Rust Syndicate
- If you were looking for the Trainer class, see Rust Syndicate (Trainer class).
The Rust Syndicate (Japanese: サビ組 Sabi-gumi) is an organization operating inside of Lumiose City. Described to have a menacing reputation, the organization crosses paths with Team MZ due to certain business involving the Rust Syndicate's boss, Corbeau.
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 The Rust Syndicate Office | ||||||||
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In the core series games
The Rust Syndicate appears in the game Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and is one of the major organizations within Lumiose City. Members of the Rust Syndicate typically use Poison-type or Steel-type Pokémon.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A
The Rust Syndicate is infamous among the people of Lumiose City — according to Lida, even a rampaging alpha Pokémon wouldn't dare to cross the group, yet AZ mentions that the police have not taken any action against them. Some citizens hold the group in high regard despite their fearsome appearances. The group is led by Corbeau, who was bequeathed the position by the former boss Philippe after the latter acknowledged his defeat to the former.
The Rust Syndicate is first introduced after the player reaches Rank D in the Z-A Royale. A representative of the Rust Syndicate, later revealed to be Philippe, contacts the player to inform that the Team MZ leader Urbain/Taunie has unpaid loans to the organization, and invites Team MZ to the Rust Syndicate Office to discuss the matter. Both Lida and Naveen are aware of the Rust Syndicate's notoriety, but acknowledge that Team MZ has no choice but to comply.
The player and Lida head to the Rust Syndicate Office and are introduced to Philippe and the Rust Syndicate boss, Corbeau. Both Corbeau and Philippe reveal that they had loaned Urbain/Taunie $100,000 to shoot promotional videos for Hotel Z, but the loan has not been paid and has accrued an interest of $1,000,000. Using the interest as a threat, Corbeau proposes the player work various errands on his organization's behalf in order to clear off the interest, or otherwise the entire Rust Syndicate will storm Hotel Z for a Pokémon showdown. Despite the use of extortion and the overall threatening scenario, it is eventually made clear that the jobs Corbeau tasked the player to do amount to little more than beneficial community service. Corbeau cleared the interest after the work as promised, and even personally went to Hotel Z to stay the night and tip Urbain/Taunie the exact amount needed to repay their debt back to the Rust Syndicate. The Rust Syndicate's philosophy of stringing people into doing beneficial public work through shady tactics leaves Team MZ confused, but also relieved after the debt is cleared.
During the game's final act, Corbeau helps the player fight Rogue Mega Evolution Pokémon, and later the Rust Syndicate all gather to help the player climb a building to reach Zygarde by forming a human ladder. In the credits, Corbeau, Philippe, and the other major characters are seen helping clear the rubble after the incident with Prism Tower.
Mega Dimension
During the events of Mega Dimension, the Rust Syndicate worked with Quasartico Inc. to study the hyperspace distortions that started appearing in Lumiose City following Ange's destruction. In order to deal with the massive distortion appearing above the remains of Prism Tower, Corbeau tasked the player to survey and gather data within pockets of Hyperspace Lumiose accessed from the smaller hyperspace distortions. Eventually, the Rust Syndicate came up with a recipe for a donut infused with Mega Power for Ansha's Hoopa to eat in order to access the massive distortion.
Members
In Legends: Z-A, Corbeau is the reigning boss of the Rust Syndicate. Philippe serves as Corbeau's assistant, and was the former boss.
Lower members of the Rust Syndicate include the Rust Syndicate Grunts.
Trivia
- The Rust Syndicate appears to be modeled after yakuza, organized crime syndicates from Japan. The Rust Syndicate logo in particular resembles the daimon of the Yamaguchi-gumi, the largest yakuza organization in Japan.
- The Rust Syndicate has similar traits to villainous teams in other Pokémon games, even though it itself isn't considered a villainous team and does not serve as an antagonistic force.
- The Rust Syndicate employs grunts much like villainous teams do.
- The organization engages in shady businesses such as predatory loans.
- In the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the Rust Syndicate boss Corbeau appears on the Ascended Heroes print of the Boss's Orders card, which has historically depicted various villainous team leaders in its previous prints.
Names
| Language | Name | Origin |
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| Japanese | サビ組 Sabi-gumi | From 錆 sabi (rust) |
| English | Rust Syndicate | From rust |
| German | Corrosio-Clan | From Korrosion (corrosion) |
| European Spanish, Latin American Spanish |
Clan Corrosión | From corrosión (corrosion) |
| French | Clan Dérouillard | From rouille (rust), dérouiller (to unrust), dérouillée (thrashing), and débrouillard (resourceful) |
| Italian | Clan Ruggine | From ruggine (rust) |
| Korean | 녹청파 Nokcheong-pa | From 녹 (綠) nok (rust) and 녹청 (綠靑) nokcheong (verdigris) |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 鏽蝕組 Xiùshí Zǔ / Sausihk Jóu | From 鏽蝕 xiùshí / sausihk (to rust) |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 锈蚀组 Xiùshí Zǔ |
Related articles
| Non-player characters in the core series games | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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