Blackthorn Gym

Blackthorn Gym フスベジム Fusube Gym
Location	Blackthorn City
Gym Leader	Clair Unnamed Gym Leader (animated series only)
Badge	Rising Badge
Dominant Type	Dragon
Region	Johto
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Battlefield

The Blackthorn Gym (Japanese: フスベジム Fusube Gym) is the official Gym of Blackthorn City. It is based on Dragon-type Pokémon. The Gym Leader is Clair. Trainers who defeat her receive the Rising Badge.

In the games

Core series games

Blackthorn City
Pokémon Gym
Leader: Clair
The Blessed User
of Dragon Pokémon

Blackthorn City Pokémon Gym
Leader: Clair
The Blessed User of Dragon Pokémon

An Ace Trainer will prevent access to the Gym itself until the player has at least seven of the eight Johto Badges and has defeated Team Rocket at the Goldenrod Radio Tower, though there is no legitimate way to access Blackthorn with fewer than seven Badges.

In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the Gym Leader Clair is on a platform in the middle of red-hot lava, and the player must go to the second floor, where a Strength puzzle must be completed. Once the puzzle is completed, the boulders pushed down the correct holes form bridges across the lava, allowing the player to reach Clair. Even after being defeated, Clair does not consider the player ready to challenge the Pokémon League and refuses to hand over the Rising Badge, forcing the player to go to the Dragon's Den and complete a trial before the Badge can be acquired.

In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, immediately after entering the Gym, the Gym guide tells the player to return their walking Pokémon back to its Poké Ball. After this, the player has to navigate on platforms floating on lava, using arrows on them to move them and the blue buttons on them to spin them. After three platforms and several Trainers, the player will reach Clair and battle her. Like in Generation II, after being defeated, Clair still deems the player unready for the Pokémon League and refuses to hand over the Badge before the player has completed the challenge at the Dragon's Den.

Appearance

Version	1F	2F
Gold
Silver
Crystal
HeartGold
SoulSilver

Items

Item		Location	Games
	TM24 (DragonBreath)	Gift from Clair after obtaining the Rising Badge, if initially missed at Dragon's Den	C
	TM59 (Dragon Pulse)	Gift from Clair after obtaining the Rising Badge, if missed at Dragon's Den	HG  SS

Trainers

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

Trainer	Pokémon
Cooltrainer Paul マサル Masaru Reward: $1632	Dratini♂ Lv.34 No item
	Dratini♂ Lv.34 No item
	Dratini♂ Lv.34 No item
Cooltrainer Fran トモエ Tomoe Reward: $1776	Seadra♀ Lv.37 No item
Cooltrainer Cody トモヒコ Tomohiko Reward: $1728	Horsea♂ Lv.34 No item
	Seadra♂ Lv.36 No item
Cooltrainer Mike テツロウ Tetsurō Reward: $1776	Dragonair♂ Lv.37 No item
Requires Strength
Cooltrainer Lola マリコ Mariko Reward: $1728	Dratini♀ Lv.34 No item
	Dragonair♀ Lv.36 No item
Trainers with a telephone symbol by their names will give their Pokégear number to the player, and may call or be called for a rematch with higher-level Pokémon.

Clair has a Full Heal and a Full Restore.

Leader Clair Blackthorn Gym Gold, Silver, and Crystal Reward: $4000

Type: Dragon Unknown Held item: None Dragonair♀ Lv.37 Surf Water   --       Slam Normal   --       Thunder Wave Electric   --       DragonBreath Dragon   --       Type: Dragon Unknown Held item: None Dragonair♀ Lv.37 Thunderbolt Electric   --       Slam Normal   --       Thunder Wave Electric   --       DragonBreath Dragon   --       Type: Dragon Unknown Held item: None Dragonair♀ Lv.37 Ice Beam Ice   --       Slam Normal   --       Thunder Wave Electric   --       DragonBreath Dragon   --       Types: Water Dragon Held item: None Kingdra♀ Lv.40 Surf Water   --       DragonBreath Dragon   --       SmokeScreen Normal   --       Hyper Beam Normal   --

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

Trainer	Pokémon
First platform
Ace Trainer Paulo マサル Masaru Reward: $2100	Dratini♂ Lv.35 No item
	Dratini♂ Lv.35 No item
	Seadra♂ Lv.35 No item
Ace Trainer Lola マリコ Mariko Reward: $2220	Dratini♀ Lv.35 No item
	Dragonair♀ Lv.37 No item
Second platform
Ace Trainer Cody トモヒコ Tomohiko Reward: $2220	Horsea♂ Lv.35 No item
	Seadra♂ Lv.37 No item
Ace Trainer Fran トモエ Tomoe Reward: $2280	Seadra♀ Lv.38 No item
Ace Trainer Mike テツロウ Tetsurō Reward: $2280	Dragonair♂ Lv.38 No item
Trainers with a telephone symbol by their names will give their Pokégear number to the player, and may call or be called for a rematch with higher-level Pokémon.

Leader Clair Blackthorn Gym HeartGold and SoulSilver Reward: $4920

Types: Water Flying Ability: Intimidate Held item: None Gyarados♀ Lv.38 Bite Dark Physical   --       Twister Dragon Special   --       Dragon Rage Dragon Special   --       Dragon Pulse Dragon Special   --       Type: Dragon Unknown Ability: Shed Skin Held item: None Dragonair♀ Lv.38 Thunder Wave Electric Status   --       Slam Normal Physical   --       Aqua Tail Water Physical   --       Dragon Pulse Dragon Special   --       Type: Dragon Unknown Ability: Shed Skin Held item: None Dragonair♀ Lv.38 Thunder Wave Electric Status   --       Slam Normal Physical   --       Fire Blast Fire Special   --       Dragon Pulse Dragon Special   --       Types: Water Dragon Ability: Sniper Held item: Sitrus Berry Kingdra♀ Lv.41 Hydro Pump Water Special   --       SmokeScreen Normal Status   --       Hyper Beam Normal Special   --       Dragon Pulse Dragon Special   --

Walking Pokémon quotes

Walking Pokémon can have reactions unique to Blackthorn Gym. The reactions below require interacting with the Pokémon.

Games	Pokémon	Area	Quote
HG  SS
	Ice-type Pokémon	Anywhere	"___ is very eager!"
	Fire-type Pokémon	Anywhere	"___ seems to be really enjoying the heat!"
	Dragon-type Pokémon	Anywhere	"___ is very composed and sure of itself."
	Other Pokémon	Anywhere	"___'s head is bowed because of the heat."
	Other Pokémon	Anywhere	"___ seems to be unhappy that it’s so hot..."
	Entei	Anywhere	"Entei gathered itself up and let out a huge roar!"

Side series games

A field based on the Gym appears in Pokémon Stadium 2's Johto Gym Leader Castle.

Trainers

Pokémon Stadium 2

Round 1

Trainer	Pokémon
Cooltrainer Gloria シオリ Shiori	Jigglypuff♀ Lv.50-100 PRZCureBerry
	Venonat♂ Lv.50-100 Burnt Berry
	Skiploom♀ Lv.50-100 Bitter Berry
	Clefairy♀ Lv.50-100 Ice Berry
	Exeggcute♂ Lv.50-100 Mint Berry
	Oddish♂ Lv.50-100 Berry Juice
Cooltrainer Vince ケイスケ Keisuke	Bulbasaur♂ Lv.50-100 Ice Berry
	Squirtle♀ Lv.50-100 Bitter Berry
	Charmander♂ Lv.50-100 PSNCureBerry
	Chikorita♀ Lv.50-100 Mint Berry
	Cyndaquil♂ Lv.50-100 Berry Juice
	Totodile♂ Lv.50-100 PRZCureBerry

Gym Leader Clair Johto Gym Leader Castle Stadium 2

Types: Water Dragon Held item: Scope Lens Kingdra♀ Lv.50-100 DragonBreath Dragon   --       Hydro Pump Water   --       Headbutt Normal   --       Blizzard Ice   --       Type: Electric Unknown Held item: Mint Berry Ampharos♀ Lv.50-100 ThunderPunch Electric   --       Swift Normal   --       Iron Tail Steel   --       Headbutt Normal   --       Type: Dragon Unknown Held item: Dragon Fang Dragonair♂ Lv.50-100 Outrage Dragon   --       Blizzard Ice   --       Surf Water   --       Thunder Electric   --       Types: Ground Rock Held item: PSNCureBerry Rhydon♂ Lv.50-100 Earthquake Ground   --       Iron Tail Steel   --       Rollout Rock   --       DynamicPunch Fighting   --       Type: Fire Unknown Held item: Bitter Berry Arcanine♂ Lv.50-100 Flamethrower Fire   --       Dig Ground   --       Dragon Rage Dragon   --       ExtremeSpeed Normal   --       Types: Water Ice Held item: PRZCureBerry Lapras♀ Lv.50-100 DragonBreath Dragon   --       Ice Beam Ice   --       Surf Water   --       Psychic Psychic   --

Round 2

Trainer	Pokémon
Cooltrainer Gloria シオリ Shiori	Smeargle♂ Lv.50-100 Focus Band
	Tangela♀ Lv.50-100 Bitter Berry
	Jynx♀ Lv.50-100 Ice Berry
	Golduck♂ Lv.50-100 PRZCureBerry
	Haunter♂ Lv.50-100 Mint Berry
	Ninetales♀ Lv.50-100 Burnt Berry
Cooltrainer Vince ケイスケ Keisuke	Ivysaur♂ Lv.50-100 Burnt Berry
	Wartortle♀ Lv.50-100 PRZCureBerry
	Charmeleon♂ Lv.50-100 Mint Berry
	Bayleef♀ Lv.50-100 Bitter Berry
	Croconaw♂ Lv.50-100 Gold Berry
	Quilava♂ Lv.50-100 PSNCureBerry

Gym Leader Clair Johto Gym Leader Castle Stadium 2

Types: Water Dragon Held item: BrightPowder Kingdra♂ Lv.50-100 Return Normal   --       Hydro Pump Water   --       Ice Beam Ice   --       DragonBreath Dragon   --       Type: Electric Unknown Held item: Quick Claw Ampharos♀ Lv.50-100 Body Slam Normal   --       Fire Punch Fire   --       Thunderbolt Electric   --       Thunder Wave Electric   --       Types: Poison Ground Held item: Scope Lens Nidoking♂ Lv.50-100 Shadow Ball Ghost   --       Body Slam Normal   --       Double Kick Fighting   --       Earthquake Ground   --       Types: Ground Rock Held item: Focus Band Rhydon♀ Lv.50-100 Roar Normal   --       Body Slam Normal   --       Earthquake Ground   --       Rock Slide Rock   --       Types: Fire Flying Held item: King's Rock Charizard♂ Lv.50-100 Body Slam Normal   --       Wing Attack Flying   --       Earthquake Ground   --       Flamethrower Fire   --       Types: Water Flying Held item: MiracleBerry Gyarados♀ Lv.50-100 Waterfall Water   --       Ice Beam Ice   --       Double-Edge Normal   --       DragonBreath Dragon   --

Spin-off games

Pokémon Masters EX

Artwork depicting the Blackthorn Gym is seen in Clair's mindscape.

Clair & Kingdra

In animation

Blackthorn Gym in Pokémon the Series: Black & White

Blackthorn Gym's battlefield in Pokémon the Series: Black & White

Pokémon the Series

In Pokémon the Series, the Blackthorn Gym has a retractable roof, which is used when both Clair and the opponent's Pokémon can use flight in one way or another. In Pokémon the Series: The Beginning, the Gym battlefield also had a pool of water at its center, but in Pokémon the Series: Black & White, it is no longer there.

Pokémon the Series: Gold and Silver

The Blackthorn Gym first appeared at the end of Beauty is Skin Deep. In Fangs for Nothin', Ash challenged Clair to a battle for his final Johto League Badge. Although he battled hard, Ash wasn't doing very well and was constantly outmaneuvered by Clair. However, before the battle could end, an alarm went off, alerting Clair that somebody had stolen the Dragon Fang kept at the Dragon Holy Land. She told Ash that the battle would have to continue some other time, causing the match to be interrupted.

After dealing with Team Rocket and returning the Dragon Fang, Ash and Clair had a second battle in Better Eight Than Never. This time, Ash came prepared with his Snorlax and Charizard. Thanks to them, he was much more successful than during his previous attempt, and was able to earn himself a Rising Badge.

Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl

The Blackthorn Gym later made a brief cameo in An Egg Scramble! during Lyra's presentation of Johto at the Johto Festival.

Pokémon the Series: Black & White

In BWS02, Iris visited the Gym and had an exhibition match with Clair, using her Dragonite against Clair's Shiny Druddigon. After a hard-fought battle, Clair and Druddigon emerged victorious.

Gallery

Original battlefield	The Gym with the roof opened

Pokémon used in the Gym

Used by first Blackthorn Gym Leader

Dragonite ♀

Debut	Fangs For Nothin'
Voice actors
Japanese	Unshō Ishizuka
English	Unshō Ishizuka

Dragonite first appeared in Fangs For Nothin' and once belonged to the original Gym Leader of the Blackthorn Gym. She went on a rampage when Team Rocket tried to steal a sacred bowl of fire in Great Bowls of Fire!, but she calmed down later on in that episode.

Clair was revealed to had caught the Dragonite in A Pokémon of a Different Color!.

Dragonite's known moves are Hyper Beam, Outrage, and Whirlwind*.

Used by Clair

Kingdra

Debut	Fangs for Nothin'

Kingdra was used 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, who struggled against it and was close to being defeated when the match was interrupted due to Team Rocket stealing the Dragon Fang.

During the rematch, Kingdra put up a good fight against Ash's Snorlax, but was eventually beaten in endurance and taken down with an Ice Punch.

Kingdra's known moves are Twister, Hydro Pump, Agility, Swift, and Hyper Beam.

Gyarados

Debut	Beauty is Skin Deep
Voice actors
Japanese	Unshō Ishizuka
English	Unshō Ishizuka

Gyarados is Clair's hidden powerhouse. It was seen guarding her Dratini. Later, during Ash's rematch with Clair, it managed to defeat Ash's Snorlax and put up a good fight against his Pikachu, but eventually lost to Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

Gyarados's known moves are Hydro Pump, Hyper Beam, Dragon Breath, and Bite.

Dragonair

Debut	Beauty is Skin Deep
Voice actors
Japanese	Megumi Hayashibara
English	Megumi Hayashibara

Main article: Clair's Dragonair

Dragonair is Clair's main Pokémon. It first appeared as a Dratini, when it was shedding its skin and Clair was protecting it at that time. When Team Rocket tried to steal Dratini, Clair protected it which led it to evolve into a Dragonair. With its new powers, Dragonair easily defeated Team Rocket.

Clair also used her Dragonair in the rematch against Ash in Better Eight Than Never. With its speed and power, it defeated Pikachu easily. With a wide range of moves such as Dragon Rage, it proved to be a tough challenge for Charizard as well. Eventually, however, it was defeated by Charizard's Seismic Toss, earning Ash the Rising Badge.

Druddigon

Debut	A Pokémon of a Different Color!
Voice actors
Japanese	Tsuguo Mogami
English	Marc Thompson

This Shiny Druddigon first appeared in A Pokémon of a Different Color! as a wild Pokémon living in a cave in the Decolore Islands. It was attacked by Team Rocket, but blasted them off and went into a rampage. Clair was able to calm it and it decided to join her party.

Druddigon reappeared in BWS02, battling against Iris's Dragonite in an exhibition match and winning.

Druddigon's known moves are Slash, Dragon Rage, Outrage, Dragon Tail, and Flamethrower.

In the manga

Blackthorn Gym in Pokémon Adventures

Pokémon Adventures

Gold, Silver & Crystal arc

The Blackthorn Gym appeared in Debonaire Dragonair, where Clair was seen battling her apprentice Ryu at the Gym, easily defeating his Seadra with her Dragonair before heading to the Dragon's Den.

Pokémon Pocket Monsters

Blackthorn Gym battlefield in Pokémon Pocket Monsters

Blackthorn Gym in Pokémon Pocket Monsters

The Blackthorn Gym appeared in The Ultimate Battle…?!. Green entered the Gym to impress Clair, but he and his Charizard were badly beaten by her. As Red and his Pokémon went inside, they had to get past a river full of lava in order to get to Clair. Even though the group was burned in the process, Clair cooled them off with a water bucket and challenged Red to a battle using Dragonair. Despite Dragonair being a tough opponent, Red was able to defeat it with Clefairy and Tyrogue, although their Double Team clones caused some trouble in the end.

Trivia

• In the games, the Cianwood Gym, the Blackthorn Gym, and the Celadon Gym are the only Gyms that require the use of an HM, as part of a Gym puzzle, in order to progress. Cianwood and Blackthorn's Gyms require Strength in Generation II, while Celadon's requires Cut in all generations except Generation II.
• This is the only Gym in any Pokémon game where the player doesn't obtain the Gym's Badge after defeating the Gym Leader.
• This is one of the few places in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver where the player is required to keep their Pokémon inside of its Poké Ball.
  • However, if the lead Pokémon in the party is fainted, the next unfainted Pokémon will be outside of its ball in the Gym.
• In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the dark colored-lava on the floor of the Gym resembles a dragon, with its tail at the Gym entrance and mouth at the back of the Gym.
• Blackthorn Gym is the only Gym in the Stadium series to have more than one Gym Trainer of the same Trainer class.
• In Pokémon Gold and Silver, if the player obtains a Dragon Fang through trading before obtaining one from Dragon's Den and shows it to Clair, she will accuse the player of trying to cheat and not give them the Badge.
• In Pokémon Crystal, if the player whites out due to poison damage while still inside the Dragon Shrine in Dragon's Den after receiving the Rising Badge, they can return to the Blackthorn Gym to receive the reward TM from Clair. However, if the player then returns to Dragon's Den and stands on the tile directly in front of the Dragon Shrine's door, Clair will appear again and give the player another TM24.

By ChickasaurusGL

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Gym Leaders of the Johto region
Violet Gym Falkner	Azalea Gym Bugsy	Goldenrod Gym Whitney	Ecruteak Gym Morty
Cianwood Gym Chuck	Olivine Gym Jasmine	Mahogany Gym Pryce	Blackthorn Gym Clair

This article is part of Project Locations, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on every location in the Pokémon world.