Elite Four
The Elite Four (Japanese: 四天王 The Big Four, lit. Four Heavenly Kings) are four Pokémon Trainers who are regarded as the toughest in their regional Pokémon League, short of the Pokémon League Champion. Those who challenge the Elite Four must have won all eight Badges from that region and face all four and the current Champion consecutively without losing to any of them.
One group resides at the Indigo Plateau in Kanto and are considered the best Trainers in both Kanto and Johto, another is located in Ever Grande City in Hoenn, another is located on Mount Lanakila in Alola and three more reside at Pokémon Leagues in Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos.
In the games, they employ the use of strong healing items in battle.
Indigo Elite Four
At the Indigo Plateau — the site of the Pokémon League in Kanto and Johto — the Elite Four must be battled in a fixed order.
Generations I and III
In the Generation I games Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow (Pokémon Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow in Japan) and the Generation III games Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, the Elite Four at Indigo Plateau consists of:
| Member Japanese |
Type | Teams | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generation I | Generation III | |||
| After Kanto | After Sevii | |||
 Lorelei カンナ Kanna |
Ice |     
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 Bruno シバ Siba |
Fighting |    
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 Agatha キクコ Kikuko |
Ghost |    
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 Lance ワタル Wataru |
Dragon |    
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Generations II and IV
In the Generation II games Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal and the Generation IV games Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the Elite Four at Indigo Plateau consists of:
| Member Japanese |
Type | Teams | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generation II | Generation IV | |||
| After 8 Badges | After 16 Badges | |||
 Will イツキ Itsuki |
Psychic |  
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 Koga キョウ Kyō |
Poison |    
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 Bruno シバ Siba |
Fighting | 
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 Karen カリン Karin |
Dark |    
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Hoenn Elite Four
In Hoenn, the Elite Four must be battled in a fixed order. In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald and Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the Elite Four at Ever Grande City consists of:
| Member Japanese |
Type | Teams | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruby | Sapphire | Emerald | Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire | |||
| Initial | Rematch | |||||
 Sidney カゲツ Kagetsu |
Dark |    
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 Phoebe フヨウ Fuyō |
Ghost |   
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 Glacia プリム Prim |
Ice |   
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 Drake ゲンジ Genji |
Dragon |    
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Sinnoh Elite Four
In Sinnoh, the Elite Four must be battled in a fixed order. In Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, the Elite Four at the Sinnoh Pokémon League consists of:
| Member Japanese |
Type | Teams | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond | Pearl | Platinum | ||
 Aaron リョウ Ryou |
Bug |     
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 Bertha キクノ Kikuno |
Ground |     
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 Flint オーバ Ōba |
Fire |   
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 Lucian ゴヨウ Goyō |
Psychic |    
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Unova Elite Four
In Unova, the Elite Four may be challenged in any order. In Black, White, Black 2, and White 2, the Elite Four at the Unova Pokémon League consists of:
| Member Japanese |
Type | Teams | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black and White | Black 2 and White 2 | |||
| Easy/Normal | Challenge | |||
 Shauntal シキミ Shikimi |
Ghost |   
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 Marshal レンブ Renbu |
Fighting |    
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 Grimsley ギーマ Giima |
Dark |   
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 Caitlin カトレア Cattleya |
Psychic |    
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Kalos Elite Four
In Kalos, the Elite Four may be challenged in any order. In Pokémon X and Y, the Elite Four at the Kalos Pokémon League consists of:
| Member Japanese |
Type | Teams | |
|---|---|---|---|
| X | Y | ||
 Malva パキラ Pachira |
Fire |   
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 Siebold ズミ Zumi |
Water |   
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 Wikstrom ガンピ Gampi |
Steel |   
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 Drasna ドラセナ Dracaena |
Dragon |  
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Alola Elite Four
In Alola, the Elite Four may be challenged in any order. All Elite Four members use Ultra Balls to store their Pokémon. In Pokémon Sun and Moon, the Elite Four at the Alola Pokémon League consists of:
| Member Japanese |
Type | Teams | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | Moon | ||
 Hala ハラ Hala |
Fighting |    
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 Olivia ライチ Lychee |
Rock |    
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 Acerola アセロラ Acerola |
Ghost |  
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 Kahili カヒリ Kahili |
Flying |   
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In the anime
In the main series
In the Pokémon anime, Ash and his friends infrequently meet the members of the Elite Four, who then impart them with battle strategies. So far, Ash has encountered the complete Kanto group:
- Lorelei in The Mandarin Island Miss Match (named 'Prima' in the English dub)
- Bruno in To Master the Onixpected
- Agatha in The Scheme Team (acting as a temporary Gym Leader for the Viridian Gym)
- Lance in Talkin' 'Bout an Evolution (mentioned to be the Champion rather than a regular member of the Elite Four)
From Hoenn, Ash has met:
- Drake appeared in Vanity Affair, in which he invited Ash and his friends to his boat, where he had a battle with Ash.
Ash has also met the entire Sinnoh Elite Four as well:
- Lucian first appeared in An Elite Meet and Greet!, in which he had a battle with Dawn, using his Bronzong against her Buizel.
- Aaron made his debut in A Trainer and Child Reunion!, in which he was seen training to challenge Cynthia.
- Flint debuted in Flint Sparks the Fire!, in which he had a battle with Ash, using his Infernape against his Pikachu.
- Bertha appeared in An Elite Coverup!, in which she taught Ash and Dawn how observation skills can be useful in battles and Pokémon Contests.
In Unova, Ash has met:
- Caitlin appeared in Jostling for the Junior Cup!, in which she faced off against Cynthia during an exhibition match of the Pokémon World Tournament Junior Cup.
In Kalos, Ash has only met Malva, although two other Elite Four members have appeared as well:
- Siebold appeared in Mega Evolution Special I, where he used his Mega Blastoise to battle Alain and his Mega Charizard X.
- Wikstrom debuted in Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction, in which he was seen battling Diantha, using his Mega Scizor against her Mega Gardevoir.
- Malva first appeared in Cloudy Fate, Bright Future! in a video transmission. Ash didn't meet her until A League of His Own!, in which he was interviewed by her.
It has been stated by Lucian in An Elite Meet and Greet! that when a Trainer wins their respective region's Conference Tournament, they can participate in the Champion League, fighting the four members of that region's Elite Four, and then possibly the Champion as well. It has also been shown that an Elite Four member can challenge the Champion and obtain the title from him or her in battle.
In Pokémon Origins
The members of the Kanto Elite Four made brief appearances in the episode File 4: Charizard of Pokémon Origins. Red was shown defeating all four members, allowing him to move on to face the Pokémon League Champion, Blue.
In Pokémon Generations
The members of the Kanto Elite Four made appearances in the episode The Challenger of Pokémon Generations. Blue was shown defeating all four members, allowing him to become the Pokémon League Champion. Later in the episode Red defeated them as well.
In the manga
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In the Pokémon Adventures manga
The Kanto Elite Four, consisting of Lorelei, Bruno, Lance and Agatha, made their debut in A Charizard...and a Champion watching the final battle between Red and Blue before serving as the primary antagonists for the Yellow arc of the manga. They are each said to be so powerful that triad leaders of Team Rocket, Koga, Lt. Surge, and Sabrina all had to (begrudgingly) team up with the protagonists and Blaine to take just a single one of them.
The Johto Elite Four is formed at the end of the Gold, Silver & Crystal arc. It consists of accomplished Pokémon Trainers that were formerly part of criminal organizations, who would eventually rise as the official Elite Four of Indigo Plateau. Will, Bruno, Karen, and Koga united to train together after they were no longer being controlled. They reappeared in the HeartGold & SoulSilver arc participating on the Pokéathlon and later fighting against Lance's Dragonite.
The Hoenn Elite Four, consisting of Sidney, Phoebe, Glacia and Drake, made an appearance in the Ruby & Sapphire arc, helping to find and catch the legendary titans in order to contain the massive surge of energy created by the clash of Kyogre and Groudon alongside Steven and Wallace, their two regional Champions. It is also during the Hoenn Elite Four's appearance that the challenge of the Elite Four and Champion was mentioned as having replaced a knockout tournament to determine the best Trainer in the region.
The first Sinnoh Elite Four member to debut in the series was Flint, who made a cameo appearance in the last round of the Diamond & Pearl arc. Aaron, Bertha and Lucian appeared in the Platinum arc, where they were enlisted by the Pokémon Association Chairman to decode the ancient writings in Charon's memobook.
The Unova Elite Four first appeared in the Black & White arc as Black cites them during his daily pledge. However, they haven't appeared to the main characters as a group yet. Besides Caitlin, who already appeared in the Platinum chapter, Grimsley meets Black, Shauntal meets White, and Marshal meets both on different occasions. All four converge for the duration of the Unova League tournament that would have determined the Trainer that would challenge them.
The first Kalos Elite Four member to appear is Malva, who appeared in person in X & Y arc. Drasna, Wikstrom, and Siebold were mentioned by Diantha during her conversation with Gurkinn and Korrina. Siebold later appeared in the Lost Hotel, cooking a meal for X and Y's friends, as a way of apologizing for his lack of participation against Team Flare. Wikstrom and Drasna later appeared in person, assissting X and Y's group in their quest to stop Team Flare. Drasna gave them information about Zygarde and Wikstrom used his Probopass to guide them to Team Flare's hideout.
In the Pokémon Zensho manga
The Kanto Elite Four members appeared in Indigo Plateau, where all of them were defeated by Satoshi, allowing him to face the Champion, Shigeru.
Trivia
- In the Kanto-based games, every Elite Four member has at least one Pokémon not of their specialty type during the first battle.
- The Kalos Elite Four members are the only ones that don't have higher level Pokémon in future rematches with them in any game.
- Additionally, they are the only ones who use just four Pokémon in rematches with them. All other Elite Four members use either five or six Pokémon during rematches.
- Prior to Generation V, the Elite Four typically progressed in level with their Pokémon in the games. Starting in Generation V, all members of the Elite Four (except in remakes) use Pokémon of the same levels, as they can be challenged in any order.
- The Sinnoh Elite Four and Generation I Elite Four are the only Elite Four of which all members have appeared in the anime.
- Pokémon Puzzle League features its own Elite Four: Ritchie, Lorelei, Bruno, and Gary. Gary serves as the leader of the Elite Four and the Puzzle League Champion.
- The Alola Elite Four is the only Elite Four with more female members than male ones.
In other languages
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See also
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The Pokémon League |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Participation Trainer • Battle • Gym Leaders Gyms • Badges • Referee Championship matches Elite Four • Orange League Champion League Pokémon League Conferences Indigo • Silver • Ever Grande • Lily of the Valley Vertress • Lumiose • Manalo |
Regional Pokémon Leagues Indigo • Orange* • Johto • Hoenn • Sinnoh Unova • Kalos • Alola • Galar • Paldea Areas of jurisdiction Pokémon League Reception Gate • Hall of Fame Palace of Victory • Cerulean Cave Others Pokémon Association • PIA World Coronation Series (Masters Eight Tournament) | ||
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This Trainer Class article is part of Project CharacterDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in the Pokémon games. |