Blackthorn City (Japanese: フスベシティ Fusube City) is a city located in northeast Johto. It is home to the Blackthorn Gym, led by the Gym Leader Clair, who specializes in Dragon-type Pokémon.
Geography
Blackthorn City is a large city with a fairly small population and two exits. To the north is the Ice Path, and to the south is Route 45, Johto's longest vertical area that connects to the southmost points of the region. In Generation IV, a river from Route 45 crosses over into Blackthorn itself. According to a resident in Blackthorn, most residents hailing from the city end up being Dragon-type specialists (such as Clair and Lance) perhaps due in-part to the Dragon's Den. Due to its overall location within Johto, Blackthorn is depicted as a mountainous region, with many ledges that the player can only traverse on their way down.
In Generation II, all of the houses in Blackthorn had distinct black rooves, including buildings such as the Gym and Pokémon Center. Grass only grows in the top half of the city, and it connected directly to Route 45 by a small path.
In Generation IV, the city appears completely different. The area now has uniquely designed houses with what appears to be straw rooves, although buildings such as the Gym and Pokémon Center now appear the same as the rest within the region. Its overall layout is far more jagged than in Gold and Silver, complete with new obstacles such as broken tree trunks and large pointed stones, a stark contrast to the smoother stones that are now littered throughout the area. Grass and flowers now grow all throughout the edges of the city, especially when closest to the water. Frost appears to creep in from the entrance to the Ice Path, which tints the grass a lighter green before transitioning into the darker color seen throughout Blackthorn. Both due to the further height elevation and accompanying river added in Generation IV, a wooden bridge now connects the city to Route 45.
Overworld
Points of interest
Blackthorn Gym
- Main article: Blackthorn Gym
The Blackthorn Gym is the official Gym of Blackthorn City. It specializes in Dragon-type Pokémon. The Gym Leader is Clair. Trainers who defeat her receive the Rising Badge. It will be closed prior to Team Rocket's defeat because Clair is training in the Dragon's Den. After being defeated, Clair is so outraged by her defeat that she refuses to hand over the Rising Badge, forcing the player to go to the Dragon's Den before the Badge can be acquired.
Dragon's Den
- Main article: Dragon's Den
A clan of masters of Dragon-type Pokémon have lived in the city for generations. The masters built the Dragon's Den, a cavern with an underground lake that contains a shrine to Dragon Pokémon, as well as the elders of the Dragon clan. An Ace Trainer in the Pokémon Center claims that it's a special cave for Gym Leaders to train themselves. The entrance is located behind the Gym, across a small pond, while the main cavern seems to be located underneath the city itself. It is inaccessible before defeating Clair in the Blackthorn Gym, as it is blocked off by a man in front of the cave, and then it must be traversed to finally obtain the Rising Badge.
Besides the strong Trainers that dwell within the cavern, the Master of the Dragon User Clan can be found here, and he will quiz the player on their attitude towards and treatment of their Pokémon. Correct answers will be rewarded, in Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, with a Dratini that knows ExtremeSpeed. and Clair will visit to reward the player with the Rising Badge she refused to award in the Gym, as well as TM24 (DragonBreath)GSC or TM59 (Dragon Pulse)HGSS.
In Generation IV, Clair and Lance appear for a Multi Battle if the player and Silver have already battled at Mt. Moon. Following this, Silver can be found here, contemplating his training on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Santos
- Main article: Week Siblings
Santos can be found in the city on Saturdays. When the player encounters him for the first time, he'll give out a Spell TagGSC or Soft SandHGSS, and then a Snooze Ribbon all other times after the first encounter.HGSS
In-game trade
- Main article: In-game trade
In Gold and Silver, the player can trade a female Dragonair to obtain a Rhydon holding a Bitter Berry
In Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver, the character trades the player a Dodrio holding a Smoke Ball instead.
Move Deleter and Move Tutor
The Move Deleter can be found in a house to the left of the Poké Mart. For no charge, he will make a Pokémon forget a move it knows. The Move Deleter's service can be used to delete moves exclusive to Generation II, so that Pokémon can be traded to a Generation I game via the Time Capsule.
In HeartGold and SoulSilver, the move deleter shares his house with Johto's Move Reminder, who will teach a move the Pokémon was previously able to learn in exchange for a Heart Scale. There are also two Move Tutors: one who will teach Draco Meteor to Dragon-type Pokémon, and another who will teach Frenzy Plant, Blast Burn, and Hydro Cannon to the fully evolved Grass-, Fire-, and Water-type first partner Pokémon, respectively. Like the Move Deleter, the tutors do not charge for their services.
Poké Mart
| Lower cashier (Generation IV)
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| Upper cashier (Generation IV)
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Items
Pokémon
Generation II
| Pokémon
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Games
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Location
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Levels
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Rate
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| Surfing
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G
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S
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C
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5-19
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100%
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| Fishing
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G
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S
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C
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10
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15%
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G
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S
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C
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10
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85%
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G
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S
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C
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20
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65%
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G
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S
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C
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20
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35%
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G
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S
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C
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40
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80%
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G
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S
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C
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40
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20%
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| Special Pokémon
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G
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S
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C
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The same as the traded Pokémon
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One
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G
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S
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C
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The same as the traded Pokémon
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One
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| A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
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Generation IV
| Pokémon
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Games
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Location
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Levels
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Rate
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| Surfing
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HG
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SS
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2-20
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100%
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| Fishing
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HG
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SS
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10
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15%
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HG
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SS
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10
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85%
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HG
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SS
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20
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40%
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HG
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SS
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20
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60%
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HG
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SS
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40
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80%
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HG
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SS
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40
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20%
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| Special Pokémon
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HG
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SS
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The same as the traded Pokémon
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One
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| A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.
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Slogan
Generation II
A Quiet Mountain Retreat (Japanese, やまあいに たたずむ しずかな まち A quiet city standing among the mountains.)
Generation IV
A Quiet Mountain Retreat (Japanese, しずかな やまあいの まち The town of quiet mountains.)
Trainer Tips
Generation II
TRAINER TIPS
A POKéMON holding
a MIRACLEBERRY
will cure itself
of any status
problem.
Generation IV
Trainer Tips
Wild Pokémon will appear regularly
if you don't run, but walk quietly in the
tall grass.
If your party Pokémon are
tired, it is better to avoid running,
and go straight to a Pokémon Center.
Walking Pokémon quotes
Walking Pokémon can have reactions unique to Blackthorn City. Any quote below where the area says "anywhere" requires interacting with the Pokémon.
| Games
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Pokémon
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Area
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Quote
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| HG SS
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Any Pokémon
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Anywhere
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"Your Pokémon stares intently at the mountain."
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Dragon's Den and Blackthorn Gym within Blackthorn City also have their own quotes.
Music
Development
As of at least the Spaceworld 1997 demo, Blackthorn City did not exist, as the entire map did not resemble the final design for Johto at all. Another map from earlier in development was left in the final release of Gold & Silver, as well as Crystal, as Map 2A:4C34.
This (and the larger map of Johto from this time period) shows that the Ice Path was not in the games until later in development, with an entrance to the city in the west from Route 44 and Mahogany City. Additionally, the Dragon's Den does not appear to be present, though the overall idea for a vertically-oriented map seems to have been planned for some time. It's possible that the tower on the rightmost side of the map was related to Clair's eventual challenge before plans were changed, as the Blackthorn Gym is still present, just in the southeast of the map instead. Grass occupies the majority of the map layout unlike in the final, where it is relatively sparse compared to the dirt and rocks around the area, which are also missing in this build. Blackthorn's buildings also lack their unique roof designs at this time.
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| Map 2A:4C34 as found in the files of the final game
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In the anime
Blackthorn City in the
animeBlackthorn City first appeared in Beauty is Skin Deep. Ash, Brock, and Misty witnessed an age-old ritual performed by Clair at the Riverhead Falls, a waterfall that is also the source of Blackthorn's main river. In the following episode, Ash took part in his Gym battle, but it was interrupted by Team Rocket's theft of the Dragon Fang. They chased the trio through the Dragon's Den to the Dragon Holy Land. Here, Ash reunited with his Charizard. In Better Eight Than Never, Clair and Ash restarted their battle, and Ash managed to earn his Rising Badge.
In Goodbye, Junior Cup - Hello Adventure!, the plane Dawn was taking to Johto to compete in the Wallace Cup was mentioned to make a stop in Blackthorn City.
Iris visited Blackthorn City in BWS02. During her visit, she found out that a Gible had been causing damage on the town by chewing off bits of benches, fountains, and such. Later, after saving Gible from falling off of a clock tower, Iris found out that Gible had wound up into the city by accident, and offered to take it away. She then met Clair, and together they took Gible to the Dragon Holy Land. After Iris's battle against Clair at the Blackthorn Gym, Gible appeared again, showing that it wanted to come with Iris. Accepting the offer, Iris then caught the Land Shark Pokémon with a Poké Ball.
In the manga
Pokémon Adventures
Blackthorn City first appeared in Debonaire Dragonair, where Clair was seen training at her Gym before heading to Dragon's Den, where she encountered and battled Suicune.
In One Way or Another, Iris revealed that Blackthorn City, also known as the Village of Dragons, was her hometown. It was also where she had first met Drayden, who had brought her to the Unova region to train.
Trivia
Name origin
| Language
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Name
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Origin
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| Japanese
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フスベシティ Fusube City
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From 燻べ色 fusube-iro (smoke black color)
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| English
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Blackthorn City
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From black and blackthorn
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| German
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Ebenholz City
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From Ebenholz (ebony)
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| Spanish
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Ciudad Endrino
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From endrino (blackthorn)
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| Ciudad Espina Negra*
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From espina (thorn) and negra (black)
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| French
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Ébènelle
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From ébène (ebony)
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| Italian
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Ebanopoli
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From ebano (ebony) and the suffix -poli (city)
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| Korean
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검은먹시티 Geomeunmeok City
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From 검은 geomeun (black) and 먹 (墨) meok (ink stick)
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| Chinese (Mandarin)
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煙墨市 / 烟墨市 Yānmò Shì
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From 煙 / 烟 yān / yīn (smoke) and 墨 mò / mahk (ink)
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| Chinese (Cantonese)
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煙墨市 Yīnmahk Síh
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| Polish
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Blackthorn*
Miasto Blackthorn*
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From its English name
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| Brazilian Portuguese
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Cidade de Blackthorn
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From its English name
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| Vietnamese
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Thành phố Fusube
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Transcription of its Japanese name
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