Advanced level Grunt

Advanced level Grunt 上級SHITAPPA(したっぱ) Advanced level Underling
The Advanced level Grunt
Gender	Male
Hometown	Unknown
Region	Sinnoh
Member of	Team Galactic
Rank	Grunt

The Advanced level Grunt (Japanese: 上級SHITAPPA(したっぱ) Advanced level Underling) is a recurring Team Galactic Grunt in the Pokémon Adventures manga. He is different from the other grunts in that he seems to have his own personality and serves under Cyrus directly. It was later revealed that the Grunt is actually brainwashed and serves nobody other than Sird.

Personality

The Advanced level Grunt is very different from the other Team Galactic Grunts. He is shown to have an actual personality and acts like his own person instead of the hive mind actions of the other Grunts. The Grunt has a strange obsession with the Pokédexes and is revealed to know about the adventures of all the people who have possessed them.

History

Diamond & Pearl arc

The Advanced level Grunt first appears in Stunning Staravia & Stinky Skuntank I at the Veilstone Lost and found storeroom. When Diamond goes inside the lost and found to look for Platinum's missing Pokédex he goes to pick it up only to have it quickly whisked away by the Grunt. The Grunt stares in awe of the Pokédex; praising it for the many abilities it possesses. Diamond demands that he return the Pokédex to him. However, the Grunt refuses and attacks his Lax with his Gible.

As he climbs down the ledge he was standing on he slips on the Berries that Lax dropped when he was attacked and the Pokédex flies out of his hands. It lands in Diamond's hands and he immediately decides to make his escape. The Grunt quickly gets back on his feet and sends several more Grunts after him.

Later, while Saturn is being punished for his actions in the battle against Diamond, Pearl, Paka and Uji, he overhears that Saturn is still looking for a way to kidnap the heiress that Paka and Uji was supposed to guard. He flies to the Lost Tower (where Saturn had previously fought Paka and Uji) and locates the camera machine that Saturn had used and inside it, a blurry picture of Platinum.

The Advanced level Grunt without his mask

He later appears in Drifting Drifblim where he manages to fix the picture of Platinum and goes to find her father, Mr. Berlitz. He arrives at Canalave City where he confronts Mr. Berlitz and demands a large amount of ransom money for the safe return of his daughter who he claims to have kidnapped. At first Mr. Berlitz is unfazed at the threat due to him believing that Paka and Uji are safe and protecting Platinum but the Grunt shows him proof of their previous defeat at the hands of Saturn.

It is later revealed that Byron had overheard their conversation and jumped in to stop him; he asked who the Grunt was but he refused to answer. The next person to step in was Professor Rowan, who was wondering why Mr. Berlitz was taking so long to meet back up with him. With so many people in the vicinity, the Grunt became annoyed and threw a small cube at them which opened up trapped the Professor and Mr. Berlitz in a cage; he then leaves the scene on his Staraptor.

In his next appearance he is seen with Cyrus and watching the completion of the Galactic Bomb that was finished thanks to the ransom money the Grunt acquired from Mr. Berlitz. He later returns to Canalave so that he can free Professor Rowan and Mr. Berlitz from captivity; he states that he didn’t want to make them suffer any longer than they needed too. He reveals to a sleeping Platinum the Galactic Bomb is complete and that they plan to use it to blow up the three Sinnoh Lakes and capture the Pokémon that live inside them and takes his leave.

It is later revealed that he had hired two Roughnecks to attack Iron Island for an unknown reason, however, they were both defeated by Diamond and Riley. His next few appearances are minor and are usually just speaking to either Cyrus or Charon about Team Galactic affairs.

Later, when Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum infiltrate the Galactic HQ building to rescue the Lake guardians the Grunt encounters Diamond and begins battling him. He quickly takes notice of Diamond's Pokédex and reveals that he had done some research on them, he reveals that there were other children who have owned Pokédexes and that all of them had amazing adventures in their respective regions. As the two continue battling each other Diamond uses Pearl's Chatler to battle the Grunt's Chingling which causes a powerful sound wave that causes the Grunt to hold his ears in pain. The sound waves cause him to stumble and accidentally activate the Fire extinguishers which fill the room with smoke.

The Grunt is still determined to prevent him from reaching the Lake guardians and presses a button that traps the three Sinnoh Dex Holders between a set of walls. He sends his Pokémon to attack them while they are trapped in the tight space. However, his interest in the Pokédex turns out to be his undoing as his Pokémon have picked up his feelings which the Sinnoh Dex Holders exploit by sacrificing their Pokédexes which distracts the Grunt's Pokémon and allows them to free the Lake guardians.

During the final battle between the Sinnoh Dex Holder's and Cyrus, it was revealed that the Grunt was, in fact, brainwashed by Sird and serves under her command. It was explained that his obsession with the Pokédex was revealed to come from Sird's own obsession with them that she gained after she was defeated by the Kanto Dex Holders and Silver. He is still shown to have the Sinnoh Pokédexes in his possession and thus, they are in Sird's hands.

Platinum arc

After fixing the camera machine that was retrieved by Riley on Iron Island, Platinum and her friends use it to track the owner with Aura. Eventually, they manage to track the owner to the Sendoff Spring where they find the Grunt holding Marley captive. He explains that he does not intend to fight and quickly releases Marley from his grasp.

He goes on to reveal that he has managed to escape from Team Galactic after his mind control had been messed with multiple times. Having forgotten who he really is, the Grunt ran to Route 224 scared and encountered Marley there. Believing she was a hitman, he captured her and ran to the Turnback Cave, which is said to connect to the Distortion World.

This sparks an interest in Platinum, who demands to know if she can get to the Distortion World through the cave. The Grunt confirms this, and he takes them there once they truly believe he is no longer evil. Platinum informs the Grunt that she does not trust him, but will still protect him from Team Galactic as he takes them inside the cave.

Upon entering the Distortion World, the group is scattered around due to the dimension's strange gravity. While Mira, Marley, and Cheryl land safely together, the Grunt lands with Platinum and Palmer.

As the battles in the Distortion World constantly get more and more chaotic, Diamond and Pearl eventually get to their location. With all three there, the Grunt reveals that Azelf, Uxie and Mesprit are there with him and he has the three Pokémon return the stolen Pokédexes to their proper owners.

Upon doing so, he reveals that his actions he had done under Sird's mind control had haunted him, which is when Azelf, Uxie, and Mesprit appeared before him. Since they knew that they were freed from Team Galactic's prison in exchange for Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum's Pokédexes, they were obligated to help, which inspired the Grunt to leave Team Galactic.

Suddenly, he is attacked by Darkrai just as his conscience was cleared and is knocked onto the ground. He reveals that Darkrai used to be owned by Sird, although he omits her name, but due to it being uncontrollable, she released it into the Distortion World. He also had it for a short time, but Darkrai constantly gave him and various people nightmares, which affected Platinum, Sailor Eldritch's son, and the Pokémon on Fullmoon Island. Charon laughs at the Grunt, who reveals that Darkrai is under his control.

After Charon's defeat, the Grunt, along with everyone else who was left behind after Charon attempted to escape, emerges from the Distortion World. When Riley wonders where Darkrai is, the Grunt points out that it is leaving the area. He expresses sympathy for it, due to the fact that no matter where it goes, it will cause nightmares to those around it.

Pokémon

Chingling

Debut	Stunning Staravia & Stinky Skuntank I

Chingling is the first Pokémon seen in his possession. Chingling can use its powerful sound abilities to subdue enemies. It fought Pearl's Chatler at the Galactic HQ but it ended in a tie when both Pokémon were unable to use their moves.

Chingling's only known move is Uproar, and its Ability is Levitate.

Gible ♀

Debut	Stunning Staravia & Stinky Skuntank I

Gible is the second Pokémon seen in the Grunt's possession. She was first used to attack Diamond's Lax when Diamond told the Grunt to return the Pokédex to him. She was later used in the Galactic HQ to battle Diamond's Pokémon and later to stop him from reaching the button that would free Mesprit. She was unable to stop Diamond from freeing Mesprit when he distracted her by sacrificing his Pokédex.

Gible's only known move is Dragon Rush, and her Ability is Sand Veil.

Staraptor ♂

Debut	Great Gible

Staraptor is the third Pokémon seen in the Grunt's possession. He was first used to take the Grunt to the destroyed camera machine used by Saturn in his fight against Paka and Uji. He was later used in the mugging of Mr. Berlitz and later to battle Diamond at the Galactic HQ.

Staraptor's only known move is Brave Bird, and his Ability is Intimidate.

Cradily

Debut	High-tailing It from Haunter

Cradily is the fourth Pokémon seen in the Grunt's possession. It was first used to battle Diamond at the Galactic HQ where, along with the rest of the Grunt's Pokémon, overpowered his Don until it evolved into a Bastiodon and sent their attacks back at them with Metal Burst. It was later used to try to stop Platinum from reaching the switch that would release Uxie from captivity but was distracted by Platinum sacrificing her Pokédex.

None of Cradily's moves are known.

Haunter

Debut	High-tailing It from Haunter

Haunter is the fifth Pokémon seen in the Grunt's possession. It was first used to battle Diamond at the Galactic HQ where, along with the rest of the Grunt's Pokémon, overpowered his Don until it evolved into a Bastiodon and sent their attacks back at them with Metal Burst. It was later used to try to stop Pearl from reaching the switch that would release Azelf from captivity but was distracted by Pearl sacrificing his Pokédex.

None of Haunter's moves are known.

Temporary

Darkrai

Debut	Double Trouble with Dialga and Palkia IV

Darkrai was revealed to have been in the Grunt's possession for an unknown amount of time. It was considered "uncontrollable" by its original Trainer, Sird, who later released it into the Distortion World after having no more need for it. Due to its Ability, Bad Dreams, it caused horrible nightmares to those around it, even the Grunt himself.

Darkrai's known moves are Dark Pulse, Hypnosis, and Dark Void, and its Ability is Bad Dreams.

Related articles

This article is part of both Project Manga and Project CharacterDex, Bulbapedia projects that, together, aim to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon Manga and CharacterDex, respectively.