémon Adventures Manga the initial Rocket executives are Kanto Gym Leaders Sabrina, Lt. Surge, Koga, and Blaine. In the later Neo Team Rocket under the leadership of Masked Man the new executives are Keane, Chermaine, Will, and Karen. In the FireRed & LeafGreen chapter Giovanni is in control again, with no executives at his side, but rather with elite agents of the Three Beasts trio, Carr, Orm, and Sird (although Sird is secretly a member of Team Galactic). In the HeartGold & SoulSilver chapter Archer, Ariana, Proton, and Petrel are the new leaders of Team Rocket until Giovanni's return.
There are no known local or global executives in the Pokémon anime and Giovanni still leads the team on his own. However, elite agents of Team Rocket appear, usually taking part in some field missions (Atilla & Hun, Tyson, Domino), leading Rocket grunts (Jessie & James, Cassidy & Butch) or free-lancing in search for rare Pokémon (Miyamoto, Vicious). In "Best Wishes" series Giovanni's secretary appears, and after agents Jessie & James establish themselves in Unova region, Giovanni sends elite agent Pierce and Dr. Zager to coordinate their missions.
Agents and Grunts[]
Anime[]
- Jessie: Partner of James and have been bumbling for the first three series. During the "Best Wishes" series she gets promoted and no longer serves for comic relief. After her adventures in Unova, she was was returned to her old, comical self. Jessie owns a Wobbuffet, who is the source of a running gag where he pops out of his Poke Ball at the strangest times.
- James: Partner of Jessie and have been bumbling for the first three series. During the "Best Wishes" series he gets promoted and no longer serves for comic relief. After his adventures in Unova, he was returned to his old, comical self. Before joining Team Rocket, James was part of a noble, rich family, a life he desperately wanted to escape from.
- Dr. Fuji: The creator of Mewtwo. He was killed from the explosion after Mewtwo was created.
- Cassidy: Partner of Butch and rival of Jessie, more successful than her at first. She is looked upon favorably by Giovanni. In the JN Series, She quit from Team Rocket and became a waitress.
- Butch: Partner of Cassidy and rival of James, more successful than him at first. He is looked upon favorably by Giovanni. The only problem with him is that nobody can get his name right at times, like calling him Biff, Bob, Bill, Hutch, etc., which infuriates him. In JN Series, He quit from Team Rocket and became a waiter.
- Dr. Namba: A scientist and the personal commanding officer to Butch and Cassidy from late into Johto and onward. Like Butch, he hates when his name is mispronounced.
- Domino: Team Rocket's elite agent in the anime, also known as the Black Tulip or Agent 009. She was the leader of Giovanni's Rocket army on a mission to capture Mewtwo.
- Tyson: One of Team Rocket's elite officers in the johto region responsible for the creation of Red Gyarados, ultimately arrested in the end.
- Iron-Masked Marauder: The main antagonist of Pokémon 4Ever: One of the most evil and dangerous villains who plans to capture Celebi in one of his special Poké Balls known as Dark Balls and turn it evil. He also plans to use Celebi and it's power to overthrow Giovanni, control Team Rocket and rule the world.
- Attila: Partner of Hun and one of the two main antagonists of The Legend of Thunder. He acts as the muscle in his partnership.
- Hun: Partner of Attila and one of the two main antagonists of The Legend of Thunder. He acts as the brains in his partnership.
- Dr. Sebastian: A scientist and the leader of Team Rocket's Johto operations, personally overseeing both Tyson and the duo of Atilla and Hun.
- Annie: Partner and older sister of Oakley and the secondary antagonist of Pokémon Heroes. Her Team Rocket membership is stated in the English dub only.
- Oakley: Partner and younger sister of Annie and the main antagonist of Pokémon Heroes. Her Team Rocket membership is stated in the English dub only.
- Pierce: An Agent who helps Jessie, James and Meowth.
- Dr. Zager: A scientist who assisted Jessie, James and Meowth in Best Wishes.
Games[]
- Gideon: The head Team Rocket scientist at the Team Rocket's Sevii Islands branch.
- Juggler Dalton: A Team Rocket agent who took part in the Silph. Co takeover, notable for being a unique Rocket member that does not belong to either Scientist or Grunt trainer class in the games.
- Lavender Town Rocket Commander: A grunt leader who was tasked with the takeover of the Pokémon Tower, he was the one to murder Mother Marowak.
- Rocket Grunts: Team Rocket's workmen and soldiers under the command of agents and admins/executives. They play a small part in the anime, as Team Rocket is usually represented by agents, while in the games they are Team Rocket's main representatives, searching for the fossil at Mt. Mown, leading recruitment missions and stealing items, taking part in the takeover of Celadon, Saffron, and Goldenrod cities.
- The Four Rocket Brothers: A family of Team Rocket Grunts who took part in the Silph. Co takeover. In Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, they're replaced by the four Rocket Sisters.
- The Four Rocket Sisters: A family of Team Rocket Grunts who took part in the Silph. Co takeover in Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.
- Beau: One of Team Rocket's scientists in Kanto.
- Connor: One of Team Rocket's scientists in Kanto.
- Ed: One of Team Rocket's scientists in Kanto.
- Jerry: One of Team Rocket's scientists in Kanto.
- Jose: One of Team Rocket's scientists in Kanto.
- Joshua: One of Team Rocket's scientists in Kanto.
- Parker: One of Team Rocket's scientists in Kanto.
- Rodney: One of Team Rocket's scientists in Kanto.
- Taylor: One of Team Rocket's scientists in Kanto.
- Travis: One of Team Rocket's scientists in Kanto.
- Viridian Gym Trainers: The Viridian Gym Trainers were Giovanni's agents. There were nine of them:
- Cole: A Tamer.
- Kelly: An Ace Trainer.
- Kiyo: A Black Belt.
- Samuel: An Ace Trainer.
- Yuji: An Ace Trainer.
- Atsushi: A Black Belt.
- Jason: A Tamer.
- Warren: An Ace Trainer.
- Takashi: A Black Belt.
- Azalea Town Rocket Commander: A grunt leader who was tasked with the takeover of the Slowpoke Well. In HeartGold and SoulSilver, he was replaced by Proton.
- Jed: One of Team Rocket's scientists in Johto. In HeartGold and SoulSilver, he was renamed Gregg.
- Mitch: One of Team Rocket's scientists in Johto.
- Ross: One of Team Rocket's scientists in Johto.
- Marc: One of Team Rocket's scientists in Johto. In HeartGold and SoulSilver, he was renamed Garett.
- Rich: One of Team Rocket's scientists in Johto. In HeartGold and SoulSilver, he was renamed Trenton.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- In earlier episodes, Jessie, James and Meowth start their introduction without the line, "Prepare for trouble, make it double!" Shortly afterwards, the line is added. When Wobbuffet is included, he says, "Wobbuffet!" right after Meowth says, "That's right!".
- In the first few episodes of their appearance, Jessie, James and Meowth make their exit while saying, "It's time Team Rocket blasted off! You may have won this round, but we'll be back!" Of course, in further episodes, the three get shot into the sky, shouting, "Team Rocket's Blasting Off Again!" complete with a shining star where they land.
- The Team Rocket in the anime series are also one of the most relentless villains ever, their main goal is capturing Pikachu for their boss and they never succeed, they always get defeated by Ash and his friends and they never give up no matter how many times they get blasted into the air, but on the other hand, Ash never gives up either.
[]
Villains | ||
Team Rocket Team Aqua Team Magma Team Galactic Team Plasma Team Flare Team Skull Aether Foundation Team Yell Macro Cosmos Elite Four Others See Also |