Characters / Pokémon Gaia

Characters from Pokémon Gaia and the tropes associated with them:

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The Rival

The other of Professor Redwood's aides, that will have a Friendly Rivalry with the player character.

• 10-Minute Retirement: At first, he's unable to beat Ritcher, what makes the rival admit that "the gym challenge is not for him", making it seem like he is going to give up on the Orbtus League. His retirement ends after you beat the New Elders when he tells you that he finally beat Ritcher and will proceed to the Orbtus League.
• Elemental Rock-Paper-Scissors: He will always pick the starter pokémon that is strong against your starter.
• Friendly Rivalry: He will have this kind of relationship with the player. Before battles he even fully heals your Pokémon so the two of you can battle in similar conditions.
• Hello, [Insert Name Here]: You get to choose your rival's name.
• Privileged Rival: Contrary to what happens in most official Pokémon games, your rival in Gaia averts this trope. His family seems to be as anonymous as the player character's family is.
• Recurring Boss: Battled several times throughout the game.
• Super Mode: At some point he will start evolving his Altaria into Mega Altaria in battles.

Professor Redwood

Professor Charles Redwood

• Adventurer Archaeologist: He's also an archaeologist.
• Cool Old Guy
• Fossil Revival: His specialization. He even has a fossil revival machine at his home, where you can revive all the fossils you find.
• Theme Naming: Like all professors in official games, his surname is the name of a tree.

Herschel

• The Ace: He turns out to be the Orbtus League Champion.
• Blue Blood: Herschel's lineage can be traced up to one of the leaders of the Elders of Orbtus.
• Chekhov's Gun: Herschel borrows you his Alakazam for you to easily teleport to the places where the tablet idol pieces are hidden and later he uses Alakazam in his Champion battle.
• Dangerous Forbidden Technique: The only character to know about the secret of the move Molten Raze, that allows one to break the seal the Elders of Orbtus built to contain Regigigas - that is, at least until Morgana finds out the secret herself.
• Final Boss: He's the Orbtus League Champion and the last person standing between you and that title.
• First-Name Basis: The first and one of the few characters in the game to refer to Professor Redwood by his first name, Charles.
• Informed Flaw: One NPC in Ikos Town claims that Herschel has a big ego, but apart from understimating the threat that the New Elders represent this is never really shown.
• My God, What Have I Done?: When Morgana is able to get to the place where Regigigas is sealed Herschel regrets not having helped you and your rival when you asked for it.
• Signature Mon: Salamence.
• Super Mode: He can evolve his Salamence into Mega Salamence.

Orbtus Gym Leaders

Fernando

The leader of Seros Village Gym, he uses Fairy-type Pokémon. After beating him, he will run away to the Wisp Forest, and after you rescue him he'll give away the Mystic Badge.

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• The Lost Woods: His gym is a labyrinth where you need to figure out which path to follow in each forest clearing in order to get to him.
• Raised by Grandparents: He's the grandson of the couple that runs the day care and they have raised him since the deaths of his parents.

• Sore Loser: After beating him, he'll refuse to give you the Mystic Badge until you find him in Wisp Forest.

Aria

The leader of Nestpine Town Gym, she uses Flying-type Pokémon. She gives away the Plume Badge to trainers that beat her.

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• Anime Hair: Her hairdo makes her head seem shaped like a Chatot's head.
• Blow You Away: She's a Flying-type specialist.
• Signature Mon: Chatot, to the point of Nestpine Gym being Chatot-themed.
• Signature Move: Roost, a self-healing move, which will make the battle harder.
• Songs in the Key of Lock: Aria's gym puzzle involves remembering a series of notes and playing them back by hitting the colored Chatot in the right order.

Nina

The leader of Windmist City Gym, she uses Fire-type Pokémon in battle and gives away the Ember Badge to trainers that beat her.

• Astonishingly Appropriate Appearance: Of course the gym leader with red hair is a Fire-type trainer.
• Boss-Arena Idiocy: An inversion. Nina uses Fire-type Pokémon in a city surronded by Frostbite Cave, Windmist Summit, and Edamist Heights, and almost all Pokémon you can obtain in these areas are either not much effective, or outright useless against Fire-types, the only exception being some Water-type Pokémon you may fish on the cave.
• Kill It with Fire: Nina is a Fire-type specialist.
• Signature Move: Flame Charge.
• Slippy-Slidey Ice World: An improbable user of this kind of puzzle, once Nina is a Fire-type trainer. Her gym involves ice puzzles and has ice barriers that melt when you defeat a trainer.

Vernon

The leader of Valoon City Gym, he uses Bug-type Pokémon in battle. Trainers that beat him receive the Honeycomb Badge.

• Badass Adorable: On his battle sprite he even appears with a Weedle on his shoulders and a Karrablast next to him.
• Friend to Bugs: He's a Bug-type specialist.
• Irony: He gives away the Honeycomb Badge and has a Combee-themed gym in a game where Combee and its evolution, Vespiquen, are unobtainable.
• Nice Guy: His description on his gyms sign even states that he wouldn't hurt a Joltik.
• Signature Mon: Beedrill. When Vernon wins the first bug-catching contest you participate in, his prize is a Beedrillite, which tips the player about this fact.
• Signature Move: U-Turn.
• Super Mode: The first gym leader shown to own a Mega Ring. He will use it to evolve Beedrill into Mega Beedrill.

Sid

The leader of Telmurk City Gym, he uses Poison-type Pokémon. Upon being beaten in battle he gives away the Pollution Badge.

• Absurdly Spacious Sewer / Down the Drain: His gym is one of these.
• Poisonous Person: Poison-type specialist.
• Secret Identity: Before you battle him, he reveals that he's Arbok-Man.
• Super Mode: Uses his Mega Ring to evolve Venusaur into Mega Venusaur.

Will

A former Elite Four member in the Indigo League and the new leader of Precimos Island Gym, he uses Psychic-type Pokémon. He gives the Focus Badge to trainers that beat him in battle.

For tropes associated with Will in official games, check Pokémon Gold and Silver

• The Computer Is a Cheating Bastard: Will has a level 42 Metagross when Metang only evolves into Metagross at level 45.
• Cool Shades: Wears sunglasses instead of his mask.
• Hawaiian-Shirted Tourist: His outfit as the new gym leader of Precimos Gym includes a purple hawaiian shirt with white floral prints over a black t-shirt.
• Super Mode: Will uses his Mega Ring to evolve his Slowbro into Mega Slowbro.

Marina

The leader of Atsail City Gym, she uses Water-type Pokémon. She gives the Scale Badge to challengers that beat her in battle.

• Boss-Arena Idiocy: She has a Water-type gym at Atsail City, just below the Loamas Fields. If you reach her gym without a Pokémon that is effective against Water-types you can just travel to Loamas Fields where you can catch many Electric-type Pokémon like Flaaffy (that will evolve into Ampharos if you level them up once), Pachirisu, Emolga, or Dedenne. Marina seems to be somewhat aware of this, so she fights with a Kingdra (that is not weak against Electric-type moves, as it is part Dragon-type) and her Gyarados knows Earthquake, a move that will quicky wipe out any Electric-type Pokémon (except for Emolga, that is immune to it), what downplays this trope.
• Color-Coded for Your Convenience: She's a Water-type trainer and she wears a blue outfit. Combines with Blue Is Heroic.
• Cool Old Lady: Marina actively helps you, your rival, and professor Redwood dealing with the New Elders threat and she's the one that gives the player the HM Strength.
• Making a Splash: She's a Water-type specialist.
• Meaningful Name: Her name means "of the sea". Just guess what is the type she specializes in?
• Signature Mon: Kingdra. It's even mentioned by more than one NPC if you talk to them.
• Super Mode: She will use her Mega Ring to evolve her Gyarados into Mega Gyarados.
• That One Boss: She's this, at least in-universe. If you speak to one NPC in her gym after you defeat them, they'll tell you that few people are able to get the Scale Badge.

Richter

The leader of Loamas Town Gym, he's a Ground-type specialist. He gives the Tectonic Badge to challengers that beat him in battle.

• Dishing Out Dirt: He's a Ground-type trainer.
• Genius Bruiser: He's both strong and intelligent and he expects the same of people that challenge him for the Tectonic Badge, that's the reason Loamas Gym is filled with puzzles the trainer must complete in order to reach him.
• Manly Facial Hair: A very tough guy with a big beard.
• Meaningful Name: Of course the guy that is named after a scale that measures the strenght of an earthquake is a Ground-type gym leader - and has Earthquake as his Signature Move, to boot.
• Signature Mon: Garchomp. His Garchomp is mentioned by some NPC's if you talk to them.
• Signature Move: Earthquake, a powerful ground-type move that will quickly wipe out unprepared challengers.
• Super Mode: He has a Mega Ring and can use it to evolve Garchomp into Mega Garchomp.
• That One Boss: Even in-universe. So hard to beat that he makes your rival question if the Orbtus League challenge really is for him.

Orbtus Elite Four

Nicola

A member of the Orbtus Elite Four. She's an Electric-type trainer.

• Elemental Hair Colors: Blond, reflecting her Electric-type specialty.
• Shock and Awe: Nicola uses Electric-types in battle.
• Signature Mon: Manectric.

Knight

A member of the Orbtus Elite Four. He's a Dark-type trainer.

• Casting a Shadow: Dark-type user.
• Cool Sword
• Dark Is Not Evil: Uses Dark-type Pokémon, but is a pleasent person.
• Gratuitous French: He says "En guarde!" before he battles you.
• Lampshade Hanging: When you talk to him, he immediately tells you that his name is Knight, and that yes, he accepts your challenge. Because, why else would you go all the way to his room in the Pokémon League?
• Punny Name: The name Knight is not only a reference to Knight's fencing hobby but it also sounds like "Night". Just guess what is the type Knight specializes in?
• Signature Move: Sucker Punch.

Kara

A member of the Orbtus Elite Four. She's a Fighting-type trainer.

• The Baby of the Bunch: She's the youngest Elite Four member and the others tease her for it, much to her dismay.
• Nepotism: She took her father's position on the Elite Four and Orbtus newspapers say she got her position on the Elite Four because of her family and not because she's a strong trainer. The reason she's so determined in winning against you is because she wants to prove to everyone that she got her post because she deserved it.
• Signature Mon: Blaziken.
• Sore Loser: Defied. Losing to you clearly rattles her but she makes an effort to be graceful and her last words to you is affirming that there is strength in accepting a loss.

Leif

A member of the Orbtus Elite Four. He's a Grass-type trainer.

• Artificial Brilliance: As a Grass-type user, probably he would expect trainers to try to use Fire-type moves against him, so the first Pokémon he sends out is a Ludicolo that knows both Rain Dance (that powers up Water-type moves and weakens Fire-type moves) and Surf, a powerful and reliable Water-type move.
• Expecting Someone Taller: In this case, you're on the receiving hand of this trope. Upon meeting you, he claims you're shorter than he was expecting.
• Green Thumb: He's a Grass-type specialist.
• Punny Name: His name sounds like "Leaf", reflecting the Pokémon type he specializes in.
• Signature Mon: Sceptile.

New Elders

General Tropes

• A House Divided: The reason no one bothers much trying to find the New Elder Knights after Morgana is defeated and arrested. As Herschel says, without an unifying leader, all the infighting within the organization will make it impossible for the rest of the team to achieve anything meaningful, and the New Elders will simply disband.
• Apocalypse How: Class 0, had their plans succeeded.
• Fossil Revival / Prehistoric Monster: Many grunts use fossil Pokémon and all New Elder Knights use at least one of these.
• Knight Templar: They believe their actions will lead to the creation of a better world. Lampshaded by the fact that Eunice, Enoch and Ezekiel are even called "New Elder Knights".
• Poor, Predictable Rock: Downplayed, although all New Elder Knights have a favored type, they will always have a Pokémon of a different type, sometimes types that can easily counter their favored type's weaknesses.

Eunice

• Artificial Brilliance: Downplayed. At the beginning of her first battle she sends first her Snover, a Pokémon with the Snow Warning ability. While this gives her a slight advantage as all of your Pokémon that aren't Ice-types will be pelted by the hail, it backfires at her when she sends out her Noctowl, a Normal/Flying-type. The same things happen in her second battle, when she sends out first her Aurorus (also with Snow Warning), and her team includes two Pokémon that aren't Ice-types (Noctowl and Gastrodon).
• Evil Is Deathly Cold: She's part of the game's villanious team and she uses mainly Ice-type Pokémon.
• An Ice Person: Most of her Pokémon are Ice-types and Eunice is the New Elder Knight to whom was given the mission of reawake Regice.
• Meaningful Name: Her name containing the word "ice" when she mostly uses Ice-types and has the mission of awakening Regice is probably not a coincidence.
• Super Mode: In the second and last time you battle her, Eunice has a Mega Ring and she'll use it to evolve her Abomasnow into Mega Abomasnow.

Enoch

• The Computer Is a Cheating Bastard: His team in the first time you battle him:
  • Enoch has a level 30 Golurk when in Pokémon Gaia Golett only evolves into Golurk at level 34.
  • His Tyrantrum is also at level 30 when Tyrunt only evolves into Tyrantrum at level 39.
• Dishing Out Dirt: Uses mainly Rock and Ground-types, and he's the Elder Knight that reawakes Regirock.
• Meaningful Name: His name rhymes with "Rock", which is fitting for a Rock-type user that has the task of reawakening Regirock.
• Signature Mon: Aerodactyl.
• Super Mode: He has a Mega Ring in his second battle and uses it to evolve Aerodactyl into Mega Aerodactyl.

Ezekiel

• Extra-ore-dinary: Uses mainly Steel-types. He's also the Elder Knight that reawakens Registeel.
• Signature Mon: Aggron.
• Super Mode: In both battles against him he uses his Mega Ring to evolve Aggron into Mega Aggron.

Morgana

• Big Bad: She's the leader of the New Elders.
• Dark Is Evil: She's the game's Big Bad and she uses mainly Ghost and Dark-types in battle.
• Hell Hound: Her team includes a Houndoom.
• Olympus Mons: In your last battle with her, she fights using Regirock, Registeel, Regice and Regigigas.
• Recurring Boss: You fight her four times during your adventure.
• Signature Mon: Gengar.
• Soul Power: Her Gengar and Mismagius.
• Super Mode: She has a Mega Ring and uses it to evolve Gengar into Mega Gengar during battle.

Other Noteworthy Characters

Successor Belle

• Non-Elemental: Has a team made of Pokémon of various types.
• Signature Mon: Audino.
• Super Mode: The first trainer you battle that has a Mega Ring (and she is the person you must battle in order to obtain one of your own) and she uses it to evolve Audino into Mega Audino.