Archer

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Archer
アポロ Apollo
HeartGold SoulSilver Archer.png
Art from HeartGold and SoulSilver
Gender Male
Eye color Teal
Hair color Black (II), Teal (IV)
Hometown Unknown
Region Johto
Trainer class Executive
Generation II, III, IV
Games Gold, Silver, Crystal, FireRed, LeafGreen, HeartGold, SoulSilver
Member of Team Rocket
Rank Executive, Interim Boss

Archer (Japanese: アポロ Apollo) is one of the four Team Rocket Executive introduced in Pokémon Gold and Silver. However, he went unnamed until Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.

In the games

At first, Archer seems to make an appearance in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, as an unnamed male Team Rocket Admin in the Rocket Warehouse on Chrono Island. He is the leader of the Sevii Islands branch of Team Rocket, and accuses the player of spreading rumors that Team Rocket has disbanded, something he does not believe. When the player defeats him, he recognizes the Earth Badge and accepts that Giovanni has been defeated, finally disbanding Team Rocket, but he vows to find him and resurrect Team Rocket someday. The computer he was working on mentions the effect of radio waves on Pokémon evolution, foreshadowing Team Rocket's actions three years later.

Three years later, Archer is the interim head of Team Rocket during the absence of Giovanni. He leads the team in its takeover of the Goldenrod Radio Tower, aiming to locate his missing leader and bring him back to the team.

Just like other Executives, Archer received a major overhaul in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, where his identity was expanded on. In addition, his color scheme was noticeably switched, where he now wears white clothes on the topmost layer, as opposed to the traditional black outfit.

Pokémon

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal



Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen



Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver



Quotes

Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal

  • Before battle
"Oh? You managed to get this far? You must be quite the trainer. We intend to take over this Radio Station and announce our comeback. That should bring our boss Giovanni back from his solo training. We are going to regain our former glory. I won't allow you to interfere with our plans.
  • After being defeated
"No! Forgive me, Giovanni!"
  • After battle
"How could this be? Our dreams have come to naught. I wasn't up to the task after all. Like Giovanni did before me, I will disband Team Rocket here today. Farewell."

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

  • Before battle
"That's quite enough of you playing the hero, kid. Spreading lies about how Team Rocket has disbanded… It's such an obvious attempt to cause confusion in our ranks. Fortunately, we're not so ignorant to fall for the lies of a child! And now, I'll show you how scary an angry adult can be!"
  • After being defeated
"Urgh… You were too strong… … Th-that's Giovanni's Badge! So it's true? Team Rocket really has disbanded?"
  • After battle
"We will abandon this Warehouse But don't think this is over. I won't let this be the end. I will find Giovanni. And I will resurrect Team Rocket! I will… Until then, farewell!"

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

  • Before battle
"Oh? You managed to get this far…? You must be quite the Trainer. We intend to take over this Radio Tower and officially announce our comeback. That should bring our boss Giovanni back from his solitary training. We are going to regain our former glory… I will not allow you to interfere with our meticulous plans!"
  • After sending out last Pokémon
"We can't have you getting in the way before news of our resurgence reaches Giovanni!"
  • During battle (less than half HP)
"That's impossible…"
  • When defeated
"No! Forgive me, Giovanni!"
  • After being defeated
"How could this be…? Our dreams have come to naught. I was not up to the task after all. Like Giovanni has done before me, I will disband Team Rocket here today. Farewell…"

Sprites

Spr GS Rocket Executive M.png

S2 Rocket ExecutiveM.png Spr FRLG Team Rocket Grunt M.png Spr HGSS Archer.png VSArcher.png
Archer's sprite from
Gold, Silver, and Crystal
Archer's sprite from
Stadium 2
Archer's sprite from
FireRed and LeafGreen
Archer's sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Archer's VS sprite from
HeartGold and SoulSilver

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Archer in Pokémon Adventures

Archer appears in the HeartGold & SoulSilver arc alongside the other three Executives as their leader. He, along with his fellow teammates, take control of Team Rocket from Carr, saying that they will stay true to Giovanni's intentions.

While the other three have their tasks related to the legendary Pokémon Arceus, Archer's task is the capture of the Pokémon itself. Archer, Petrel, and Proton arrive to see Ariana having defeated Crystal on Route 38. Suddenly, Arceus appears in front of them and Crystal attempts to capture it, shocking the Generals in the process. Despite her tenacity, Crystal ultimately fails in capturing the Pokémon and is sent flying into a tree.

The Generals 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 Generals restrain Arceus and force it onto the Mystri Stage. Archer takes control of Arceus and with the plates, demonstrates its great and varied abilities to Gold, Silver, and Crystal. Archer forces Arceus to use its great powers to create the legendary Pokémon Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina.

Believing he has pleased his boss, Giovanni, Archer starts breaking down into tears. However, his joy is quickly destroyed when Silver flies off to distract the Generals while Gold and Crystal finish off the three Pokémon Arceus created. Having done so, Arceus, now freed from its restraints, uses its powers to send Archer and the other Generals flying and completes itself by absorbing the Plates.

Much to the shock of Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the clones begin reforming, to which Archer reveals that because the creation process started, it cannot be stopped. Archer snaps, and begins claiming that everything is destined; the creation of Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina, Arceus completing itself, the world becoming Team Rocket's, all destined. His insanity begins to scare his fellow teammates.

When Giovanni first appears in front of him, Archer is delighted that his plans worked and that the one whom he believes is the true boss of Team Rocket has returned. However, Archer becomes shocked when Giovanni starts to attack the Pokemon that he worked so hard to create. Archer begs for Giovanni to stop but Giovanni brushes him off. Outraged, Archer declares that Giovanni is not the man whom he thought was fit to rule Team Rocket and decides to capture Arceus and rule Team Rocket himself. Having lost his mind, Arceus runs towards the stage to meet Arceus but Arceus sends Archer flying with a leg sweep and Archer crashes into Petrel, knocked unconscious. At the end of the chapter, Archer is carried off by a female grunt and Giovanni states that he shall meet his punishment soon.

Pokémon

Archer's Crobat
Crobat
Crobat is Archer's main mode of transportation. It was seen carrying Archer towards the light being emitted by Arceus along with the other Generals. Later, it helped drag Arceus to the Mystri Stage.

None of Crobat's moves are known.

Debut VS Arceus III
Archer's Houndoom
Houndoom
Houndoom was first seen being used to drag Arceus to the Mystri Stage. Later, it was seen nearly choking Petrel to death with its powerful tail when Petrel revealed what happened to him after his loss to Silver.

None of Houndoom's moves are known.

Debut VS Arceus III
Controlled
Archer's Arceus
Arceus
Archer took control of Arceus with the plates that correspond to the seventeen known types of Pokémon bar Normal. Using its great powers, Archer created his own versions of Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina.

None of Arceus's moves are known.

Debut VS Oddish
Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina
Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina
Archer attempted to create these Pokémon using the power of Arceus. Before they were fully finished, they were destroyed by a combination attack from Gold and Crystal but quickly reformed themselves.

None of their moves are known.

Debut VS Arceus V

In the Pocket Monsters HGSS Jou's Big Adventure manga

Archer in Jou's Big Adventure

When Jou and Tsubaki were battling Team Rocket, Archer was spying on them via camera. After noticing that the grunts lost to the two Trainers, he takes action in his own hands by sending out Houndoom. However, Houndoom was not able to defeat them, which made Archer upset.

Pokémon

Archer's Houndoom
Houndoom
Houndoom was sent out by Archer after the grunts lost to Jou and Tsubaki. Houndoom was quickly defeated by Totodile.

None of Houndoom's moves are known.

Debut Jou VS Team Rocket


Trivia

Names

Language Name Origin
Japanese アポロ Apollo From the US Apollo program, the US spaceflight program with the goal of landing on the Moon. It also may also come from Apollo, the god of the light and the sun.
English, Italian Archer May be a reference to the AA-11 Archer (also known as the Vympel R-73), an air-to-air missile from the Soviet Union. In addition, it may allude to his Japanese name, as Apollo, the Greek god, is an archer.
French Amos From Amos, a family of Israeli communications satellites.
German, Spanish Atlas From Atlas, a family of US space launch vehicles.
Korean 아폴로 Apollo Same as Japanese name.


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


Project CharacterDex logo.png 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.