Proton
ランス Lance
HeartGold SoulSilver Proton.png
Art from HeartGold and SoulSilver by Takao Unno[1]
Gender Male
Eye color Green
Hair color Green
Hometown Unknown
Region Johto
Trainer class Rocket GruntGSC
ExecutiveGSCHGSS
Generation IV
Games Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver, Masters EX
Member of Team Rocket
Rank Executive
English voice actor Clifford Chapin[2] (Masters EX)
Japanese voice actor Shō Okumura (Masters EX)

Proton (Japanese: ランス Lance) is one of the Team Rocket Executives introduced in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. In Generation II, Proton's role was filled by two separate characters: an ordinary Grunt in the Slowpoke Well and an unnamed Executive in the Goldenrod Radio Tower.

In the core series games

In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Proton is first seen and battled in the Slowpoke Well, where Team Rocket is trying to cut off Slowpoke tails to make a profit. Later, the player meets and battles him for the second time in Goldenrod Radio Tower.

Proton is labeled as the scariest and cruelest of Team Rocket, yet also remains one of the more popular Executives. A Grunt in the Radio Tower admits to how she admires him. Proton seems to be very easily aggravated.

In Generation II, the character of Proton is, in reality, two characters: an ordinary grunt originally taking his place in Slowpoke Well and a Rocket Executive encountered in the Goldenrod Radio Tower. These two are amalgamated into Proton for Generation IV, who shares both their single Pokémon.

Pokémon

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

First battle



Second battle



Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

First battle



Second battle



In the spin-off games

Pokémon Masters EX

Main article: Proton (Masters)

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

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

Sync Dex Trainer NDex Pokémon Type Weakness Role Base Potential Availability
#180   Proton #0042   Golbat
Flying
 
Ice
 
  ★★★★★☆EX Variety Sync Pair Scout

Gallery

Sprites and models

       
Grunt sprite from
Generation II
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

Quotes

Main article: Proton/Quotes

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

 
Proton and his teammates in Pokémon Adventures

Proton 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.

While Petrel is tasked on finding the Plates related to Arceus, Ariana is tasked on stopping intruders from stopping them, Proton is tasked with finding the Sinjoh Ruins. While Ariana battles Crystal on Route 38, he and the other Executives arrive on the scene. Suddenly, Arceus appears in front of them and Crystal attempts to capture it, shocking the Executives in the process. Despite her tenacity, Crystal ultimately fails in capturing the Pokémon and is sent flying into a tree.

The Executives chase Arceus down and find it battling Gold at the Ruins of Alph. Once Arceus uses its powers and transports them all to the Sinjoh Ruins, the four 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.

Believing they have pleased their boss, Giovanni, Proton, Ariana, and Archer begin tearing up. However, Silver distracts them by flying towards the Pokémon so Gold and Crystal can finish off the other legendary Pokémon. Once they do so, Arceus, now freed from its restraints, uses its powers to send Proton and the other Executives flying. During the final battle with Arceus, Proton stayed away from the fight by hiding behind a rock with his teammates. After the battle had ended, Proton left with the other Team Rocket members and Giovanni.

Pokémon

 
Zubat
Zubat is Proton's mode of flight transportation. He was used to help restrain and pull Arceus into the Mystri Stage. Later, he fought Gold's Sudobo.

None of Zubat's moves are known.

Debut Fortunately for Feraligatr
 
Weezing
Weezing was seen alongside Proton when he was communicating with the Rocket Grunts about the Plates.

None of Weezing's moves are known.

Debut Fortunately for Feraligatr

Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure

 
Proton in Jō's Big Adventure

Proton appears in The Revived Team Rocket where he arrives with some Team Rocket Grunts by the Slowpoke Well where they rob some Slowpoke in order to profit their tails. He cameos later on where Jō battles the grunts in Team Rocket's hideout in Mahogany Town.

Pokémon

 
Zubat
Zubat was sent out to battle Jō's Totodile. It was simultaneously defeated in the end along with Koffing.

None of Zubat's moves are known.

Debut The Revived Team Rocket
 
Koffing
Koffing was sent out to battle Jō's Totodile. It had the upper hand after Zubat gave piercing damage to Totodile. However, it got defeated along with Zubat in the end, not before being commanded to use Selfdestruct.

Koffing's only known move is Self-Destruct.

Debut The Revived Team Rocket

In the TCG

This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Proton 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 silver 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
 


Names

Language Name Origin
Japanese ランス Lance From MGM-52 Lance, a surface-to-surface missile system used by the US Army
English Proton From Proton, an expendable launch system used for commercial and Russian government space launches
German, French, Vietnamese Lance From his Japanese name
Spanish Protón From his English name
Italian Milas From Milas, anti-submarine variant of the Italian Otomat missile
Korean 랜스 Lance From his Japanese name
Chinese (Mandarin) 蘭斯 / 兰斯 Lánsī Transcription of his Japanese name
Chinese (Cantonese) 蘭斯 Làahnsī


Related articles

References

Members of Team Rocket
Bosses:

Giovanni (animeAdventuresPocket MonstersMasters)
Madame Boss (anime only) • Masked Man (Adventures only)

Executives:

Archer (Masters) • Ariana (Masters) • Petrel (Masters) • Proton (Masters)
Adventures only: CarlShamWill (former) • Karen (former)
Golden Boys only: Grey

Trios:
 

Jessie (Masters), James (Masters), & Meowth (JJM)
Koga, Lt. Surge, & Sabrina (Triad) (Adventures only; former)
Ken, Al, & Harry (TRET) (Adventures only)
Carr, Sird (former), & Orm (T3B) (Adventures only)

Duos:

Anime only: Butch & Cassidy (former) • Attila & HunAnnie & Oakley (dub only)

Scientists

Gideon
Anime only: Dr. FujiDr. NambaSebastianDr. Zager
Adventures only: Blaine (former)

Others: 

GruntsRocket BrothersRBYFRLG/Rocket SistersPE
Anime only: DominoIron-Masked MarauderRocket ScoutWendyTyson
JubeiViperChristopher (former) • Matori (Matori Matrix) • PierceGozu
Radio drama only: MiyamotoMondo
How I Became a Pokémon Card only: Kaede


  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.