From Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia.
Karen (Japanese: カリン Karin) is a Master Dark-type 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.
First battle
Pokémon Stadium 2
Round 1
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Reward: N/A
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Round 2
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Reward: N/A
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Quotes
- "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."
- "Well, aren't you good. I like that in a Trainer."
- "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."
- "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!"
- "You're no ordinary Trainer to have gotten this far."
- "Well, aren't you good. I like that in a Trainer."
- "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
In the manga
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.
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Eevee → Umbreon
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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 given to her by the Masked Man.
Umbreon's known moves are Faint Attack, Moonlight, and Bite.
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Debut
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The Last Battle VII
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In the TCG
This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Karen or her Pokémon in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
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
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Name
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Origin
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Japanese
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カリン Karin
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From 花梨, a Burmese Rosewood.
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English, Italian
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Karen
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Similar to Japanese name (contains letters of 'darken').
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French
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Marion
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It contains the word noir (black) backwards.
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German
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Melanie
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Derived from the ancient Greek word μέλας/melas, meaning "black" or "dark". It's also similar to Melancholie, melancholia.
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Spanish
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Karen
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Similar to Japanese name.
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Morgana*
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From Morgan le Fay.
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Korean
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카렌 Karen
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Similar to Japanese name.
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Chinese (Taiwan)
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梨花 Líhuā
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From 花梨 Karin, with the characters reversed.
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Chinese (PRC)
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梨林 Lílín
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梨 is from 花梨 Karin. 林 lín (forest) may be from 林 rin. May be a reference to Lilin.
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