Pokémon Trainer (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)


 * This article is about Pokémon Trainer's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. For other uses, see Pokémon Trainer.

Pokémon Trainer (, Pokemon Torēnā), is a selectable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. His design is taken from the FireRed and LeafGreen versions of Pokémon. Rather than fighting directly as the trainer, the player instead controls his three Pokémon, which consist of Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard. The three Pokémon all share the same damage meter, but they have their own individual Stamina stat, which balance out the use of each Pokémon. Knocking out one of the Pokémon will make Pokémon Trainer lose a life. It is possible to choose which Pokémon the player begins the match with. By clicking on the Pokémon of the player's choice on the portrait (not the icon), the player will start with that Pokémon. Selecting Pokémon Trainer himself makes the starting monster randomly chosen.

Whichever Pokémon is currently battling will have its picture shown in the bottom of the screen, next to the damage percentage and the series logo. The picture then presumably changes when a new Pokémon is sent out. Pokémon Trainer and the Pokémon that was out during the match's end will appear together on the Results screen. Pokémon Trainer will hang his head while the Pokémon claps if he loses. If he wins the Pokémon is named as the winner, while Pokémon Trainer and his Pokémon do their victory pose together. When the current Pokémon is KO'd, the next in the Pokémon Change cycle will appear on the "halo" platform (Squirtle KO'd leads to Ivysaur, etc.).

If one of his Pokémon gets a certain item (Super Mushroom, Metal Box, etc.), the Pokémon Trainer would be unaffected by it. Contrary to some claims, this character is not Ash Ketchum from the Pokémon anime series. Masahiro Sakurai has stated that only characters originating from video games are eligible for inclusion in Brawl ' s roster. However, he is similar in appearance to Red, the main character of Pokémon (Red, Blue, Yellow, LeafGreen, FireRed). For the various voice clips that are used, a new English voice actor from the anime (Sarah Natochenny) was not in this game, despite popular belief. Michele Knots, who voices Nurse Joy, May, and characters other than Ash, was given the role.

Various accommodations are made for Pokémon Trainer in several stages. In moving stages like Halberd and Delphino Plaza, Pokémon Trainer only appears on the stationary sections. On the Bridge of Eldin, Pokémon Trainer always stays to the left, so that he never gets hit by the bomb that destroys the middle of the bridge. In Norfair, Pokémon Trainer stands on a special platform in the background that flies away when the huge lava wave is coming. Pokémon Trainer will appear on a similar background platform for any custom stage.

Role in the Subspace Emissary
After fleeing from Wario, Lucas bumps into the Pokémon Trainer, who tells him to stand back, and proceeds to take on a group of Primids with his Squirtle. After saving Lucas, he goes on his way, but Lucas follows him. As the story progresses, they developed a rather large friendship. Pokemon Trainer is searching for two Pokémon, Charizard and Ivysaur, that are identified when he shows Lucas their cards. So, he and Lucas set out to find them. Until then, Squirtle is the only choice the player can use and using Down Special will not result anything. Outside of an old temple, they survive a brief encounter with Wario. After venturing deep into the ruins to find and capture them, players will then fight a giant monster named Galleom. When the boss is defeated, it will grab both Lucas and PT after the fight, and jump up into the air, revealing an armed Subspace Bomb in its head. Lucas then uses PK Thunder to detatch the arm, and they freefall towards the ground. Before hitting the ground and narrowly escaping the Subspace explosion, Meta Knight grabs them both in-flight and takes them to Marth and Ike.

Pros:

 * Pokémon Trainer consists of three separate characters, which can be used together in conjunction to powerful effect.
 * Has a total of eleven special moves.
 * A short-hopped F-air from either Squirtle or Charizard is extremely effective and quick.
 * If Ivysaur jumps off the stage and uses an aerial to KO an opponent, its second jump and huge Tether Recovery almost always enable a safe return.
 * Charizard survives at high percentages where the others do not, allowing Pokémon Trainer longer lives if he switches at the opportune time.
 * Squirtle and Ivysaur are great for racking up damage: Squirtle with its quick aerials, and Ivysaur with its long range and devastating Bullet Seed.
 * Charizard can easily KO high-percent opponents.
 * Pokémon Change can be used to avoid certain Final Smashes (Such as Pit's and Kirby's) and remove certain Status Effects (such as the effects of a Poison Mushroom or Lip's Stick).

Cons:

 * Pokémon Change has a few frames of vulnerability at the end. It cannot be used in midair or while invincible, making it easily punishable.
 * If Ivysaur doesn't recover with its second jump, a simple Edgehog will almost always result in a KO.
 * The Trainer automatically sends out the next Pokémon in rotation when one is KO'd. If the player wants to switch to the one he/she was previously using, he/she must use Pokémon Change twice.
 * Stamina makes it so that Pokémon get significantly weaker if Pokémon Change is not used with some regularity.
 * Certain Pokémon are bad in certain situations, occasionally forcing the player to use a bad Pokémon for a situation, dealing with reduced stamina, or being punished for multiple Pokémon Changes.
 * All Pokémon have fairly obvious combos, especially Ivysaur.
 * Ivysaur and Charizard are easily juggled.
 * Charizard can't jump very high.

Stickers
Stickers for Pokémon Trainer are a bit difficult as the same stand is shared between Squirtle, Ivysaur and Charizard. [Grass] and [Water] boosting effects exist solely for Ivysaur and Squirtle's attacks respectively. Either combine [Grass], [Water] and [Flame] boosts evenly, or focus on whichever of the three Pokémon you like to use, since Stamina doesn't exist in Adventure Mode.

Trivia

 * On the Halberd if the cannon is fired in his direction, he won't be affected.
 * He will move above the pit in the Yoshi's Island (Melee) Stage when his Pokémon is on the opposite side of the pit (ex. Pokémon Trainer is on the right and his Pokémon is on the left)
 * All his Pokémon each have a new technique introduced in Brawl; Wall cling, Tether Recovery and Glide respectively to Squirtle, Ivysaur and Charizard. In addition, all but Charizard can crawl.
 * Squirtle has a much longer swim time for its damage before it "panics"; whereas Charizard "panics" immediately when in the water.
 * Several fans joke about wanting to fight the trainer himself rather than the Pokémon, while others laugh at the thought of what the Pokémon would do if their trainer were to be knocked out.
 * If Pokémon Trainer is defeated, he will remain on the stage, looking very disappointed (colloquially known as a facepalm). This is similar to some of the defeated poses in the 3D Stadium games after GameCube's Pokémon Colosseum.
 * When playing as the Pokémon Trainer, if any Pokémon take on a tired appearance in their idle pose, it’s time to swap them out for a new Pokémon. Pokémon start to look tired when they have about 30% of their stamina left, and when they are completely exhausted their attack power diminishes.
 * Players may pick their Pokémon at the start of a brawl by clicking on the portraits at the bottom of the screen for Pokémon Trainer.
 * On the Tourney mode and Adventure Mode character-selection screens, the player can toggle between character-related options using the "-" button on the Wii Remote, the left Control Stick on the Classic Controller, or "C" on the GameCube Controller or Nunchuk. This feature allows the player to choose the starting Pokémon for Pokémon Trainer. It can also be used to start a match as Zero Suit Samus or Sheik.
 * If a player stands in one spot, Pokémon Trainer moves back a little for no apparent reason.
 * When Pokémon Change is used, Pokémon Trainer's Poké Balls are smaller than the item Poké Balls.
 * One of his Pokémon, Charizard, is notable for being the only Pokémon so far to have come from being a Pokémon summoned from a Poké Ball to a playable character.
 * When Pokémon Change is used, what Pokémon Trainer says depends on how many KOs the Pokémon have caused. From 0-2 KOs, he will say "Get back!" From 3-5 KOs, he will say "Good job!" From 6 KOs and up, he will say "Amazing job!"
 * Pokémon Trainer's green costume gives him a color scheme resembling the outfit worn by the male protagonist of the Emerald version of Pokémon Advance.
 * Pokémon Trainer wears a VS. Seeker.
 * Along with Diddy Kong, Ice Climbers, and Jigglypuff, the Pokemon Trainer (himself; not the Pokemon) is one of the only characters to have a unique "Defeated/No Contest" pose different from the traditional hand clapping, with him tilting his hat down to cover his face, looking down in shame. His Pokemon, however, clap their hands as their "Defeated/No Contest" pose.