He raises Template:Type2 Pokémon, which are both hard to catch and raise, but he prefers the superiority of Dragon-type Pokémon, believing them to be virtually indestructible.
Known as a cool and heroic Trainer, Lance has a large fan-following. Lance also seems to have a liking for capes, as he is often seen buying identical capes at the Celadon Department Store.
Lance's grandfather is the elder of a famous clan of Dragon masters. Clair is his cousin, and his hometown is Blackthorn City.
Lance appeared at Mahogany Town to help the player fight Team Rocket in Johto. Lance rewards the player with the Whirlpool HM for helping him put an end to Team Rocket's sinister plans.
Pokémon
This listing is for Lance's Pokémon in the video games in which he has appeared.
In Pokémon Stadium 2, Lance is the champion, who is fought at the end of the Elite Four. As the player must use the same Pokémon that it used against the Elite Four, Lance is extremely difficult to defeat with Rental Pokémon, but not impossible (due to the element of chance). Once Lance is defeated, the player can battle any gym leaders in the Kanto region at any time.
"Ah! I heard about you, <player>! I lead the Elite Four! You can call me Lance the Dragon Trainer! You know that dragons are mythical Pokémon! They’re hard to catch and raise, but their powers are superior! They’re virtually indestructible! Well, are you ready to lose? Your League challenge ends with me, <player>!" "That’s it! I hate to admit it, but you are a Pokémon master!" "I still can’t believe my dragons lost to you, <player>! You’re now the Pokémon League champion! …Or, you would have been, but you have one more challenge ahead. You have to face another Trainer! His name is… <rival>! He beat the Elite Four before you. He is the real Pokémon League champion!"
Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal
"I’ve been waiting for you. <player>! I knew that you, with your skills, would eventually reach me here. There’s no need for words now. We will battle to determine who is the stronger of the two of us. As the most powerful Trainer and as the Pokémon League Champion… I, Lance the dragon master, accept your challenge!" "…It’s over. But it’s an odd feeling. I’m not angry that I lost. In fact, I feel happy. Happy that I witnessed the rise of a great new Champion!"
"It looks like even the Elite Four couldn't stop you. I'm your last opponent in the Johto Castle!" "I am still the Champion. I won't hold anything back." "I've been waiting for you. Allow me to test your skill." "Hyper Beam!" "It's all over!" "Dragonite for the win!" "That's it. Come back!" "Ow, bad news!" "I concede defeat. You might have what it takes to prevail over KANTO's GYM LEADERs."
I lead the Elite Four. You can call me Lance the Dragon Trainer.
Pokémon League - Lance
Favorite kind of Pokémon?
You know that dragons are mythical Pokémon. They're hard to catch and raise, but their powers are superior. They're virtually indestructible. There's no being clever with them.
Saffron City - Woman
What is this person like?
He stands for justice! He's cool, and yet passionate! He's the greatest, Lance!
Celadon City Department Store - Little Girl
There's a rumor...
We have a customer, Lance, who occasionally comes. He always buys capes. I wonder... Does he have many identical capes at home?
Lance's first appeared in Talkin' 'Bout an Evolution. When Team Rocket started up an evil scheme at the Lake of Rage, Lance showed up to investigate. He met Ash, Misty and Brock there, saving the children from some formidable Rocket Grunts. Ash wanted to help Lance in his mission, but Lance said it was too dangerous.
Team Rocket was trying to investigate the properties of a Template:Shiny2Gyarados so that they could learn how to force Pokémon to evolve. Lance was able to destroy Team Rocket's machine and blow up their laboratory. Ash was able to calm the Red Gyarados at first, but it continued to go berserk. Finally, Lance caught it to keep it from destroying Mahogany Town.
Lance is primarily a villain in Pokémon Adventures. As the leader of the Elite Four, he wishes to exterminate the human race, save for a few people who he deems to be kind enough to Pokémon.
Apparently also from Viridian City, Lance was blessed with the powers of the Viridian Forest as Yellow was. He has the power to telepathically communicate with Pokémon, as well as heal their wounds.
Lance also has the ability to control or brainwash any Dragon-type Pokémon, as well as most Pokémon similar to Dragons (such as Aerodactyl or Tyranitar).
Lance tried to summon Lugia on Cerise Island to help accomplish his goals, but Yellow's Pokémon were able to drive Lugia away. This interested Lance, as he wanted to find out who Lugia's real owner was. It wasn't often that he lost control of dragon-like Pokémon.
Lance disappeared for a while, investigating Lugia and working behind the scenes. He gave Silver advice on how to defeat Team Rocket in Johto, as well as a Tyranitar. Working through Silver, Lance tried to help defeat the Mask of Ice.
Pokémon
This listing is for Lance's Pokémon in the Pokémon Adventures manga:
Lance has battles with two illegal Pokémon: the Aerodactyl that knows Rock Slide that he uses in Gold, Silver, and Crystal, and the Dragonite that knows Barrier that he uses in Red and Blue. Furthermore, all his Dragonite from Generation II, as well as in the double battle against Team Rocket and the first battle against him in the Pokémon League in Generation IV, are underleveled.
It is interesting to note that as of Pokémon Yellow Lance has red hair, while a card depicting him in Monopoly: Pokémon Edition shows artwork of him with purple hair. This is probably due to the fact that the board game was made before Yellow was released and his sprite in Red and Blue is grayish-blue in color.
Though his type theme is Dragon Pokémon, in Generation II, only three of his Pokémon are actually of the Dragon type; all of them Dragonite. Interestingly, all six of his Pokémon have Flying as their secondary type.
Lance, Bruno, and Koga are the only members of the Elite Four who have appeared in all four generations.
This also makes Lance the trainer with the most pseudo-legendaries in the series thus far.
Lance is the only trainer the player can battle with in a double battle, against in a double battle and against in a single battle, in any Generation, so far.
Despite taking place three years later, Lance's Pokémon are at a lower level in Generation II then they were in Generation I. The same thing happens to Bruno.
Names
Language
Name
Origin
Japanese
ワタル (Wataru)
"Wata wata" is the Japanese onomatopoeia of flapping wings.
English, Italian, Spanish
Lance
Possibly from a lance, used by knights, who fought dragons in legends and fairy tales.
French
Peter
Could also be derived from petard, a medieval weapon.
German
Siegfried
Reference to a Nordic hero that killed a dragon called Fafnir.
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