Winona runs the Fortree City Gym. She specializes in Flying-type Pokémon and gives out the Feather Badge once defeated. In addition to the Feather Badge, Winona also gives out TM40 (Aerial Ace) in Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald.
"I am Winona. I am the Leader of the Fortree Pokémon Gym. I have become one with Bird Pokémon and have soared the skies... However grueling the battle, we have triumphed with grace... Witness the elegant choreography of Bird Pokémon and I!"
When defeated
"Never before have I seen a Trainer command Pokémon with more grace than I... In recognition of your prowess, I present to you this Gym Badge."
After being defeated
"With the Feather Badge, all Pokémon up to LV 70, even those received through trades, will obey your every command. You will also be able to use the HM move FLY outside of battle. And this... This is a gift from me."
"TM40 contains AERIAL ACE. Its speed... No Pokémon should be able to avoid it."
"Though I fell to you, I will remain devoted to BIRD Pokémon."
"We humans can never escape gravity's pull on the ground. But by striving for excellence, we have the power to soar! You have scaled the pinnacles as the reigning Champion. Please, allow me to see your power at full flight!"
When defeated
"I failed to reach your height again..."
After being defeated
"Even though I have lost, the wings of my heart remain unbroken. I can rise and soar again and yet again. I am convinced of it!"
Winona is the Gym Leader of the Fortree City Gym, and was also known as the most talented Flying-type user. She appeared in Who's Flying Now? and Sky High Gym Battle.
When Ash first arrived at Fortree, she was away from the Gym in order to help out in the Feather Carnival, an annual festival where the whole city celebrates the Flying Pokémon. After getting scared by Brock's "usual ways" and chasing Team Rocket off for trying to steal the Flying-types with her Skarmory, she battled Ash the next day.
Winona's giantSkarmory only appeared in the Feather Festival. Each time, it would bring a child and Winona on its back and fly around the festival, including May and Max. It did not participate in the Gym match against Ash.
The first Pokémon Winona used in the Gym battle against Ash was her Altaria. With Grovyle's speed, Altaria's attack did not work again and again. Then finally, with a Leaf Blade, Altaria was defeated.
Winona's Pelipper was the second Pokémon she used against Ash. Ash battled with Pikachu, starting with a Thunderbolt. Pelipper countered with Steel Wing as a ground. Pelipper then used Hydro Pump, but its wing lost contact with the ground and Pikachu used its mistake to its advantage with a Thunder attack. Both Pelipper and Pikachu were knocked out due to the damage they took.
The final Pokémon Winona used against Ash was her ShinySwellow. It was shown to be a powerful battler, with powerful attacks like Aerial Ace and Hyper Beam. It defeated Ash's Grovyle easily and almost beat Ash's Swellow, but with a little quick thinking on Ash's part, his Swellow was victorious, winning Ash the Feather Badge.
Winona's Swellow was the fifth Shiny Pokémon to appear in the anime. To date, it is also the only Shiny Pokémon owned by a Gym Leader.
Winona and her Altaria (left) with Wallace and his Luvdisc (right)
In Pokémon Adventures, Winona is the supervisor of the Hoenn Gym Leaders, much as Erika is the leader of the Kanto Gym Leaders. Her job is to watch over all Hoenn Gym Leaders to ensure the Gyms are running smoothly. She's apparently close to Flannery, as the young Gym Leader's judgment is enough to convince her that Team Magma is the side she should take in the battle between Team Magma and Team Aqua. Later, she is convinced by Wallace to renounce her alliance, as both sides are up to no good.
When Sapphire first battles and loses to Winona, Winona takes her under her wing and trains her. Because of this, Sapphire joins the Gym Leaders' fight against Kyogre and Groudon.
She and Wallace apparently had some sort of relationship in the past, speculated by most fans to have been romantic. Although it is largely unconfirmed whether she still has feelings for him, it is quite obvious that Wallace still has feelings for her, based on the scene where the two say their goodbyes before they leave to fight Kyogre and Groudon in Volume 20.
When Wallace attempted to battle Maxie and Archie single-handedly, she was held hostage by Archie's Tentacruel.
Pokémon
This listing is for Winona's Pokémon in the Pokémon Adventures manga.
Altaria is Winona's main Pokémon. It participated in a battle with Team Aqua and Team Magma and was used to battle Matt's Sharpedo where it tried to put up a great fight.
In Black 2 and White 2, the moveset used by her Skarmory in the Type Expert and World Leaders tournaments is the exact same as the one used in rematches in Emerald.
In Ruby and Sapphire, Winona owns a level 33 Altaria. However, Swablu does not evolve until level 35.
Winona is one of the two gym leaders to use a Generation II pokemon in Ruby and Sapphire.The other is Flannery.
Names
Language
Name
Origin
Japanese
ナギ Nagi
From 梛 Nagi, Nageia nagi. Also alludes to 凪 nagi (calm/lull), possibly relating to wind.
English
Winona
Meaning "first born daughter", but may have been chosen because it's similar to "wing" or "wind".