Misty rarely used Starmie in battle, generally favoring Staryu to battle on land (and often Psyduck by mistake). It seems to be fairly powerful though, as it was able to carry Misty through a long Pokémon race using a combination of swimming and hovering. Despite being genderless, when called into battle it would utter a feminine 'Hoh' cry. Like its pre-evolution, Starmie's core would also flicker with a dull 'bing' sound when it was tired. Starmie was typically used in more of an instrumental capacity than its pre-evolved counterpart, akin to the in-game term HM slave, being used to traverse water on many occasions.
Starmie was first used in Misty's Gym battle against Ash, having successfully beaten Butterfree with Staryu, Starmie was called out against the higher level Pidgeotto, suggesting that at this time Starmie was more powerful than Staryu. Despite scoring some tackles, it was tired out by a Gust attack, and on the brink of losing before Team Rocket intervened.
Starmie was also one of Misty's Pokémon to be stolen by Keith, along with her Staryu, Goldeen, Horsea, and Psyduck (but Psyduck escaped later). It was later one of the Pokémon he offered to Jessie and James along with Staryu. However, the Poké Balls supposedly containing them turned out to not exist, instead containing stones with Bii-da faces.
It appeared to have an ability similar to Water Absorb, even though abilities did not exist when Misty was a main character, such as when it was called out to help get a flock of Butterfree back from Team Rocket, it was seemingly knocked out by Jessie (using a sledgehammer). However it seemed to regain its health when Misty jetted water on it.
In School of Hard Knocks it battled a Graveler owned by Giselle, despite Starmie being powerful and also having a type advantage, it lost dramatically, having its core shattered, then being thrown from a second story window and into a pool below. Ironically, this happened after it beat Joe's Weepinbell in a similar chain of events. It is one of the two instances a Starmie's core has been seen shattering, the other being owned by a young Trainer on the St. Anne. Starmie's regenerative abilities were also demonstrated, as by the next time it was seen, its central core was repaired.
Starmie was one of the Pokémon that helped Ash and co. escape the sunken St. Anne, and later from James's Gyarados. Its swimming abilities were called on again to help get the gang to the North Pole, however it, along with Staryu, Goldeen, and Squirtle, tired out before they made it.
Near the end of the Kanto adventures, Horsea was feeling sick due to lack of exercise, so Misty dropped it off at the Cerulean Gym so it could spend its time swimming in the aquariums there. Misty left Starmie there with it, because her sisters wanted to borrow it. Misty later reclaimed it when she became Gym Leader of Cerulean.
It reappeared briefly in Cerulean Blues along with Horsea, being reunited with Misty. Both were quickly scared off, however, by Gyarados. It appeared briefly again in A Date with Delcatty when Misty was feeding the Pokémon.
Starmie appeared under the control of Misty in a Gym challenge against Red in Suddenly Starmie, the challenge didn't last long, however, as Starmie easily defeated Bulbasaur after a failed Vine Whip did little damage. However, she stated it wasn't strong enough in Mt. Moon to battle Rhydon, in a way mirroring its anime counterpart in The School of Hard Knocks. The battle between Bulbasaur and Starmie was merely a demonstration for Misty to show how ill-prepared Red was for facing the dangers that undoubtedly awaited them. She ended up giving him the Cascade Badge after a few days of training together.
Misty sometimes uses this Starmie to float around, as shown in You Know... Articuno!, after she traded her Gyarados away to Red for him to surf with. It also has other powers, such as using the jewel on its center to inscribe mysterious, ancient characters for people to read with. This especially came in handy during the KantoElite Four invasion, and later when Suicune wanted to join her to fight against the Masked Man.
The last time it was seen was when it easily defeated Whitney's Miltank in the Gym Leaders' exhibition match.
Starmie is the only Template:Type2, albeit as a secondary type, that has been owned by a main protagonist in the anime. Despite this, its psychic abilities were never shown. Another one of Misty's Pokémon actually showed more of its psychic attributes despite being only a Template:Type2.
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For more information on this Pokémon's species, see Starmie.
