After Ash struggled to defeat Sabrina, Sabrina's father told him that Ghost Pokémon would probably be able to defeat Sabrina's Psychic minions and suggested going to the Pokémon Tower to find Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar. Ash found all three of them, but did not capture them. The Haunter that he befriended decided to follow him back to Saffron though, at the end of The Tower of Terror.
In Haunter versus Kadabra, Ash challenged Sabrina a second time, but Haunter abruptly disappeared. When Ash found it, Haunter disappeared once again, treating it all like fun and games. Haunter finally returns just as Kadabra was about to defeat Pikachu and proceeded to make Sabrina laugh. This made a connection to Sabrina's old self, unlocking her heart, and while she was immobilized by laughter at the Haunter's faces, her Kadabra, who was psychically linked with her, was immobilized as well. Ash and Haunter were subsequently given the Marsh Badge.
Haunter was later left with Sabrina at the Saffron Gym, to keep her under control.
Personality and characteristics
Haunter and Sabrina
Haunter has a mischievous and happy nature, tending to have fun and make people laugh more than battling, though this usually involves hurting or scaring people. It was also showing being very sensitive, becoming very depressed when Ash initially failed to get amused by its humor, not to mention feeling sad when Ash said that he had to leave.
A † shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves.
In the TCG
Haunter is featured in the TCG as one of Sabrina's Pokémon. The following is a list of cards named Sabrina's Haunter.
Sabrina's Haunter 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.
Haunter is Ash's first unofficial Pokémon. Despite this, Sabrina and Ash both claim Ash caught Haunter in Haunter Versus Kadabra, implying it was officially his.
Haunter is the only Pokémon Ash traveled with who is from the same evolutionary line as another Pokémon he later captures; in this case, Gengar.
References
↑Confirmed male in novelization Night in the Haunted Tower: "When Haunter made Sabrina laugh, it was like he broke a spell."
Related articles
For more information on this Pokémon's species, see Haunter.
