Archer

Archer アポロ Apollo
Art from HeartGold and SoulSilver
Gender	Male
Eye color	Teal
Hair color	Black (II), Teal (IV)
Hometown	Unknown
Region	Johto
Trainer class	Executive
Generation	II, III, IV
Games	Gold, Silver, Crystal, FireRed, LeafGreen, HeartGold, SoulSilver
Member of	Team Rocket
Rank	Executive, Interim Boss

Archer (Japanese: アポロ Apollo) is one of the four Team Rocket Executive introduced in Pokémon Gold and Silver. However, he went unnamed until Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.

In the games

At first, Archer seems to make an appearance in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, as an unnamed male Team Rocket Admin in the Rocket Warehouse on Chrono Island. He is the leader of the Sevii Islands branch of Team Rocket, and accuses the player of spreading rumors that Team Rocket has disbanded, something he does not believe. When the player defeats him, he recognizes the Earth Badge and accepts that Giovanni has been defeated, finally disbanding Team Rocket, but he vows to find him and resurrect Team Rocket someday. The computer he was working on mentions the effect of radio waves on Pokémon evolution, foreshadowing Team Rocket's actions three years later.

Three years later, Archer is the interim head of Team Rocket during the absence of Giovanni. He leads the team in its takeover of the Goldenrod Radio Tower, aiming to locate his missing leader and bring him back to the team.

Just like other Executives, Archer received a major overhaul in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, where his identity was expanded on. In addition, his color scheme was noticeably switched, where he now wears white clothes on the topmost layer, as opposed to the traditional black outfit.

Pokémon

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

Rocket Executive Goldenrod Radio Tower Gold, Silver, and Crystal Rocket and Professor Executive Oak Goldenrod Radio Tower Gold, Silver, and Crystal Reward: $2520

Types: Dark Fire Held item: None Houndour♂ Lv.33 Faint Attack Dark   --       Ember Fire   --       Bite Dark   --       Roar Normal   --       Type: Poison Unknown Held item: None Koffing♂ Lv.33 Sludge Poison   --       SmokeScreen Normal   --       Tackle Normal   --       Haze Ice   --       Types: Dark Fire Held item: None Houndoom♂ Lv.35 Faint Attack Dark   --       Ember Fire   --       Bite Dark   --       Smog Poison   --

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

Team Rocket Admin Rocket Warehouse FireRed and LeafGreen Team Rocket and Professor Admin Oak Rocket Warehouse FireRed and LeafGreen Reward: $1760

Types: Poison Flying Ability: Inner Focus Held item: None Golbat♂ Lv.53 Shadow Ball Ghost   --       Sludge Bomb Poison   --       Confuse Ray Ghost   --       Air Cutter Flying   --       Type: Poison Unknown Ability: Levitate Held item: None Weezing♂ Lv.54 Thunderbolt Electric   --       Shadow Ball Ghost   --       Explosion Normal   --       Sludge Bomb Poison   --       Types: Dark Fire Ability: Unknown Held item: None Houndoom♂ Lv.55 Flamethrower Fire   --       Crunch Dark   --       Shadow Ball Ghost   --       Iron Tail Steel   --

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

Executive Archer Goldenrod Radio Tower HeartGold and SoulSilver Executive and Professor Archer Oak Goldenrod Radio Tower HeartGold and SoulSilver Reward: $3040

Types: Dark Fire Ability: Early Bird Held item: None Houndour♂ Lv.35 Faint Attack Dark Physical   --       Fire Fang Fire Physical   --       Crunch Dark Physical   --       Roar Normal Status   --       Type: Poison Unknown Ability: Levitate Held item: None Koffing♂ Lv.35 Sludge Poison Special   --       SmokeScreen Normal Status   --       Tackle Normal Physical   --       Haze Ice Status   --       Types: Dark Fire Ability: Early Bird Held item: None Houndoom♂ Lv.38 Faint Attack Dark Physical   --       Fire Fang Fire Physical   --       Bite Dark Physical   --       Smog Poison Special   --

Quotes

Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal

• Before battle

"Oh? You managed to get this far? You must be quite the trainer. We intend to take over this Radio Station and announce our comeback. That should bring our boss Giovanni back from his solo training. We are going to regain our former glory. I won't allow you to interfere with our plans.

• After being defeated

"No! Forgive me, Giovanni!"

• After battle

"How could this be? Our dreams have come to naught. I wasn't up to the task after all. Like Giovanni did before me, I will disband Team Rocket here today. Farewell."

Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

• Before battle

"That's quite enough of you playing the hero, kid. Spreading lies about how Team Rocket has disbanded… It's such an obvious attempt to cause confusion in our ranks. Fortunately, we're not so ignorant to fall for the lies of a child! And now, I'll show you how scary an angry adult can be!"

• After being defeated

"Urgh… You were too strong… … Th-that's Giovanni's Badge! So it's true? Team Rocket really has disbanded?"

• After battle

"We will abandon this Warehouse But don't think this is over. I won't let this be the end. I will find Giovanni. And I will resurrect Team Rocket! I will… Until then, farewell!"

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

• Before battle

"Oh? You managed to get this far…? You must be quite the Trainer. We intend to take over this Radio Tower and officially announce our comeback. That should bring our boss Giovanni back from his solitary training. We are going to regain our former glory… I will not allow you to interfere with our meticulous plans!"

• After sending out last Pokémon

"We can't have you getting in the way before news of our resurgence reaches Giovanni!"

• During battle (less than half HP)

"That's impossible…"

• When defeated

"No! Forgive me, Giovanni!"

• After being defeated

"How could this be…? Our dreams have come to naught. I was not up to the task after all. Like Giovanni has done before me, I will disband Team Rocket here today. Farewell…"

Sprites

	File:S2 Rocket ExecutiveM.png
Archer's sprite from Gold, Silver, and Crystal	Archer's sprite from Stadium 2	Archer's sprite from FireRed and LeafGreen	Archer's sprite from HeartGold and SoulSilver	Archer's VS sprite from HeartGold and SoulSilver

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Archer in Pokémon Adventures

Archer appears in the HeartGold & SoulSilver arc alongside the other three Executives as their leader. He, along with his fellow teammates, take control of Team Rocket from Carr, saying that they will stay true to Giovanni's intentions.

While the other three have their tasks related to the legendary Pokémon Arceus, Archer's task is the capture of the Pokémon itself. Archer, Petrel, and Proton arrive to see Ariana having defeated Crystal on Route 38. Suddenly, Arceus appears in front of them and Crystal attempts to capture it, shocking the Generals in the process. Despite her tenacity, Crystal ultimately fails in capturing the Pokémon and is sent flying into a tree.

The Generals chase Arceus down and find it battling Gold at the Ruins of Alph. Once Arceus uses its powers and transports them all to the Sinjoh Ruins, the four Generals restrain Arceus and force it onto the Mystri Stage. Archer takes control of Arceus and with the plates, demonstrates its great and varied abilities to Gold, Silver, and Crystal. Archer forces Arceus to use its great powers to create the legendary Pokémon Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina.

Believing he has pleased his boss, Giovanni, Archer starts breaking down into tears. However, his joy is quickly destroyed when Silver flies off to distract the Generals while Gold and Crystal finish off the three Pokémon Arceus created. Having done so, Arceus, now freed from its restraints, uses its powers to send Archer and the other Generals flying and completes itself by absorbing the Plates.

Much to the shock of Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the clones begin reforming, to which Archer reveals that because the creation process started, it cannot be stopped. Archer snaps, and begins claiming that everything is destined; the creation of Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina, Arceus completing itself, the world becoming Team Rocket's, all destined. His insanity begins to scare his fellow teammates.

Pokémon

Crobat

Debut	VS Arceus III

Crobat is Archer's main mode of transportation. It was seen carrying Archer towards the light being emitted by Arceus along with the other Generals. Later, it helped drag Arceus to the Mystri Stage.

None of Crobat's moves are known.

Houndoom

Debut	VS Arceus III

Houndoom was first seen being used to drag Arceus to the Mystri Stage. Later, it was seen nearly choking Petrel to death with its powerful tail when Petrel revealed what happened to him after his loss to Silver.

None of Houndoom's moves are known.

Controlled

Arceus

Debut	VS Oddish

Archer took control of Arceus with the plates that correspond to the seventeen known types of Pokémon bar Normal. Using its great powers, Archer created his own versions of Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina.

None of Arceus's moves are known.

Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina

Debut	VS Arceus V

Archer attempted to create these Pokémon using the power of Arceus. Before they were fully finished, they were destroyed by a combination attack from Gold and Crystal but quickly reformed themselves.

None of their moves are known.

Trivia

• Archer's design in Generation IV is based upon the original sprite of all male Rocket Executives from Generation II. The other two male Executives (now known as Proton and Petrel), who also used that sprite, were given entirely new designs. Similarly, Ariana's design is based on the original female Executive sprite, being the only female Executive in Johto.
• Before Archer's name and identity were revealed in Generation IV, Pokémon Adventures and Golden Boys had adapted the original male Executive as Carl and Grey, respectively. Having similar roles to Archer and owning a Houndour, they should be considered as his cross-canon counterparts.
• Considering Saturn is left the assets of Team Galactic in Cyrus's absence, Archer could be seen as his parallel, as he controls Team Rocket in Giovanni's absence.

Names

Language	Name	Origin
Japanese	アポロ Apollo	From the US Apollo program, the US spaceflight program with the goal of landing on the Moon. It also may also come from Apollo, the god of the light and the sun.
English, Italian	Archer	May be a reference to the AA-11 Archer (also known as the Vympel R-73), an air-to-air missile from the Soviet Union. In addition, it may allude to his Japanese name, as Apollo, the Greek god, is an archer.
French	Amos	From Amos, a family of Israeli communications satellites.
German, Spanish	Atlas	From Atlas, a family of US space launch vehicles.
Korean	아폴로 Apollo	Same as Japanese name.

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.