Violet City Pokémon Gym Leader: Falkner
The Elegant Master of Flying Pokémon
Violet City Pokémon Gym Leader: Falkner
The Elegant Master of Flying Pokémon
In Generation II, the Gym structure is very basic. It is very similar to Pewter Gym in layout, a pathway leading directly to the Gym Leader with two Trainers obscuring the way. The path is held on some sort of raised platform, with a seemingly bottomless pit left and right of the path. The path creates an "S" shape as it winds around toward the Gym Leader. At the tips of the "S" there are two Trainers that are both unavoidable. At the end stands Falkner, who will battle any challengers of the Gym. After Falkner is defeated, he will give the player the Zephyr Badge, which allows the use of Flash outside of battle, as well as TM31 (Mud-Slap).
In Generation IV, the Gym is inaccessible until the Sprout Tower is cleared. Trainers will start out on ground level. A wooden platform at the end that will lift Trainers up to the upper level where a structure similar to the one in Generation II awaits. The path creates an "S" shape as it winds around toward the Gym Leader. A Trainer waits at each end of the "S", but unlike in Generation II, both Trainers can be avoided by walking on the glass tiles that encircle the field. Falkner waits on a wooden platform in front of the windows at the back of the Gym. After Falkner is defeated, he will give the player the Zephyr Badge, which allows the use of Rock Smash outside of battle, as well as TM51 (Roost).
Trainers with a telephone symbol by their names will give their Pokégear number to the player, and may call or be called for a rematch with higher-level Pokémon.
Trainers with a telephone symbol by their names will give their Pokégear number to the player, and may call or be called for a rematch with higher-level Pokémon.
The Violet Gym made its only anime appearance in Fighting Flyer with Fire. The battlefield is located at the top of a tall building and lacks a roof so that Flying Pokémon can make full use of their abilities.
After saving Pikachu from Team Rocket, Ash challenged Falkner to a battle. The battle got off to a bad start for Ash, but he improved when he managed to defeat Falkner's Hoothoot and Dodrio with Pikachu alone. However, the Gym Leader's Pidgeot proved to be too tough for Pikachu and ultimately defeated him. After switching to Charizard, Ash was able to defeat Pidgeot and earn his first Johto League Badge, the Zephyr Badge.
Hoothoot was the first Pokémon sent out in the Gym battle between Falkner and Ash. Hoothoot managed to defeat Ash's Chikorita with ease, but was quickly defeated once Ash brought out his Pikachu. Hoothoot was also sometimes seen outside of its Poké Ball with Falkner when not in battle.
Dodrio was the second Pokémon Falkner sent out to battle Ash's Pikachu. At first Dodrio seemed to have the upper hand. When Pikachu tried to attack, Falkner ordered Dodrio to fly - much to Ash's surprise - and Dodrio jumped high in the air. Ash then decided to use that method himself, and ordered Pikachu to dodge Dodrio's Tri Attack by jumping to the air. From above, Pikachu used Thunder, knocking out Dodrio and winning the round.
Pidgeot appeared in Fighting Flyer with Fire. When Team Rocket tried to steal Ash's Pikachu, Falkner used Pidgeot to get Pikachu back and send them blasting off again. Falkner later used it in a Gym battle against Ash. It was able to defeat a weakened Pikachu with a single Whirlwind attack.
It was then put up against Ash's Charizard in the final round of the battle. With its impressive speed and power, Pidgeot was able to gain the upper hand and injure Charizard making it unable to fly. But with Ash's support and inspiration, Charizard was able to fly again.
Unfortunately, things still looked bad as Pidgeot used Agility to keep dodging Charizard's attacks and attack from behind. Ash luckily had Charizard turn back and use Fire Spin trapping Pidgeot. It then finished it off with Seismic Toss making Ash the victor.
Violet Gym was first mentioned in Sunkern Treasure, where Falkner told Gold that after his father, the previous Violet Gym Leader, had gone missing, he had started training hard in order to pass the Pokémon Association's test and become the new Gym Leader of Violet City. In Smeargle Smudge, Falkner successfully passed the test and became an official Gym Leader.
However, just when it seemed like Gold had won, the Legendary PokémonArticuno suddenly appeared. Falkner explained that the Violet Gym was originally built as a resting place for Articuno, and it only came there once every four years. Even against this overwhelmingly powerful opponent, Gold refused to surrender. As he cursed his lack of an Electric-type Pokémon, a Pikachu suddenly appeared from the time tunnel that had appeared above the Gym, and joined Gold's side in the battle against the Legendary bird. Falkner then opened the Gym's roof, giving Articuno a more suitable environment to battle in.
Although Pikachu initially refused to listen to Gold, it soon began to obey him. With Totodile's help, Pikachu was able to deal heavy damage on Articuno with Thunder. Although the Freezing Pokémon wasn't knocked out, it then left the battle, choosing not to fight anymore. According to Falkner, this meant that Articuno had admitted its defeat, meaning that he had lost the battle. As his prize, Gold then received the Zephyr Badge.
Pokémon Pocket Monsters
Violet Gym first appeared in The Gym Challenges Begin!!, where it was closed when Red was about to enter it. It reappeared in PMHGSS05, where Red and Falkner had a rematch.
Trivia
Falkner is the Gym Leader with the lowest level Pokémon in the games, with a Pidgey at level 7 and a Pidgeotto at level 9 in Generation II. This remains true in HeartGold and SoulSilver, where his Pidgey is now level 9, while no other Gym Leader's party levels fall beneath level 10.
Violet Gym is the only Gym in the Stadium series to solely use Pokémon of the Gym's specialty type.
In Pokémon Masters EX, Falkner complains that Trainers are so intimidated by his Gym’s layout (likely referring to the elevator mechanism, height, and uncertain footing) that they often withdraw soon after entering.
