Karen
カリン Karin
HeartGold SoulSilver Karen.png
Art from HeartGold and SoulSilver
Age 25*
Gender Female
Eye color Silvery-blue
Hair color Silvery-blue
Hometown Unknown
Region Kanto or Johto
Trainer class Elite Four
Generation II, IV
Games Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver, Stadium 2
Elite Four of Indigo Plateau
Specializes in Dark types

Karen (Japanese: カリン Karin) is a Master Dark-type Trainer and member of the Johto Elite Four.

In the games

In the Generation II and IV games, Karen is the fourth and final member of the Elite Four. She must be defeated before facing Lance, the Pokémon Champion.

Karen prefers Dark-type Pokémon because she likes the bad-boy image and dark power they portray.

Pokémon

This listing is for Karen's Pokémon in the video games in which she has appeared.

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal



Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

First battle



Second battle



Pokémon Stadium 2

Round 1



Round 2



Quotes

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

  • Before battle
"I am Karen of the Elite Four. You're <player>? How amusing. I love Dark-type Pokémon. I find their wild, tough image to be so appealing. And they're so strong. Think you can take them? Just try to entertain me. Let's go."
  • When defeated
"Well, aren't you good. I like that in a Trainer."
  • After being defeated
"Strong Pokémon. Weak Pokémon. That is only the selfish perception of people. Truly skilled trainers should try to win with their favorites. I like your style. You understand what's important. Go on—the Champion is waiting."

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

  • Before battle
"I am Karen of the Elite Four. You're <player>? How amusing. I love Dark-type Pokémon. I'm known for my overpowering tactics. Think you can take them? Just try to entertain me. Let's go."
  • After sending out last Pokémon
"This is far from being backed into a corner!"
  • When last Pokémon is at critical health
"You're no ordinary Trainer to have gotten this far."
  • When defeated
"Well, aren't you good. I like that in a Trainer."
  • After being defeated
"Strong Pokémon. Weak Pokémon. That is only the selfish perception of people. Truly skilled Trainers should try to win with the Pokémon they love best. I like your style. You understand what's important. Go on—the Champion is waiting."

Artwork

 
Headshot from
Generation II

Sprites

           
Karen's sprite from
Generation II
Karen's sprite from
Generation IV
Karen's VS sprite from
Generation IV
Karen's overworld sprite from
Generation II
Karen's overworld sprite from
Generation IV
Karen's portrait from
Pokémon Stadium 2

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

File:HGSS Elite Four Adventures.png
Karen and the Elite Four in Pokémon Adventures

Karen, along with Will, Green, Silver, Sham, and Carl, is one of the children kidnapped by the Masked Man and raised to be his servants. Karen was one of the leaders of the new Team Rocket formed in Johto. Unlike Silver and Green, she and Will were willing members of the evil man's cohorts, having been inducted as one of his followers at the age of eleven, and continuously trained. They expected a surefire victory against Green, which seemed feasible with Ho-Oh and Lugia under their command. However, with the resistance of Green and her friends Red and Blue each commanding one of the legendary birds of Kanto, and the help of many other Pokémon sent from all across Johto and Kanto, Ho-Oh and Lugia were freed. Karen then fled with Will.

After the Masked Man was defeated, Karen formed an alliance with Bruno, Will, and Koga; the four of them are all ex-members of various criminal organizations. They later reappear in the HeartGold & SoulSilver arc as the new official Elite Four of Johto.

Pokémon

This listing is of Karen's Pokémon in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

 

 
Eevee → Umbreon
Karen's Umbreon is the cornerstone of her team. It was called out to battle Green's Snubbull. During the battle, it was shown to be very tough as it was able to stop a Bite attack. It was knocked back by a Take Down along with Charm.

In a flashback of Escape, it was revealed that her Umbreon evolved from an Eevee given to her by the Masked Man.

Umbreon's known moves are Faint Attack, Moonlight, and Bite.

Debut The Last Battle VII
 
Murkrow (×2)
Karen used these two Murkrow for mostly flight support after the battle with the Masked Man was over.

None of Murkrow's moves are known.

Debut The Last Battle VII
 
Meowth
Meowth was seen in Silver's flashback when the Masked Man was telling Green why he had taken them. Karen was eleven when she had Meowth.

None of Meowth's moves are known.

Debut Rebelliant Carr
 
Houndoom
Karen's Houndoom first appeared when the Johto Elite Four were together before performing in the Pokéathlon.

None of Houndoom's moves are known.

Debut VS Aipom

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga

 
Karen in the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga

Red encounters Karen in A Challenge to the Elite Four! as part of the newly reformed Elite Four. Her role in this manga is similar to Lance's in the Generation II games and the remakes where she was the last one fought as Lance himself was absent.

When Red arrived in the Pokémon League, Will, Koga and Bruno fell from the Elite Four Tower, seemly defeated by Karen. Red ask them what happened, but Koga ask him to ask Karen herself. Red manages to get to the top and finds Karen, along with her's, Koga's, Bruno's and Will's Pokémon. Red asked Karen what happened between her and the rest of the Elite Four, but Karen say it is non of his business. However, with her teamates' Pokémon, Red is outnumbered. Clefairy then takes out a giant sieve to "sieve" out the opponents, leaving behind only Karen's Umbreon. Umbreon proves to be a tough opponent, but Clefairy sucessed in beating it.

After her defeat, Karen reveals to Red what actually happened. The Elite Four are exhausted from training, thus Karen decided to tell them a joke. After Karen shares the same joke to Red and his Pokémon, only Clefairy finds it funny and laugh, while Red and his other Pokémon fell down at the dumb joke. Apparently, Will, Koga and Bruno also fell down the building after hearing her dumb joke.

Pokémon

 
Vileplume
Vileplume was one of the Pokémon that was "sieved" by Clefairy.

None of Vileplume's moves are known.

Debut A Challenge to the Elite Four!
 
Gengar
Gengar was one of the Pokémon that was "sieved" by Clefairy.

None of Gengar's moves are known.

Debut A Challenge to the Elite Four!
 
Umbreon
Umbreon is the Pokémon that Clefairy battle with. In the first part of the battle, Clefairy treated it as a dog by showing Umbreon to some chicken, in which Umbreon liked. Later, Umbreon's Sand-Attack and Mean Look put Clefairy at a disadvantage. Tyrogue pointed out to a bright sun in which Clefairy can use to win. Clefairy uses Light Screen so that the sun's ray can reflect it and turns it into SolarBeam, which defeated Umbreon.

Umbreon's known moves are Sand-Attack and Mean Look.

Debut A Challenge to the Elite Four!

In the TCG

This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Karen or her Pokémon in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Karen's Pokémon
Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format.
Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
Card Type English
Expansion
Rarity # Japanese
Expansion
Rarity #
Karen's Rapidash   Tyranitar Half Deck     Pokémon VS   087/141
Karen's Magmar         Pokémon VS   088/141
Karen's Flareon         Pokémon VS   089/141
Karen's Tyranitar         Pokémon VS   090/141
Karen's Umbreon         Pokémon VS   091/141
Karen's Houndoom         Pokémon VS   092/141
Other related cards
Card Type English
Expansion
Rarity # Japanese
Expansion
Rarity #
Karen's TM 01 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   125/141
Karen's TM 02 T [TM]       Pokémon VS   126/141
 


Trivia

  • In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Karen is the only member of the Elite Four who uses a different final Pokémon from the first match. In her case, she replaces Houndoom with Umbreon, though Houndoom is still present.
  • In her rematch in HeartGold and SoulSilver, Karen is the only member of the Elite Four who does not use a Pokémon from a three-stage evolutionary line.
    • She also is the only Johto Elite Four member who uses Pokémon which do not evolve in their rematch.
  • Of the three current notable Dark-type specialists (Sidney, Grimsley and herself), she is the only one who is female.
  • Karen is the only Elite Four member in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver that uses more than one Pokémon that are not of her specialty type and have no moves of her specialty type, being Gengar and Vileplume.

Names

Language Name Origin
Japanese カリン Karin From 花梨 karin (Burmese rosewood) or 榠樝 karin (Chinese quince)
English, Italian Karen Similar to Japanese name. Also contains the last five letters of 'darken'.
French Marion Contains the word noir (black) backwards.
German Melanie From the ancient Greek word μέλας melas (black, dark). Also similar to Melancholie (melancholia).
Spanish Karen Similar to Japanese name.
Morgana* From Morgan le Fay.
Korean 카렌 Karen Similar to Japanese name.
Chinese (Taiwan) 梨花 Líhuā From 花梨 Karin, with the characters reversed.
Chinese (Mainland China) 梨林 Lílín Possibly from 花梨 karin and 花林 karin.



Members of Team Rocket
Bosses:

Giovanni (animeAdventuresPocket MonstersMasters)
Madame Boss (anime only) • Masked Man (Adventures only)

Executives:

Archer (Masters) • Ariana (Masters) • Petrel (Masters) • Proton (Masters)
Anime only: Iron-Masked Marauder
Adventures only: CarlShamWill (former) • Karen (former)
Golden Boys only: Grey

Trios:
 

Jessie (Masters), James (Masters), & Meowth (JJM)
Koga, Lt. Surge, & Sabrina (Triad) (Adventures only; former)
Ken, Al, & Harry (TRET) (Adventures only)
Carr, Sird (former), & Orm (T3B) (Adventures only)

Duos:

Anime only: Butch & Cassidy (former) • Attila & HunAnnie & Oakley (dub only)

Scientists

Gideon
Anime only: Dr. FujiDr. NambaSebastianDr. Zager
Adventures only: Blaine (former)

Others: 

GruntsRocket BrothersRBYFRLG/Rocket SistersPE
Anime only: DominoRocket ScoutWendyTysonJubeiViper
Christopher (former) • Matori (Matori Matrix) • PierceGozu
Radio drama only: MiyamotoMondo
How I Became a Pokémon Card only: Kaede


Indigo League
Generations I, III, and VII
 
Elite Four
Lorelei
 
Elite Four
Bruno
 
Elite Four
Agatha
 
Elite Four
Lance
   
Champion
Blue Trace
Generations II and IV
 
Elite Four
Will
 
Elite Four
Koga
 
Elite Four
Bruno
 
Elite Four
Karen
 
Champion
Lance


  This game character article is part of Project CharacterDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in the Pokémon games.