Proton
Proton ランス Lance | |
Artwork from HeartGold and SoulSilver | |
Gender | Male |
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Eye color | Green |
Hair color | Green |
Hometown | Unknown |
Region | Johto |
Trainer class | GruntGSC ExecutiveGSCHGSS |
Generation | IV |
Games | Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver |
Member of | Team Rocket |
Rank | Executive |
Proton (Japanese: ランス Lance) is one of the four Team Rocket Executives introduced in Pokémon Gold and Silver. However, his true identity wasn't revealed until Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.
In the games
In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Proton is first seen and battled in the Slowpoke Well, where Team Rocket is trying to cut off Slowpoke tails to make a profit. Later, the player meets and battles him for the second time in Goldenrod Radio Tower.
Proton is labeled as the scariest and cruelest of Team Rocket, yet also remains one of the more popular Executives. A Grunt in the Radio Tower admits to how she admires him. Proton seems to be very easily aggravated.
In Generation II, the character of Proton is, in reality, two characters: an ordinary grunt originally taking his place in Slowpoke Well and a Rocket Executive encountered in the Goldenrod Radio Tower. These two are amalgamated into Proton for Generation IV, who shares both their single Pokémon.
Proton's position has existed since Pokémon Gold and Silver. However, his existence was easy to miss because all male Rocket Executives used the same sprite (now adopted as Archer's canonical design) and were not identified by name, making it seem to some like there was only one male Executive. The Rocket Executive (as well as the grunt) Proton is based on was then given a canonical design and an official name in HeartGold and SoulSilver, along with the other three Executives, to distinguish them as individuals. Petrel's case is the same.
Pokémon
Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal
First battle
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Second battle
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Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
First battle
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Second battle
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Quotes
Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal
Slowpoke Well
- Before battle
- "What do you want? If you interrupt our work, don't expect any mercy!"
- After being defeated
- "You did OK today, but wait till next time!"
- After battle
- "Yeah, Team Rocket was broken up three years ago. But we continued our activities underground. Now you can have fun watching us stir up trouble!"
Radio Tower
- Before battle
- "Stop! I'm known as the Team Rocket fortress! You're not taking another step!"
- After being defeated
- "The fortress came down!"
- If talked to after battle
- "You've earned my respect, so here's some advice. It's not too late. You can still turn back."
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
Slowpoke Well
- Before battle
- "What do we have here? I am often labeled as the scariest and cruelest guy in Team Rocket… I strongly urge you not to interfere with our business!"
- After sending out last Pokémon
- "It doesn't matter where we go, there's always someone that doesn't agree with us…"
- Last Pokémon low on health
- "Are you serious? Did you come here thinking you could mess with our plans?"
- When defeated
- "Grr… For a kid to be this good… I didn't see it coming."
- After being defeated
- "Humph… Team Rocket was indeed broken up three years ago. But we continued our activities underground. A small obstacle like you won't be much of a problem for our mission. I advise you to be very afraid of what is to come!"
Radio Tower
- Before battle
- "Now, wait just one second! Aren't you the one who got in our way at the Slowpoke Well? I see… You're doing all this because you want to make me angry. Be careful! But since you seem to wish it, I'll show you the full extent of a Team Rocket Executive's wrath!"
- After sending out last Pokémon
- "Seriously, you'd chase me this far?!"
- Last Pokémon low on health
- "Ugh… What are you?!"
- When defeated
- "Phew…"
- After being defeated
- "You may have won this time… But all you did was make Team Rocket's wrath grow…"
Sprites
Proton as a Grunt in Generation II |
Proton's sprite from Generation II |
Proton's sprite from HeartGold and SoulSilver |
Proton's overworld sprite from Generation II |
Proton's overworld sprite from HeartGold and SoulSilver |
Proton's VS sprite from HeartGold and SoulSilver |
In the manga
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
Proton appears in the HeartGold & SoulSilver arc alongside the other three Executives. He, along with his teammates, take control of Team Rocket from Carr, saying that they will stay true to Giovanni's intentions.
While Petrel is tasked on finding the Plates related to Arceus, Ariana is tasked on stopping intruders from stopping them, Proton is tasked with finding the Sinjoh Ruins. While Ariana battles Crystal on Route 38, he and the other Generals arrive on the scene. Suddenly, Arceus appears in front of them and Crystal attempts to capture it, shocking the Generals in the process. Despite her tenacity, Crystal ultimately fails in capturing the Pokémon and is sent flying into a tree.
The Generals chase Arceus down and find it battling Gold at the Ruins of Alph. Once Arceus uses its powers and transports them all to the Sinjoh Ruins, the four Generals restrain Arceus and force it onto the Mystri Stage. Using its great powers, they force Arceus to create the legendary Pokémon Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina.
Believing they have pleased their boss, Giovanni, Proton, Ariana, and Archer begin tearing up. However, Silver distracts them by flying towards the Pokémon so Gold and Crystal can finish off the other legendary Pokémon. Once they do so, Arceus, now freed from its restraints, uses its powers to send Proton and the other Generals flying. During the final battle with Arceus, Proton stayed away from the fight by hiding behind a rock with his teammates. After the battle had ended, Proton left with the other Team Rocket members and Giovanni.
Pokémon
Zubat is Proton's mode of flight transportation. It was used to help restrain and pull Arceus into the Mystri Stage. Later, it fought Gold's Sudobo.
None of Zubat's moves are known. | ||
Debut | Fortunately for Feraligatr |
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Weezing was seen alongside Proton when he was communicating with the Rocket Grunts about the Plates.
None of Weezing's moves are known. | ||
Debut | Fortunately for Feraligatr |
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In the Pocket Monsters HGSS Jou's Big Adventure manga
Proton appears in The Revived Team Rocket where he arrives with some Team Rocket Grunts by the Slowpoke Well where they rob some Slowpoke in order to profit their tails. He cameos later on where Jou battles the grunts in Team Rocket's hideout in Mahogany Town.
Pokémon
Zubat was sent out to battle Jou's Totodile. It was a tough foe for Totodile to handle due to its Wing Attack delivering piercing damage to Totodile every time. It was simultaneously defeated in the end along with Koffing.
Zubat's only known move is Wing Attack. | ||
Debut | The Revived Team Rocket |
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Koffing was sent out to battle Jou's Totodile. It had the upper hand after Zubat gave piercing damage to Totodile. However, it got defeated along with Zubat in the end, not before being commanded to use Selfdestruct.
Koffing's only known move is Selfdestruct. | ||
Debut | The Revived Team Rocket |
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In the TCG
This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Proton in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
Related cards Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats. | |||||||
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Card | Type | English Expansion |
Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion |
Rarity | # |
Team Rocket's Trickery | Su | Undaunted | 78/90 | Reviving Legends | 076/080 | ||
Tyranitar Constructed Standard Deck | 018/019 | ||||||
Names
Language | Name | Origin |
---|---|---|
Japanese | ランス Lance | May be a reference to the MGM-52 Lance, a surface-to-surface missile used by the US Army. |
English | Proton | From Proton, an expendable launch system used for the Russian government as well as commercial uses. |
French, German | Lance | From his Japanese name |
Italian | Milas | From Milas, an anti-submarine variant of the Otomat, an Italian-built missile. |
Spanish | Protón | Same as English name. |
Korean | 랜스 Lance | From his Japanese name |
Chinese (Mandarin) | 蘭斯 Lánsī | From his Japanese name |
Members of Team Rocket | |
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Bosses: |
Giovanni (anime • Adventures • Pocket Monsters • Masters) |
Executives: |
Archer (Masters) • Ariana (Masters) • Petrel (Masters) • Proton (Masters) |
Trios: |
Jessie (Masters), James (Masters), & Meowth (JJM) |
Duos: |
Anime only: Butch & Cassidy (former) • Attila & Hun • Annie & Oakley (dub only) |
Scientists: |
Gideon |
Others: |
Grunts • Rocket BrothersRBYFRLG/Rocket SistersPE |
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. |