Alain
| Alain アラン Alain | |
 Alain | |
| Gender | Male |
|---|---|
| Eye color | Blue |
| Hair color | Black |
| Hometown | Unknown |
| Region | Kalos |
| Trainer class | Trainer |
| Member of | Team Flare |
| Rank | Bodyguard |
| Anime debut | Mega Evolution Special I |
| English voice actor | Jonathan Silver |
| Japanese voice actor | Kenshō Ono |
Alain (Japanese: アラン Alain) is a major recurring character in the Pokémon anime. He initially appears as the main character of the Mega Evolution Special side-series beginning with Mega Evolution Special I. He is a Pokémon Trainer seeking to defeat all Mega Evolved Pokémon using his Mega Charizard X. He initially worked as Professor Sycamore's assistant. However, he now works for Lysandre under the belief that Lysandre is harnessing the energy of Mega Evolution for peaceful purposes; to this end he works as a part of Team Flare, recognized by its members as Lysandre's bodyguard. He later appears in the XY&Z arc of the XY series as a rival to Ash, working on Lysandre's orders to find a pair of Zygarde Cores, one of which is Bonnie's friend Squishy.
History
In the Mega Evolution Specials
In the past he was Professor Sycamore's assistant, and it was Sycamore who initially inspired him to begin seeking Mega Stones in order to solve the mysteries of Mega Evolution. At this time Alain already owned a Charmander. Some time after leaving Professor Sycamore's laboratory, Charmander evolved. After reporting to Professor Sycamore, he came to a nearby ruin in search of Ampharosite, but discovered that the raw Mega Stone had been taken by Lysandre. Alain battled Lysandre for ownership of the stone, but his Charmeleon was soundly defeated by Lysandre's Pyroar.
Alain was then invited to Lysandre Labs, where Lysandre revealed his intention to harness the energy Pokémon produce when they Mega Evolve for peaceful purposes. He also claimed that if Professor Sycamore were to publish the secrets of Mega Evolution, mankind would find a way to use those secrets to nefarious ends, and said he would not allow the Professor's name to be tarnished. Asking if Alain would assist him, Lysandre revealed a metal attaché case with a Mega Ring and Charizardite X. Believing he could protect the Professor this way, Alain accepted Lysandre's proposal.
During Mega Evolution Special I, after Charmeleon evolved into a Charizard, Alain battled a Trainer named Astrid, and defeated her Mega Absol. The battle was secretly watched by Mairin, a beginning Trainer who was sent out on a journey by Professor Sycamore. Mairin was so impressed with his strength that she began following him. From Mairin, Alain learned of a Trainer who leaped off of Prism Tower to save a Pokémon. Next, Alain received a call on his Holo Caster from a mysterious person (later revealed to be Lysandre), who directed him to a location with ruins to retrieve a Mega Stone. After getting the Mega Stone, Alain was confronted by a Trainer named Remo who was also looking for the Mega Stone. Remo challenged him with a Mega Garchomp. Alain easily won the battle, and kept the Mega Stone.
Afterwards he helped Mairin capture a Flabébé. He then traveled with her to a restaurant where Elite Four member Siebold was working as a chef and challenged him to a battle, seemingly unaware that at the same time his Charizard's energy levels were being monitored by Lysandre. Charizard put up a good fight against Siebold's Blastoise, but when Blastoise Mega Evolved, it overwhelmed Charizard using a Mega Launcher-boosted Dragon Pulse. Accepting his defeat, Alain continued his journey to battle more Mega Evolved Pokémon and complete more assignments from Lysandre, now with Mairin as a traveling partner.
In Mega Evolution Special II, he traveled to Hoenn with Mairin, where he met Steven. Noticing each other's Key Stones, the two Trainers recognized each other as Trainers with Mega Pokémon. Accepting Alain's challenge, Steven and his Shiny Mega Metagross fought a fierce battle with Charizard before the battle was interrupted by Lysandre.
Deciding to cooperate with the Hoenn Champion, Alain and company traveled to their destination, a small temple with two pillars in the center. When Alain and Steven held their Key Stones to the monument, a staircase of light appeared to lead them further within the ancient ruin. There, they discovered a similar mechanism that summoned a glowing megalith from underneath the ruin. After Lysandre and his research team began analyzing the giant stone, a Rayquaza appeared from the sky, Mega Evolved into Mega Rayquaza, and started wreaking havoc on the surrounding area. Alain, Steven, and their Mega Pokémon partners tried to fend off the Legendary Pokémon, but were overwhelmed. As Rayquaza continued to destroy the megalith, its Draco Meteors landed near Mairin, sending her and Chespie flying. Alain dove to save her, but in the process, the two are buried in debris. Mairin is safe, but Alain injures his shoulder. Despite Mairin and Lysandre's concern, Alain insists he's fine, and proceeds to Rustboro City on Lysandre's orders as he believes the megalith can be recovered, secretly he told Alain to keep a watch on Steven Stone, as he possessed great knowledge on Mega Evolution.
In Mega Evolution Special III, after landing at the Devon Corporation headquarters via helicopter with Mairin, he receives confirmation from Steven and Lysandre that Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre are set to battle each other near Rustboro City to claim the megalith's energy, putting the entire world at risk. Alain and Steven volunteer to fly to the point where the super-ancient Pokémon will meet to analyze the situation. Concerned, Mairin asks Alain about his shoulder, but Alain insists he's fine. Mairin says it's too dangerous, and begs Alain to stay, but he refuses, saying he has to keep his promise to Lysandre to become the strongest. Mairin continues to press him, causing Alain to lash out at her, saying she knows nothing about his goals. After calming down, Alain walks away from Mairin, telling her to go back to Kalos.
On Steven's aircraft, Alain and the Champion approach a large energy reading that Devon Corp. staff and Lysandre confirm to be the megalith. Lysandre tells the two to be careful while investigating the situation. Primal Kyogre surfaces, and begins engaging Primal Groudon. After the Primal Pokémon exchange blows, Alain receives private orders from Lysandre. The director wants the megalith protected at all costs until it fully materializes. Alain opens the aircraft's door and sends out Charizard, and triggers its Mega Evolution. Following Alain's lead, Steven and Metagross follow suit, volunteering to attack Kyogre. While Charizard successfully stops Groudon from reaching the megalith, it is hit by Precipice Blades, and falls from the sky to a glacier caused by Kyogre's Ice Beam.
Alain rappels from the aircraft onto the glacier, and rushes to Charizard's side, digging it out from chunks of ice. Noticing its tail flame dying, Alain immediately recalls Charizard to rest. Alain is then blown back from an explosion caused by Groudon and Kyogre's battle. Steven orders the aircraft to descend, allowing Mairin and Chespie, who had stowed away, to exit the aircraft's rear and help Alain. As Groudon's Solar Beam causes debris to fly towards the three, Steven's Metagross dives in front to guard the three with Protect. As Metagross continues to fend off Groudon and Kyogre, Mairin brings an unconscious Alain to shelter. Alain wakes up after Mega Rayquaza returns and single-handedly defeats Groudon and Kyogre. A submarine sent by Lysandre surfaces and steals the megalith by blinding Rayquaza with flash missiles. Lysandre deems the mission a success, and Rayquaza retreats. With the skies cleared, Alain approaches Mairin and thanks her. However, back at the Devon Corporation headquarters, Mairin is told by Steven that Alain returned to Kalos without her. Alain told Steven that Mairin would be in danger if she continued following him. Alain is shown to be back at Lysandre Labs, where Lysandre thanks Alain for his help. While Lysandre tells Alain he's earned a rest, Alain insists on continuing his training with Charizard, recalling how they were defeated by the super-ancient Pokémon of Hoenn. He is last seen with Charizard, battling a nameless Trainer and his Mega Tyranitar under Lysandre's supervision.
In Mega Evolution Special IV, Alain fought ten Trainers with Mega Evolved Pokémon in a row under the condition that he had to return his Mega Stone and Mega Ring to Lysandre had he lost to one of the Trainers. Despite not being able to rest between battles, Alain was able to defeat the first nine Trainers. During the middle of the challenge, he still refused to let Mairin travel with him as she would've been in danger. Unfortunately, this led to Chespie walking in on an experiment which subsequently overloaded, exposing Chespie to near-fatal levels of the energy produced as part of the experiment and causing it to fall into a coma.
Alain fought Malva as the final Trainer. Alain has known about her before as she was part of the Elite Four and Malva has heard about Alain's loss to Siebold. Alain was not convinced that he was going to lose to Malva. Alain pitted his Charizard against Malva's Houndoom and true to his word, Alain was able to defeat Malva. After battling Malva, he went to see Mairin from behind a corner. Upon discovering this and hearing a broken, sobbing Mairin begging Lysandre to assure her that Chespie would wake up, he started to feel that it was his fault and, believing that the Mega Evolution system would restore Chespie's health, set out to complete it in order to bring back the cheerful Mairin he knew. After leaving, a Trainer with a Mega Banette stopped him and they had a battle.
In the main series
Alain made a cameo appearance in Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction. He made his first appearance in the main series during a flashback in Garchomp's Mega Bond!.
Alain made a cameo in From A to Z!, walking past Ash and his friends.
He reappeared in XY105 where he was passing by Ash's battle with Sawyer. He took notice of Ash's Greninja's unique transformation and was intrigued by it. The next day, he saved Ash's Pikachu from Team Rocket and introduced himself to Ash and his friends. He then requested to battle Ash's Greninja, to which Ash agreed. Alain held the upper hand against Ash and Greninja with his Charizard, which he eventually Mega Evolved as he wanted to draw out Greninja's full power. Once Greninja did transform, Alain was surprised to discover it wasn't a Mega Evolution, as his Mega Ring didn't respond. Ash-Greninja managed to battle Charizard on more even grounds, but was still defeated. Afterwards Alain and Ash introduced themselves, just before he thanked Ash for the battle and left.
He appeared again in XY106, where he was sent by Lysandre to help Aliana and Mable in their mission to capture Z2 when they were having a hard time. Alain and Charizard were an even match for Zygarde and distracted it long enough for Team Flare to use their specialized weapons. After they captured Z2, Aliana and Mable recognized him as Lysandre's bodyguard.
He will appear again in XY115, where he will have a rematch against Ash and his Greninja.
Character
Alain is shown to usually be focused on his goals, yet often exhibits aloof behavior and can wander off in thought. He at first seems to push others away from him, but he helped Mairin capture Flabébé with hints on strategy. He does, however, have a close bond with his Charizard, and has become accustomed to Mairin's companionship as shown in Mega Evolution Special II. Alain doggedly pursues his goal of becoming the strongest, often ignoring the concern of others.
Alain has a tendency to push away the people he wants to protect. During his time working at Professor Sycamore's lab, Alain was much more cheerful than he is in the present. While he has distanced himself from Professor Sycamore, it is clear he is still concerned about him. In Mega Evolution Special III, Alain purposely tried to leave Mairin behind to keep her from his dangerous mission of engaging Primal Groudon and Kyogre. Failing that, he later returned to Kalos alone, leaving her behind.
His character took a darker turn at the end of Mega Evolution Special IV. Blaming himself for Chespie's falling into a comatose state because of his pushing Mairin away, he became enraged with himself and began obsessively pursuing the completion of Lysandre's Mega Evolution energy system. His goal thus became to gain strength and complete the system in order to heal Chespie and help Mairin smile again.
Alain is a rather sportsmanlike person, and is shown to take his losses well. When he wins battles, he likewise congratulates his opponents on putting up a good fight, which is how he befriends Ash.
Pokémon
This listing is of Alain's known Pokémon in the anime:
On hand
 Charmander → Charmeleon → Charizard ↔ Mega Charizard X |
- Alain introduces Mega Charizard as his "strongest Pokémon", which would imply he owns at least one other Pokémon.
Found
| Debut | Garchomp's Mega Bond! |
|---|
In Garchomp's Mega Bond!, it is revealed that Alain found Professor Sycamore's Garchomp as a Gible injured in the streets of Lumiose City. Alain brought her to the laboratory to receive treatment.
Artwork
|
| Alternative artwork from the XY Series |
Voice actors
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Trivia
- If the player has Steven's Shiny Beldum, Steven Stone makes a nod to Alain and Mega Evolution Special II during the Delta Episode in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, mentioning an occasion, a long time ago, when he had the chance to meet and battle Rayquaza alongside a young Trainer who used a black Charizard.
- Alain is the first non-Champion Trainer to defeat an Elite Four member in the anime, defeating Malva during a 1-on-1 match.
Names
| Language | Name | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | アラン Alain | From Alain, French form of Alan. Possibly from 藍 ran (indigo) or 嵐 ran (storm). |
| English, French, German | Alain | Same as his Japanese name |
| Italian | Alan | From his Japanese name |
| Korean | 알랭 Alain | From his Japanese name |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 艾嵐 Àilán | Transliteration of his Japanese name |
| Chinese (Cantonese) | 艾嵐 Aaihlàahm | Transliteration of his Japanese name |
| Thai | อลัน Alain | Same as his Japanese name |
Related articles
 Team Flare
| ||||
| Lysandre Labs • Team Flare Secret HQ | ||||
| Boss | Notable members | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lysandre (Masters) | Malva (Masters) | Chalmers | ||
| Scientists | ||||
| Aliana | Bryony | Celosia | Mable | Xerosic |
| Other members | ||||
| Team Flare Grunts • Team Flare Admins Alain (Pokémon the Series) • Essentia (Adventures) • Lumiose Press editor-in-chief (Adventures) | ||||
|
This movie article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation. |
