- If you were looking for the character of the day from Going for a Spinda, see Claire.
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This article is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this article to add missing sections and complete it.
Reason: voice actors (both japanese and english) for Clair's Kingdra in the anime; HGSS chapter appearances in Pokémon Adventures manga.
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Clair (Japanese: イブキ Ibuki) is the Gym Leader of Blackthorn City's Gym, known officially as the Blackthorn Gym. Her specialty is Dragon-type Pokémon, and she gives the Rising Badge to Trainers who defeat her. Her cousin is Lance.
In the games
Clair appears in Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver as the Leader of the Blackthorn Gym. She is the eighth and final Gym Leader to be met in the Johto region, and defeating her will allow Trainers to advance to the Indigo Plateau. Known as "The Blessed User of Dragon Pokémon", Clair is descended from a long line of Dragon-type Trainers including her cousin, Elite Four member Lance, and the elder of Blackthorn's Dragon Clan.
Clair is confident of her abilities as a Trainer, and speaks of herself as "the world's best dragon master". She can hold her own against the Elite Four: her only known loss is against Lance, now the Champion. Even if the player defeats her in battle, she refuses to accept his or her talents unless they pass the "Dragon User's Challenge". The Rising Badge that victors of the Blackthorn Gym are entitled to remains in Clair's possession until Trainers have navigated the Dragon's Den and located a shrine at its center. Only then will Clair acknowledge her loss. She will also encourage the player to excel at the Pokémon League; this is mainly personal, so she will feel less upset about her defeat at the hands of a child. As well as the Rising Badge, she will also issue a Dragon Technical Machine: TM24 (DragonBreath) in Generation II; TM59 (Dragon Pulse) in Generation IV. Many of her own Pokémon know these moves in the respective generations.
The player's rival, Silver, takes to training in the Dragon's Den once the Elite Four have been defeated by the player. In this way, he is said to act as Clair did when she was young herself. She returns here from time to time, and will battle alongside her cousin against Silver and the player. She tries to partner up with Silver after he challenges Lance (who asks the player to be his partner), but Silver insults her outfit and asks the player to partner with him instead. She comes to the Dragon's Den every morning between 6:00 AM and 10:00 AM after the player and rival defeat her and Lance, and will give her Pokégear phone number to the player. If called on Friday evening, she will journey to the Fighting Dojo and have a rematch with the player.
Clair makes an additional appearance in Pokémon Stadium 2's Johto Gym Leader Castle. This is the only appearance she makes where she uses Pokémon that are not draconian in origin.
Pokémon
This listing is of Clair's Pokémon in the video games she has appeared in.
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Gym match
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Second battle (rematch)
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Clair and Lance approaching for battle
Round 1
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Round 2
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Quotes
Blackthorn Gym
- "I am Clair. The world's best dragon master. I can hold my own against even the Pokémon League's Elite Four. Do you still want to take me on? ...Fine. Let's do it! As a Gym Leader, I will use my full power against any opponent!"
- "I lost? I don't believe it. There must be some mistake..."
- "I won't admit this. I may have lost, but you're still not ready for the Pokémon League. I know. You should take the dragon user challenge. Behind this Gym is a place called Dragon's Den. Go and bring me the Dragon Fang from deep inside the den. That is the test to be accepted as a true dragon user. If you can do that, I will accept you as a worthy trainer. Until then, I won't give you a Badge."
Dragon's Den
- "All right. I recognize your true power. This Badge is yours."
- "Rising Badge will enable your Pokémon to use the move for climbing waterfalls. Also, all Pokémon will recognize you as a trainer and obey your every command without question. I also want you to have this TM."
- "That contains DragonBreath. No, it doesn't have anything to do with my breath. If you don't want it, you don't have to take it. So, you've collected all the Badges. Your destination is the Pokémon League in Indigo Plateau. Do you know how to get there? From here, go to New Bark Town. Then surf east. The route there is very tough. Don't you dare lose at the Pokémon League! If you do, I'll feel even worse about having lost to you!
Blackthorn Gym
- "I am Clair. The world's best dragon master. I can hold my own against even the Pokémon League's Elite Four. Do you still want to take me on? ...Fine. Let's do it! As a Gym Leader, I will use my full power against any opponent!"
- "I lost? I don't believe it. There must be some mistake..."
- "I won't admit this. I may have lost, but you're still not ready for the Pokémon League. I know. You should take the dragon user challenge. Behind this Gym is a place called Dragon's Den. There is a small shrine at its center. Go there. If you can prove that you've lost your lazy ideals, I will recognize you as a trainer worthy of a Gym Badge!"
Dragon's Den
- "So how did it go? I guess there's no point in asking. You did fail? .................. ...What? You passed?"
- "That can't be!"
- "You're lying! Even I haven't been approved!"
- "I-I understand..."
- "Here, this is the Rising Badge... Hurry up! Take it!"
- "Rising Badge will enable your Pokémon to use the move for climbing waterfalls. Also, all Pokémon will recognize you as a trainer and obey your every command without question. I also want you to have this TM."
- "Wait!"
- "I'm sorry about this. Here, take this as my apology."
- "That contains DragonBreath. No, it doesn't have anything to do with my breath. If you don't want it, you don't have to take it. What's the matter? Aren't you going on to the Pokémon League? Do you know how to get there? From here, go to New Bark Town. Then surf east to the Pokémon League. The route there is very tough. Don't you dare lose at the Pokémon League! If you do, I'll feel even worse about having lost to you! Give it everything you got."
- "...You are here. Now let's battle!"
- After sending out last Pokémon
- "One last Pokémon? This is where the real battle begins!"
- "You're kidding, right? I'm supposed to win! I already decided!"
- "I lost... I don't believe it. There must be some mistake..."
- "Way to go. ... Now give it your all!"
- "It's still early, and you've got nothing to do already? I may have time to listen to you. If you insist, I can exchange numbers, too!"
- "I can battle you on Friday nights if you insist!"
Pokégear Phone
- Clair calling the player:
- "Yes, it's Clair here... Oh, hi. How are you doing? Lately there seems to be some gossip running through town that I am the latest name in fashion. Well, if I'm that cool that people can't stop talking about me, I can totally understand that sentiment."
- "Yes, it's Clair here... Oh, hi. How are you doing? Lately some people from the Radio Station came around, wanting to do a piece on me, or something. My fans definitely won't want to miss watching that! Oh, no! I was confused! It's radio! All those people turning in, and they won't be able to see my glorios face! What about TV? Why hasn't a TV crew come to do a piece on me?!"
- "Nice to hear from you. How is everything with you? I'm good. What's your point? If you want to battle me again, fine. Friday nights, take it or leave it. Call me then... Maybe I'll answer..."
- "Nice to hear from you. How is everything with you? I'm good. Well, well, you called at the right time! You want to battle again? I'm up for it."
- No: "What in the world? Are you trying to make fun of me?!"
- Yes: "Ha ha ha. It's great that you're stepping up. I'll be waiting for you at the Fighting Dojo in Saffron City!"
- "Yes, it’s Clair here... Oh, hi. How are you doing? Keep in mind we’re meeting at the Fighting Dojo in Saffron City. It’s a promise I’m waiting to keep..."
- "Nice to hear from you. How is everything with you? I'm good. I’m waiting for you at the Fighting Dojo in Saffron City... Don’t wuss out."
Sprites
In the anime
Clair appears in five episodes of the Pokémon anime, toward the end of the Master Quest saga: Beauty is Skin Deep, Fangs for Nothin', Great Bowls of Fire, Better Eight Than Never and Why? Wynaut!.
As Ash and company near Blackthorn City, they discover a Dratini and a Gyarados in a river. They discover that both Pokémon belong to Clair, who is following the Dratini down the river as it prepares to shed its skin. Team Rocket snatches the Dratini, however, and Clair gives chase, demonstrating her highly acrobatic abilities. Dratini escapes, and Ash fights to protect it. During the ensuing battle, however, an electric shock is headed straight for Dratini, but Clair jumps in front of it to absorb the shock. Dratini witnesses its trainer's devotion, and evolves into a Dragonair in order to put a stop to Team Rocket. Later, Clair is finally able to perform an important ritual to purify the legendary Dragon Fang. Clair then goes on to accept Ash's challenge for a Rising Badge.
Ash has the first strike, but the battle is cut short when Team Rocket steals the Dragon Fang. Ash, Clair and Team Rocket all end up in the Dragon Holy Land, where Team Rocket trick a Dragonite into helping them. Luckily, Liza and Ash's Charizard arrive to help save the day. Ash's Charizard then helps him earn him his final Johto League badge.
Although Clair does mention Lance in the anime, he is not her cousin like in the games; instead, she recalls that he trained under her at the Blackthorn Gym before he joined the Elite Four.
Pokémon
This listing is of Clair's Pokémon in the anime:
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Kingdra
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| Kingdra is one of Clair's strongest Pokémon. Clair uses it in both battles with Ash. In the first battle, Ash first decided to use Pikachu, but as Pikachu's attacks didn't have that much effect on Kingdra, Ash switched to Noctowl, which was easily defeated. Right after this the match interrupted as Team Rocket was trying to steal the Dragon Fang.
During the rematch, Kingdra put up a good fight against Ash's Snorlax, but was finally defeated by Snorlax's Ice Punch.
Kingdra's known moves are Twister, Hydro Pump, Agility, Swift, and Hyper Beam.
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| Debut
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Fangs for Nothin'
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Voice actors
In the manga
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
Clair and her Kingdra (left) with Morty and his Misdreavus (right)
Clair was initially unhappy with the lack of capable trainers wishing to battle her. Clair then traveled to the Dragon's Den where she met Suicune and battled it. Despite her efforts, she was outclassed by its tactics, and lost rather quickly, due to Suicune's use of Mist to create a reflection or illusion of itself. She then learned from the Dragon Clan Elder that the legendary beasts appear to trainers they deem worthy which is why Suicune came to Clair. She then deduced that Suicune was looking for a worthy enough trainer to be its master.
Clair in the
HGSS chapter
Later, at the Gym Leaders Challenge, she was to face off against Blaine. This was an important matter for her, because as Lance's sister, she thought that Blaine would know what became of Lance after Blaine and Lance's battle at Cerise Island the year before.
During the attack by Team Rocket, which ended up with all the Gym Leaders trapped on the recently completed bullet train, she forced Blaine into fighting their duel. Blaine quickly won due to Entei's powerful attacks. Thus, the Kanto Gym Leaders claimed victory, with four wins, three losses and one draw.
Pokémon
This listing is of Clair's Pokémon in the Pokémon Adventures manga.
In the TCG
This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Clair or her Pokémon in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
Trivia
- Her Japanese Leader title is 聖なるドラゴンポケモン使い！.
- When Clair gives the player TM24 (DragonBreath) in Generation II, she says "No, it has nothing to do with my breath." This was a pun lost in translation, as Clair's Japanese name, Ibuki, can be taken to mean "breath". Despite this, a joke remains, as "dragon breath" is a term sometimes used for someone who has halitosis. Because she gives out TM59 (Dragon Pulse) in Generation IV instead, this joke was removed, though Clair does start to make a reference before becoming embarrassed.
- Clair is the only Gym Leader to be seen in the anime in the U.S. before she was seen in Japan. The U.S. opening Born to Be a Winner featured exclusive clips, one of them of Clair, not shown in Japan. The opening made its debut in A Goldenrod Opportunity which aired August 18th, 2001 and Clair's Japanese debut wouldn't come until Beauty Is Skin Deep which aired on June 6th, 2002. The only other character to debut in the U.S. first was Dr. Yung.
- Clair is the only Johto Gym Leader whose team's Pokémon changed between Pokémon Gold and Silver and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.
- Clair appears as an opponent in Pokémon Puzzle Challenge. She uses a Dragonair in battle.
- In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, many characters in-game make fun of Clair's outfit, including Silver.
- In the anime, all her Pokémon share the same move, Hyper Beam.
Names
| Language
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Name
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Origin
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| Japanese
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イブキ Ibuki
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From 伊吹 Ibuki, Juniperus chinensis, and 伊吹山 Mount Ibuki. May also be from 息吹 ibuki, breath.
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| English
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Clair
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Rhymes with lair, as in lair of a dragon.
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| French, German, Italian
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Sandra
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From the word dragon.
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| Spanish
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Débora
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Possible relation to the Spanish word dragón or víbora (viper).
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| Korean
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이향 Ihyang
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Means strange land.
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| Chinese (Mandarin)
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小樁／小桩 Xiǎo Zhuāng
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樁／桩 means stake, pile.
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