Pokémon Trainer

"Take this! Triple Finish!"

- Pokémon Trainer

A Pokémon Trainer is a human that catches, trains, cares for, and battles alongside Pokémon. The player character in the Pokémon series is fittingly a Pokémon Trainer, as are most humans in the series.

Red, the player character of the Pokémon series' first generation and male player character of Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version, makes a playable appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as a default fighter and (alongside his female counterpart Leaf) in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an unlockable fighter. However, Red and Leaf are referred to simply as "Pokémon Trainer", and differ from other fighters by issuing commands to three Pokémon (Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard) to fight on their behalf.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Red, albeit known simply as "Pokémon Trainer", is the first playable Pokémon representative in the Super Smash Bros. series who is not an actual Pokémon. Though a selectable character, he is not an actual fighter, instead commanding any of his three Pokémon in the background of the stage, his team consisting of Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard. The only move the trainer performs is Pokémon Change, which allows the player to switch out his three Pokémon at will throughout the battle. He also automatically switches Pokémon whenever one is KO'd. The Pokémon also run on a stamina system that weakens them, as their stamina decreases the longer they are out on the field. Their Final Smash is Triple Finish, which has the trainer send out all three Pokémon at once to attack. In English, the Pokémon Trainer is voiced by.

Pokémon Trainer is one of the few fighters to only get five alternate costumes in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, instead of the usual six. This is also shared with fellow Pokémon representatives Lucario and Jigglypuff, as well as Sonic. One of Pokémon Trainer's alternative costumes has the same colors as another Pokémon Trainer: Brendan's outfit from Pokémon Emerald.

For unknown reasons, Pokémon Trainer's name is announced differently between the English and Japanese versions of Super Smash Bros. Brawl. This trait is shared with Fox McCloud in the original Super Smash Bros.

The Subspace Emissary
In The Subspace Emissary, he allies with Lucas, who helps him find his Charizard and Ivysaur. The two also encounter Wario and a large Subspace Army robot, Galleom. They are saved from the robot's detonation by Meta Knight, and they team up with him, Marth, and Ike afterwards. When encountering a huge Subspace Army group on the foothills of a mountain (Meta Knight has left to retake the Halberd), they are saved by Mario and his team (Link, Yoshi, Pit, and Kirby).

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, transforming during battle is omitted, so Charizard was made into a separate character, while the Pokémon Trainer, Squirtle, and Ivysaur are no longer playable. They appear as collectable trophies, however.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate


Pokémon Trainer returns as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. With the removal of the stamina system, one can play as Squirtle, Ivysaur, or Charizard for an extended period of time with no penalty. This time, a female Pokémon Trainer variant can also be used, akin to Villager, Wii Fit Trainer, Robin, Corrin and Inkling, and like them, is statistically identical to the male one. She is represented by Leaf, the female player character of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Versions. In English, Billy Bob Thompson (who also voices Greninja) voices the male Pokémon Trainer, while Kate Bristol voices the female. In Japanese, Tomoe Hanba voices the male trainer and Wakana Minami (previously known by her stage name, Wakana Kingyo) voices the female trainer. A majority of the male Pokémon Trainer's quotes are also different from Super Smash Bros. Brawl as well.

Pokémon Change


Pokémon Change is the Pokémon Trainer's down special move, and by extension the down special move of Charizard, Squirtle, and Ivysaur. The move is based on the ability for players to switch out their Pokémon mid-battle in the Pokémon series, allowing players to switch between using Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard in that order. Pokémon Change is also automatically used whenever one of the Pokémon's stamina is depleted or whenever one is KO'd. This move cannot be used immediately after respawning, or at all in midair. Status effects are also not carried over between Pokémon, though damage percentages are, and a Pokémon's stamina recharges while it is not in use.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the move is much faster, and the stamina mechanic is removed. It can also be done in midair.


 * Names in other languages

Triple Finish


Triple Finish is the Pokémon Trainer's Final Smash. The trainer sends out all three of his Pokémon to attack at the same time. Ivysaur hits with SolarBeam, a narrow beam of light that fires across the screen; Charizard with Fire Blast, a flame projectile that travels across the screen; and Squirtle with Hydro Pump, a water attack that sprays in multiple directions at close range, all of which deal continuous damage before opponents are knocked back by the final Fire Blast. If a player is too close to the team while they are attacking, they are knocked into the air rather than into the attack.

Throughout the entire attack, a text box designed after the ones in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl (in Brawl) or Pokémon Sun and Moon (in Ultimate) appears on the bottom of the screen, saying, "Take that, Triple Finish!" If the attack hits, the dialogue changes to say, "It's super effective!", referencing the type effectiveness mechanic of the Pokémon series.

Since Charizard is the only Pokémon of the three to return in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, its Final Smash has been changed to its Mega Evolution.


 * Names in other languages

Snake's codec

 * Snake: Pokémon Trainer... That's the guy giving orders behind a Pokémon, right?
 * Colonel: Right, and this Pokémon Trainer is controlling Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard. They represent water, grass, and fire, and they're all powerful.
 * Snake: So he makes his Pokémon fight while he sits back and watches. Sounds like a good deal if you ask me.
 * Colonel: It's not like that, Snake. Those Pokémon wouldn't know what to do if the Pokémon Trainer wasn't there giving orders. In every battle, there's a soldier doing the fighting, and a commander telling him what to do. By working together as a team, they accomplish much more than either could on their own. So let's do this together, partner.
 * Snake: ...Yeah... Whatever you say, Colonel.

Palutena's Guidance

 * Pit: That little twerp is bossing those Pokémon around!
 * Palutena: That's the Pokémon Trainer. Looks like you'll be fighting Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard today.
 * Viridi: All the original starters? This fighter is a fan of the classics!
 * Pit: Do you think Pokémon get claustrophobic being trapped in those little balls?
 * Palutena: I hear Poké Balls are much bigger on the inside.
 * Viridi: But what about the weak Pokémon who get left in their balls and forgotten? I mean, everyone has, like, hundreds of them in their Box.
 * Pit: Huh... I never thought about— PikaPit! NOOOOOOOO!
 * Palutena: Now, Pit, I'm sure those abandoned Pokémon are all playing together at a farm upstate.
 * Viridi: Anyway, commanding three Pokémon is really tricky. Pay attention to the trainer's patterns and tendencies, and find a way to exploit them.

Super Smash Blog bio

 * Pokémon Trainer returns with Squirtle, Ivysaur and Charizard. You can choose to play as a male or female trainer!

amiibo

 * A person who raises Pokémon™ and trains them as partners in battle. In battle, a Trainer gives orders to the Pokémon and uses items. It's not an exaggeration to say battles can be won or lost on a Trainer's single strategic move. Trainers pour their hearts into their Pokémon and share anger, sadness, and joy as they adventure in hopes of becoming Pokémon Masters.

Portrayals

 * English: Michelle Knotz (Super Smash Bros. Brawl) / Billy Bob Thompson (male; Super Smash Bros. Ultimate) / Kate Bristol (female)
 * Japanese: Tomoe Hanba (male) / Wakana Minami (female)
 * French: Virginie Demians (Super Smash Bros. Brawl) / Emilie Guillaume (male; Super Smash Bros. Ultimate) / Elisabeth Guinand (female)
 * Spanish: Isabel Navarro (Super Smash Bros. Brawl) / Rodri Martín (male; Super Smash Bros. Ultimate) / Tania Ugía (female)
 * German: Dina Kuerten (Super Smash Bros. Brawl) / Maximilian Belle (male; Super Smash Bros. Ultimate) / Lea Kalbhenn (female)
 * Italian: Francesca Giudice (Super Smash Bros. Brawl) / Tania De Domenico (male; Super Smash Bros. Ultimate) / Giada Bonanomi (female)
 * Korean: Lee Sun (Super Smash Bros. Brawl only)

Names in other languages
Pokémon-Trainer Allenatore di Pokémon