Lt. Surge

Lt. Surge マチス Matis
"The Lightning American!"
Art from Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
Gender	Male
Eye color	Blue*, Black*
Hair color	Blond
Hometown	Vermilion City (born in America)
Region	Kanto
Relatives	None
Class	Gym Leader
Generation	I, II, III, IV
Games	Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, Crystal, FireRed, LeafGreen, HeartGold, SoulSilver, Stadium, Stadium 2
Gym	Vermilion Gym
Type	Electric
Badge	Thunder Badge
First episode	Electric Shock Showdown
English voice actor	Maddie Blaustein
Japanese voice actor	Fumihiko Tachiki

Lt. Surge (Japanese: マチス Matis) is the Gym Leader of Vermilion City's Gym, known officially as the Vermilion Gym. He hands out the Thunder Badge to Trainers who defeat him. He specializes in Electric-type Pokémon.

Contents 1 In the games 1.1 Fame Checker 1.2 Pokémon 1.2.1 Pokémon Red, Blue, and Green 1.2.2 Pokémon Yellow 1.2.3 Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal 1.2.4 Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen 1.2.5 Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver 1.2.5.1 First battle 1.2.5.2 Second battle (Rematch) 1.2.6 Pokémon Stadium 1.2.6.1 Round 1 1.2.6.2 Round 2 1.2.7 Pokémon Stadium 2 1.2.7.1 Round 1 1.2.7.2 Round 2 1.3 Quotes 1.3.1 Pokémon Red/Blue 1.3.2 Pokémon Yellow 1.3.3 Pokémon Gold/Silver 2 In the anime 2.1 Pokémon 2.2 Voice actors 3 In the Pokémon Adventures manga 3.1 Pokémon 3.1.1 Released 4 In the TCG 4.1 Artwork 4.2 Pokémon 5 Trivia 5.1 Names 6 External links

In the games

Lt. Surge is known as The Lightning American. Apparently, he is or was an American soldier who fought in at least one war, during which Electric-type Pokémon saved his life. As a member of the army, Surge was a strict CO, and was rather cautious. He was a pilot as well, and used Electric-type Pokémon to power his planes, a practice that in at least one occasion saved his life. Also, Surge saved the life of one of the trainers in his gym who was in the army at the same time.

A little paranoid (a result of possible war trauma), Lt. Surge installed a series of traps in the gym. He takes a liking to trainers with a lot of guts.

In addition to the Thunder Badge, Lt. Surge gives out TM24 (Thunderbolt), in Pokémon Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow. In FireRed, LeafGreen, HeartGold, and SoulSilver he gives out TM34 (Shock Wave). In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, he doesn't give out a TM. Also in HeartGold and SoulSilver, he trades a foreign Pikachu with the player for another Pikachu.

In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, he will be outside of the Power Plant after Zapdos is defeated or captured between 9 AM and 11 AM. If the player arrives walking with a Pikachu, he will happily give his PokéGear number out, and if called on Friday morning, will be at the Fighting Dojo for a rematch. After the player get his PokéGear number, he will be in at the Magnet Train station in Saffron City. There he'll offer to trade his female Pikachu, nicknamed VOLTY, for the player's Pikachu that he saw at the Power Plant. She knows Quick Attack, Double Team, Slam, and Thunderbolt and is holding a Yellow Shard.

Fame Checker

This is a list of the Fame Checker’s information on Lt. Surge in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Versions.

Vermilion City - sign

• What does this person do?

"Vermilion City Pokémon Gym

Leader: Lt. Surge

The Lightning American!"

Vermilion Gym - Lt. Surge

• Favorite kind of Pokémon?

"I tell you, kid, electric Pokémon saved me during the war!"

Vermilion Gym - Gentleman Tucker

• What is this person like?

"When I was in the Army, Lt. Surge was my strict CO.

He was a hard taskmaster."

Vermilion Gym - Gentleman Tucker

• What is this person like?

"Lt. Surge was always famous for his cautious nature in the Army."

Vermilion Gym - Sailor Dwayne

• What is this person like?

"Lt. Surge installed the traps in the Gym himself.

He set up double locks everywhere."

Vermilion City - Pokémon Journal

• There’s a rumor...

"Lt. Surge is rumored to have been a pilot while home in America.

He used the electricity generated by Pokémon to power his plane."

Message from Lt. Surge

• From: Lt. Surge
• To: [Player]

"Hey kid!

You electrified me in our battle!

I didn’t know that there were gutsy trainers like you.

It made me change my mind about you!"

Pokémon

This is a listing of Lt. Surge's Pokémon in the video games he has appeared in.

Pokémon Red, Blue, and Green

2376 Leader Lt. Surge Red, Green, and Blue Vermilion Gym

Voltorb Lv.21  Electric  Moves Tackle Normal Screech Normal SonicBoom Normal -- -- Pikachu Lv.21  Electric  Moves ThunderShock Electric Thunder Wave Electric Growl Normal Quick Attack Normal Raichu Lv.24  Electric  Moves Thunderbolt Electric ThunderShock Electric Thunder Wave Electric Growl Normal

Pokémon Yellow

2772 Leader Lt. Surge Yellow Vermilion Gym

Raichu Lv.28  Electric  Moves Thunderbolt Electric Growl Normal Mega Punch Normal Mega Kick Normal

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

4600 Leader Lt. Surge Gold, Silver, and Crystal Vermilion Gym

Raichu ♂ Lv.44  Electric  Held item: None Moves Thunderbolt Electric Thunder Electric Thunder Wave Electric Quick Attack Normal Electrode Lv.40  Electric  Held item: None Moves Screech Normal Double Team Normal Swift Normal Explosion Normal Electrode Lv.40  Electric  Held item: None Moves Screech Normal Double Team Normal Swift Normal Explosion Normal Magneton Lv.44  Electric  Steel  Held item: None Moves Zap Cannon Electric Lock-On Normal Double Team Normal Swift Normal Electabuzz ♂ Lv.46  Electric  Held item: None Moves ThunderPunch Electric Thunder Electric Light Screen Psychic Quick Attack Normal

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

2400 Leader Lt. Surge FireRed and LeafGreen Vermilion Gym

Voltorb Lv.21  Electric  Held item: None Ability: Soundproof Moves Shock Wave Electric Tackle Normal Screech Normal SonicBoom Normal Pikachu ♂ Lv.18  Electric  Held item: None Ability: Static Moves Shock Wave Electric Thunder Wave Electric Quick Attack Normal Double Team Normal Raichu ♂ Lv.24  Electric  Held item: None Ability: Static Moves Shock Wave Electric Thunder Wave Electric Quick Attack Normal Double Team Normal

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

First battle

6360 Leader Lt. Surge HeartGold and SoulSilver Vermilion Gym

Raichu ♂ Lv.51  Electric  Held item: None Ability: Static Moves Thunder Wave Electric Status Shock Wave Electric Special Quick Attack Normal Physical Double Team Normal Status Electrode Lv.47  Electric  Held item: None Ability: Soundproof Moves Thunder Wave Electric Status Double Team Normal Status Shock Wave Electric Special Light Screen Psychic Status Electrode Lv.47  Electric  Held item: None Ability: Soundproof Moves Screech Normal Status Double Team Normal Status Selfdestruct Normal Physical Charge Beam Electric Special Magneton Lv.47  Electric  Steel  Held item: None Ability: Unknown Moves Supersonic Normal Status Double Team Normal Status Shock Wave Electric Special Mirror Shot Steel Special Electabuzz ♂ Lv.53  Electric  Held item: Sitrus Berry Ability: Static Moves Quick Attack Normal Physical Shock Wave Electric Special Light Screen Psychic Status Low Kick Fighting Physical

Second battle (Rematch)

6720 Leader Lt. Surge HeartGold and SoulSilver Fighting Dojo

Raichu ♂ Lv.60  Electric  Held item: None Ability: Static Moves Thunderbolt Electric Special Grass Knot Grass Special Quick Attack Normal Physical Thunder Wave Electric Status Manectric ♂ Lv.52  Electric  Held item: None Ability: Static Moves Natural Gift Normal Physical Discharge Electric Special Thunder Wave Electric Status Overheat Fire Special Magnezone Lv.52  Electric  Steel  Held item: None Ability: Magnet Pull Moves Thunderbolt Electric Special Magnet Rise Electric Status Double Team Normal Status Mirror Shot Steel Special Electrode Lv.52  Electric  Held item: None Ability: Static Moves Thunder Wave Electric Status Double Team Normal Status Thunderbolt Electric Special Explosion Normal Physical Pachirisu ♂ Lv.58  Electric  Held item: None Ability: Pickup Moves Quick Attack Normal Physical Sweet Kiss Normal Status Super Fang Normal Physical Discharge Electric Special Electivire ♂ Lv.56  Electric  Held item: Sitrus Berry Ability: Motor Drive Moves Thunderbolt Electric Special Ice Punch Ice Physical Cross Chop Fighting Physical Earthquake Ground Physical

Pokémon Stadium

Round 1

None Leader Lt. Surge Round 1 Vermilion Gym

Raichu Lv.50  Electric  Moves Thunder Electric Surf Water Body Slam Normal Thunder Wave Electric Voltorb Lv.50  Electric  Moves Thunder Electric Explosion Normal SonicBoom Normal Thunder Wave Electric Electrode Lv.50  Electric  Moves SonicBoom Electric Selfdestruct Normal Swift Normal Thunder Electric Pikachu Lv.50  Electric  Moves Seismic Toss Fighting Agility Psychic Double Team Normal Surf Water Magnemite Lv.50  Electric  Moves Supersonic Normal Bide Normal Thunderbolt Electric Thunder Electric Magneton Lv.50  Electric  Moves Thunderbolt Electric Take Down Normal Reflect Psychic Hyper Beam Normal

Round 2

None Leader Lt. Surge Round 2 Vermilion Gym

Raichu Lv.50  Electric  Moves Thunderbolt Electric Surf Water Body Slam Normal Thunder Wave Electric Tangela Lv.50  Grass  Moves Mega Drain Grass Sleep Powder Grass Bind Normal Body Slam Normal Poliwrath Lv.50  Water   Fighting  Moves Amnesia Psychic Ice Beam Ice Psychic Psychic Submission Fighting Lickitung Lv.50  Normal  Moves Seismic Toss Fighting Earthquake Ground Thunderbolt Electric Double-Edge Normal Electabuzz Lv.50  Electric  Moves Toxic Poison ThunderPunch Electric Seismic Toss Fighting Psychic Psychic Electrode Lv.50  Electric  Moves SonicBoom Normal Explosion Normal Swift Normal Thunder Electric

Pokémon Stadium 2

Round 1

None Leader Lt. Surge Round 1 Vermilion Gym

Raichu ♂ Lv.50  Electric  Held item: Miracle Berry Moves Thunderbolt Electric Thunder Wave Electric Reflect Psychic Surf Water Magneton Lv.50  Electric  Steel  Held item: Focus Band Moves Thunder Electric Thunder Wave Electric SonicBoom Normal Sleep Talk Normal Electrode Lv.50  Electric  Held item: King's Rock Moves Thunder Electric Rollout Rock Mirror Coat Psychic Explosion Normal Electabuzz ♂ Lv.50  Electric  Held item: Quick Claw Moves Thunderbolt Electric Psychic Psychic Strength Normal Ice Beam Ice Porygon Lv.50  Normal  Held item: PRZCureBerry Moves Psybeam Psychic Conversion Normal Tri Attack Normal Hidden Power Normal Lanturn ♀ Lv.50  Water  Electric  Held item: Miracle Berry Moves Surf Water Take Down Normal Spark Electric Thunder Wave Electric

Round 2

None Leader Lt. Surge Round 2 Vermilion Gym

Raichu ♂ Lv.50  Electric  Held item: Focus Band Moves Surf Water Reversal Fighting Thunderbolt Electric Thunder Wave Electric Victreebel ♀ Lv.50  Grass  Poison  Held item: Miracle Berry Moves Body Slam Normal Razor Leaf Grass Stun Spore Grass Sludge Bomb Poison Dodrio ♀ Lv.50  Normal  Flying  Held item: Scope Lens Moves Pursuit Dark Drill Peck Flying Steel Wing Steel Tri Attack Normal Jolteon ♂ Lv.50  Electric  Held item: King's Rock Moves Roar Normal Hidden Power Normal Thunderbolt Electric Thunder Wave Electric Quagsire ♀ Lv.50  Water  Ground  Held item: BrightPowder Moves Surf Water Ice Beam Ice Earthquake Ground AncientPower Rock Porygon2 Lv.50  Normal  Held item: Quick Claw Moves Psychic Psychic Blizzard Ice Tri Attack Normal Conversion 2 Normal

Quotes

Lt. Surge sprite from Generation I	Lt. Surge sprite from Pokémon Yellow	Lt. Surge sprite from Generation II
Lt. Surge sprite from Generation III	Lt. Surge sprite from Generation IV	Lt. Surge VS sprite from Generation IV

Pokémon Red/Blue

"Hey, kid! What do you think you're doing here? You won't live long in combat! That's for sure! I tell you kid, electric Pokémon saved me during the war! They zapped my enemies into paralysis! The same as I'll do to you!"

"Whoa! You're the real deal, kid! Fine then, take the Thunder Badge!"

Pokémon Yellow

"Ten-hut! Welcome to Vermilion Gym! Will you look at that, a pint-size challenger! Hahaha! You've got big and brassy nerves to take me on with your puny power! A Pokémon battle is war! I'll show you civilian! I'll shock you into surrender!"

"Whoa! You're the real deal, kid! Fine then, take the Thunder Badge!"

Pokémon Gold/Silver

"Hey, you little tyke! I have to hand it to you. It may not be very smart to challenge me, but it takes guts! When it comes to electric Pokémon, I'm number one! I've never lost on the battlefield. I'll zap you just like I did my enemies in war!"

"Arrrgh! You are strong! Ok, kid. You get Thunder Badge!"

"Hey, kid! Still slugging and chugging away? My Pokémon and I are still at it!"

In the anime

Lt. Surge made his only anime appearance in Electric Shock Showdown. He has also appeared in a flashback in Pika and Goliath!.

Lt. Surge is an extremely large and muscular man, and seems to be the show's tallest human character. He is arrogant, loud, and crude, and refers to all trainers as "babies" until they manage to defeat him. Lt. Surge generally looks down on unevolved Pokémon, preferring to evolve them as soon as possible.

His Raichu shares many of his personality traits, also appearing to be rather tough. Lt. Surge's main weakness was that he evolved his Pokémon too quickly without taking the time to teach them the proper attacks. Even though he managed to defeat Ash and his Pikachu once with pure power, Pikachu was able to use speed-altering moves like Agility to get the best of Raichu, eventually becoming the first Gym Leader that Ash actually beats in battle and doesn't just get the Gym Badge out of gratitude.

Pokémon

This listing is of Lt. Surge's known Pokémon in the anime:

Pikachu → Raichu

Voice actors

Language Voice actor Japanese Fumihiko Tachiki English Maddie Blaustein Polish Grzegorz Pawlak European Spanish Juan Luis Rovira

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Lt. Surge is one of the evil leaders of Team Rocket. In his debut round, Danger: High Voltorb, he used the S.S. Anne in Vermilion City to transport captured Pokémon illegally. He tried to kill Red, but was bested after Red's Poliwhirl evolved into Poliwrath.

Lt. Surge captured Zapdos at the Power Plant under Giovanni's orders. He than fought Red at Silph Co. with an Electrode bazooka and Magneton shield all powered by his newly caught Zapdos. He also had an electrocution suit on so he could be shocked by Zapdos' power. Red waits for him to make Zapdos use its full power and makes Saur cut up the power cords to his machines and his suit so he gets electrocuted instead. However, he, along with the rest of Team Rocket, was dispersed when the chimera made from the Legendary Pokémon was defeated by Red, Blue, and Green in Saffron City.

Some time later, the Elite Four tried to destroy humanity. Team Rocket joined up with the trainers from Pallet Town to stop them. During the battle against the Elite Four on Cerise Island, Lt. Surge was paired with Red according to Sabrina's Spoons of Destiny. However, with Red absent due to injuries, Lt. Surge picked Bill as his partner instead, whose Spoon had not bent due to the fact that he didn't want to battle in the first place. When Red arrived as Bill and Lt. Surge were about to lose, Lt. Surge's spoon bent, revealing Red as his true partner. The three of them then teamed up to defeat Bruno.

In Johto, Lt. Surge was first seen accidently capturing Crystal, who freed his submarine by capturing the Corsola that were keeping it stuck. He re-payed her by allowing the SS Anne to take her to Olivine City free of charge. He then went to Mahogany Town to investigate the rise of Team Rocket under a different leader, since Koga and Govanni disappeared and Sabrina was busy healing her wounds. He confronted the Masked Man, but lost and barely managed to escape with his life. He then stumbled upon Silver's Red Gyarados at the Lake of Rage. He is then led to several items of Gold and Silver's including one of their Pokédexes and goes to Morty so he can use them to locate the lost boys, who tells him that they are at the Whirl Islands.

The manga version of Lt. Surge prefers to travel by sea, as he is a sailor. He can also fly through the air by having three of his Magneton create an energy platform for him to ride on.

In battle, Lt. Surge generally prefers to use his Electabuzz to zap anything that gets in his way. He also uses other Electric-type Pokémon to provide distractions with Selfdestruct.

Pokémon

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

Electabuzz	Magneton (multiple)	Electrode (multiple)
Voltorb (multiple)	Magnemite (multiple)	Raichu

Released

Zapdos

Raikou

Red Gyarados (returned to Silver)

In the TCG

There is a Theme Deck named for Lt. Surge in the Gym Heroes expansion. It has two versions, English and Japanese.

Artwork

Artwork from the cards:

Lt. Surge and the Thunder Badge.	Lt. Surge negotiates.	Lt. Surge plots.	Lt. Surge and his Raichu.
Lt. Surge's updated VS artwork.

Pokémon

This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Lt. Surge or his Pokémon in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Name	Type	Level	Rarity	Set	Set no.
Lt. Surge's Electabuzz		28	H	Gym Heroes	6/132
Lt. Surge's Fearow		30	H	Gym Heroes	7/132
Lt. Surge's Magneton		30	H	Gym Heroes	8/132
Lt. Surge	-	-	H	Gym Heroes	17/132
					101/132
Lt. Surge's Electabuzz		22		Gym Heroes	27/132
Lt. Surge's Raichu		32		Gym Heroes	28/132
Lt. Surge's Magnemite		10		Gym Heroes	50/132
Lt. Surge's Raticate		32		Gym Heroes	51/132
Lt. Surge's Spearow		8		Gym Heroes	52/132
Lt. Surge's Magnemite		12		Gym Heroes	80/132
Lt. Surge's Pikachu		15		Gym Heroes	81/132
Lt. Surge's Rattata		10		Gym Heroes	82/132
Lt. Surge's Spearow		17		Gym Heroes	83/132
Lt. Surge's Voltorb		12		Gym Heroes	84/132
Lt. Surge's Treaty	-	-		Gym Heroes	112/132
Secret Mission	-	-		Gym Heroes	118/132
Vermilion City Gym	-	-		Gym Heroes	120/132
Lt. Surge's Raichu		38	H	Gym Challenge	11/132
Lt. Surge's Jolteon		32		Gym Challenge	28/132
Lt. Surge's Eevee		10		Gym Challenge	51/132
Lt. Surge's Electrode		33		Gym Challenge	52/132
Lt. Surge's Raticate		33		Gym Challenge	53/132
Lt. Surge's Pikachu		10		Gym Challenge	84/132
Lt. Surge's Rattata		7		Gym Challenge	85/132
Lt. Surge's Voltorb		15		Gym Challenge	86/132
Lt. Surge's Secret Plan	-	-		Gym Challenge	107/132
Lt. Surge's Raichu		-		Pokémon VS (no English release)	53/141
Lt. Surge's Lanturn		-		Pokémon VS (no English release)	54/141

Trivia

• His Japanese Leader title is イナズマ　アメリカン！.
• He uses several English phrases such as "Goddamn" in the Japanese anime.
• His image in the anime is vastly different than in his Sugimori artwork. For example, in his artwork, he looks like an average, clean-cut soldier. In the anime, he is extremely muscular and very rough-looking, unlike a soldier. He is also incredibly tall in the anime, as opposed to other media, where he is of average height.
• Due to his team in Pokémon Yellow consisting solely of a Raichu (to mimic the anime), he is the only Gym Leader to have only one Pokémon when fought in the games, excluding the double battle in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire with Tate and Liza's Lunatone and Solrock.
• As a member of the United States Army, Lt. Surge is one of two Gym Leaders known to have taken residence outside the Pokémon nation; the other is Fantina.

Names

Language	Name	Reference to
Japanese	マチス Matis	From Clematis. Alternative names for this flower includes kazaguruma and tessen.
English, Italian, Spanish	Lt. Surge	Surge as in electrical surge. Also, "Sarge" seems to apply.
French, German	Major Bob	Bob is a stereotypically American name.
Korean	마티스 Matiseu	Transliteration of Matis.
Chinese	马志士/馬志士 Măzhìshì	Transliteration of マチス Machisu.

External links

• Matis's Profile on Pokeani (Japanese)

Members of Team Rocket
Bosses:	Giovanni | Madame Boss | Masked Man*
Rocket Executives:	Apollo | Athena | Lance | Lambda | Grey*
Under the Masked Man:	Keane | Chermaine | Will* | Karen*
Duos:	Butch & Cassidy | Attila & Hun
Trios:	Jessie & James & Meowth Ken, Al & Harry (TRET) | Carr, Sird, & Orm (T3B)
Others:	Admins | Scientists | Grunts Gideon | Domino | Iron-Masked Marauder | Tyson | Wendy | Viper | Mondo Miyamoto | Rocket Scout | Kaede | Koga* | Lt. Surge* | Sabrina*

Gym Leaders of the Kanto region
Generation I and Generation III
Brock of Pewter City	Misty of Cerulean City	Lt. Surge of Vermilion City	Erika of Celadon City	Koga of Fuchsia City	Sabrina of Saffron City	Blaine of Cinnabar Island	Giovanni of Viridian City
Generation II and Generation IV
Brock of Pewter City	Misty of Cerulean City	Lt. Surge of Vermilion City	Erika of Celadon City	Janine of Fuchsia City	Sabrina of Saffron City	Blaine of Seafoam Islands	Blue of Viridian City

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.