Captain Stern

Captain Stern (Japanese: クスノキ Kusunoki) is an oceanographer who lives in Slateport City in Hoenn.

In the Anime

Ash and Max wanted to visit the Oceanic Museum, but it was closed unusually early.

A little boy approached and yelled at Max after he tried to get into the museum. Max tried to explain that he just wanted to see.

The boy introduced himself as Marius and claimed to be the protector of the museum. Marius accused them of trespassing and tried to sic his Spheal on them, but it ended up attacking Marius by mistake. Pikachu grew tired of the antics and knocked the little Water-type out with an Electric attack, prompting Max to explain Type Advantage.

Marius' father, Captain Stern stepped in and said he had been looking for his son. Captain Stern was the curator of the Oceanic Museum, and offered to give Ash and Max a tour. The museum had many sculptures of Water-type Pokémon and models of submarines.

Captain Stern used underwater exploration vessels to explore the ocean, gather rare artifacts, and study sea Pokémon in their natural habitats.

Captain Stern then showed off his latest find, a volcanic rock formed by underwater volcanoes, supposedly caused by the Legendary Pokémon, Groudon.

While the kids went to go get ice cream, members of Team Magma broke in and stole the stone.

Ash had confronted the member of Team Magma when Captain Stern caught up to them, and he sent out his Sealeo, which used an Aurora Beam. The blast caused the thief to drop the case and Marius caught it.

Captain Stern told Max and Marius to run for it, and they escaped via the sea using Spheal. Ash refused to run and continued to fight. After another flurry of attacks, the case opened and the stone broke. The Magma got half of it, while Pikachu got the other.

Later, Ash apologized to Captain Stern for letting Team Magma escape, but Stern was grateful to just keep half of the stone so he could study it.

Pokémon

This listing is of Captain Stern's Pokémon in the Pokémon anime.

• Sealeo

Released

• Spheal (Given to Marius)

In the Games

Captain Stern is a big name in Slateport. He's responsible for a lot of the town's livelihood.

He goes on explorations to the seafloor in submarines.

He ordered the Devon Goods from Rustboro City. He constructed the S.S. Tidal. Built the Oceanic Museum, and runs Stern's Shipyard.

Team Magma or Team Aqua will threaten him in the Oceanic Museum to try to recover the Devon Goods, which are plans for a new submarine engine for his next project - Submarine Explorer 1.

In the Pokémon Special Manga

In the Pokémon Special manga, Captain Stern appears in a supporting role. Ruby came to Slateport to enter a Pokémon Contest when Team Magma attacked, looking for Captain Stern. They kidnapped Stern, Ruby, and the Pokémon Fanclub President.

Team Magma wanted to use Submarine Explorer 1 to reach the Seafloor Cavern, the deepest part of Hoenn's ocean. However, a special starter developed by the Devon Corporation and transported in the Devon Goods was needed. Ruby saved Captain Stern but ended up drifting away in the submarine. During the conflict, Stern ended up being poisoned by a Torkoal.

Later, Captain Stern was able to informNorman, and Gabby & Ty of Ruby's location.

When Kyogre flooded half of Hoenn, Stern helped evacuate the people of Slateport into ships.

Captain Stern is apparently friends with both Steven Stone and Wallace.