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The mystical city where history slumbers. (Japanese: れきしが ねむる しんぴの まちThe mystical city where history slumbers.)
History
Sootopolis City is located inside of a giant crater.
In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, the crater is that of an underwater volcano which erupted and forced itself out of the sea many years ago, eventually filling with rainwater.
In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the crater was formed by a giant meteorite impact into the ocean of the Hoenn region a thousand years ago, eventually filling with rainwater. People soon began to dwell in the crater for its warm, fresh water and a city soon came forth. The great tree in front of the Cave of Origin was received from AZ when he visited from the Kalos region.
To navigate the city, people have to climb many flights of stairs and Dive under the sea. This causes many of the locals to get into good shape.
Role
Delta Episode
During the Delta Episode, after Steven has informed Wallace of the plan to enter the Sky Pillar, Wallace is outside the Cave of Origin talking to the guard about the great tree. He invites the player to follow him to the Sky Pillar's entrance on Route 131, then leaves.
This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Initial size record to beat
In the house northeast of the Pokémon Center, there are two brothers who are arguing over two different species of Pokémon. The younger brother is a Fisherman, while the older brother is a Hiker.
In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, they are arguing over the sizes of their favorite Pokémon. If a brother is shown a Pokémon of the species he prefers, he will calculate its size and give the player an Elixir if it is bigger than the largest one he had seen before.
In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, they are arguing over the cuteness of their favorite Pokémon. If a brother is shown a Pokémon of the species he prefers with an Affection of at least level 4, he will give the player a Max Elixir. Unlike the Generation III games, each brother will only give an item once.
In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, Omega Ruby, and Alpha Sapphire, the younger brother prefers Barboach and the older brother prefers Shroomish. In Pokémon Emerald, the younger brother prefers Seedot and the older brother prefers Lotad, and the initial record size is 0.5 meters.
In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, Omega Ruby, and Alpha Sapphire, Wallace is the Gym Leader in this city. He uses Water-type Pokémon, and is the one who hands out the Rain Badge.
In Pokémon Emerald, Wallace is the former Gym Leader, with his former mentor Juan resuming the role due to Wallace moving on to become Champion.
Move Tutor
In Pokémon Emerald, inside the Pokémon Center there is a trainer who will teach a compatible Pokémon Double-Edge one time only.
In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, in the north-eastern part of Sootopolis City there is a house with an elderly gentleman within it. If the player talks to him with a Dragon-type Pokémon with high friendship, he will offer to teach it Draco Meteor.
Backdoor house
In Pokémon Emerald, the house with a back door which hosts e-Reader battles is southeast of the Pokémon Center. Its original location in Mossdeep City in Ruby and Sapphire was superseded by a Game Corner.
Demographics
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
In Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, the population of Sootopolis City is 39. This is a middling population in Hoenn, despite its near isolation from the rest of the region.
Pokémon Emerald
In Pokémon Emerald, the population of Sootopolis City is 43.
Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Sootopolis City has a total population of 42.
Kiri will give the player two Berries each day. Kiri is not present while GroudonROR/KyogreSAS is causing abnormal weather in Sootopolis City. She will not give out Berries while Groudon and Kyogre battle, or immediately after Rayquaza appears.E
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
Upon arriving, May, Max, and Brock saw fireworks and realized an event was being held in the city, so they ran to join the attendees. It was soon revealed that the Mayor of Sootopolis City was inaugurating a water-themed theater and that Juan, the Leader of the Sootopolis Gym, would put on a show with his Water-typePokémon as part of the festivities. May was amazed at how beautifully Juan's Pokémon took the stage and Brock commented on how they had been well-raised. Throughout Juan's presentation, May was even more impressed and said Juan could be a great Pokémon Coordinator.
Ash holding the Rain Badge
Team Rocket was also impressed by Juan and they decided to steal his Pokémon, but Juan managed to send them blasting off with minimum effort. After that, Ash approached Juan saying he would like to have a battle with him, and once Juan agreed, the group was taken to the Gym on a boat. While on their way to the Sootopolis Gym, the group discovered that Juan is a former winner of the Grand Festival, having received the Ribbon Cup and the title of Top Coordinator years ago. They also learned why he specializes in Water-type Pokémon.
When they got to the Gym, they were greeted by Sebastian, Juan's butler and assistant, who explained to Ash the rules of the Sootopolis Gym. The Gym battle is divided into four rounds; the first is a Double Battle held in a large swimming pool with floating platforms and the other three are Single Battles conducted in a battlefield resembling a lake surrounded by land. Ash won the battle in Eight Ain't Enough!, earning the Rain Badge, his eighth Hoenn Badge overall, which allowed him to compete in the Ever Grande Conference. After that the group left for Pacifidlog Town, site of an upcoming Pokémon Contest which May wanted to enter in order to obtain her fifth Ribbon.
After Maxie awakened Groudon and Kyogre at the Seafloor Cavern, the two Legendary Pokémon confronted each other in Sootopolis City, where they began a fierce battle with each other. In order to prevent the immense energy resulted by the battle from going out of control, Steven and the Elite Four used the Legendary titans to contain the energy in Sootopolis City. Due to the containment field created by the titans covering the city everywhere above it, the excess energy from the battle was forced downwards, causing the entire city to rise into the air. Eventually, the battle was stopped by Ruby and Rayquaza, bringing the city back down to its proper place.
Zinnia was taken there after Rayquaza rejected her offer to join her in order to destroy the meteoroid headed for Hoenn. Upon Emerald's request, Zinnia agreed to work alongside the Stones, Joseph and Steven, for a solution to avert the impending apocalypse. Eventually a plan was devised, which involved the Hoenn Gym Leaders, Elite Four, and Frontier Brains, as well as the Draconids, Red, and Green, all standing by at Sootopolis to launch a combined attack towards the meteoroid, while Ruby and Sapphire would ride Rayquaza into space to strike the meteoroid directly. The plan was executed successfully, saving the Hoenn region from yet another disaster.
In the flower patch next to the big tree AZ gave, there is a flower in the patch that is the same design as the flower on the Eternal Flower Floette, the Floette that befriended AZ in the Pokémon X and Y storyline.
This is the only city in the Pokémon world which requires the use of Dive in order to be reached for the first time.
In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, the initial record holder's Trainer is named Marco. This is an anagram to macro, a Greek prefix that means large.
Origin
Sootopolis City appears to be based on the Greekisland of Santorini, also known as Thera.
Names
Language
Name
Origin
Japanese
ルネシティ Rune City
Possibly from ルネサンス (Renaissance), 流 ru (flow), 瑠璃 ruri (lapis lazuli or its blue color), and 涅 netsu (underwater soil containing alum that is traditionally used in dying black or dark colors)
English
Sootopolis City
From soot, which is expelled when a volcano erupts, and polis (Greek for city)
French
Atalanopolis
Possibly from Atlantis and polis, Greek for city. May also be derived from Vanessa atalanta, whose French name (Vulcain) is derived from volcano.
German
Xeneroville
Possibly from xeno- (foreign), cenere (Italian for ash), or nero (Italian for black) and ville
Italian
Ceneride
From cenere (ash)
Spanish
Arrecípolis
From arrecife (coral reef) and polis (Greek for city)
Korean
루네시티 Rune City
Same as the Japanese name
Chinese (Mandarin)
琉璃市 Liúlí Shì
Rough transliteration of its Japanese name; can be taken as "colored glaze city" or "glass city"