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Team Rocket is a villainous team in pursuit of evil and the exploitation of Pokémon. They are based in the Kanto and Johto regions, with a small outpost in the Sevii Islands.

While its main focus is stealing or capturing rare and strong Pokémon, and subsequently selling them, it also funds and conducts cruel experimental research on Pokémon. At times, it has even killed Pokémon. Their oath, as posted on the wall of one of their many bases, is "Steal Pokémon for profit. Exploit Pokémon for profit. All Pokémon exist for the glory of Team Rocket." Their ultimate goal is to take over the world using Pokémon.

In Kanto[]

In the Generation I games and their remakes, Team Rocket's attention is focused in their home region of Kanto, distributing Pokémon as prizes through the Rocket Game Corner in Celadon City and the secret subterranean hideout underneath it. In Mt. Moon, one of the many grunts says that Team Rocket intends to sell the Pokémon Fossils they are mining in the cave. Several members also broke into a house in Cerulean City to steal a TM from its owner, and a mission devoted to stealing Cubone skulls in Lavender Town resulted in a hostage situation involving Mr. Fuji and the death of a Marowak. Another hostage situation developed soon afterward when the organization overran Silph Co. in Saffron City with the intention of getting the plans for the Master Ball, a prototype of which had already been produced. A Team Rocket recruiter runs the Nugget Bridge challenge north of Cerulean, and asks the player to join the Team when the challenge is completed.

The player is tasked with ousting the organization from its strongholds, and doing so, will meet the Team Rocket Boss, Giovanni. He is adamant about the success of his plots, but is not heard from again after his appearance at Silph until the player returns to Viridian City for his or her final Badge—which Giovanni himself is in charge of giving out, being the region's eighth, Ground-specialist Gym Leader. After the player has defeated him this final time, Giovanni acknowledges the player as a better Trainer and disappears without a trace, vowing to disband Team Rocket (though it is later revealed in Generation IV that he only intended to become stronger, and he deliberately didn't completely disband Team Rocket).

Three years later, one Team Rocket operative returned to Kanto to steal a critical part from its Power Plant. Since only this member was involved in this plot, it is likely that he had no knowledge of Team Rocket's prior second disbandment and was working independently. Curiously enough, in HeartGold and SoulSilver, he mentions that he will return to his home country and rebuild Team Rocket anew, something that he did not say in the original games, though it is later revealed in Black and White that he gave up his plans when he returned home and subsequently married, instead finding happiness with his new family. Team Rocket has not been seen since.

In the Sevii Islands[]

In FireRed and LeafGreen, Team Rocket has a small branch in the Sevii Islands, searching for the RubyRuby and SapphireSapphire gems. This branch is based out of the Rocket Warehouse on Five Island, situated in the middle of the Five Isle Meadow, where many Pokémon are held captive in cages.

Their search for the Ruby leads them to Mt. Ember, though they fail to find it. They then appear in Icefall Cave where, with the help of Lorelei, they are driven out. A scientist named Gideon then appears at the Dotted Hole to retrieve the Sapphire.

The player must then follow Gideon to their Rocket Warehouse where the Sapphire must be retrieved. After the player defeats the two Admins at the Rocket Warehouse, they realize that Giovanni has been defeated in Kanto, and without the lifeblood of the organization, all is lost for the Sevii Islands branch. Team Rocket subsequently pulled out of the Sevii Islands and has not been seen there since.

It is highly likely that this branch may be the precursor to the Johto branch that will appear three years later from this time, as one of the computer screens has plans for a device to force Pokémon to evolve. Such a device will cause a rampage of Gyarados at the Lake of Rage during the plot of HeartGold and SoulSilver. In addition, the Rocket members here vow to find Giovanni and rebuild Team Rocket, which will the goal of Team Rocket during the Generation II games and their remakes. The Rocket Admins, considering their teams, may in fact be Ariana and Archer. However, the presence of an office used by Giovanni in the Mahogany Town base suggests that Team Rocket may have established the Johto branch before Giovanni initially disbanded the group.

In Johto[]

In the Generation II games and their remakes, three years after the defeat of Giovanni at the hands of Red, a few members of the old Team Rocket attempted to reestablish the organization and get it back in operation, while awaiting the return of their leader, who was apparently away on solo training.

This new Team Rocket started off small, first kidnapping the Slowpoke from Azalea Town and holding them hostage to create rain. While selling their tails to the black market to help reform Team Rocket. They began their operation, led by Executive Proton, in the Slowpoke Well, where all of the local Slowpoke dwelled. However, with the help of Kurt, the player manages to scare them away, and return the Slowpoke back to the town. When the player enters Goldenrod City, a Rocket is seen outside the Radio Tower. In Generation IV in Ecruteak City, the player encounters a Rocket Grunt harassing a Kimono Girl, and the player must defeat him. Eventually, they are encountered in Mahogany Town, where they have set up a secret hideout in the basement of the town's shop, which stores a machine that emits high-frequency sound waves. These sound waves brainwash Pokémon and induce evolution in the Magikarp that live in the Lake of Rage north of the town, turning them into Gyarados, which are far more profitable than their pre-evolutionary form. With the help of the Indigo Plateau Champion, Lance, the player defeats the syndicate once again. In this mission, the player must defeat Executives Petrel and Ariana.

In a last-ditch attempt to get in contact with their former leader, Giovanni, the group hijacks the Radio Tower in Goldenrod City, flooding the airwaves with a message to Giovanni. Petrel, who disguised himself as the impostor station manager, met with the player, who challenged the Rocket Executive to a battle, and in the process, admitting the location of where they were holding the real station manager to the player, the Goldenrod Underground. Thus, with the real station manager free of Team Rocket's hold, the player rushes off to meet Archer, the interim head of Team Rocket, where they face off in a final match. Once again defeated by the main protagonist, the Executives in charge of the operation vow to disband Team Rocket for good. Every Rocket Executive is fought in this mission. Likewise, several miles away, in Tohjo Falls, Giovanni heard the message, intending to use it as his return, until he was defeated by the player and Ethan/Lyra, who had traveled back in time with Celebi.

The Team Rocket members involved in the Johto plot may be connected in some way to the Sevii Islands branch of Team Rocket, as the Executives have similar teams to the Executives there, while a computer in the Rocket Warehouse indicates the beginnings of the Lake of Rage plot.

In Unova[]

Although Team Rocket itself does not appear in Generation V, it was implied that the Team Rocket operative in Cerulean City planned to re-establish Team Rocket in Unova, but he gave up on those plans when he married. He resides in Icirrus City with his wife and son. Team Rocket is also mentioned by a Team Plasma grunt in N's Castle in the first games, who claims that their plans were thwarted because "they drew too much attention to themselves".

Team Rocket
Boss: Giovanni
Executives: ArcherArianaPetrelProton
Notable Members: Gideon
Lower Members: Team Rocket Grunts
Locations: Team Rocket HideoutSilph Co.RBYFRLGPERocket WarehouseFRLGTeam Rocket HQGoldenrod Radio TowerGSCHGSS
Team RocketTeam AquaTeam MagmaTeam GalacticTeam PlasmaTeam FlareTeam SkullTeam Rainbow RocketTeam YellMiss FortunesTeam StarTeam SnagemCipher
Non-player characters
Kanto Professor OakMomRedBlueGreenTraceDaisyOld manBillMr. FujiSafari Zone WardenCopycatKoichiCalMinaTeam RocketGym guideGym LeadersElite Four
Sevii Islands CelioLoreleiLostelleSelphyTeam Rocket
Johto Professor ElmProfessor OakMomEthanLyraSilverMr. PokémonDudeBillEusineLanceRedKiyoBaobaEarlKurtMaryBuenaRadio DirectorDragon Clan ElderLiWilmaKimono GirlsTeam RocketGym guideGym LeadersElite Four
See also:
Hoenn Professor BirchMomMayBrendanWallyWandaSteven StoneWallaceScottMr. BrineyPeekoMr. StoneGabby and TyLanetteBrigetteProfessor CozmoRydelWinstrate familyCaptain SternDockMr. BondingAaruneLisiaZinniaLookerInverChazFossil ManiacMemory GirlTeam AquaTeam MagmaGym guideGym LeadersElite Four
Orre RuiEagunBeluhProfessor KraneJoviLilyChobinDr. KaminkoWillieEs CadeJustyCailDukingSilvaAnchaFateenChief SherlesOfficer JohnsonVanderThe Kids Grid (NettMeggSeccBittMarciaPerr) • MakanGurksAgnolCameranHordelEmiliAcriMr. VerichTrestBattlusInfinInityAidanAdonDashSenilorCipherTeam Snagem
Sinnoh Professor RowanProfessor OakJohannaBarryLucasDawnCynthiaLookerStat Trainers (CherylRileyMiraBuckMarley) • GiratinaBebeRad RickshawEldritchWilmaJasmineJuliaPokémon Fan Club ChairmanJordanDexterKeiraMr. BacklotDr. FootstepMr. GoodsMr. FuegoTeam GalacticGym guideGym LeadersElite Four
Unova Professor JuniperMomCherenBiancaHughHugh's sisterCedric JuniperFennelAmanitaCilanChiliCressLenoraHawesCharlesIrisDraydenAlderBengaCurtisYancyBrycenSabrinaPop RoxieHilbertHildaNateRosaIngoEmmetCynthiaMorimotoNishinoLookerNColressCyranoBriarCarmineKieranKoraidonMiraidonGeetaRikaClavellSnacksworthSynclairePerrinTeam PlasmaClydeGym LeadersElite Four
Kalos Professor SycamoreGraceCalemSerenaShaunaTiernoTrevorAlexaCassiusInverSinaDexioGurkinnBonnieDianthaAZLookerEmmaMr. BondingTeam FlareGym guideMemory GirlGym LeadersElite Four
Alola Professor KukuiMomLillieNebbyHauRotomProfessor BurnetGladionMolayneSamson OakRyukiMohnRedBlueWallyCynthiaGrimsleyColressSinaDexioLookerAnabelMorimotoTeam SkullAether FoundationUltra Recon SquadTeam Rainbow RocketTrial CaptainsIsland KahunasElite Four
Galar Professor MagnoliaMumHopBedeMarnieSoniaLeonRoseOleanaSordward and ShielbertTeam YellMacro CosmosDanGym LeadersMorimotoCara LissJackWatt TradersBall Guy
Isle of Armor MustardHoneyHydeKlaraAvery
Crown Tundra PeonyPeoniaCalyrex
Hisui Rei/AkariProfessor LaventonKamadoCylleneGalaxy TeamWardens (MaiLianCalabaArezuIscanPalinaIngoMelliSabiGaeric) • AdamanIridaDiamond ClanPearl ClanGinterVoloBeniChoyAntheMiss Fortunes (CharmCloverCoin) • CogitaArceusGiratina
Paldea Professor SadaProfessor TuroMomNemonaKoraidonMiraidonGeetaArvenPennyClavellHeathJacqDendraMiriamRaifortSaguaroSalvatoreTymeBriarCyranoBilly and O'NareTeam StarGym LeadersElite Four
Kitakami BriarCarmineKieranPerrinOgerponPecharuntYukito and HidekoJacqBilly and O'Nare
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