Karen

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Karen
カリン Karin
HeartGold SoulSilver Karen.png
Art from HeartGold and SoulSilver
Gender Female
Eye color Silvery-blue
Hair color Silvery-blue
Hometown Unknown
Region Kanto or Johto
Trainer class Elite Four
Generation II, IV
Games Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver, Stadium 2
Elite Four of Indigo Plateau
Specializes in Template:Type2s

Karen (Japanese: カリン Karin) is a Master Template:Type2 Trainer and member of the Johto Elite Four.

In the games

In the Generation II and IV games, Karen is the fourth and final member of the Elite Four. She must be defeated before facing Lance, the Pokémon Champion.

Karen prefers Dark-type Pokémon because she likes the bad-boy image and dark power they portray.

Pokémon

This listing is for Karen's Pokémon in the video games in which she has appeared.

Pokémon Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal



Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

First Battle



Second battle



Pokémon Stadium 2

Round 1



Round 2



Quotes

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

Karen's artwork from Gold, Silver, and Crystal
  • Before battle
"I am Karen of the Elite Four. You're <player>? How amusing. I love Dark-type Pokémon. I find their wild, tough image to be so appealing. And they're so strong. Think you can take them? Just try to entertain me. Let's go."
  • When defeated
"Well, aren't you good. I like that in a Trainer."
  • After being defeated
"Strong Pokémon. Weak Pokémon. That is only the selfish perception of people. Truly skilled trainers should try to win with their favorites. I like your style. You understand what's important. Go on—the Champion is waiting."

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

  • Before battle
"I am Karen of the Elite Four. You're <player>? How amusing. I love Dark-type Pokémon. I'm known for my overpowering tactics. Think you can take them? Just try to entertain me. Let's go."
  • After sending out last Pokémon
"This is far from being backed into a corner!"
  • During battle
"You're no ordinary Trainer to have gotten this far."
  • When defeated
"Well, aren't you good. I like that in a Trainer."
  • After being defeated
"Strong Pokémon. Weak Pokémon. That is only the selfish perception of people. Truly skilled Trainers should try to win with the Pokémon they love best. I like your style. You understand what's important. Go on—the Champion is waiting."

Sprites

File:GSC Karen.png File:KarenHGSS.gif VSKaren.png S2 Elite Four Karen.png
Karen's sprite from
Generation II
Karen's sprite from
Generation IV
Karen's VS sprite from
Generation IV
Karen's artwork from
Pokémon Stadium 2

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Karen, along with Will, Green, Silver, Sham, and Carl, is one of the children kidnapped by the Masked Man and raised to be his servants. Karen was one of the leaders of the new Team Rocket formed in Johto. Unlike Silver and Green, she and Will were willing members of the evil man's cohorts, having been inducted as one of his followers at the age of eleven, and continuously trained. They expected a surefire victory against Green, which seemed feasible with Ho-Oh and Lugia under their command. However, with the resistance of Green and her friends Red and Blue each commanding one of the legendary birds of Kanto, and the help of many other Pokémon sent from all across Johto and Kanto, Ho-Oh and Lugia were freed. Karen then fled with Will.

After the Masked Man was defeated, Karen formed an alliance with Bruno, Will, and Koga; the four of them are all ex-members of various criminal organizations. They later reappear in the HeartGold & SoulSilver arc as the new official Elite Four of Johto.

Pokémon

This listing is of Karen's Pokémon in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Karen's Umbreon

Karen's Umbreon
Eevee → Umbreon
Karen's Umbreon is the cornerstone of her team. It was called out to battle Green's Snubbull. During the battle, it was shown to be very tough as it was able to stop a Bite attack. It was knocked back by a Take Down along with Charm.

In a flashback of Escape, it was revealed that her Umbreon evolved from an Eevee when she was a child during the time the Masked Man caught her.

Umbreon's known moves are Faint Attack, Moonlight, and Bite.

Debut The Last Battle VII
Murkrow (×2)
Murkrow (×2)
Karen used these two Murkrow for mostly flight support after the battle with the Masked Man was over.

Both Murkrow were not seen using any other moves.

Debut The Last Battle VII
Karen's Meowth
Meowth
Meowth was seen in Silver's flashback when the Mask of Ice was telling Green why he had taken them. Karen was eleven when she had Meowth.
Debut Rebelliant Carr
Karen's Houndoom
Houndoom
Karen's Houndoom first appeared when the Johto Elite Four were together before performing in the Pokéathlon.
Debut HeartGold & SoulSilver chapter

In the TCG

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

Name Type Level Rarity Set Set no.
Karen's Rapidash Fire - Common Pokémon VS (no English release) 87/141
Karen's Magmar Fire - Common Pokémon VS (no English release) 88/141
Karen's Flareon Fire - Common Pokémon VS (no English release) 89/141
Karen's Tyranitar Darkness - Rare Holo Pokémon VS (no English release) 90/141
Karen's Umbreon Darkness - Rare Holo Pokémon VS (no English release) 91/141
Karen's Houndoom Fire - Common Pokémon VS (no English release) 92/141
Karen's TM 01 - - Uncommon Pokémon VS (no English release) 125/141
Karen's TM 02 - - Uncommon Pokémon VS (no English release) 126/141

Trivia

  • Due to the palette used in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, it was debated for a long time whether Karen's hair was officially silver or blonde. Much like the official artwork and Pokémon Stadium 2 artwork of her, however, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver's overworld sprites depict her with silver hair.
  • In Generation II, her hair is depicted as being shoulder length. In Generation IV, it is depicted reaching down to her hips.
  • In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Karen is the only member of the Elite Four who uses a different final Pokémon from the first match. In her case, she replaces Houndoom with Umbreon, though Houndoom is still present.
  • In her rematch in HeartGold and SoulSilver, Karen is the only member of the Elite Four who does not use a Pokémon from a three-stage evolutionary line.
    • She also is the only Johto Elite Four member who uses Pokémon which do not evolve in their rematch.
  • Of the three current notable Dark-type specialists (Sidney, Grimsley and herself), she is the only one who is female.
  • Karen is the only Elite Four member in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver that uses more than one Pokémon that are not of her specialty type and have no moves of her specialty type, being Gengar and Vileplume.

Names

Language Name Origin
Japanese カリン Karin From 花梨, a Burmese Rosewood.
English, Italian Karen Similar to Japanese name (contains letters of 'darken').
French Marion It contains the word noir (black) backwards.
German Melanie Derived from the ancient Greek word μέλας/melas, meaning "black" or "dark". It's also similar to Melancholie, melancholia.
Spanish Karen Similar to Japanese name.
Morgana* From Morgan le Fay.
Korean 카렌 Karen Similar to Japanese name.
Chinese (Taiwan) 梨花 Líhuā From 花梨 Karin, with the characters reversed.
Chinese (PRC) 梨林 Lílín 梨 is from 花梨 Karin. 林 lín (forest) may be from 林 rin. May be a reference to Lilin.


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)
Anime only: Iron-Masked Marauder
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: DominoRocket ScoutWendyTysonJubeiViper
Christopher (former) • Matori (Matori Matrix) • PierceGozu
Radio drama only: MiyamotoMondo
How I Became a Pokémon Card only: Kaede


Template:Elite Four of Kanto

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.