History Characters / AshesOfThePastTeamRocket

* EquippableAlly: Has used Arbok and Seviper as [[WhipItGood whips]].

* AdaptationalHeroism: In a sense. Giovanni is still a ruthless, power-hungry crime boss with designs on controlling the world, but here it's emphasized that he understands there are different ''kinds'' of control. And he's especially interested in controlling the world through [[HundredPercentAdorationRating making himself and his organization so beloved and ingratiated with the populace that they'll happily allow him the influence over them he seeks.]] As a result, he focuses on keeping the Rockets' criminal side as secret as possible while devoting a lot of energy into world-saving and seemingly altruistic matters. The different ways incidents like Mewtwo's birth unfold further convince him that large-scale megalomaniacal efforts aren't worth the hassle, leaving him much less interested in them.

* PetTheDog: His treatment of the Rocket Trio (at least in this timeline) has shades of this.

* HundredPercentAdorationRating: Unlike the original timeline, Giovanni plans to make his organization so beloved and ingratiated with the populace that they'll happily allow them the influence over them he seeks.

* KillerRabbit: You wouldn't think that an unevolved Pokémon like him has enough psychic power to hit way above his weight class or do a [[spoiler: space-to-earth teleport]], but he does.

* TeleportersAndTransporters: A very proficient user of such; he is one of the [=TRio's=] modes of transport.

* TeleportersAndTransporters: Knows how to teleport, but isn't strong enough to use it on very big objects yet.

An original character, a perpetually slumbering Psychic-Type vulpine Pokémon that Jessie caught in Kanto.

* HumongousMecha: They don't use them nearly as often as in canon, but if they want to emphasize the eccentricity of their cell, nothing is better. Such as using three modeled after the Mega-Evolved Kanto starters to assault a Team Galactic facility.

* AlmightyJanitor: They were this in the previous timeline. Despite their constant failures, the [=TRio=] were actually more competent than most grunts (from just about any villain team in the series), and once they started [[TookALevelInBadass taking levels in badass]], they hit admin-level right before the timeline reset. The only reason why their actual skill levels didn't reflect their criminal accomplishments is because they went against Ash all the time.

* AdaptationalBadass: ''Oh, yes''. Thanks to Ash's memory restoration, they acquired new skills that allowed them to be more competent than they were in the original timeline. And after fulfilling Giovanni's SecretTestOfCharacter, they RankUp to Rocket Executives and PR agents for Team Rocket. And they ''stay that way''. Oh, and Meowth becomes a {{Ninja}} thanks to Koga's Meowzie teaching him.

* TheMole: Ultimately, they are working with Ash to prevent the disaster that ends the world, and in the meantime, they're putting on a good show for Giovanni while aiding Ash is other situations - including staged battles between the Rockets and Ash that make both look good. It just so happens, however, that Giovanni is just as interested in keeping the world safe as they are and sees them as perfect agents to head off rogue Rockets, other evil Teams and other disasters, so even though he doesn't know about their true allegiances he makes it easy for them without having to [[IfYoureSoEvilEatThisKitten eat any kittens]]. Their job becomes especially easy when Giovanni orders them to stop "attacking" Ash and co. and focus on global threats entirely. However, they still have to make sure nobody figures out that the two groups are actually ''friends'' as opposed to just happening to run into each other.
* SeenItAll: All the chaos Ash has faced, they've faced. Hence, stuff that stuns even their boss Giovanni, they take in stride.
* TokenGoodTeammate: To all of Team Rocket, though most of the other Rockets believe that everything they do is on Giovanni's orders (which it ''technically'' is). Giovanni himself seems to realize that they're not particularly evil, but [[VillainWithGoodPublicity he doesn't mind because he needs agents like that for PR purposes.]]
* TookALevelInBadass: Unlike in the anime, the levels stick. Their increased competency astonishes both Brock and Misty, who only ever knew them as their incompetent incarnations. Add to the fact that Team Rocket has gained many new, powerful Pokémon, and it's probably a good thing that they don't hound Ash as much and are technically on his side.

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: On top of being one of Team Rocket's best teams, most of the PR work Team Rocket has been doing since the time travel mainly involves them. It started when they participated in the Kanto Gym Challenge and placed third at the Indigo League, and spearheaded from there. Since then they are visibly seen at many of Ash's world-saving trials (which is often covered by the news) and have participated at many other well-covered events such as the Pokéathlon. Because of this and their new executive status, they enjoy a great amount of freedom that most other Rocket teams lack, which they use to pursue non-criminal pursuits (in fact, Jessie, James, and co. haven't committed or even tried to commit an actual crime since the end of Kanto). Their lack of crime has become so prevalent in the later chapters that really the only thing that makes them "villains" is the fact that they're members of a criminal organization, and even then one that has proven to be the most relatively benign in the narrative.

* LaserGuidedKarma: The rare good variation. Towards the end of ''Voice of the Forest'', Team Rocket had Pikachu's Poké-ball and a sure-fire chance of ''finally'' capturing him. After much deliberation, they make the decision to return it to Ash, even though they have waited ''years'' for this sort of opportunity. Knowing all this, one can't help but feel that the universe was rewarding them for their selflessness [[spoiler:by having Wallace give them their own Pikachu]].

* ReverseMole: Ultimately, they are working with Ash to prevent the disaster that ends the world, and in the meantime, they're putting on a good show for Giovanni while aiding Ash is other situations - including staged battles between the Rockets and Ash that make both look good. It just so happens, however, that Giovanni is just as interested in keeping the world safe as they are and sees them as perfect agents to head off rogue Rockets, other evil Teams and other disasters, so even though he doesn't know about their true allegiances he makes it easy for them without having to [[IfYoureSoEvilEatThisKitten eat any kittens]]. Their job becomes especially easy when Giovanni orders them to stop "attacking" Ash and co. and focus on global threats entirely. However, they still have to make sure nobody figures out that the two groups are actually ''friends'' as opposed to just happening to run into each other.

Jessie's oldest known companion, a Poison-Type cobra Pokémon who had their memories of the previous timeline restored at the same time as her.

* BewareMyStingerTail: And it has a lot of different kinds of stings: Dragon Tail, Aqua Tail, Poison Tail, Iron Tail...
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Was this for Arbok in canon, but is {{Lampshaded}} when he rejoins the [=TRio=] to find that Arbok was never released. The two of them have a bit of a stand-off before becoming good friends.

* [[ChickMagnet Grass-type Magnet]]: Something about the way he smells and feels is the reason he keeps getting [[TheGlomp glomped]] by his Grass-types. Culminates in him getting dog-piled at a Grass Pokémon reserve.

An infamous member of Team Rocket and the BigBad of the ''[[Anime/Pokemon4Ever Voice of the Forest]]'' arc. His trademark is using special Poké Balls called Dark Balls to turn the Pokémon he captures into a merciless killing machine.

* AdaptationalBadass: ''Oh yes''. Thanks to Ash's memory restoration, they acquired new skills that allowed them to be more competent than they were in the original timeline. And after fulfilling Giovanni's SecretTestOfCharacter, they RankUp to Rocket Executives and PR agents for Team Rocket. And they ''stay that way''. Oh, and Meowth becomes a {{Ninja}} thanks to Koga's Meowzie teaching him.

* BunnyEarsLawyer: Is viewed as this by Giovanni; they are certain strange but also are ''very'' effective. This holds true in reality as well; they are, in fact, that badass but also still tend towards being... odd.

* CurbStompBattle: Thanks to Ash giving them their memories of the original timeline, the first thing they do after encountering the Poison-Type poacher Rico (who originally forced them to release Arbok and Weezing) is to [[SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong hand him his ass]].

* HumongousMecha: They don't use them nearly as often as in canon, but if they want to emphasize the eccentricity of their cell, nothing is better. Such as using three modelled after the Mega-Evolved Kanto starters to assault a Team Galactic facility.

* ReverseMole: Ultimately, they are working with Ash to prevent the disaster that ends the world, and in the meantime they're putting on a good show for Giovanni while aiding Ash is other situations - including staged battles between the Rockets and Ash that make both look good. It just so happens, however, that Giovanni is just as interested in keeping the world safe as they are and sees them as perfect agents to head off rogue Rockets, other evil Teams and other disasters, so even though he doesn't know about their true allegiances he makes it easy for them without having to [[IfYoureSoEvilEatThisKitten eat any kittens]]. Their job becomes especially easy when Giovanni orders them to stop "attacking" Ash and co. and focus on global threats entirely. However, they still have to make sure nobody figures out that the two groups are actually ''friends'' as opposed to just happening to run into each other.

A vain and short-tempered Team Rocket agent with long, flowing red hair, she is the de facto leader of the trio. Unsuccessful in attempts to become an idol or nurse, she turned to a life of crime and became infamous before meeting Ash. With her memories of the timeline restored, she has a friendly relationship with Ash.

A mild-mannered Team Rocket agent with blue hair, he is the most sensible of the trio. Born to privilege, he turned to a life of crime to escape his controlling parents and became infamous before meeting Ash. With his memories of the timeline restored, he has a friendly relationship with Ash.

A Normal-Type cat Pokémon who taught himself how to walk and talk like a human, he is the witty comic relief of the trio. With his memories of the timeline restored, he has a friendly relationship with Ash. In this story, he took lessons from Koga's Meowth and became a formidable fighter in his own right.

* {{Ninja}}: Given his moveset includes [[DoppelgangerAttack Substitute]], Faint Attack and shuriken-esque Pay Day, not surprising. He's even got skills like lock-picking and poison usage down pat.

James's childhood pet and best friend, a Fire-Type canine Pokémon whom he left in his parents' care when he joined Team Rocket. At Ash' prompting after restoring his memories, James added the Growlithe to his team, evolving it immediately.

* AscendedExtra: He joins James full-time after meeting him again a lot sooner than in canon.

* LightningBruiser: Can dish out and take a lot of punishment, and even before using Extremespeed he's one of the fastest non-legendaries.

An original character, a Normal-Type medically inclined Pokémon gifted to the trio by Giovanni to assist with the team's injuries following the events of Altomare. He was apprenticed to a Chansey that Jessie was friends with.

* AdaptationalHeroism: In a sense. Giovanni is still a ruthless, power-hungry crime boss with designs on controlling the world, but here it's emphasized that he understands there are different ''kinds'' of control - and he's especially interested in controlling the world through [[HundredPercentAdorationRating making himself and his organization so beloved and ingratiated with the populace that they'll happily allow him the influence over them he seeks.]] As a result, he focuses on keeping the Rockets' criminal side as secret as possible while devoting a lot of energy into world-saving and seemingly altruistic matters. The different ways incidents like Mewtwo's birth unfold further convince him that large-scale megalomaniacal efforts aren't worth the hassle, leaving him much less interested in them.

** [[spoiler:He immediately punishes Annie and Oakley by subjecting them to {{Yubitsume}}, demoting them to grunt work, and banning them from the use of Pokémon after the events of the ''Heroes'' movie. Their little scheme, which was heavily implied to be unauthorized judging by the language Giovanni used in his conversation with them, nearly undid all the PR work the trio have been doing since the time travel -- he only managed to salvage the damage by sending the trio to be visibly seen in stopping the crisis]].

A member of Team Rocket and the BigBad of the ''[[Anime/Pokemon4Ever Voice of the Forest]]'' arc.

* AdaptationalBadass: A villainous example. He took advantage of Giovanni sending a squad of Rockets after him early to 'acquire' some of their Pokémon via Dark Ball. [[spoiler:And then he manages to get ''[[OhCrap Pikachu]]'' in one...]]

* HourglassPlot: In the previous timeline, Butch and Cassidy were the competent, rising stars of Team Rocket while the [=TRio=] were the bumbling failures who were the butt of every joke. Now, in the new timeline, the [=TRio=] are Rocket executives and Giovanni's top field agents, with the ''carte blanche'' to do whatever they want as long as it forwards Team Rocket's reputation, while Butch and Cassidy are low-level grunts who are only worth any notice because they are slightly more competent than most. While Butch and Cassidy aren't aware of the time travel, they ''are'' aware of reversal in fortune, and what few scenes they have show them to be quite bitter about it.
* KnowWhenToFoldEm: Their response to seeing (and recognizing) Ash showing up to one of their scams is to [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere immediately skedaddle out of the area]]. Giovanni actually praises them for it, given how Ash has proven himself to be ''quite'' the threat.

Accomplishments:

Reminded of the old timeline.

Reminded of the old timeline.

Reminded of the old timeline.

* TookALevelInBadass: Even after getting his memories restored, Meowth found that most of his talents was in translating. While Jessie and James were completing their Fuschia Gym challenge, Koga's own Meowth helped show him how to finally use Pay Day, which inspired him to really expand his moveset.

A Water/Flying-Type sea serpent Pokémon raised from a Magikarp that a con artist sold to James. Originally discarded, James elected to raise it well knowing its hidden potential.

Jessie's oldest known companion, a Poison-Type Pokémon who had their memories of the previous timeline restored at the same time as her.

James's oldest known companion, a Poison-Type Pokémon who had their memories of the previous timeline restored at the same time as him.

James's childhood pet and best friend, a Fire-Type Pokémon whom he left in his parents' care when he joined Team Rocket. At Ash' prompting after restoring his memories, James added the Growlithe to his team, evolving it immediately.

A Water/Flying-Type Pokémon raised from a Magikarp that a con artist sold to James. Originally discarded, James elected to raise it well knowing its hidden potential.

An original character, a perpetually slumbering Psychic-Type Pokémon that Jessie caught in Kanto.

An original character, a powerful Ground-Type burdened by regretful memories of her lost family that Jessie caught in Kanto.

One of James's original companions, a Grass/Poison-Type giant pitcher plant that was a friend of his from childhood.

!![[spoiler:Moltres]]

One of James's original companions, a Grass-Type giant venus flytrap that was a friend of his from childhood.

One of Jessie's original companions, a Poison-Type viper that was Jessie's first catch in the Hoenn region.

One of James's original companions, a Grass-Type (Grass/Dark post-evolution) cactus that was James's first catch in the Hoenn region.

One of Jessie's original companions, a Bug/Poison-Type moth that she raised from a Wurmple.

An original character, a medically inclined Pokémon gifted to the trio by Giovanni to assist with the team's injuries following the events of Altomare. He was apprenticed to a Chansey that Jessie was friends with.

* SuperMode: [[spoiler:Ash gives the Rocket Trio the Audinite he found, and Giovanni lets them use a Key Stone from TR's armory.]]

An original character, an Electric-Type Pokémon rewarded to Jessie from Wallace after she impressed him with her comedic appeal.

One of James's original companions, a Psychic-Type Pokémon known for its vocal abilities and rarity.

One of James's original companions, a Psychic-Type Pokémon that originally joined James after he left his ill Chimecho in his grandparents' care.

One of Jessie's original companions, a notably powerful Bug/Flying-Type dragonfly that was originally one of the one-in-a-million times that the trio succeeded in catching a Pokémon of the week.

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: What angered Giovanni concerning Vicious' little time travel plot to usurp him as boss of Team Rocket in the ''Voice of the Forest'' arc was not the attempted coup itself; ''it was the possibility that he might've not met his beloved Persian''. Say what you want about Giovanni, but there is no doubt that he is intensely devoted to his partner.

* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler:Ultimately the person who does him in is Giovanni, the same man he tried to overthrow, who has his Persian "[[PsychicSurgery fix things]]" so Vicious will, ahem, [[MakeItLookLikeAnAccident die of natural causes]]]].
* MakeItLookLikeAnAccident: [[spoiler:He dies in prison from a stroke, which was engineered by Giovanni and done by his Persian's [[PsychicSurgery Shadow Claw]]]].
* MeaningfulName: A ''vicious'' rogue Team Rocket agent who treats his own Pokémon like crap [[spoiler:and is willing to use them like disposable tools in his bid to usurp Giovanni as head of Team Rocket]].

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: [[spoiler: His Croconaw starter sometime in his journey. Which gives you an idea of how much of a bastard this guy was.]]
* TheStarscream: [[spoiler:All of the shenanigans he was doing in his arc was an attempt to usurp Giovanni as head of Team Rocket]].

* AchievementsInIgnorance: The readers on the Spacebattles thread note that the trio actually has multiple talents (machinery operation, business acumen, etc.), but their focus on being criminals prevents them from being successful through legitimate means. Now that they are successful Team Rocket agents (admins even, with Giovanni's direct approval no less), they focus on these other pursuits.

One of Jessie's original companions, a notably powerful Bug/Flying-Type that was originally one of the one-in-a-million times that the trio succeeded in catching a Pokémon of the week.

* KnowWhenToFoldEm: All Rocket agents are under direct orders to avoid [[TheDreaded Ash]] even if it'll cost a mission. Jessie and James even make it a point by giving lectures and classes on how to deal with situations that involve Ash. Their advice: ''stay away from him''.

Reminded of the old timeline.

Reminded of the old timeline.

Reminded of the old timeline.

Reminded of the old timeline.

Reminded of the old timeline.

Reminded of the old timeline.

Reminded of the old timeline.

Reminded of the old timeline.

The Pokémon Giovanni gave them to assist with the team's injuries. He's actually trained by Jessie's old Chansey friend.

A reward to Jessie from Wallace after she impressed him with her comedic appeal.

* {{Cosplay}}: [[spoiler:She has a lot of costumes to say the least]].
** ClothesMakeTheSuperman: [[spoiler:And just like in the games, wearing a costume gives her an associated new move that she normally cannot learn - that immediately disappears once it's taken off.]]

* {{Irony}}: After years and years of hunting, over six hundred attempts to ambush Ash, thousands of schemes, time travel, and the collection of a [[spoiler:Legendary Pokémon]], Team Rocket... [[spoiler:has a Pikachu. And they didn't even have to steal her or catch her or whatever -- she was a gift from Wallace]].

Reminded of the old timeline.

Reminded of the old timeline.

Reminded of the old timeline.

* CurbStompBattle: Thanks to Ash giving them their memories of the original timeline, the first thing they do after encountering the Poison-Type poacher Rico (who originally forced them to release Arbok and Weezing) is to hand him his ass.

* EvilVersusOblivion: Besides gathering good PR for Team Rocket, the Rocket Trio's purpose is to stop villains from ruining the world in any way because in a destroyed world, you can't rule or make a profit. Giovanni knows it, so he sends the Rocket Trio to disaster areas to help Ash and co. because usually that's where the kids would be.

** It really says something when ''Giovanni'' acknowledges their competency and outright admits, ''to their faces'', that he wished that his agents were as good as they are.

** And unlike Giovanni from the original timeline, this Giovanni [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas loves his mother]] despite his partaking in criminal activities.

** Cyrus even recognises Team Rocket as such and interprets their actions accordingly. [[The [=TRio=] even use this to their advantage, using a retaliatory strike to save face to disguise a secret infiltration mission.]]

* GrewBeyondTheirProgamming: From a hunter-seeker program designed for infiltration to a full Porygon AI.

* {{Ninja}}: Given his moveset includes Substitute, Faint Attack and shuriken-esque Pay Day, not surprising.

* {{Yakuza}}: Par the course. [[spoiler:His punishment for Annie and Oakley includes complete {{Yubitsume}} on top of demotion and a Pokémon ban]].
* YouHaveFailedMe: Most of the movie villains that were Rocket-affiliated are revealed to be rogues or overenthusiastic agents who ultimately screwed up his master plans. In such situations, he tends to take care of them himself. It's rarely pretty.