Team Aqua
- If you're looking for the theme deck from EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua, see Team Aqua (TCG).
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 Artwork of Aqua Grunts from R/S | ||||||||||||||||
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Team Aqua (Japanese: アクア団 Aqua-dan, literally Aqua Gang) is one of two villainous teams found in the Hoenn region, alongside their rivals, Team Magma. Team Aqua's ultimate goal is to expand the amount of water in the world by awakening Kyogre.
In the games
Team Aqua appears only in the Hoenn-based games Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, where they scheme to bring Kyogre out of its slumber.
Generally, Team Aqua Grunts have weaker Pokémon, with Zubat and Poochyena plentiful among them, however, they also use Pokémon of other types; typically they are Water types such as Carvanha (and Wailmer in Emerald). The team is headed by Archie and his two immediate subordinates Matt and Shelly.
In Sapphire
Though they are first encountered early in the game, their first major plot is to use the Meteorite to cease the eruption of Mt. Chimney, which would cause rainwater to fill the cooled-down crater. When this is thwarted by the player, they set themselves up in Lilycove City's cove, planning their next moves. Their final action in the storyline is to steal a submarine from Slateport harbor, which they use to travel to the Seafloor Cavern with the Red Orb, where Kyogre awaits. Kyogre, however, is not able to be controlled, and leaves for the Cave of Origin in Sootopolis City where it must be captured by the player or defeated.
In Ruby
Team Aqua is relegated to a supporting role in Ruby, with Team Magma instead performing the same actions (with different reasoning) and awakening Groudon instead.
In Emerald
Team Aqua's deeds are partly the same in Pokémon Emerald as they are in Ruby and Sapphire, with them stealing the sub to obtain Kyogre. After awakening Kyogre and seeing Kyogre and Groudon clash together, both Team Magma's Maxie and Team Aqua's Archie realize what they've done has caused a terrible disaster, and make peace with one another after Groudon and Kyogre have been taken care of by Rayquaza.
In the anime
Team Aqua is introduced in Stairway to Devon where a member of the team infiltrated the Devon Corporation and stole two capsules of "Creation Fluid". His plans were stopped by Team Rocket's Jessie and James, who intended to steal the same thing, all parties involved not realizing that "Creation Fluid" was nothing more than water. In On a Wingull and a Prayer!, this same member takes a boat of Mr. Briney's to escape from the police and heads for open ocean, where a Team Aqua submarine rescues him. This particular grunt is voiced by Darren Dunstan in English.
Team Aqua later appears in A Three Team Scheme and Unfair Weather Friends. Their final, and most prominent appearance is in Gaining Groudon and The Scuffle of Legends, when they and Team Magma begin the battle between Kyogre and Groudon.
In the manga
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
Team Aqua's goal was to create more sea in the Hoenn region, making them bitter enemies of Team Magma, whose goal it was to expand the amount of land in Hoenn. In order to accomplish their goal, the decided to capture Kyogre, a legendary water Pokémon that had been sleeping in the Seafloor Cavern for centuries after a massive collision with the legendary Groudon. After Team Aqua's plans were thwarted by Ruby and Sapphire, Archie went insane because he had bonded with the orbs, trying to destroy everything in his way with Maxie. Their plans were again foiled by Ruby and Sapphire.
Unlike Team Magma's administrators, Team Aqua's administrators, also known as the Subleaders of the Sea Scheme, seem to pay more respect for their leader than their Team Magma counterparts, following his orders as explicitly as they can. Team Aqua also had an influence on the media, as Archie was the director of Hoenn TV. This way, they could cover up their own schemes while airing anti-Team Magma propaganda.
In the TCG
Team Aqua is featured in the Pokémon Trading Card Game in the EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua expansion. Their ambitions and specialties here reflect the other media they appear in. Unlike Team Rocket, which initially featured Dark Pokémon as an emphasis for their status as a villainous team, evolved Pokémon belonging to Team Aqua are dual Darkness-type. This mechanic would also be used on subsequent Team Rocket-related Pokémon in the EX Team Rocket Returns expansion.
In other languages
| Language | Name | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | アクア団 Aqua-dan | From the word "aqua". |
| English | Team Aqua | From the Japanese name. |
| Finnish | Aquaryhmä | Means "Aqua Group". |
| Spanish | Equipo Aqua | From the Japanese name. |
| Team Aqua | From the English name. | |
| Italian | Team Idro | From idro, hydro. |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 水艦隊／水舰队 Shuǐjiàn Duì | Means "Water fleet". Also, 艦 means "warship" or "naval vessel". |
See also
 Team Aqua
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| Team Aqua Hideout | |||||
| Leader | Administrators | Grunts | |||
| Archie (Masters) |
Matt | Shelly | Team Aqua Grunts | Zinnia (Masters) | |
| Manga | |||||
| Amber | |||||
