Falkner

Falkner ハヤト Hayato
"The Elegant Master of Flying Pokémon"
Art from HeartGold and SoulSilver
Gender	Male
Eye color	Black*, Blue*
Hair color	Blue
Hometown	Violet City
Region	Johto
Relatives	Father (Predecessor as Gym Leader)
Trainer class	Gym Leader
Generation	II, IV
Games	Gold, Silver, Crystal, Pokémon Stadium 2, HeartGold, SoulSilver
Leader of	Violet Gym
Badge	Zephyr Badge
Specializes in	Template:Type2s
Anime debut	Fighting Flyer with Fire
English voice actor	Matthew Mitler
Japanese voice actor	Akira Ishida

Falkner (Japanese: ハヤト Hayato) is the Gym Leader of Violet City's Gym, known officially as the Violet Gym. He hands out the Zephyr Badge to Trainers who defeat him. He specializes in Template:Type2 Pokémon.

In the games

File:Gold Silver Falkner.jpg

Headshot of Falkner from Pokémon Gold and Silver

Falkner appears in Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, where he is the first Gym Leader players will encounter. A master of Template:Type2 Pokémon, Falkner runs the Violet Gym, which he inherited from his father; the Pokémon he uses in battle also formerly belonged to him. Falker's father is reported to be traveling, but is never seen in the game (unlike Janine's father).

Known as "The Elegant Master of Flying Pokémon", Falkner is adored as a cool and handsome trainer. He is, however, overshadowed by his absent father, who is said to have been cooler and even more handsome. Perhaps because of this, Falkner aspires to be the greatest bird master. Falkner uses, notably, the lowest leveled Pokémon found in any Gym in any region. His Pidgeotto, in fact, is at an illegitimate level. Once defeated in battle, he will award winners with the Zephyr Badge and a Technical Machine: TM31 (Mud-Slap) in Generation II; TM51 (Roost) in Generation IV. In each generation, his Pokémon know the respective TM; Falkner uses this move as part of his battle strategy.

Like all Gym Leaders in HeartGold and SoulSilver, Falkner will venture out of his Gym occasionally. Once the player has obtained 16 badges, Falkner will journey every Monday to Celadon City so he can visit the Department Store. He can be found talking with fellow Gym Leader Janine, of Fuchsia City, on the fourth floor, and will exchange Pokégear phone numbers with the player. Once this task has been completed, Falkner will travel to the Fighting Dojo in Saffron City every Saturday morning to accept a rematch with a stronger team of Pokémon. In addition, he may also participate in the Pokéathlon's Surpreme Cup in the Jump Course with his Pidgeot, Swellow, and Staraptor.

Falkner is also in Pokémon Stadium 2's Johto Gym Leader Castle. Unlike other Gym Leaders in this game, all of his Pokémon are of his specialist type.

Pokémon

This listing is of Falkner's Pokémon in the video games he has appeared in.

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

File:FalknerGSC.png [[Leader (Trainer class)|Leader]] Falkner [[Violet Gym|Violet Gym]] Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal [[Leader (Trainer class)|Leader]] and Professor Falkner Oak [[Violet Gym|Violet Gym]] Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal Reward: $900

Types: Normal Flying Held item: None Pidgey♂ Lv.7 Tackle Normal   --       Mud-Slap Ground   --       class="roundy" style="background: #Template:Color dark; border: 2px solid #Template:Color dark" |   --       class="roundy" style="background: #Template:Color dark; border: 2px solid #Template:Color dark" |   --       Types: Normal Flying Held item: None Pidgeotto♂ Lv.9 Tackle Normal   --       Mud-Slap Ground   --       Gust Flying   --       class="roundy" style="background: #Template:Color dark; border: 2px solid #Template:Color dark" |   --

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

Gym match

File:FalknerHGSS.gif [[Leader (Trainer class)|Leader]] Falkner [[Violet Gym|Violet Gym]] HeartGold and SoulSilver [[Leader (Trainer class)|Leader]] and Professor Falkner Oak [[Violet Gym|Violet Gym]] HeartGold and SoulSilver Reward: $1560

Types: Normal Flying Ability: Keen Eye Held item: None Pidgey♂ Lv.9 Tackle Normal Physical   --       Sand-Attack Ground Status   --       class="roundy" style="background: #Template:Color dark; border: 2px solid #Template:Color dark" |   --       class="roundy" style="background: #Template:Color dark; border: 2px solid #Template:Color dark" |   --       Types: Normal Flying Ability: Keen Eye Held item: None Pidgeotto♂ Lv.13 Tackle Normal Physical   --       Gust Flying Special   --       Roost Flying Status   --       class="roundy" style="background: #Template:Color dark; border: 2px solid #Template:Color dark" |   --

Second battle (Rematch)

File:FalknerHGSS.gif [[Leader (Trainer class)|Leader]] Falkner [[Fighting Dojo|Fighting Dojo]] HeartGold and SoulSilver [[Leader (Trainer class)|Leader]] and Professor Falkner Oak [[Fighting Dojo|Fighting Dojo]] HeartGold and SoulSilver Reward: $6720

Types: Normal Flying Ability: Intimidate Held item: Sitrus Berry Staraptor♂ Lv.50 U-turn Bug Physical   --       Close Combat Fighting Physical   --       Brave Bird Flying Physical   --       Attract Normal Status   --       Types: Water Flying Ability: Keen Eye Held item: None Pelipper♂ Lv.48 Surf Water Special   --       Ice Beam Ice Special   --       Hidden Power Normal Special   --       Tailwind Flying Status   --       Types: Normal Flying Ability: Insomnia Held item: None Noctowl♂ Lv.52 Air Slash Flying Special   --       Shadow Ball Ghost Special   --       FeatherDance Flying Status   --       Roost Flying Status   --       Types: Normal Flying Ability: Guts Held item: Flame Orb Swellow♂ Lv.52 Protect Normal Status   --       Double Team Normal Status   --       Endeavor Normal Physical   --       Facade Normal Physical   --       Types: Dark Flying Ability: Insomnia Held item: None Honchkrow♂ Lv.54 Thunder Wave Electric Status   --       Dark Pulse Dark Special   --       Sucker Punch Dark Physical   --       Night Slash Dark Physical   --       Types: Normal Flying Ability: Keen Eye Held item: None Pidgeot♂ Lv.56 Double Team Normal Status   --       Swagger Normal Status   --       Return Normal Physical   --       Roost Flying Status   --

Pokémon Stadium 2

Round 1

File:S2 Leader Falkner.png [[Leader (Trainer class)|Leader]] Falkner [[Violet Gym|Violet Gym]] Round 1 [[Leader (Trainer class)|Leader]] and Professor Falkner Oak [[Violet Gym|Violet Gym]] Round 1 Reward: None

Types: Normal Flying Held item: PRZCureBerry Pidgeot♂ Lv.50 Whirlwind Normal   --       Quick Attack Normal   --       Fly Flying   --       Mud-Slap Ground   --       Types: Normal Flying Held item: Stick Farfetch'd♂ Lv.50 False Swipe Normal   --       Slash Normal   --       Fly Flying   --       Mud-Slap Ground   --       Types: Normal Flying Held item: Mint Berry Noctowl♂ Lv.50 Take Down Normal   --       Fly Flying   --       Confusion Psychic   --       Mud-Slap Ground   --       Types: Ice Flying Held item: Bitter Berry Delibird♀ Lv.50 Present Normal   --       Headbutt Normal   --       Blizzard Ice   --       Mud-Slap Ground   --       Types: Normal Flying Held item: Sharp Beak Fearow♂ Lv.50 Drill Peck Flying   --       Swift Normal   --       Mirror Move Flying   --       Mud-Slap Ground   --       Types: Normal Flying Held item: Burnt Berry Togetic♂ Lv.50 Double-Edge Normal   --       Fly Flying   --       Fire Blast Fire   --       Psychic Psychic   --

Round 2

File:S2 Leader Falkner.png [[Leader (Trainer class)|Leader]] Falkner [[Violet Gym|Violet Gym]] Round 2 [[Leader (Trainer class)|Leader]] and Professor Falkner Oak [[Violet Gym|Violet Gym]] Round 2 Reward: None

Types: Normal Flying Held item: PRZCureBerry Pidgeot♂ Lv.50 Double-Edge Normal   --       Sky Attack Flying   --       Steel Wing Steel   --       Mud-Slap Ground   --       Types: Fire Flying Held item: Scope Lens Charizard Lv.50 Flamethrower Fire   --       Fly Flying   --       Earthquake Ground   --       Mud-Slap Ground   --       Types: Normal Flying Held item: Miracle Berry Dodrio Lv.50 Drill Peck Flying   --       Tri Attack Normal   --       Steel Wing Steel   --       Mud-Slap Ground   --       Types: Electric Flying Held item: Bright Powder Zapdos Lv.50 Thunderbolt Electric   --       Drill Peck Flying   --       Sky Attack Flying   --       Mud-Slap Ground   --       Types: Ground Flying Held item: Focus Band Gligar Lv.50 Metal Claw Steel   --       Wing Attack Flying   --       Quick Attack Normal   --       Sludge Bomb Poison   --       Types: Steel Flying Held item: Quick Claw Skarmory♀ Lv.50 Steel Wing Steel   --       Drill Peck Flying   --       Sky Attack Flying   --       Mud-Slap Ground   --

Quotes

File:SpriteFalkner.gif	File:FalknerHGSS.gif
Falkner's sprite from Generation II	Falkner's sprite from Generation IV	Falkner's VS sprite from Generation IV

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

"I'm Falkner, The Violet Pokémon Gym leader! People say you can clip flying-type Pokémon's wings with a jolt of electricity... I won't allow such insults to bird Pokémon! I'll show you the real power of the magnificent bird Pokémon!"

"Darn! My dad's cherished bird Pokémon... All right. Take this. It's the official Pokémon League Zephyr Badge."

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

Violet Gym

• Before battle

"I'm Falkner, the Violet City Pokémon Gym Leader! People say you can clip Flying-type Pokémon's wings with a jolt of electricity... I won't allow such insults to bird Pokémon! I'll show you the real power of the magnificent bird Pokémon!"

• After sending out last Pokémon

"The wind is finally with us!"

• During battle

"We can still fly!"

• When defeated

"I understand... I'll bow out gracefully."

• After being defeated

"...For pity's sake! My dad's cherished bird Pokémon... But a defeat is a defeat. All right. Take this official Pokémon League Badge. This one is the Zephyr Badge. With that Badge, Pokémon, including traded Pokémon up to Lv. 20, will obey you without question. It also enables you to use the hidden move Rock Smash anytime outside of battle."

"By using a TM, a Pokémon will instantly learn a new move. Think before you act - a TM can be used only once. TM51 contains Roost. It restores half the max HP."

"There are Pokémon Gyms in cities and towns ahead. Make good use of them! As for your next move... I would suggest Azalea Town."

"There are Pokémon Gyms in cities and towns ahead. You should test your skills at these Gyms. As for your next move... I would suggest Azalea Town. I'm going to train harder to become the greatest Bird Keeper of all!"

In the anime

File:Anime Falkner.png

Falkner in the anime

Falkner's only anime appearance was in the episode Fighting Flyer with Fire.

When Ash's Pikachu was stolen by Team Rocket, Falkner arrived and rescued it with the help of his Pidgeot. He flew around on a glider, yearning to be as close to Flying Pokémon as he possibly could be. He is usually seen with his Hoothoot on his shoulder.

Falkner has a self-righteous attitude when it comes to Pokémon training, which angered Ash. Falkner also expressed an intense dislike for the assumption many trainers make that Flying-type Pokémon will always lose to Template:Type2s, but proved to be slightly hypocritical as he criticized Ash's poor choice of using Chikorita (a Template:Type2 that is weak to Flying-types) in their match.

The Violet Gym itself is a very tall, spiral-shaped building. Falkner conducts his matches on the roof of the Gym, accompanied by many students who chant in unison during his battles.

Ash was able to win the Zephyr Badge, despite his Charizard's wing being severely injured during the match.

Pokémon

Hoothoot

Debut	Fighting Flyer with Fire
Voice actors
Japanese	Yuji Ueda
English	Yuji Ueda

Hoothoot was the first Pokémon Falkner used in his battle with Ash. Hoothoot defeated Chikorita rather easily with a few Fly, Peck, and Tackle attacks, but couldn't hit Pikachu due to its Agility. Eventually it lost to Pikachu's Thunderbolt and Quick Attack.

Dodrio

Debut	Fighting Flyer with Fire

Dodrio was the second Pokémon Falkner sent out to battle Ash's Pikachu. At first Dodrio seemed to have the upper hand with its Agility, Fury Attack and Drill Peck. 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, winning the round.

Pidgeot

Debut	Fighting Flyer with Fire
Voice actors
Japanese	Megumi Hayashibara
English	Megumi Hayashibara

Main article: Falkner's Pidgeot

Ash first saw Pidgeot before the battle, when Falkner used it to get rid of Team Rocket. In their battle, Pidgeot defeated Pikachu with a single Whirlwind attack, but then lost to Charizard after a long battle.

Voice actors

Language Voice actor Japanese 石田彰 Akira Ishida English Matthew Mitler Italian Luca Sandri Polish Artur Krajewski Spanish Latin America Eduardo Garza Spain Pablo Sevilla

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

File:Falkner Special.png

Falkner in Pokémon Adventures

In Pokémon Adventures, Falkner is a part-time police officer, first seen in VS. Elekid in uniform. Falkner is the arresting officer at the scene after Silver stole Totodile from Professor Elm's laboratory, pinning the burnt yard on Gold. Gold, however, cooperates with Falkner (under threat of interrogation and being arrested) when it is revealed he is the only one to have seen Silver's face, although Gold totally blows it on purpose so he could go after Silver himself. Falkner offers Gold and Grant a place to stay for the night at the police station in Cherrygrove City, but Gold turns it down and runs off with Grant in tow.

Falkner properly introduces himself in VS. Sunkern when they meet once again. He is revealed not yet to be the Violet Gym Leader, but is training his team in attempt to acquire the position his father (the previous Gym Leader) left behind mysteriously; this is Falkner's dream. Skarmory, a foe Falkner says he's encountered before, then attacks the duo, having been said to be terrorizing the area and is currently attacking herds of Sunkern. Falkner sends Noctowl and Pidgeotto to attack it, but notes they aren't delivering much damage. Gold helps Falkner by sending out his freshly caught Sintaro to bounce Explotaro into range of the Skarmory, dealing a heavy blow using Ember. Falkner then catches it, adding it to his team, and invites Gold to train with him. Gold declines the offer, as he has Silver to catch, but they makes plans to meet later once their objectives are met. In this chapter, Bill is also on his way to find Falkner, to tell him a date for his Gym Leader qualification exam has been set.

In VS. Ariados, it is revealed Falkner passed the Gym Leader exam. Unlike in the English games, Falkner's badge is referred to as the "Wing Badge," its Japanese name, instead of the Zephyr Badge (this may be a translation error).

During VS. Raikou and Entei (Part 1) and (Part 2), Falkner is out training Skarmory and Noctowl when he comes across a Bird Keeper poaching. A rainstorm suddenly begins, caused by Raikou's presence. Entei is also there, and Falkner is forced to save the Bird Keeper from being attacked by the duo, escaping on Skarmory. As they fly, the pair of Beasts give chase, and Falkner considers Suicune's recent activity challenging Gym Leaders, and deduces the other two are doing the same. He issues a challenge to them, using Skarmory. Raikou and Entei attack two-on-one, pinning them between fire and electricity. Once they attack at the same time, however, Skarmory uses Agility to dodge as Spark and Fire Blast collide and cancels each other out. Falkner attempts capturing both, but Suicune appears to prevent the Poké Balls from operating with BubbleBeam.

The Bird Keeper suggests escaping, but Falkner isn't interested, instead turning to attack Suicune, who shatters Skarmory's wing. In one last attempt, Falkner tries to capture Suicune, but Raikou and Entei return the previous favor by destroying the Poké Balls. Skarmory begins to plummet to earth. However, Suicune saves the three of them, before the Beast trio flee. With their escape, Falkner laments on how he wouldn't have defeated Raikou and Entei even without Suicune's interference, and formally arrests the Bird Keeper under suspicion of poaching.

Falkner's father is speculated to be Wayne. He also uses Poké Balls that have been turned into boomerangs by attaching Skarmory's shed feathers to their sides.

Pokémon

This listing is of Falkner's Pokémon in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Pidgeotto

Noctowl

Skarmory

In the TCG

This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Falkner or his Pokémon in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Name	Type	Level	Rarity	Set	Set no.
Falkner's Pidgeot		-		Pokémon VS (no English release)	1/141
Falkner's Fearow		-		Pokémon VS (no English release)	2/141
Falkner's Farfetch'd		-		Pokémon VS (no English release)	3/141
Falkner's Dodrio		-		Pokémon VS (no English release)	4/141
Falkner's Togetic		-		Pokémon VS (no English release)	5/141
Falkner's Delibird		-		Pokémon VS (no English release)	6/141
Falkner's Skarmory		-	H	Pokémon VS (no English release)	7/141
Falkner's TM 01	-	-		Pokémon VS (no English release)	103/141
Falkner's TM 02	-	-		Pokémon VS (no English release)	104/141

Trivia

• His Japanese Leader title is 華麗なる飛行ポケモン使い.
• Falkner is the only Gym Leader yet that is encountered first by players that does not use Template:Type2 Pokémon. Ironically, one of the Template:Type2's weaknesses is Rock-type moves.
  • This is likely due to the fact that Kanto and its Gym Leaders were included in the Generation II games, where a Rock-specialist Gym Leader lives, as well as the fact that 16 Gyms could cover 16 of the 17 elemental types.
• Falkner is the only Gym Leader, besides Brock in Generation I, who gives out a TM that contains a move that is not of his Gym's specialty type.
  • In Generation IV, however, he gives the player TM51, Roost.
• Falkner's Pokémon are the lowest level of any Gym Leader. His level 7 and 9 (9 and 13 in Generation IV) Pokémon include an underleveled Pidgeotto that is unobtainable in games other than Pokémon Yellow, Pokémon HeartGold, and Pokémon SoulSilver.
• Falkner is the only Gym Leader from either Kanto or Johto to only use Pokémon of his Gym's specialty type, even in the Pokémon Stadium series.
• Falkner's updated Sugimori artwork depicts him in a pose very similar to that of his Generation II sprite.
• Falkner appears as an opponent in Pokémon Puzzle Challenge. He uses a Pidgey to battle.
• Falkner, in Generation IV, became the first Gym Leader that the player encounters first to give out a TM that is incapable of inflicting any damage.
• Counting all media, only two of Falkner's Pokémon are not in the Flying Egg Group; these are Charizard and Gligar, both part of his Round 2 team in Pokémon Stadium 2.
• Falkner, in the Rematch of HeartGold and SoulSilver, have all the four Normal/Flying-type Pokémons that also Ash Ketchum Catch (Staraptor, Swellow, Noctowl and Pidgeot), and, also have a Honchkrow, a Pokémon that have a rival of Ash.

Names

Language	Name	Origin
Japanese	ハヤト (Hayato)	隼人瓜 Hayato-Uri, Chayote. 隼人 Hayato literally means "peregrine falcon man".
English	Falkner	Means one who trains falcons (falconer).
French	Albert	From albatross.
German	Falk	From Falke, falcon.
Italian	Valerio	From volare, to fly.
Spanish	Pegaso	From Pegasus, the winged horse (Pegaso in Spanish).
Korean	비상 Bisang	Means flight or to fly.
Chinese	阿速 Ā Sù	速 is taken from 速人 Hayato, an alternate way of writing the name.

External links

• Hayato's Profile on Pokeani (Japanese)
• Master of the Sky, the fanlisting for Falkner

Gym Leaders of the Johto region
Violet Gym Falkner	Azalea Gym Bugsy	Goldenrod Gym Whitney	Ecruteak Gym Morty
Cianwood Gym Chuck	Olivine Gym Jasmine	Mahogany Gym Pryce	Blackthorn Gym Clair

This game character article is part of Project CharacterDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in the Pokémon games.