Howard Clifford

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Howard Clifford ハワード Howard
Howard Clifford
Gender	Male
Eye color	Black
Hair color	Grey
Hometown	Unknown Ryme City (founder)
Region	Unknown
Relatives	Roger Clifford (son)

Howard Clifford (Japanese: ハワード Howard) is one of the main characters of Pokémon Detective Pikachu and its major antagonist. He is the founder of Ryme City and father of Roger Clifford.

History

As a wheelchair-bound man, Howard not only wished to cure his own disability, but also to evolve the entire humanity to the fullest like Pokémon could. To this end, he recruited detective Harry Goodman to track and capture Mewtwo and hired Dr. Ann Laurent to produce the R substance, which can be used with Mewtwo's psychic ability to merge humans and Pokémon. However, his plan was thwarted after Harry learned of this and rescued Mewtwo. Howard sent his genetically-modified Greninja to chase after Harry's car and cause it to crash, seemingly killing him. However, Howard deduced that Harry was still alive and his Pikachu was the key to find Mewtwo, so he sent his assistant Ms. Norman into the city to find it. When Ms. Norman brought Tim Goodman and Detective Pikachu back to him, Howard pretended that his own son Roger was the mastermind who hired Harry to capture Mewtwo, and Tim would be able to find his father if he could track Mewtwo.

After Ms. Norman successfully secured Mewtwo, Howard revealed his plan to Tim, that he had secretly filled Ryme City's parade balloons with the R substance. After using a neural link to transfer his mind into Mewtwo, Howard used his new-found psychic ability to merge all humans in the city into their Pokémon. When he discovered that Detective Pikachu was trying to stop his plan, Howard chased after him, which resulted in Pikachu's apparent defeat. When Howard returned to his office to dispose of Tim, Howard was hit by Detective Pikachu's Volt Tackle and crashed into his building's lower floors. An angry Howard emerged and tried to choke Pikachu to death, but Pikachu revealed that he bought enough time for Tim to break his neural link, forcing Howard back to his own body.

A defeated Howard was seen arrested by the police afterwards.

Moves used as Mewtwo

Pokémon

On hand

		Ms. Norman
		Main article: Ms. Norman Ms. Norman is a Ditto. It is Howard's Pokémon and his personal assistant. It has been genetically modified to be able to take the form of both Pokémon and humans at will, regardless of whether the individual it is impersonating is nearby or not. Ms. Norman's only move as a Ditto is Transform; however, it gains access to other moves when assuming the form of another Pokémon, such as Hyper Voice when impersonating a Loudred. Like Duplica's Ditto, it cannot transform its eyes, meaning it must wear sunglasses when assuming a human form.
Debut	Pokémon Detective Pikachu

		Eevee → Flareon
		Flareon was first seen as an Eevee when Tim Goodman arrived at Howard's office. It was seen walking around before evolving into Flareon, after which it approached Detective Pikachu.
Debut	Pokémon Detective Pikachu

Experimented

		Greninja (multiple)
		Multiple Greninja were genetically modified and put in chambers. They were used to chase after Harry Goodman, and also Tim and Lucy when they broke into Howard's facility. Their only known move is Water Shuriken.
Debut	Pokémon Detective Pikachu

		Torterra (multiple)
		Multiple Torterra were genetically modified for their growing. Many normal-sized Torterra live in the facility, but gigantic ones, who are as big as mountains, lay dormant nearby.
Debut	Pokémon Detective Pikachu

Escaped

		Mewtwo
		Main article: Mewtwo (Detective Pikachu) Mewtwo was a Pokémon captured and experimented by Howard. He also briefly transferred his mind in its body, but it was eventually freed by Tim Goodman.
Debut	Pokémon Detective Pikachu