History Characters / PokemonProtagonistsAndRivalsJohto

[[center:[[WMG:''{{Franchise/Pokemon}}'' '''[[Characters/{{Pokemon}} characters Index]]''' ''([[Characters/PokemonTypes Pokémon Types]], [[Characters/PokemonRecurringArchetypes Recurring Pokémon Archetypes]])''\\
[-'''Pokémon Family Species:''' [[Characters/PokemonGenerationIFamilies Gen I]] ([[Characters/PokemonGenerationIBulbasaurToParasect Bulbasaur to Parasect]] / [[Characters/PokemonGenerationIVenonatToCloyster Venonat to Cloyster]] / [[Characters/PokemonGenerationIGastlyToMiltank Gastly to Miltank]] / [[Characters/PokemonGenerationIMagikarpToMew Magikarp to Mew]]) | [[Characters/PokemonGenerationIIFamilies Gen II]] ([[Characters/PokemonGenerationIIChikoritaToGranbull Chikorita to Granbull]] / [[Characters/PokemonGenerationIIQwilfishToCelebi Qwilfish to Celebi]]) | [[Characters/PokemonGenerationIIIFamilies Gen III]] ([[Characters/PokemonGenerationIIITreeckoToSharpedo Treecko to Sharpedo]] / [[Characters/PokemonGenerationIIIWailmerToDeoxys Wailmer to Deoxys]]) | [[Characters/PokemonGenerationIVFamilies Gen IV]] | [[Characters/PokemonGenerationVFamilies Gen V]] ([[Characters/PokemonGenerationVVictiniToZoroark Victini to Zoroark]] / [[Characters/PokemonGenerationVMinccinoToGenesect Minccino to Genesect]]) | [[Characters/PokemonGenerationVIFamilies Gen VI]] ([[Characters/PokemonGenerationVIChespinToHawlucha Chespin to Hawlucha]] / [[Characters/PokemonGenerationVIDedenneToVolcanion Dedenne to Volcanion]]) | [[Characters/PokemonGenerationVIIFamilies Gen VII]] ([[Characters/PokemonGenerationVIIRowletToComfey Rowlet to Comfey]] / [[Characters/PokemonGenerationVIIOranguruToMelmetal Oranguru to Melmetal]] / [[Characters/PokemonUltraBeasts Ultra Beasts]]) | [[Characters/PokemonGenerationVIIIFamilies Gen VIII]] ([[Characters/PokemonGenerationVIIIGrookeyToHatterene Grookey to Hatterene]] / [[Characters/PokemonGenerationVIIIImpidimpToCalyrex Impidimp to Calyrex]]) | [[Characters/PokemonGlitches Glitches]]\\
'''Pokémon Human Characters:''' [[Characters/PokemonProtagonistsAndRivals Protagonists And Rivals]] ([[Characters/PokemonProtagonistsAndRivalsKanto Kanto]] / '''Johto''' / [[Characters/PokemonProtagonistsAndRivalsHoenn Hoenn]] / [[Characters/PokemonProtagonistsAndRivalsSinnoh Sinnoh]] / [[Characters/PokemonProtagonistsAndRivalsUnova Unova]] / [[Characters/PokemonProtagonistsAndRivalsKalos Kalos]] / [[Characters/PokemonProtagonistsAndRivalsAlola Alola]] / [[Characters/PokemonProtagonistsAndRivalsGalar Galar]]) | [[Characters/PokemonProfessors Professors]] | [[Characters/PokemonGymLeaders Gym Leaders]] ([[Characters/PokemonGymLeadersKanto Kanto]] / [[Characters/PokemonGymLeadersJohto Johto]] / [[Characters/PokemonGymLeadersHoenn Hoenn]] / [[Characters/PokemonGymLeadersSinnoh Sinnoh]] / [[Characters/PokemonGymLeadersUnova Unova]] / [[Characters/PokemonGymLeadersKalos Kalos]] / [[Characters/PokemonGymLeadersGalar Galar]]) | [[Characters/PokemonTrialCaptainsAndKahunas Trial Captains and Kahunas]] | [[Characters/PokemonEliteFour Elite Four]] | [[Characters/PokemonChampions Champions]]\\
'''[[Characters/PokemonVillainTeams Pokémon Villain Teams]]:''' [[Characters/PokemonVillainTeamRocket Team Rocket]] / [[Characters/PokemonVillainTeamAquaMagma Team Aqua/Magma]] / [[Characters/PokemonVillainTeamGalactic Team Galactic]] / [[Characters/PokemonVillainTeamPlasma Team Plasma]] / [[Characters/PokemonVillainTeamFlare Team Flare]] / [[Characters/PokemonVillainTeamSkull Team Skull]] / [[Characters/PokemonTeamYell Team Yell]]\\
[[Characters/PokemonFrontierBrainsAndOtherFacilityHeads Frontier Brains And Other Facility Heads]] | [[Characters/PokemonTrainerClasses Trainer Classes]] | [[Characters/PokemonOtherNonPlayableCharacters Other NPCs]] ([[Characters/PokemonAetherFoundation Aether Foundation]] / [[Characters/PokemonUltraReconSquad Ultra Recon Squad]] / [[Characters/PokemonMacroCosmos Macro Cosmos]])\\
[[Characters/PokemonLegendsArceus Pokémon Legends: Arceus]]-]]]]]

The protagonists and rival of ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'' and its remake.
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[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:General Tropes]]
* BadassAdorable: Adorable children who manage to take down a resurgent Team Rocket, beat the Pokémon League, and even defeat Red.
* DefeatingTheUndefeatable: They can optionally battle and defeat Red, the highest leveled trainer in his respective game and a legend for his deeds in the previous games.
* DressingAsTheEnemy: In ''[=HeartGold=] and [=SoulSilver=]'', there's a sequence that requires them to dress up like a Rocket Grunt to get into the Radio Tower.
* DudeWheresMyRespect: Actually averted in a rather interesting way. The protagonist's talent as a trainer and love for Pokémon in general is recognized by the elder of the Dragon Clan, and they get accepted as a member of the clan and given a Dratini in the process. Blue will also refer to them as the Johto Champion just before his fight in ''Crystal''.
* HeroicMime: Copycat still somehow manages to mimic their speech, suggesting that they do speak but are not heard by the player.
* IncorruptiblePurePureness: Implied, as the protagonist. They pass the Kimono Girl's SecretTestOfCharacter, and are praised for their compassion and pure heart.
* KidHero: They're not even teenagers yet when they start their journey, though their exact age is never given.
* LittleMissBadass: Both female protagonists, as usual; they take out Team Rocket, beat the Pokémon League, and even defeat Red at the ripe old age of 10.
* MacGuffinEscortMission: At the beginning of the Johto games with a Togepi egg, which kickstarts their fateful encounters with Oak and Silver as well as starting off their journey.
* NiceHat: Ethan wears a black and yellow baseball cap, while Lyra wears a large white hat, and Kris has a yellow skull cap.
* NiceGuy: Their characterization as [=NPCs=] has them as nice and supportive. They're still this if they're the player character, as their influence on Silver helps him learn to treat Pokémon as friends, and they pass the Kimono Girl's SecretTestOfCharacter about their kindness.
* OhCrap: While overworld sprites don't show facial expressions, the protagonist clearly has one after Silver sees through their disguise in Goldenrod Tower, judging by the exclamation mark and way they hurriedly try to turn around.
* RivalsTeamUp: The player and the rival are forced into an impromptu double battle against Clair and Lance while training in Dragon's Den.
* SchrodingersPlayerCharacter: Just like in the Generation I remakes, played straight in ''Crystal'', averted in ''[=HeartGold=] and [=SoulSilver=]'' where the one you don't pick shows up as a recurring [=NPC=].
* SecretTestOfCharacter: The Kimono Girls subject the protagonist to one, arranging for Togepi's egg to be delivered to them to see if they had the 'right bond' necessary to summon Ho-oh or Lugia.
* SpannerInTheWorks: [[spoiler:If the Celebi event was any indication, they were most likely ''the'' direct factor that caused Giovanni to realize that his dreams at re-establishing Team Rocket were a hopeless endeavor, and immediately abandon his station in Tohjo Falls after the battle ends, leaving the rest of Team Rocket in past-day Goldenrod City during the takeover of the radio tower completely dumbfounded at his supposed inactivity... all of this happening while their present-day counterpart is still curbstomping the rest of Team Rocket at the Goldenrod Radio Tower, no less.]]
* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: In ''[=HeartGold=] and [=SoulSilver=]'', whoever you didn't choose says the gender equivalent of this to their grandma when you're with them in the daycare.
* TheUnchosenOne: The protagonist is tested by the Kimono Girls to see if they could bring back Ho-oh or Lugia, but there's no grand destiny or prophecy saying they can. They earn that right just by being themselves.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Ethan ''[-(Hibiki)-]'']]
!!Ethan / Hibiki (ヒビキ ''hibiki'')
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ethan_hgss.png]]
->Voiced by: Ted Sroka (''VideoGame/PokemonMasters'' - EN), Daisuke Hirose (''VideoGame/PokemonMasters'' - JP)


Three years after Red defeated Team Rocket and won the Pokémon League, a new Pokémon trainer from New Bark Town in the Johto region was given his first Pokémon. He was given the same task to catch them all, although now there are more species to find.

Just like Red, he was the sole protagonist in ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'', although that changed when ''Pokémon Crystal'' came out. You could now choose him or the female protagonist of that game. When his games were given remakes, he was given another female counterpart named Lyra, along with updating from his version name (Gold) to a new canon name (Ethan) and a new design.
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* AwesomeBackpack:
** Downplayed in the original games, where the backpack he used had pockets that various items could be sorted into, giving him four times the carrying capacity of Red's.
** In ''[=HeartGold=] and [=SoulSilver=]'', thanks to the mechanics introduced in ''Diamond and Pearl'', it has no limit on the number of items it can carry, unlike in the original games.
* BadassAdorable: His sole purpose to becoming a Pokemon Master, while staying sweet and a peacemaker with those he's close with.
* CanonName: [[AllThereInTheManual The manual for Gold Version]] refers to the player as "a boy named Gold", and the manual for Silver refers to the player as "a boy named Silver," implying that his name should just be the default Version name-Gold, like Red. He was named Jimmy (Kenta in Japan) in the anime. In Generation IV, he was ''finally'' given a in-game name: Ethan.
* {{Expy}}: His original design looked very similar to Red's. Lampshaded by Blue in ''HGSS''.
* DumbButDiligent: He's pretty headstrong and oblivious to most social cues when he's in pursuit of a goal. He accosts Valerie thinking she's a Kimono Girl without even pausing to ask.
* IncorruptiblePurePureness: From his natural ability to hatch eggs and bond with newborns, to helping redeem Silver, and just his general exuberance in ''Masters,'' many people take this as a given when it comes to Ethan.
* InHarmonyWithNature: ''Pokémon Masters'' portrays him as a skilled survivalist who knows everything from how to navigate a forest to identifying edible mushrooms and berries.
* {{Keet}}: He is portrayed this way in ''Pokémon Masters''. As a result, he stands out as the most extroverted of the male player characters currently in-game.
* OneSteveLimit: In the original ''Gold & Silver'', a Pokémaniac on the S.S. Aqua had the name Ethan. In the remakes, said trainer is renamed Morgan to adhere to this trope.
* RightForTheWrongReasons: During the Ho-Oh event, Ethan suggests going to consult Valerie, believing her to be a Kimono Girl that would have knowledge on the Legendary Pokémon he and Silver are pursuing. While Valerie is, in truth, not a Kimono Girl, she does reveal she knows a good deal about Ho-Oh from doing personal research on it.
* TheSpeechless: He doesn't have any lines of dialogue in "Generations".
* SignatureMon: In official art for the games he's usually depicted with either the Chikorita or Totodile lines. However, in most adaptations, merchandise, and in ''Pokémon Masters'', he's given Cyndaquil, and as such he tends to get heavily associated with it. They also have similar color schemes. In ''[=HeartGold=] and [=SoulSilver=]'', it's Marill if he fills the NPC role.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Kris]]
!!Kris (クリス ''kurisu'')
[[quoteright:180:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kris_pokemon.png]]
->Voiced by: Creator/CheramiLeigh (''VideoGame/PokemonMasters'' - EN), Creator/KanaAsumi (''VideoGame/PokemonMasters'' - JP)

Introduced in ''Pokémon Crystal'', Kris was the very first protagonist you could choose who was female. Before this, the only option was a boy. However, unlike some later games, this was purely aesthetic and had no bearing on the plot, and her story is identical to Ethan's.

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* AllThereInTheManual: The back of the box for ''Crystal'' gives her CanonName as Kris.
* BadassBookworm: In ''Pokémon Masters'', Kris says she's thought about becoming a researcher, despite having a promising battling career.
* TheBusCameBack: After a years long absence since being replaced by Lyra, Kris returns in ''Pokémon Masters''.
* CharacterizationMarchesOn: Kris was a TomboyWithAGirlyStreak when she was first introduced, but her AlternateSelf Marina and (following in Marina's footsteps) her ''VideoGame/PokemonMasters'' appearance both have gotten a GirlinessUpgrade.
* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: In ''Crystal'', Kris's personal color palette was blue-centered, while Ethan's was red-based. Through a glitch, the sprites of the characters could have their palette altered, resulting in a red Kris and blue Ethan.
* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Was not revamped for ''[=HeartGold=] and [=SoulSilver=]'', instead being replaced by Lyra.
* DependingOnTheArtist: Her hair color in some of her Gen II artwork, her VideoGame/PokemonStadium portrait, and her model in VideoGame/PokemonMasters is teal, while in her sprite in Crystal and in other official artwork it's navy blue.
* DistaffCounterpart: A possible reason why she wasn't in the [=HGSS=] series is that she's essentially just a female version of Ethan.
* GenderedOutfit: Kris wears a red top and yellow-black shorts, just like Ethan does, and even wears a hat and jacket, also like Ethan. Kris's jacket, however, is almost entirely white, which makes white the dominant color in her ensemble, unlike Ethan.
* GirlinessUpgrade:
** Marina, her AlternateSelf from ''Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries'', received a notable PaletteSwap, replacing the red and yellow of her original outfit with [[PinkMeansFeminine pink and periwinkle]] and changing the [[MasculineLinesFeminineCurves masculine lines on her shorts for feminine curves]]. Marina is also an aspiring TeenIdol, gives all her pokémon cutesy-poo nicknames, and puts on dance performances in battle. When she got TheCameo in ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesDiamondAndPearl'', she even wore a skirt.
** Downplayed in ''VideoGame/PokemonMasters'', which has made the girly elements in her original design more obvious. Kris's backpack and pokégear were always pink, but the desaturated colors of her official art made them hard to distinguish. In ''Pokemon Masters'', her first digitized appearance, Kris's color palette is much clearer, and the pink in her outfit more obvious. She also talks in a more girly fashion, like saying, "I'm tearing up," when Totodile evolves. Her hair in ''Masters'' also better matches Marina, her girlier Anime counterpart.
* GirlyRun: Kris does this in the official art for ''Crystal'' depicting her running; it returns in ''VideoGame/PokemonMasters''.
* ImprobableHairstyle: Her spiky pigtails completely defy the laws of gravity. Also in the center of her head there is an "M" formed in her hair, it is more visible with Marina but Kris still has it.
* MeaningfulName: Kris as in ''Crystal''. Her names in other languages takes the same inspirations.
* MythologyGag: ''Pokémon Masters'' she's conflicted whether she wants to continue to pursue battling, or if she wants to be a scientist. This may be a nod to both her anime counterpart who is a TeenIdol Battler and Coordinator in contrast to her manga counterpart who becomes Oak's aide and literally catches them all to complete the Pokédex for him (minus a few legendaries).
* RedOniBlueOni: Inverted in ''Crystal'', where Kris's main color palette is blue, but her opponent sprite shows her with her hands uplifted and a confident smile; Ethan's main color palette is red, but his hands are lowered and his expression subdued.
* SavvyGuyEnergeticGirl: In ''Crystal'' version, Ethan's enemy battle sprite wears a subdued, stern expression and has his hands lowered, while Kris's poses with hands upraised and wears a confidant grin. (In the original ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'', Ethan's sprite was even less energetic, with his hands stuffed into his pockets).
* SignatureMon: Averted. She's had three known counterparts in adaptations, and they've each had a different Johto starter. The closest thing we had for years in accordance with the games is Suicune, as seen in the credits to ''VideoGame/PokemonStadium 2'', but even that is most likely a reference to it being the version mascot for ''Crystal''. ''VideoGame/PokemonMasters'' finally tips the scales in favor of the Totodile line.
* TankTopTomboy: Downplayed. Kris's top under her jacket has very short sleeves, though this can only be seen in Ken Sugimori art.
* TomboyWithAGirlyStreak: Kris has a minor girly streak in the original ''Crystal'' (''e.g.'' her gear is pink), but she tends to get a GirlinessUpgrade in repeat appearances.
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl:
** In ''Crystal'', Kris was the Tomboy to Gym Leaders Whitney, Jasmine, and, surprisingly enough, Misty, whose GSC design gives her a more graceful air and lets her hair down.
** The Tomboy to Lyra's GirlyGirl--Lyra has more girly flourishes in her design, like that big bow on her hat.
** Also applies to Kris and the protagonist's mother in New Bark Town--where Kris is adventurous, active, and wears more unisex clothing, her mother is a stay-at-home mom who wears dresses and enjoys shopping.
** This can also apply to Kris and her own Anime counterpart Marina, who is visibly more girly in personality and design than Kris.
** This trope also has become a bit more loose, as Kris's GirlinessUpgrade in Masters has her acting very feminine and even has a girly way of moving and speaking.
* WaterIsWomanly: Downplayed. Her {{Signature Mon}}s Suicune and (as per ''Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonMasters'') Feraligatr are both Water-type. Her anime-AlternateSelf Marina also lightly invokes this trope through her name.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Lyra ''[-(Kotone)-]'']]
!!Lyra / Kotone (コトネ ''kotone'')
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lyra_hgss.png]]
->Voiced by: Della Saba (''VideoGame/PokemonMasters'' - EN), Creator/SayakaSenbongi (''VideoGame/PokemonMasters'' - JP)

Rather than re-using Kris for the remakes of ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'', the game designers created a new female protagonist for ''[=HeartGold=] and [=SoulSilver=]''. Lyra is a young girl who resides in New Bark Town and is just starting out as a trainer... If you're choosing her as the player character. Like most of the later games in the series, the protagonist that the player didn't choose will still show up as an NPC. In this case, she'll be a friend who shows you the ropes on catching Pokémon. She appeared in the anime as a trainer who traveled with Ash and friends for a time to promote her (then newly released) games.

Her version name is unclear, potentially Soul, Heart, or in the context of ''Adventures'' merged with Crystal.
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* AwesomeBackpack: Same as Ethan, having no limit on items it can carry, although for her it's more of a purse.
* BadassAdorable: Cute as a button, but able to beat all manner of powerful trainers, including Red.
* CurtainsMatchTheWindow: She has brown hair and eyes.
* TheDitz: NPC Lyra, during the portion of the tutorial where you learn how to catch Pokémon, will have to do so twice because she forgot to show you properly the first time.
* GirlyGirlWithATomboyStreak: She wears overalls befitting a rural, outdoorsy girl, but also has a giant hat with a ribbon and a pink Pokégear.
* GirlishPigtails: Her signature hairstyle is a pair of pigtails.
* HiddenDepths: In the "Summer Superstars" event of ''Pokémon Masters'', Lyra demonstrates a natural talent for singing rock music when she decides to roll with her Jigglypuff's new style.
* IconicItem: Her NiceHat and overalls.
* RedIsHeroic: Red hoodie, red shoes, red bow on her hat...
* SempaiKohai: [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] in ''Pokémon Masters''. She attempts to have this relationship with the player, with her acting as the former, but despite being more seasoned, she finds herself unable to adequately fulfill the role. Not that this discourages her.
* SignatureMon: Marill if she fills the NPC role. Adaptations and her Kotobukiya [=ArtFx J=] figure give her the Chikorita line, and it serves as her partner in ''Masters''.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Between wearing a GenderedOutfit derived from Ethan's and her {{Girlish Pigtail|s}} AnimeHair, Lyra bears a striking resemblance to her predecessor female protagonist Kris. This appears to be an accident, since Lyra was officially designed from scratch. Picking up on this, ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'' has Kris simply given Lyra's outfit instead of creating a new character for her. ''Pokémon Masters'' depicts them as two separate characters.
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: The Girly Girl to Kris' Tomboy.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Silver]]
!!Silver (シルバー ''shirubaa'')
[[quoteright:150:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/silver_hgss.png]]
->Voiced by: Creator/LucienDodge (''WebAnimation/PokemonGenerations'' - EN), Creator/RyotaOhsaka (''WebAnimation/PokemonGenerations'' - JP), Creator/JoeZieja (VideoGame/PokemonMasters - EN), Creator/YukiOno (''VideoGame/PokemonMasters'' - JP)

->''"I hate the weak. Pokémon, trainers. It doesn't matter who or what. I'm going to be strong and wipe out the weak. That goes for Team Rocket too. They act big and tough in a group. But get them alone, and they're weak. I hate them all. You stay out of my way. A weakling like you is only a distraction."''

TheRival in ''Gold, Silver, and Crystal''. He is a selfish thug whose first act is to steal his starting Pokémon from the Elm Research Lab. Fuelled by [[EnemyMine a hatred towards Team Rocket]], [[BloodKnight he is obsessed with growing stronger]] as quickly as possible and sees his Pokémon as mere tools to his ascent. After being defeated by Lance, Silver begins to realize the folly of this approach and slowly turns over a new leaf.

He's the only non-Kanto trainer to use his version name as his canon name as of Gen IV onward.


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* AdaptationalAttractiveness: Same as with Blue, Silver was considerably prettied-up in the remakes. He was made taller and slimmer, and his new expression is slightly less thuggish[=/=]bratty-looking.
* AmbiguouslyRelated: His hair color and hairstyle are similar to Rocket Executive Ariana's, leading some to speculate that she is his mother, but nothing is confirmed.
* ArrogantKungFuGuy: A loner that prides himself on his power and looks down on weaklings. He can back up his talk too; the Victory Road in ''Gold and Silver'' and its remakes is the only Victory Road in the series devoid of trainers. The reason? [[OneManArmy Silver defeated them all.]]
-->'''Silver''': Man, they were all spineless!
* ArtisticAge: His ''[=HeartGold=] and [=SoulSilver=]'' art makes him look more like a teenager, but he is stated to be Ethan and Lyra's age.
* BackToBackBadasses: With the player when Lance and Clair decided to challenge them to a tag battle in ''[=HeartGold=] and [=SoulSilver=]''.
* BadBoss: Towards his Pokémon pre-CharacterDevelopment.
* BerserkButton:
** Team Rocket pisses him off to no end, [[spoiler:and that's mostly because their leader is his father.]]
** His philosophy of being strong by himself puts him at odds with trainers that are weak but decide to gang up on someone. He sees them as weak, admitting they're cowards.
* {{Bishonen}}: His remake design, slightly.
* BloodKnight: He loves to battle, if just to prove his superiority over others.
* BrokenPedestal: [[spoiler: Giovanni is this to him. He used to admire his father and believed him to be the strongest person in the world until he got his ass kicked by an 11-year-old despite having gathered so many followers. This event made him resentful towards his father and triggered his journey to become strong on his own to not be weak like him.]]
* CharacterDevelopment: At first, he's by far the nastiest rival in the whole series, but by the end he's completely reformed (further highlighted by him eventually using a Crobat, a Pokémon that can only be obtained through [[ThePowerOfFriendship maxing a Golbat's happiness]]). More is added in the remakes, featuring a new double battle against Clair and Lance after his turn. Also upon visiting the Elm Pokémon Lab afterwards, you discover that he tried to return his starting Pokémon, but Elm let him keep it since the Pokémon loved him so much. Not to mention his FreudianExcuse is fully revealed and explained.
* ChildrenAreCruel: He's either abusive or borderline-abusive.
* ContinuityCameo: He appeared in the Japanese ''The Legend of Thunder'' special's intro.
* CrashIntoHello: In ''[=HeartGold=] and [=SoulSilver=]'', as a reference to [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl Barry's]] usual way of meeting you. Unfortunately, he isn't anywhere near as kind as Barry is.
* CurtainsMatchTheWindows: Only in the opening of the remakes, where for some reason he has [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]] rather than silver. Art for ''Gold'' and ''Silver'' also has him with red eyes, so the shift to silver eyes may have been last-minute.
* DefrostingIceQueen: Or king. Basically his character arc; by the end of it, he has [[TookALevelInKindness taken multiple levels in kindness]] and openly shows respect to the player, a huge shift from the cruel, harsh loner he was at the beginning of it.
* DisappearedDad: His dad up and left him when he wasn't even nine. [[spoiler:Add to the fact that his father is ''Giovanni...'']]
* DemotedToExtra: His appearance in the anime is a mere cameo in the opening.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Your first clue that he's a darker rival than Blue is the revelation that he stole his Starter Pokémon. Even before then, he shoves you away rudely when you talk to him outside Prof. Elm's lab.
* EvilRedhead: He's evil at first, but then he settles for being a noble rival.
* FieryRedhead: Quite short-tempered and haughty, though while still pretty abrasive, he does [[TookALevelInKindness get]] [[CharacterDevelopment better]] later on.
* FinalBoss: Of ''Pokémon Stadium 2''. Similarly to the FinalBoss of the first ''Stadium'', he serves as the ultimate challenge by using OlympusMons. In this case, not only does he use Mewtwo, but he also uses Ho-Oh and Lugia as well.
* FreudianExcuse:
** [[spoiler: He's Giovanni's son.]] It was first implied in ''[=FireRed=] and [=LeafGreen=]'', but for whatever reason, the outright confirmation in ''[=HeartGold=] and [=SoulSilver=]'' was edited out (a line literally translating to "I don't understand you, Dad!" dropped the "Dad" in the English version).
** His issues with strength and weakness also stem from him feeling like Team Rocket and his father were weak and fearing his own weakness. Before you head off into Victory Road, the last trainer you battle mentions Silver and notices how he has the feeling he has to win at any cost, having a deep fear of failure and being weak.
* GoodIsNotNice: Silver has developed into this by the time of his appearance in ''Masters''. He is recognized as being pure of heart, though he still detests weakness in both Pokémon and their trainers, and will threaten to leave behind any of his Pokémon should they not reach the high standards he expects of them.
* HateSink: Before his CharacterDevelopment, he's actually more the antagonist than Team Rocket! The player is pretty much meant to hate his guts early on.
-->'''Excerpt from ''Nintendo Power'' ''': What is this guy's problem? If you ask him, the problem is YOU. ... Settle your conflicts with Pokémon.
* HaughtyHmph: Much of his dialogue consists of this, befitting his arrogant personality.
* HeroicSelfDeprecation: In ''Masters', he sees himself unworthy of his friends and Pokemon's attention, and certainly not pure enough to be chosen by a legendary. Lance, and Ethan especially continue to believe in him until he's finally accepted by Ho-Oh.
* HeyYou: He never refers to the player by name during his first few encounters with them; once he starts calling them by their name, it's a clear indication that he's started to respect them.
* {{Hypocrite}}:
** Before starting your first battle with him in Cherrygrove City, Silver mocks the player for receiving their first Pokemon in Professor Elm's lab, despite how that's where he stole a Pokemon earlier.
** If you are dumb enough to attempt to capture one of his Pokemon during his battles, like all the other trainer [=NPCs=], he'll block the ball and say "hey, don't be a thief!" despite actually stealing a Pokemon himself.
* IdiotHair: In the remakes. It's no indication of his character, however.
* InferioritySuperiorityComplex: All his obsession with being strong really amounts to this. He didn't want to be weak like his father, so he strives to be a good battler.
* {{Jerkass}}: Until later in the game, when he loosens up. There are several trainers throughout the game pre-Kanto who mention the guy curb stomping them in a battle and taunting on how lame they were, and at least one even had his Pokémon stolen by him.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Becomes one later on.
* KnightOfCerebus: He is much darker than other rivals, having stolen his starter rather than being given one, forcing another trainer into handing over his Pokémon, [[spoiler: being Giovanni's son,]] and treating his Pokémon like tools rather than friends.
* {{Leitmotif}}: Whenever he approaches you in the game, his unique song plays.
* LonersAreFreaks: He does everything on his own, and is an exceptionally crude and ruthless boy. The player is probably the only human friend he has, but just that fact helps him become a much kinder person.
* MafiaPrincess: Male example and ultimately subverted--he's the son of the infamous leader of an organized crime gang, and he initially admired his father; however, he ends up defecting from both his father and his organization due to viewing them as weak.
* MeaningfulName: His name directly comes from ''Pokemon Silver Version'''s title.
* MissingMom: Unlike the player, who has a dad who is never mentioned, his mother is never mentioned ever.
* MyNameIsQuestionMarks: TropeNamer. In ''Gold and Silver'', he tells you this verbatim after your first fight.
* NoNameGiven: For years he had no known CanonName. In Gen II, fans assumed his version name "Silver," to match the version names with Red, Blue, and at the time "Gold." However as of the Gen IV remakes Gold's name became Ethan, but there was no word on if Silver's name had changed. Years later via figures and eventually ''Masters'' it was confirmed that it didn't.
* NoSocialSkills: He often has to be told when people care about him when he's at first completely dumbfounded some even like him.
* OddNameOut: He's still explicitly named after one of the Johto version namesakes, while the Johto protagonists aren't.
* OlympusMons: In ''Masters'' he partners up with Ho-Oh.
* OnlyThePureOfHeart: Despite his lineage, and his early transgressions, Silver proves himself to be [[IncorruptiblePurePureness pure of heart after all]]. ''Masters'' cements this further by having Ho-oh deem him worthy of being his trainer over ''Ethan''.
* PrivilegedRival: He's [[spoiler:the son of Giovanni, the Viridian Gym Leader who leads a double life as the boss of Team Rocket]], however, by the time of the story, he's disowned his family and is trying to be strong and independent of his father's resources and ideology.
* RecurringBoss: Again, Silver is the first trainer the player is forced to fight in Gen II, and is fought multiple times throughout the game, including at the end of Victory Road. The last forced encounter with him is in Mt. Moon.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: Has red eyes in the originals, as well as in the opening of the remakes, despite official artwork giving him silver eyes.
* TheRival: Silver ignites a bitter rivalry with the player, hoping to prove he is better than them.
* SequelEscalation: It [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness wasn't until Generation III]] that the developers decided to make TheRival a more friendly endeavor, and they were coming off the JerkAss Blue. Thus was born one of the darkest characters in the series.
* SignatureMon: As far as starters, most adaptations give him the Totodile line.
** He is also associated with Sneasel, who has the honor of being the only member of this Silver's party (besides the starter) carried over to his ''Adventures'' team. They even share a color scheme. Sneasel was also his sync partner in ''Masters'' before syncing with his legendary below:
** ''Masters'' oddly opts to give him Ho-Oh, despite his namesake invoking Lugia. He had all three ubers at the time, Lugia, Ho-Oh, and Mewtwo, in ''Stadium'' however.
* SlasherSmile: At least in ''Masters'', his grin can be unsettling.
* TheSocialDarwinist: He states he only has time for strong Pokémon, the others are worthless to him.
* SoreLoser: Despite being defeated by the player a number of times he calls you out for being ''pathetically weak''.
* SpannerInTheWorks: The infamous event where he strips the character of the Rocket disguise right before you could get the infiltration plan going is this. Unlike other examples of the trope, he soon realizes why you wore the outfit but [[{{Jerkass}} calls you pathetic for resorting to disguise before walking off]].
* StockShonenRival: Very much so. He starts out as an ArrogantKungFuGuy before mellowing out by the endgame.
* TookALevelInKindness: Resolves to be a kinder Trainer to his Pokémon after having his brutish behavior spelled out as the reason for his failures as a Trainer. This is [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration even exemplified in-game]] by having his Golbat evolve into a Crobat, which can only evolve with extreme happiness.
* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: As a result of being neglected by his father [[spoiler:Giovanni]], Silver developed an InferioritySuperiorityComplex, believing he ''has'' to win at all costs to overpower the weak, for fear of being seen as weak himself. The result is behavior that is quite disturbing for a pre-adolescent no older than the PlayerCharacter.
* {{Tsundere}}: Some of his post-CharacterDevelopment dialogue implies he's a type A.
* VitriolicBestBuds: Towards Ethan in ''Masters'', but it's somewhat one-sided as Ethan has nothing but goodwill towards him. He's either oblivious to Silver's snark, or just sees through the facade so well he doesn't feel the need to address it.
* WorthyOpponent: In ''[=HeartGold=] and [=SoulSilver=]'', it's implied that he feels this way about the PlayerCharacter.
* WouldHitAGirl:
** If you play as a girl, he'll still knock you away for confronting him peeking into Prof. Elm's Lab.
** He also shoves Clair away when she offers to team with him against Lance and the player.
[[/folder]]
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* LittleMissBadass: Both female protagonists, as usual; they take out Team Rocket, beat the Pokémon League, and even defeat Red at the ripe old age of [[VagueAge 11/12]].