Silver (game)
- This article is about the character. For the game titled "Pokémon Silver Version", seePokémon Gold and Silver Versions.
| Silver シルバーSilver | |
 Artwork fromPokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver | |
| Gender | Male |
|---|---|
| Eye color | Black*, Gray*, Red*, Purple* |
| Hair color | Dark red |
| Hometown | Unknown |
| Region | Johto or originallyKanto, then moved to Johto |
| Relatives | Giovanni (father) |
| Trainer class | N/A*GSC Passerby,RivalHGSS |
| Generation | II,IV |
| Games | Gold, Silver,Crystal,HeartGold, SoulSilver Stadium 2,Masters EX |
| Game animation debut | The Legacy |
| English voice actor | Lucien Dodge(Generations) Joe Zieja[1](Masters EX) |
| Japanese voice actor | Ryōta Ōsaka(Generations) Yūki Ono[2](Masters EX) |
| Animation cameos | A New Oath |
| Manga counterpart(s) | Silver,Silver,Black,Tsubaki |
Silver (Japanese:シルバーSilver) is therival character ofPokémon Gold, Silver, andCrystal andPokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, playing oppositeEthan,Kris, orLyra. He is the son ofTeam Rocket BossGiovanni.
InGeneration II, he appears with noTrainer class in all battles, although theRival (Japanese:ライバルRival) Trainer class is associated with him in the game data. InGeneration IV, he uses the same Trainer class, except this time it appears normally in-game.
In the core series games
Silver first appears in theGeneration IIgames, lurking outside ofProfessor Elm's lab, looking through the window. When talked to, he will deny everything and push the player away. During the player's journey toMr. Pokémon's house, Silver makes his move, stealing one of Elm's two remainingfirst partner Pokémon (coincidentally always the one that is strong against the player's choice). He will meet with the player on the outskirts ofCherrygrove City, battling to get through. A policeman will later ask for the name of the rival, and the rival will be called the name the player gives for the rest of the game.
Silver shows a strong dislike ofTeam Rocket. He considers them to be weak, and vows to take them, as well as any other weak Trainer, down. He steals a Pokémon (heavily implied to beSneasel) from a Trainer inCianwood City and whileEthan/Kris/Lyra attempts to take down Team Rocket inMahogany Town andGoldenrod City, he interferes to prove himself. It is in theTeam Rocket HQ in Mahogany that he meets withLance,Champion of theIndigo League. Silver challenges Lance and is easily defeated by the dragon Trainer, who then proceeds to berate Silver for his callous ways towards training Pokémon. Though Silver is outraged for losing to someone with such an attitude, the loss and Lance's words ultimately set him on the path to becoming a better person. In HeartGold and SoulSilver, when Team Rocket takes over theGoldenrod Radio Tower, Silver first blows the player's Team Rocket disguise, unaware of the player's plan to sneak in by pretending to be a member of Team Rocket. He later follows the player to the Goldenrod underground and they battle Team Rocket, hoping that Lance will reappear and he can request a rematch.
By the time the player reachesVictory Road, Silver challenges them not out of malice, but to prove that he is a capable Trainer. Though he is defeated, he departs with quiet determination, vowing to continue training. After the player becomesChampion, Silver appears again onMt. Moon. Although he loses, he remarks that his Pokémon are getting stronger and resolves to continue training at theDragon's Den.
InPokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, following the Mt. Moon encounter, Lance andClair appear at the Dragon’s Den and challenge the player and Silver to aMulti Battle. During this team-up, Silver’sGolbat has already evolved intoCrobat, a sign that he has started treating his Pokémon with care. After the battle, Silver returns to Professor Elm’s lab, where he seemingly attempts to return the starter Pokémon he had stolen long ago. Elm even remarks that Silver's Pokémon have come to trust him, reinforcing the idea that Silver is changing.
From this point on, Silver can be found training at the Dragon’s Den on Tuesdays and Thursdays, though he will no longer battle the player there. On Mondays and Wednesdays, however, he appears at the steps of the Indigo Plateau to halt the player for a battle as they walk towards the steps to enter theElite Four's domain. He does not show up on Fridays or weekends, possibly indicating that he gives his Pokémon a well-earned rest.
In terms of personality, Silver is initially the darkest of the rivals in the series. While most other rivals are generally good-natured, or at least zestful enough to crack a joke at the player, Silver is (at first) cruel, hateful, power-obsessed, and even physically abusive, pushing theplayer character around several times. Even after he starts to become kinder, he remains a rather serious individual. This is further expressed in Generation IV when hisfirst partner Pokémon starts tofollow him around, much like the player's Pokémon. Professor Elm even expressly states that Silver's Pokémon have come to trust him when Silver returns to the lab, presumably to return the first partner Pokémon he stole. Noticeably, Silver does express genuine happiness when Elm allows him to keep the Pokémon he stole.
Giovanni and Silver's relationship is first alluded to inPokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, when Team RocketScientistGideon at theRocket Warehouse onFive Island asks the player if they are "Giovanni's kid", but concludes they're not, saying that "Giovanni's kid has red hair." Their relationship is officially confirmed in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, where bringing afateful encounterCelebi to theIlex Forest shrine causes the player totravel three years into the past, allowing them to witness Giovanni abandoning Silver to go into seclusion after his defeat at the hands ofRed. Silver's hate for Team Rocket apparently stems from the failure of his father, hating how he's brave only when surrounded by his followers and swearing to become strong all on his own.
Pokémon
Thefirst partner Pokémon that Silver has will depend on which Pokémon the player chose to bring on Professor Elm's errand at the beginning of the game. It will be the Pokémon whose type weakens that of the player's first partner Pokémon.
Pokémon Gold, Silver, andCrystal
For Silver's Pokémon in Gold, Silver, and Crystal Versions, seehere.
Sixth battle
Rematches
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
First battle
Winning this battle is not mandatory. The player will notblack out and the story will progress either way.
Second battle
Third battle
Fourth battle
Fifth battle
Sixth battle
Multi Battle with theplayer
Rematches
In the side series games
Pokémon Stadium 2
Silver appears inPokémon Stadium 2, where he is simply called "Rival". He can be battled inWhite City once the player has cleared everyStadium Mode and bothGym Leader Castles, acting as the final opponent of the game. Hisparty consists of threeLegendary Pokémonwith a base stat total of 680, which the player is allowed to face with up to six Pokémon. Defeating Silver ends the game, and, in Round 1, also unlocks Round 2.
During the game's end credits, he is seen having a battle withKris, facing herSuicune with hisHo-Oh.
Pokémon
Round 1
Round 2
In the spin-off games
Pokémon Masters EX
- Main article:Silver (Masters)
Silver forms async pair withHo-Oh,Feraligatr,Sneasel,ShinyTyranitar, andCrobat inPokémon Masters EX. His Tyranitar is capable ofMega Evolving. Silver became a playable sync pair on April 30, 2020.
Silver has also made notable appearances in the game's Main Stories,Legendary Adventures and theVillain Arc.
| Dex | Trainer | NDex | Pokémon | Type | Weakness | Role | EX role | Base potential | Availability | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #091 |  | Silver | #0250 |  | Ho-Oh | Fire | Water |  |  | ★★★★★☆EX | Legendary Adventures Pure Hearts and Rainbow Wings |
| #091 | | Silver | #0160 |  | Feraligatr♂ | Water | Electric |  | ★★★★☆☆EX | Trainer Lodge Friendship Level 100 | |
| #091 |  | Sygna Suit Silver | #0215 |  | Sneasel♂ | Ice | Fighting | |  | ★★★★★☆EX | Poké Fair Sync Pair Scout |
| #091 |  | Champion Silver | #0248 |  | Tyranitar♂   Mega Tyranitar | Rock | Fighting | | | ★★★★★☆EX | Master Fair Sync Pair Scout |
| #091 | | Silver | #0169 |  | Crobat♂ | Flying | Rock |  | ★★★★★☆EX | Training Ticket Exchange | |
| #091 |  | Arc Suit Silver | #0250 | | Ho-Oh | Fire | Water |  | | ★★★★★☆EX | Arc Suit Fair Sync Pair Scout |
Gallery
Core series artwork
 | |
| Official art from Gold and Silver | Official art from HeartGold and SoulSilver |
Core series game assets
| Generation II | |||
 |  |  | |
| Trainer sprite | Trainer sprite used after Victory Road | Overworld sprite | |
| HeartGold and SoulSilver | |||
 |  |  |  |
| Prototype sprite | Reveal trailer overworld sprite[3] | Trainer sprite | Overworld sprite |
 |  |  | |
| Back sprite | VS sprite | Opening sprite | |
Other game assets
| Stadium 2 | |||
 |    | ||
| In-game art | Portraits | ||
Animation
 |
| The Legend of Thunder! concept art by Ken Sugimori |
Other artwork
 |
| Game Freak website artwork |
Quotes
- Main article:Silver (game)/Quotes
Counterparts
In animation
Pokémon the Series
Silver's only appearance inPokémon the Series was a brief cameo in theoriginal Japanese opening ofThe Legend of Thunder!. In this opening, he was shown defeatingJimmy with hisNidoking, only to be defeated later on when Jimmy'sCyndaquil fully evolved intoTyphlosion.
Pokémon
 Nidoking ♂ |
Pokémon Generations
Silver appeared inThe Legacy. He was seen meeting up withLooker outside theIndigo Plateau, discussing his relationship and last meeting withGiovanni that ultimately led to their estrangement. During the conversation, Silver asserted that he decided to stay out of his father's affairs, telling Looker that it is his job to find Giovanni, before going off to face theElite Four.
Voice actors
| Language | Voice actor | |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 逢坂良太Ryōta Ōsaka | |
| English | Lucien Dodge | |
| Italian | Mosè Singh | |
| Brazilian Portuguese | Eduardo Drummond | |
| European Spanish | Ángel de Gracia | |
GOTCHA!
Silver briefly appeared inGOTCHA!, with all three of theJohto first partner Pokémon.
In the manga
Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys
- Main article:Black (Golden Boys)
The characterBlack who appears inPokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys manga is based on Silver.
Pokémon Adventures
- Main article:Silver (Adventures)
Silver's counterpart in thePokémon Adventures manga is also namedSilver. They share several similarities, such as stealing a first partner Pokémon fromProfessor Elm, in the manga's case,Totodile, owning aSneasel, and beingGiovanni's son. Unlike his game counterpart, however, he was initially unaware of his father's identity, due to being taken away from him at a young age.
Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure
- Main article:Tsubaki (JBA)
Tsubaki fromPocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure is based on Silver.
Pokémon Pocket Monsters
- Main article:Silver (Pocket Monsters)
Silver has a counterpart in thePokémon Pocket Monsters manga namedSilver.
In the TCG
This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Silver or his Pokémon in thePokémon Trading Card Game.
| Silver's Pokémon Cards listed with ablue background are only legal to use in the currentExpanded format. Cards listed with agreen background are legal to use in both the currentStandard andExpanded formats. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Card | Type | English Expansion | Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion | Rarity | # |
Crobat |  | Lost Origin |  | TG20/TG30 | VMAX Climax |  | 243/184 |
Trivia
- Silver does not gain a new battle sprite in his postgame fights in HeartGold and SoulSilver, unlike the original games.
- In the Generation IIcore series games, Silver is the onlyPokémon Trainernon-player character who appears to have noTrainer class, only having "<name> wants to battle!" in his battle text.
- However, in the game data, there are two separate Trainer classes sharing the same name:Rival (Japanese: ライバルRival). Each of these Trainer classes corresponds to a different sprite used in-game. TheChampion battle theme music plays when the player is battling the latter.
- A 1997 pamphlet describingGold and Silver mentions that therival character lives in the same town asthe protagonist. This aspect of his character was apparently discarded by the time of the final release, as hishometown was not elaborated upon in thegames and it is implied to not beNew Bark Town since he seems to be unfamiliar withProfessor Elm's lab at the beginning of the game.
- InGeneration IV, Silver is depicted with two different eye colors. His eyes are gray in his Generation IV artwork while they are red in the HeartGold and SoulSilver games, as seen in the opening animation.
- In the original Gold, Silver, and Crystal games, when battled at Indigo Plateau, the Champion theme is played instead of his rival theme.
- In the Pokémon Gold and Silver Spaceworld 1999 demo, Silver's Magnemite and Magneton are instead aRhyhorn and aRhydon respectively.
- Additionally, his alternate post-game sprite is not present.
- The English script of theCelebi event inPokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver never states that Silver is Giovanni's son, unlike the Japanese script.
- Silver has achieved a high score of 2000 atPal Park, which serves as the default high score.
- In the battle in the Goldenrod Tunnel in the remakes, his team when the player starts with Cyndaquil are all two levels lower than the same team he uses if the player were to start with another first partner Pokémon. This is presumably to make up for the player's Quilava likely not being fully evolved.
- In the original games, at level 16, Silver's Croconaw isunderleveled in the second battle, when Totodile usually does not evolve into Croconaw until level 18. This is fixed in the remakes.
- His Haunter was also underleveled at level 20 in the third battle, when Gastly usually does not evolve until level 25. This is fixed in the remakes where instead his Haunter remains a Gastly.
- Silver is the first rival whose team does not change in accordance to his first partner Pokémon, nor does he have any types that cover for his first partner Pokémon's initial type.
- Art of Silver onGame Freak's website depicts him with aHoundoom, despite not owning one within the games.
- While Silver did not appear in theanimated series outside of a brief cameo, he shares many similarities toPaul, who wasAsh's main rival throughoutPokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl. Like Silver, Paul believed in raising the power of his Pokémon through harsh training as opposed to forming a trusting relationship, which put him at odds with Ash throughout the series.
- Silver also shares many similarities withMewtwo fromMewtwo Strikes Back. Both separated from, and have a personal enmity with, Giovanni and Team Rocket, and yet, like Giovanni, valued being the strongest in the world to a degree that led them to act callously and disdainfully towards humans and Pokémon whom they saw as weak. Silver has Giovanni as his literal father, whereas Mewtwo was created at Giovanni's instigation and regards him as a parental figure (as it mentions in the Japanese version ofMewtwo Returns). Both abducted multiple Pokémon, although Mewtwo was more interested incloning them than keeping them. Silver claimed he would be the world's greatestPokémon Trainer, and Mewtwo claimed to be the world's strongest Trainer already. Both are initially contemptuous towards the notion ofPokémon training being based on genuinefriendship, and both developed into kinder, more caring characters, while continuing to have serious personalities.
Names
He was first namedSilver (Japanese:シルバーSilver) in Bandai's Pokémon Scale World collection,[4][5][6] which was released in 2020 (21 years after his introduction inPokémon Gold and Silver). In 2021, he became availablewith the same name inPokémon Masters EX, which was the first time he was named in-game. No definitive name has been given for him in thecore series games or their manuals.
In the core series games, he is temporarily known by a placeholder name in the firstbattle before he is named by the player:
- ??? (Japanese:???) inGeneration II
- Passerby Boy (Japanese:とおりすがりの しょうねんPasserby Boy) inGeneration IV, using the placeholderTrainer class "Passerby" and placeholder name "Boy"
If the player attempts to leave his name blank, his default name refers to a game other than the current one:GoldS,SilverGC,HeartSS, orSoulHG (Japanese:ゴールドGold,シルバーSilver,ハートHeart, orソウルSoul).
InPokémon Stadium 2, his name is displayed asRival Rival (Japanese:ライバル ライバルRival Rival), since the word "Rival" is repeatedly stored in the game data as both the Trainer class and the character name.
In thePokémon Gold and Silver Spaceworld '97 demo, his name isシゲルGShigeru orサトシSSatoshi. These areGary's andAsh's respective Japanese names, and correspond to the second entry in the list of optional names forBlue andRed inPokémon Red and Green.
Until the reveal of his official name,Silver (Japanese:シルバーSilver) was almost universally used infanon as the name for this character. Some fans instead called himKamon (Japanese:カモンKamon) to discern him fromhis Pokémon Adventures counterpart andan unrelated animated series character. This name is taken from the suggested names forEthan in both the Japanese and English versions ofPokémon Silver; this is similar to some fans callingBlue "Gary", since the name is found as one of the options for theplayer in internationalPokémon Blue and for therival in internationalPokémon Red.
| Language | Name | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | シルバーSilver | FromPokémon Silver |
| English, French | Silver | FromPokémon Silver |
| German | Silber | FromPokémon Silberne Edition (Pokémon Silver) |
| European Spanish | Plata | FromPokémon Edición Plata (Pokémon Silver) |
| Italian | Argento | FromPokémon Versione Argento (Pokémon Silver) |
| Korean | 실버Silver | Transcription of his Japanese name |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 小銀Xiǎo Yín /Síu Ngàhn | From 銀yín / ngàhn (silver) |
Passerby Boy
| Language | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| French | Passant Garçon | |
| German | Passant Junge | |
| Italian | Ragazzino Passante | |
| Korean | 나그네 소년Nageune Sonyeon | |
| Spanish | Transeúnte Chico | |
References
- ↑Joe Zieja on Twitter
- ↑Nintendo DREAM (vol. 329)
- ↑https://www.nintendo.com/eu/media/downloads/migration_1/BROCHURE_POK_GOLD_SILVER_EN.pdf
- ↑"Pokémon Scale World - Johto: Silver & Croconaw & Sneasel" on Bandai (Japanese)
- ↑"Pokémon Scale World - Johto: Silver & Croconaw & Sneasel" on Bandai (English)
- ↑"[PREMIUM BANDAI Limited Edition "Pokémon Scale World" Vol.2!! Order Now!!" on the official Pokémon website in Singapore] (English)
Related articles
| Rival andFriend Characters | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Trainer classes in the Pokémon core series | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 | This game character article is part ofProject CharacterDex, aBulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in thePokémon games. |
