Petrel

Petrel ラムダ Lambda
Art from HeartGold and SoulSilver by Takao Unno
Gender	Male
Eye color	Black
Hair color	Purple
Hometown	Unknown
Region	Johto
Trainer class	Executive
Generation	II, IV
Games	Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver, Masters EX
Member of	Team Rocket
Rank	Executive
Game animation debut	The Lake of Rage
English voice actor	Todd Haberkorn (Masters EX)
Japanese voice actor	Taichi Takeda (Masters EX)

Petrel (Japanese: ラムダ Lambda) is one of the Team Rocket Executives introduced in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. In Generation II, Petrel's role was filled by two separate unnamed Executives: one in the Team Rocket HQ and another in the Goldenrod Radio Tower disguised as the Director.

In the core series games

In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Petrel is apparently Team Rocket's master of disguise. He is first seen dressing as Giovanni and then battled in the Team Rocket HQ. After this, a Murkrow will imitate Petrel's voice to allow the player to progress. In Goldenrod Radio Tower, he uses his disguise skills again, this time dressed as the Radio Tower Director.

Petrel's motives on Team Rocket are more mild-mannered, as he freely gives out information such as passwords and the location of the Director. He even considers himself a "nice guy" and hands over the Basement Key. Though he believes that the player can't use the information, it is his giving out of this information that leads to many of Team Rocket's defeats.

In Generation II, the character of Petrel is, in reality, two characters: an Executive in the Team Rocket HQ and an Executive disguised as the Director in the Goldenrod Radio Tower. These two are amalgamated into Petrel for Generation IV.

Pokémon

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

First battle

Rocket Executive Team Rocket's Hideout Gold, Silver, and Crystal Reward: $1584

Types: Poison Flying Held item: None Zubat♂ Lv.22 Leech Life Bug   --       Bite Dark   --       Supersonic Normal   --       Confuse Ray Ghost   --       Type: Poison Unknown Held item: None Koffing♂ Lv.22 Smog Poison   --       Tackle Normal   --       Sludge Poison   --       Selfdestruct Normal   --       Type: Normal Unknown Held item: None Raticate♂ Lv.24 Hyper Fang Normal   --       Quick Attack Normal   --       Scary Face Normal   --       Tail Whip Normal   --

Second battle

Rocket Executive Goldenrod Radio Tower Gold, Silver, and Crystal Reward: $2160

Type: Poison Unknown Held item: None Koffing♂ Lv.30 SmokeScreen Normal   --       Tackle Normal   --       Sludge Poison   --       Selfdestruct Normal   --       Type: Poison Unknown Held item: None Koffing♂ Lv.30 SmokeScreen Normal   --       Tackle Normal   --       Sludge Poison   --       Selfdestruct Normal   --       Type: Poison Unknown Held item: None Koffing♂ Lv.30 SmokeScreen Normal   --       Tackle Normal   --       Sludge Poison   --       Selfdestruct Normal   --       Type: Poison Unknown Held item: None Koffing♂ Lv.30 SmokeScreen Normal   --       Tackle Normal   --       Sludge Poison   --       Selfdestruct Normal   --       Type: Poison Unknown Held item: None Weezing♂ Lv.32 SmokeScreen Normal   --       Tackle Normal   --       Sludge Poison   --       Explosion Normal   --       Type: Poison Unknown Held item: None Koffing♂ Lv.30 SmokeScreen Normal   --       Tackle Normal   --       Sludge Poison   --       Smog Poison   --

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

First battle

Executive Petrel Team Rocket HQ HeartGold and SoulSilver Reward: $880

Types: Poison Flying Ability: Inner Focus Held item: None Zubat♂ Lv.22 Astonish Ghost Physical   --       Bite Dark Physical   --       Wing Attack Flying Physical   --       Confuse Ray Ghost Status   --       Type: Poison Unknown Ability: Levitate Held item: None Koffing♂ Lv.22 Smog Poison Special   --       SmokeScreen Normal Status   --       Assurance Dark Physical   --       Selfdestruct Normal Physical   --       Type: Normal Unknown Ability: Guts Held item: None Raticate♂ Lv.24 Hyper Fang Normal Physical   --       Sucker Punch Dark Physical   --       Scary Face Normal Status   --       Crunch Dark Physical   --

Second battle

Executive Petrel Goldenrod Radio Tower HeartGold and SoulSilver Reward: $1200

Type: Poison Unknown Ability: Levitate Held item: None Koffing♂ Lv.30 Sludge Poison Special   --       SmokeScreen Normal Status   --       Selfdestruct Normal Physical   --       Tackle Normal Physical   --       Type: Poison Unknown Ability: Levitate Held item: None Koffing♂ Lv.30 Sludge Poison Special   --       SmokeScreen Normal Status   --       Selfdestruct Normal Physical   --       Tackle Normal Physical   --       Type: Poison Unknown Ability: Levitate Held item: None Koffing♂ Lv.30 Sludge Poison Special   --       SmokeScreen Normal Status   --       Selfdestruct Normal Physical   --       Tackle Normal Physical   --       Type: Poison Unknown Ability: Levitate Held item: None Koffing♂ Lv.30 Sludge Poison Special   --       SmokeScreen Normal Status   --       Selfdestruct Normal Physical   --       Tackle Normal Physical   --       Type: Poison Unknown Ability: Levitate Held item: None Weezing♂ Lv.32 Tackle Normal Physical   --       Sludge Poison Special   --       SmokeScreen Normal Status   --       Explosion Normal Physical   --       Type: Poison Unknown Ability: Levitate Held item: None Koffing♂ Lv.30 Sludge Poison Special   --       SmokeScreen Normal Status   --       Selfdestruct Normal Physical   --       Tackle Normal Physical   --

In the spin-off games

Pokémon Masters EX

Main article: Petrel (Masters)

Petrel forms a sync pair with Weezing in Pokémon Masters EX. Petrel became a playable sync pair on September 6, 2023.

Petrel first appeared as an NPC during the Johto chapter of the Villain Arc. He also made notable appearances later in the Villain Arc.

Dex	Trainer		NDex	Pokémon		Type	Weakness	Role	EX role	Base potential	Availability
#179		Petrel	#0110		Weezing♂	Poison	Psychic			★★★★★☆EX	Variety Sync Pair Scout

Gallery

Sprites and models

Sprite from Generation II	Sprite from HeartGold and SoulSilver	VS sprite from HeartGold and SoulSilver
Overworld sprite from Generation II	Overworld sprite from HeartGold and SoulSilver	Overworld sprite, disguised as the Radio Director, from Generation II	Overworld sprite, disguised as Giovanni, from HeartGold and SoulSilver	Overworld sprite, disguised as the Radio Director, from HeartGold and SoulSilver

Quotes

Main article: Petrel/Quotes

In animation

Pokémon Generations

の	This article is missing information on this character's English voice actor. You can help by adding this information.

---

Petrel from Pokémon Generations

Petrel appeared in The Lake of Rage. He confronted Lance during his and Ethan's infiltration of the Team Rocket HQ, and attempted to stop the former Champion. However, his Weezing was easily defeated by Dragonite. After being backed into a corner, Petrel was finished off by a group of recently-rescued Electrode.

Pokémon

Weezing

Debut	The Lake of Rage

Petrel used his Weezing to battle Lance's Dragonite, but it was easily defeated by Dragonite's Thunderbolt.

Weezing's only known move is Poison Gas.

Voice actors

Language Voice actor Japanese 高木渉 Wataru Takagi English Unknown Brazilian Portuguese Cláudio Galvan European Spanish Miquel Roldán

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Petrel in Pokémon Adventures

Petrel appears alongside the other three Executives. He, along with his teammates, take control of Team Rocket from Carr, saying that they will stay true to Giovanni's intentions. In this series, Petrel is a master of disguise, and has the ability to quickly disguise himself as any person he has met.

Petrel uses his Koffing to attack Silver and Clair at the Dragon's Den, but loses and has his Plate stolen. Later, he attacks Silver and Eusine at the Johto Safari Zone to recover the Plate he lost. Using his Pokémon, Petrel gains an advantage over the two and nearly sends them off a bridge. However, Silver manages to rise up from the water, defeat Petrel, and take the two Plates he had with him. Using his disguise skills, Petrel manages to escape from Silver's grasp.

Later, he joins his teammates to finish their plan to capture the Mythical Pokémon Arceus. They arrive at the Ruins of Alph and witness Gold battling Arceus. After Arceus sends them all to the Sinjoh Ruins, the Executives restrain Arceus and force it onto the Mystri Stage.

Using its great powers, they force Arceus to create the Legendary Pokémon Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina. While Archer, Ariana, and Proton start tearing up at the thought of pleasing Giovanni, Petrel reveals to Silver that he knows that he is the son of their boss. He reveals to Silver that he intends to betray his teammates by lying to Giovanni by telling him that Archer, Proton, and Ariana attacked Silver. With this information, Giovanni would destroy the three while Petrel would become Team Rocket's second-in-command for acting like he was protecting Silver.

Despite being blinded by Petrel's Golbat, Silver manages to escape his grasp and fly to where Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina and still being created. Using himself as a distraction, Silver manages to stall the Executives long enough for Gold and Crystal to destroy the Pokémon Arceus was forced to create. Now freed from their control, Arceus uses its powers to send Petrel and his teammates flying.

As Archer begins to lose his mind, Petrel becomes scared and decides to escape. Knowing that his teammates would stop him if he appeared as himself, Petrel decides to disguise himself as Giovanni so that he can walk freely. Before his plan can be executed, the real Giovanni arrives and stops him.

After the battle with Arceus had ended, Petrel attempted to escape once more by disguising himself as Bugsy. Gold quickly notices him, and Lance captures Petrel by having his Dragonite lift him up in the air. When Gold asks how a coward like Petrel could defeat him, Lance reveals that it was because Petrel disguised himself as a Trainer with the same powers and birthplace as him.

Pokémon

Koffing (multiple) ♂

Debut	Dealing With A Koffing Fit

Petrel owns many Koffing that he relies on for battling his enemies. They were first used to attack Silver and Clair at the Whirl Islands. Silver managed to defeat them and take the Plate one was holding. Later, they were used to stop Silver from reaching the Pokémon Arceus was creating.

None of Koffing's moves are known.

Raticate

Debut	Weavile Wobbles But It Won't Fall Down

Raticate was first used to battle Silver at the Johto Safari Zone. Using its powerful jaws, Raticate nearly sent Silver and Eusine falling off a bridge. Later, it was used to stop Silver from reaching the Pokémon Arceus was creating.

Raticate's only known moves is Hyper Fang.

Golbat

Debut	Fortunately for Feraligatr

Golbat is Petrel's mode of flight transportation. It was first used to battle Silver at the Johto Safari Zone. Later, it restrained Arceus and pulled it into the Mystri Stage. Petrel later used it to blind Silver by licking it with its long tongue, blinding his eyes and paralyzing his throat with its venom.

Golbat's known moves are Air Cutter and Lick*.

Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure

Petrel appears in Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure, where he meets Jō in the Lake of Rage and has a Tag Battle with him and Lance. Later, he is seen in Team Rocket's hideout, watching Jō battle the grunts.

Pokémon

Raticate

Debut	Jō VS Team Rocket

Petrel sent out Raticate along with Ariana's Gloom in a Tag Battle against Jō and Lance. It was beaten by Dragonite's Twister.

None of Raticate's moves are known.

In the TCG

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

Related cards 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	#
Team Rocket's Trickery	Su	Undaunted		78/90	Reviving Legends		076/080
					Tyranitar Constructed Standard Deck		018/019

Trivia

• In merging multiple Executives together, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver introduced a plot hole: Petrel is present in both the Goldenrod Radio Tower and the Team Rocket HQ at the same time. When the player first visits Goldenrod City, a guard comments on the Director's changed nature:

"Sorry. Authorized personnel only beyond this point. It wasn’t that way before. There’s something wrong with the Director…"

Names

Language	Name	Origin
Japanese	ラムダ Lambda	From Lambda, a series of Japanese carrier rockets
English, Spanish	Petrel	From Petrel, a British sounding rocket. Also, AUM-N-2 Petrel, an air-to-surface missile used by the US Navy.
German, French, Vietnamese	Lambda	From his Japanese name
Italian	Maxus	From Maxus, a Swedish-European joint venture sounding rocket
Korean	람다 Lambda	From his Japanese name
Chinese (Mandarin)	拉姆達 / 拉姆达 Lāmǔdá	Transcription of his Japanese name
Chinese (Cantonese)	拉姆達 Lāaimóuhdaaht	Mandarin-based transcription of his Japanese name

Related articles

• Images on the Bulbagarden Archives

Team Rocket in Pokémon Adventures Boss: Giovanni • Masked Man (formerly) Executives: Carl • Sham • Archer • Ariana • Petrel • Proton Notable members: Ken, Al, and Harry • Carr • Orm Lower members: Team Rocket Grunts Former members: Koga • Sabrina • Lt. Surge • Blaine Will • Karen • Sird Locations: Rocket Game Corner • Team Rocket Hideout Silph Co. • Viridian Gym • Team Rocket HQ Rocket Warehouse • Trainer Tower • Cliff Cave Related: Neo Team Rocket • Team Rocket airship See also: Games • Pokémon the Series

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.