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Volo

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Volo
ウォロ Volo
Legends Arceus Volo.png
Art from Legends: Arceus
Age Unknown
Gender Male
Height 6'3" (190 cm)[1]
Eye color Gray
Hair color Blonde
Hometown Unknown
Region Hisui
Trainer class Ginkgo Guild Member,
Pokémon Wielder
Generation VIII
Games Legends: Arceus
Member of Ginkgo Guild
Rank Member
Animated series Pokémon: Hisuian Snow
Debut Fiery Reflections in Snow
English voice actor N/A
Japanese voice actor N/A

Volo (Japanese: ウォロ Volo) is one of the Ginkgo Guild merchants and a worshiper of Arceus. He is the only character in the games to have the Trainer classes Ginkgo Guild Member (Japanese: イチョウしょうかい Ginkgo Merchant Guild) and Pokémon Wielder (Japanese: ポケモンつかい Pokémon User).

He bears a striking resemblance to Cynthia and Cogita, but the relationship between them, if any, is unknown.

In the core series games

201
Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
201

Character profile

Volo is a worker of Ginkgo Guild that the player may meet over the course of Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Despite this, he often appears traveling alone, giving the player items and advice on how catch or battle certain Pokémon, such as teaching them how to use the back-strike while using Poké Balls. Volo often appears to be in jubilee and excitement, taking interest in the player. He has a sense of curiosity, being interested in the lore and myths that may be found around the Hisui region, including the plates held by the special and Legendary Pokémon around the region.

Despite his appearance, his niceness is nothing more than a facade, showing a malicious yet clever side, hiding their true feelings and appearance. Volo appears to have a huge distaste and grudge for the player, wishing that Giratina's space-time rift had never brought them to Hisui. His interest in mythology and Arceus had created an intense self-commitment to meet the Mythical Pokémon and over throw it, wanting to create a universe anew.

Volo is skilled in Pokémon battles, often challenging the player. He is one of two people to have the most available Pokémon at once in traditional battle, the other being Ingo. He can read the glyphs and wall markings left by the Celestica people. Cogita had taught the man about Hisui's history and mythology, to which he returns back to often at the Ancient Retreat.

Appearance

Volo is a tall blonde man who stands at the height of 6'3" (190 cm). He bears a striking resemblance to both Cynthia and Cogita, which his outfits, hair color and eye color resembling either of the two. Volo has long blonde hair that cascades over left eye. His hair is often tied up in a bun that rests in the back of his head, but when he is not wearing his Ginkgo Guild uniform, this bun is untied making his hair resemble that of the Pokémon Arceus. He has thin eyebrows, and his gray eyes are also thin and small and end in a single thick eyelash.

Volo's Ginkgo Guild uniform is largely blue, with yellow and white accents. His top is all blue, ending in puffy furred cuffs around the sleeve and collar ends. Despite the coloring, the design pays homage to Cynthia's long coat and scarf. On the front, Volo wears a white apron and connects to his belt from around his neck and back. This apron reaches down towards his knees in the front, ending in six circular yellow spots. The apron's chest shows the Ginkgo Guild's logo. A brown belt with a silver buckle on the fron wraps around his waist holding up his blue pants. These pants are puffy at the knees and are tucked away inside his large and brown rounded boots. Volo wears a furred yellow and blue hat. Volo is always carrying around a large brown backpack filled with multiple merchandise and wares to sell to travelers around the region.

At the Temple of Sinnoh, Volo removes his Ginkgo Guild uniform, appearing in more religious-looking garb, resembling Arceus. The pupils of his gray eyes are smaller. He wears a thin white shirt with shorter sleeves and the hem flows down to his right hip. The shirt's collar is golden with the decoration going over his right shoulder. His left shoulder has its own decoration, with a clothing graduating towards yellow hangs down over the sleeve. A Golden belt wraps around Volo's waist with two decorative pieces pointing downward resembling Arceus' wheel-like appendages. Volo wears bright green pant tucked into his sandals at the knees. These open-toed sandals are golden all the way around, including the soles and makes several open cross-hatches down to his ankles. Volo wears two golden cuffs around his wrists, with a single "spike" stretching up against his forearms. He wears a necklace with a gray tear-drop ornament hanging from the middle, resembling Cynthia's coat zipper and Cogita's dress decoration.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Website blurb: "Volo, one of the Ginkgo Guild’s merchants, is often to be found wandering the Hisui region. He has a tendency to cross paths with you no matter where you travel. He’s got a boundless sense of curiosity and is always interested in unusual finds and unusual people."

Volo is first met in Pokémon Legends: Arceus after the player gets their starter. Upon leaving the village Volo will offer to battle with his Togepi and reward the player with five Potions for their victory. During the player's mission to meet Mai from Fieldlands Camp, Volo appears to tell the player about Back Strikes and how to use them in Pokémon capturing and battle. Later, when the player is about to leave Jubilife Village in order to calm Lord Kleavor, Volo arrives to wish the player good luck, prays they used Back Strike right, and gives them Super Potions. After calming down the first Noble Pokémon, Volo greets the player upon their return to the village and asks to see the two Plates the player obtained from Wyrdeer and Kleavor, respectively.

Volo makes minor appearances throughout the game, delivering items to others as part of the Ginkgo Guild and encouraging the player's efforts to complete the Pokédex.

When Kamado exiles the player from Jubilife Village, Volo seeks them out and offers his aid. He brings the player to the Ancient Retreat and introduces them to Cogita, a descendant of the Celestica people who has been teaching Volo the mythology of Hisui. Volo accompanies the player to Lake Verity, Lake Valor, and Lake Acuity as they follow Cogita's advice to seek out the Red Chain. He also takes up temporary residence at the Ancient Retreat, offering to sell the player items due to their inability to access Choy's shop in the village. Once the Red Chain is assembled, Volo — eager for a chance to see history unfold — follows the player to the Temple of Sinnoh on their mission to prevent Kamado from attacking Dialga/Palkia in a misguided attempt to close the space-time rift. He again sells items just before the final ascent to the temple.

After Origin Forme Dialga/Palkia is captured, Volo enlists the player for a mission to locate the remaining Plates. He splits up with the player to conduct his own research while the player seeks out various Legendary Pokémon and assembles the missing Plates. They later meet up at the Ancient Retreat again, where they discover that Cogita possessed one of the Plates all along, using it as a cutting board while unaware of its true significance. With only the Spooky Plate remaining, Volo asks the player to meet him at the Celestica Ruins. There, he muses about the existence of a Pokémon that could equal Dialga and Palkia, yet was banished to a world on the opposite side of the real one, named Giratina. He grows excited and begins to lose his composure at the thought of how close to uncovering the truth about Hisui's mythology he is. Expressing frustration at the state of the world, he explains that he always sought answers when he faced difficulty in his life and asks the player where a creature like Giratina that wants to fight Arceus might appear, deducing that it would be the Temple of Sinnoh.

At the temple, Volo observes that it is now ruined, turned into a site where "pillars now turned into spears stab into the heavens". Dropping his false persona, Volo confesses that in order to meet Arceus, he contacted Giratina and had it tear open the space-time rift, which directly caused the Noble Pokémon to rampage and led to the player's arrival in Hisui. He discards his Ginkgo Guild uniform and reveals that he possessed the Spooky Plate all along, demanding that the player hand over the rest so that he may meet and subjugate Arceus, then use its power to destroy and recreate the world. Although he offers the player a chance to stop him by defeating him in battle, he adds that he will not hesitate to use force to collect the Plates for himself. After a long, difficult battle, Volo angrily lashes out at the player, furious that they seemingly arrived from the space-time rift solely to get in his way. However, he excitedly notes the creeping presence of an eldritch being arriving at the ruined temple. Giratina emerges from a portal, and Volo takes control of it, commanding it to strike the player down. A battle against Giratina ensues, but just as it is seemingly defeated, it unleashes its true strength and transforms into its Origin Forme.

When Giratina finally falls in battle, it reverts into its Altered Forme and flees, causing Volo to fully lose his composure. Denouncing Giratina for fleeing from a human, he cries out in vain to Arceus, desperate to know what qualities it sees him as lacking, and wondering if his defeat means the world does not need to be remade. Volo surrenders the Spooky Plate to the player, telling them that his story ended when he was defeated by them. However, when the player's Celestica Flute transforms into the Azure Flute, Volo realizes Arceus has chosen the player over him and lashes out again, refusing to stay and watch as they realize his dream of meeting Arceus. Before departing, Volo swears that he will discover all of Hisui's mythological secrets and conquer Arceus, no matter how many years, decades, or centuries it takes him.

He is not seen again for the rest of the game. However, Professor Laventon later reveals that Volo visited him to encourage him to finish work on the Pokédex as well as telling him that Giratina had a change of heart after losing to the player and tells him that it would likely be the last time they would ever meet.

Pokémon

Pokémon Legends: Arceus

First battle



Second battle



Third battle

Volo summons Giratina in its Altered Forme immediately after his main team is defeated. Experience is awarded for battling his main team before Volo summons Giratina, but the player is not given a chance to heal. If the player is defeated by Giratina, they must also battle Volo's initial team again. During this battle, Giratina is filled with terrible might (Japanese: すさまじい力 Tremendous Strength), which boosts all of its stats and causes it to take reduced indirect damage (such as from poison and splinters). Upon being defeated, Giratina changes into its Origin Forme and heals itself completely, effectively making the second part of the battle against two Pokémon, and the entire battle against eight.

Part 1



Part 2



In the spin-off games

Pokémon Masters EX

In the Together in an Unknown Land story event in Pokémon Masters EX, while he's never mentioned by name, Rei initially mistakes Cynthia for Volo.

Quotes

Main article: Volo/Quotes

In the anime

Pokémon: Hisuian Snow

Volo makes a cameo appearance in Fiery Reflections in Snow. He is talking to another Ginkgo Guild member at Prelude Beach's docks.

In the TCG

Full Art print of Volo
Main article: Volo (Lost Origin 169)

Volo was introduced as a Supporter card in the Pokémon Trading Card Game during the English Sword & Shield Series (the Japanese Sword & Shield Era). It was first released in the Japanese Dark Phantasma subset and the English Lost Origin expansion, with artwork by kirisAki. It was also released as a Full Art card and Secret card in the same Japanese and English expansions, with artwork by the same artist. It allows the player to discard one of their Benched Pokémon V and all attached cards.

Gallery

Artwork

Volo concept art.jpg
Concept art from Legends: Arceus

Merchandise Art

Hisui Days Merch 1 Hitoshi Ariga.jpg Pokemon Trainers Volo Plush Icon.png
Hisui Days key art by Hitoshi Ariga Pokémon Trainers merchandise line plush artwork

Music

Music related to Volo are arrangements of Cynthia's music from past Pokémon games.

Games Location Song name Composition Arrangement
 LA  Battling Volo at Jubilife Village
and the Solaceon Ruins 		Battle! (Pokémon Wielder)* Junichi Masuda[2] Unknown
When Volo reveals his
true intentions
at the Temple of Sinnoh 		Volo* Junichi Masuda[2] Unknown
Battling Volo at
the Temple of Sinnoh 		Battle! (Volo)* Junichi Masuda[2]
Go Ichinose[2] 		Unknown
As Volo calls forth Giratina Giratina Appears!* Hitomi Sato[3] Unknown
Battling Volo's
Altered Forme Giratina 		Battle! (Legendary Pokémon)* Junichi Masuda[2] Unknown
After Volo's Giratina
becomes its Origin Forme 		Battle! (Giratina's Revival)* Junichi Masuda[3]
Go Ichinose[3] 		Unknown
Song names marked with an asterisk are unofficial, as they have not received a soundtrack release.

Trivia

  • Volo shares many similarities to Cynthia:
    • Mission 20, where the player must meet up with Volo, is called The Researcher of Myths, a title by which Cynthia also refers to herself.
    • In his final battle, Volo wears a necklace with a teardrop-shaped ornament that resembles the ornament on Cynthia's coat.
    • In the final battle against him, Volo shares five Pokémon with Cynthia's Pokémon Platinum team: Spiritomb, Garchomp, Togekiss, Roserade, and Lucario. Like Cynthia, Volo will always begin the battle by sending out Spiritomb.
      • The only Pokémon that Volo does not use from said team is Milotic, as it is not present in Legends: Arceus. He instead uses Hisuian Arcanine.
    • The music that plays before Volo's final battle begins is an arrangement of Cynthia's battle theme. His final battle theme is an arrangement of Cynthia's encounter and battle themes.
    • After his final battle, Volo vows to meet Arceus, and in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Cynthia meets Arceus during the Sinjoh Ruins event.
  • Volo is the first main antagonist of a core series game to not be affiliated with a villainous team or equivalent organization, as the Ginkgo Guild does not have any role in his scheme and his only allies are Giratina and his own Pokémon.
  • Volo's claim that he is willing to even take centuries to locate and conquer Arceus, and his goal to subjugate Arceus in order to create a peaceful new world, is similar to Team Galactic and their ambitions. In Platinum, Cyrus's plans to accomplish this goal using Dialga and Palkia are disrupted by the intervention of Giratina, Volo's ally in the past.
  • Volo's appearance once he removes his Ginkgo Guild uniform makes a number of references to Arceus.
    • His hair is styled after Arceus's head.
    • He wears golden accessories reminiscent of Arceus's own markings.
    • He dons clothing called a chiton similar to that worn by ancient Greeks. Zeus, the central God of the Greek pantheon, may be one of the inspirations for Arceus.
    • Volo's haircut and outfit, in various colors, can be purchased by the player character after obtaining Arceus: the Sinnoh Outfit, Sinnoh Sandals, and Sinnoh-style haircut.

Names

Language Name Origin
Japanese ウォロ Volo From volō (Latin for "I wish") and possibly the philosophical statement volō, ergo sum (I wish, therefore I am)
English, German,
Brazilian Portuguese 		Volo Same as his Japanese name
Spanish Volus Similar to his Japanese name
French Percupio From percupio (Latin for "to wish greatly")
Italian Ethelo From ἐθέλω ethélō (Ancient Greek for "to wish")
Korean 월로 Volo Transcription of his Japanese name
Chinese (Mandarin) 望羅 / 望罗 Wàngluó From 望 wàng / mohng (to hope) and transcription of his Japanese name
Chinese (Cantonese) 望羅 Mohnglòh
Russian Воло Volo Transcription of his Japanese name


Ginkgo Guild Member

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 銀杏商會
Mandarin 銀杏商會 / 银杏商会
France Flag.png French Compagnie Ginkgo
Germany Flag.png German Ginkgo-Gilde
Italy Flag.png Italian Ditta Ginkgo
South Korea Flag.png Korean 은행상회
Spain Flag.png Spanish Compañía Ginkgo

Pokémon Wielder

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 寶可夢馴化師
Mandarin 寶可夢馴化師 / 宝可梦驯化师
France Flag.png French Expert en Pokémon
Germany Flag.png German Pokémon-Bändiger
Italy Flag.png Italian Esperto di Pokémon
South Korea Flag.png Korean 포켓몬술사
Spain Flag.png Spanish Domador Pokémon


References

  1. ↑ Concept art from Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 This is an arrangement of a song from the Pokémon Diamond & Pearl Super Music Collection, which properly attributes the original composers/arrangers.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 This is an arrangement of a song from the Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 Super Music Collection, which properly attributes the original composers/arrangers.
Head: Ginter
Members: Volo (Masters) • Tuli
Trainer classes in the Pokémon core series
Hisui Clan Leader • Ginkgo Guild Member • Pokémon Wielder • The Bandit
The Galaxy Team's • The Survey Corps' • The Security Corps' • Warden


Project CharacterDex logo.png 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.
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