Karen

Karen カリン Karin
Art from HeartGold and SoulSilver
Age	25*
Gender	Female
Eye color	Silvery-blue
Hair color	Silvery-blue
Hometown	Unknown
Region	Kanto or Johto
Trainer class	Elite Four
Generation	II, IV
Games	Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver, Stadium 2
Elite Four of	Indigo Plateau
Specializes in	Dark types

Karen (Japanese: カリン Karin) is a Master Dark-type Trainer and member of the Johto Elite Four.

In the games

In the Generation II and IV games, Karen is the fourth and final member of the Elite Four. She must be defeated before facing Lance, the Pokémon Champion.

Karen prefers Dark-type Pokémon because she likes the tough and wild image they portray.

Pokémon

This listing is for Karen's Pokémon in the video games in which she has appeared.

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

Elite Four Karen Indigo Plateau Gold, Silver, and Crystal Reward: $4700

Type: Dark Unknown Held item: None Umbreon♂ Lv.42 Faint Attack Dark   --       Confuse Ray Ghost   --       Mean Look Normal   --       Sand-Attack Ground   --       Types: Grass Poison Held item: None Vileplume♀ Lv.42 Stun Spore Grass   --       Acid Poison   --       Petal Dance Grass   --       Moonlight Normal   --       Types: Dark Flying Held item: None Murkrow♀ Lv.44 Faint Attack Dark   --       Whirlwind Normal   --       Pursuit Dark   --       Quick Attack Normal   --       Types: Ghost Poison Held item: None Gengar♀ Lv.45 Lick Ghost   --       Spite Ghost   --       Curse ???   --       Destiny Bond Ghost   --       Types: Dark Fire Held item: None Houndoom♀ Lv.47 Crunch Dark   --       Flamethrower Fire   --       Roar Normal   --       Pursuit Dark   --

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

First battle

Elite Four Karen Indigo Plateau HeartGold and SoulSilver Reward: $5640

Type: Dark Unknown Ability: Synchronize Held item: None Umbreon♂ Lv.42 Double Team Normal Status   --       Confuse Ray Ghost Status   --       Faint Attack Dark Physical   --       Payback Dark Physical   --       Types: Grass Poison Ability: Chlorophyll Held item: None Vileplume♀ Lv.42 Stun Spore Grass Status   --       Petal Dance Grass Special   --       Acid Poison Special   --       Moonlight Normal Status   --       Types: Dark Flying Ability: Super Luck Held item: None Murkrow♀ Lv.44 Sucker Punch Dark Physical   --       Faint Attack Dark Physical   --       Pluck Flying Physical   --       Whirlwind Normal Status   --       Types: Ghost Poison Ability: Levitate Held item: None Gengar♀ Lv.45 Focus Blast Fighting Special   --       Destiny Bond Ghost Status   --       Spite Ghost Status   --       Lick Ghost Physical   --       Types: Dark Fire Ability: Flash Fire Held item: Sitrus Berry Houndoom♀ Lv.47 Nasty Plot Dark Status   --       Dark Pulse Dark Special   --       Flamethrower Fire Special   --       Crunch Dark Physical   --

Rematch

Elite Four Karen Indigo Plateau HeartGold and SoulSilver Reward: $7680

Types: Dark Ice Ability: Pressure Held item: None Weavile♀ Lv.62 Ice Punch Ice Physical   --       Night Slash Dark Physical   --       Low Kick Fighting Physical   --       Ice Shard Ice Physical   --       Type: Dark Unknown Ability: Super Luck Held item: None Absol♀ Lv.62 Detect Fighting Status   --       Perish Song Normal Status   --       Night Slash Dark Physical   --       Psycho Cut Psychic Physical   --       Types: Ghost Dark Ability: Pressure Held item: None Spiritomb♀ Lv.62 Curse ??? Status   --       Confuse Ray Ghost Status   --       Pain Split Normal Status   --       Sucker Punch Dark Physical   --       Types: Dark Fire Ability: Flash Fire Held item: None Houndoom♀ Lv.63 Nasty Plot Dark Status   --       Dark Pulse Dark Special   --       Flamethrower Fire Special   --       Sludge Bomb Poison Special   --       Types: Dark Flying Ability: Super Luck Held item: None Honchkrow♀ Lv.64 Thunder Wave Electric Status   --       Whirlwind Normal Status   --       Drill Peck Flying Physical   --       Sucker Punch Dark Physical   --       Type: Dark Unknown Ability: Synchronize Held item: Sitrus Berry Umbreon♂ Lv.64 Confuse Ray Ghost Status   --       Curse ??? Status   --       Payback Dark Physical   --       Sucker Punch Dark Physical   --

Pokémon Stadium 2

Round 1

Elite Four Karen Johto Gym Leader Castle Pokémon Stadium 2 Reward: N/A

Type: Dark Unknown Held item: Quick Claw Umbreon♀ Lv.50-100 Confuse Ray Ghost   --       Pursuit Dark   --       Psychic Psychic   --       Attract Normal   --       Types: Grass Poison Held item: Mint Berry Victreebel♀ Lv.50-100 Stun Spore Grass   --       Acid Poison   --       Razor Leaf Grass   --       Attract Normal   --       Types: Dark Flying Held item: Bitter Berry Murkrow♂ Lv.50-100 Mud-Slap Ground   --       Faint Attack Dark   --       Fly Flying   --       Attract Normal   --       Type: Fire Unknown Held item: None Magmar♂ Lv.50-100 Confuse Ray Ghost   --       Fire Punch Fire   --       Thief Dark   --       Attract Normal   --       Types: Ghost Poison Held item: PRZCureBerry Gengar♂ Lv.50-100 Confuse Ray Ghost   --       Psychic Psychic   --       Lick Ghost   --       Attract Normal   --       Types: Grass Poison Held item: Ice Berry Vileplume♀ Lv.50-100 Stun Spore Grass   --       Giga Drain Grass   --       Sludge Bomb Poison   --       Attract Normal   --

Round 2

Elite Four Karen Johto Gym Leader Castle Pokémon Stadium 2 Reward: N/A

Type: Dark Unknown Held item: Focus Band Umbreon♂ Lv.50-100 Swagger Normal   --       Screech Normal   --       Faint Attack Dark   --       Psychic Psychic   --       Types: Water Psychic Held item: Quick Claw Slowbro♀ Lv.50-100 Swagger Normal   --       Surf Water   --       Thunder Wave Electric   --       Submission Fighting   --       Type: Electric Unknown Held item: King's Rock Electrode Lv.50-100 Swagger Normal   --       Headbutt Normal   --       Thunderbolt Electric   --       Thunder Wave Electric   --       Type: Normal Unknown Held item: BrightPowder Persian♂ Lv.50-100 Swagger Normal   --       Screech Normal   --       Headbutt Normal   --       Shadow Ball Ghost   --       Types: Dark Flying Held item: Scope Lens Murkrow♂ Lv.50-100 Swagger Normal   --       Mean Look Normal   --       Psych Up Normal   --       Drill Peck Flying   --       Type: Ghost Unknown Held item: MysteryBerry Misdreavus♀ Lv.50-100 Mean Look Normal   --       Perish Song Normal   --       Pain Split Normal   --       Psychic Psychic   --

Quotes

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

• Before battle

"I am Karen of the Elite Four. You're <player>? How amusing. I love dark-type Pokémon. I find their wild, tough image to be so appealing. And they're so strong. Think you can take them? Just try to entertain me. Let's go."

• Being defeated

"Well, aren't you good. I like that in a trainer."

• After being defeated

"Strong Pokémon. Weak Pokémon. That is only the selfish perception of people. Truly skilled trainers should try to win with their favorites. I like your style. You understand what's important. Go on — — the Champion is waiting."

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

• Before battle

"I am Karen of the Elite Four. You're <player>? How amusing. I love Dark-type Pokémon. I'm known for my overpowering tactics. Think you can take them? Just try to entertain me. Let's go."

• After sending out last Pokémon

"This is far from being backed into a corner!"

• Last Pokémon at critical health

"You're no ordinary Trainer to have gotten this far."

• Being defeated

"Well, aren't you good. I like that in a Trainer."

• After being defeated

"Strong Pokémon. Weak Pokémon. That is only the selfish perception of people. Truly skilled Trainers should try to win with the Pokémon they love best. I like your style. You understand what's important. Go on — — the Champion is waiting."

Pokémon Puzzle Challenge

This article is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this article to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Quotes seem to vary, perhaps depending on how well the player did.

---

• Normal

"I'm verrry good. Will you challenge me? I'm sure this will be a good match. Let's begin!"

"Well, you were good. That was nice, but you could be even stronger."

• Hard

"Well, this should be pretty fun. First, I'll tell you this... I'm verrry good. Will you challenge me? I hope this will be a good match. Let's begin!"

"Well, you were good. I like that. Go on ahead. The champion awaits."

• Super Hard

"Well, this should be fun. First, I'll tell you this... I'm verrry good. Will you challenge me? I hope this will be a good match. Let's begin!"

"Well, you were good. Go on ahead. The champion awaits."

• Intense

"Well, this should be fun. First, I'll tell you this... I'm verrry good. Will you take me on? I hope this will be a good match. Let's begin!"

"Well, you were good. I like that. Go on ahead. The champion awaits."

Artwork

Headshot from Generation II

Sprites

Sprite from Generation II	Sprite from HeartGold and SoulSilver	VS sprite from HeartGold and SoulSilver	Overworld sprite from Generation II	Overworld sprite from HeartGold and SoulSilver	Portrait from Stadium 2

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

File:HGSS Elite Four Adventures.png

Karen and the Elite Four in Pokémon Adventures

Karen, along with Will, Green, Silver, Sham, and Carl, is one of the children kidnapped by the Masked Man and raised to be his servants. Karen was one of the leaders of the new Team Rocket formed in Johto. Unlike Silver and Green, she and Will were willing members of the evil man's cohorts, having been inducted as one of his followers at the age of eleven, and continuously trained. They expected a surefire victory against Green, which seemed feasible with Ho-Oh and Lugia under their command. However, with the resistance of Green and her friends Red and Blue each commanding one of the legendary birds of Kanto, and the help of many other Pokémon sent from all across Johto and Kanto, Ho-Oh and Lugia were freed. Karen then fled with Will.

After the Masked Man was defeated, Karen formed an alliance with Bruno, Will, and Koga; the four of them are all ex-members of various criminal organizations. They later reappear in the HeartGold & SoulSilver arc as the new official Elite Four of Johto.

Pokémon

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

Eevee → Umbreon

Debut	The Last Battle VII

Karen's Umbreon is the cornerstone of her team. It was called out to battle Green's Snubbull. During the battle, it was shown to be very tough as it was able to stop a Bite attack. It was knocked back by a Take Down along with Charm.

In a flashback of Escape, it was revealed that her Umbreon evolved from an Eevee given to her by the Masked Man.

Umbreon's known moves are Faint Attack, Moonlight, and Bite.

Murkrow (×2)

Debut	The Last Battle VII

Karen used these two Murkrow for mostly flight support after the battle with the Masked Man was over.

None of Murkrow's moves are known.

Houndoom

Debut	Attaway, Aipom!

Karen's Houndoom first appeared when the Johto Elite Four were together before performing in the Pokéathlon.

None of Houndoom's moves are known.

In the Pocket Monsters HGSS Jou's Big Adventure manga

When Jou obtained all 8 badges, he was shown battling Karen. After defeating Karen, Jou went on to battle Lance.

Pokémon

Umbreon

Debut	Betting on the Name of the Strongest!

Umbreon is Karen's only known Pokémon. It battled Jou's Totodile and lost.

None of Umbreon's moves are known.

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga

Karen in the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga

Red encounters Karen in A Challenge to the Elite Four! as part of the newly reformed Elite Four. Her role in this manga is similar to Lance's in the Generation II games and the remakes where she was the last one fought as Lance himself was absent.

When Red arrived in the Pokémon League, Will, Koga and Bruno fell from the Elite Four Tower, seemly defeated by Karen. Red ask them what happened, but Koga asked him to ask Karen herself. Red manages to get to the top and finds Karen, along with her's, Koga's, Bruno's and Will's Pokémon. Red asked Karen what happened between her and the rest of the Elite Four, but Karen says it is none of his business. However, with her teammates' Pokémon, Red is outnumbered. Clefairy then takes out a giant sieve to "sieve" out the opponents, leaving behind only Karen's Umbreon. Umbreon proves to be a tough opponent, but Clefairy succeeds in beating it.

After her defeat, Karen reveals to Red what actually happened. The Elite Four were exhausted from training, thus Karen decided to tell them a joke. After Karen shares the same joke to Red and his Pokémon, only Clefairy finds it funny and laugh, while Red and his other Pokémon fell down at the dumb joke. Apparently, Will, Koga and Bruno also fell down the building after hearing her dumb joke.

Pokémon

Vileplume

Debut	A Challenge to the Elite Four!

Vileplume was one of the Pokémon that was "sieved" by Clefairy.

None of Vileplume's moves are known.

Gengar

Debut	A Challenge to the Elite Four!

Gengar was one of the Pokémon that was "sieved" by Clefairy.

None of Gengar's moves are known.

Umbreon

Debut	A Challenge to the Elite Four!

Umbreon is the Pokémon that Clefairy battled with. In the first part of the battle, Clefairy treated it as a dog by showing Umbreon to some chicken, in which Umbreon liked. Later, Umbreon's Sand-Attack and Mean Look put Clefairy at a disadvantage. Tyrogue pointed out to a bright sun in which Clefairy can use to win. Clefairy uses Light Screen so that the sun's ray can reflect it and turns it into SolarBeam, which defeated Umbreon.

Umbreon's known moves are Sand-Attack and Mean Look.

In the TCG

This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Karen or her Pokémon in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Karen's Pokémon Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
Card	Type	English Expansion	Rarity	#	Japanese Expansion	Rarity	#
Karen's Rapidash		Tyranitar Half Deck			Pokémon VS		087/141
Karen's Magmar					Pokémon VS		088/141
Karen's Flareon					Pokémon VS		089/141
Karen's Tyranitar					Pokémon VS		090/141
Karen's Umbreon					Pokémon VS		091/141
Karen's Houndoom					Pokémon VS		092/141
Other related cards
Card	Type	English Expansion	Rarity	#	Japanese Expansion	Rarity	#
Karen's TM 01	T [TM]				Pokémon VS		125/141
Karen's TM 02	T [TM]				Pokémon VS		126/141

Trivia

• In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Karen is the only member of the Elite Four who uses a different final Pokémon from the first match. In her case, she replaces Houndoom with Umbreon, though Houndoom is still present.
• In her rematch in HeartGold and SoulSilver, Karen is the only member of the Elite Four who does not use a Pokémon from a three-stage evolutionary line.
• Of the three current notable Dark-type specialists (Sidney, Grimsley and herself), she is the only one who is female.
• Karen is the only Elite Four member in Generation II and its remakes that uses more than one Pokémon that are not of her specialty type and have no moves of her specialty type, being Gengar and Vileplume.

Names

Language	Name	Origin
Japanese	カリン Karin	From 花梨 karin (Burmese rosewood) or 榠樝 karin (Chinese quince)
English, Italian, Spanish	Karen	Similar to Japanese name. Also contains the last five letters of 'darken'.
French	Marion	Contains the word noir (black) backwards.
German	Melanie	From the ancient Greek word μέλας melas (black, dark). Also similar to Melancholie (melancholia).
Spanish*	Morgana	From Morgan le Fay.
Korean	카렌 Karen	Similar to Japanese name.
Chinese (Taiwan)	梨花 Líhuā	From 花梨 Karin, with the characters reversed.
Chinese (Mainland China)	梨花 Líhuā*	Same as Taiwanese name
	梨林 Lílín*	Possibly from 花梨 karin and 花林 karin.

Indigo League
Generations I, III, and VII
Elite Four Lorelei	Elite Four Bruno	Elite Four Agatha	Elite Four Lance	Champion Blue Trace
Generations II and IV
Elite Four Will	Elite Four Koga	Elite Four Bruno	Elite Four Karen	Champion Lance

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.