Brock

"The Rock-Hard Pokémon Trainer"
Brock
Species	Human
Hair color	Brown
Base	Pewter City Gym
Voiced by	Eric Stuart (2000) Tom Bauer (2019)
Debut	Pokémon: Red/Green Versions

Brock is a Pokémon trainer who acted as the gym leader of the Pewter City gym. Introduced in the first generation games, he was the first gym leader to be battled within the entire series. Known for his determination and grit, Brock is a symbol of admiration and respect throughout Pewter City.

Background

Brock first appeared in Pokémon Red, Green, Blue and Yellow Versions. In these games (as well as FireRed/LeafGreen), he was the first gym leader whom Red had to battle in his journey and had previously been defeated by Blue. After being defeated, Brock surrendered a Boulderbadge along with TM 34: Bide (or TM 38: Rock Tomb in FireRed and LeafGreen).

Brock still watched over the Pewter gym several years later in Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions. This time, however, he was one of the last gym leaders whom Ethan/Lyra battled during their trip through Kanto. Brock awarded them with a Boulderbadge as well after losing (and TM 80: Rock Slide in HeartGold and SoulSilver). In HeartGold and SoulSilver, he would later appear in the Diglett's Cave on most afternoons, and would exchange Pokégear numbers with Ethan/Lyra there. Calling him on Saturday nights (between the hours of 8PM and 4AM) would cause him to travel to Saffron City's Fighting Dojo for a rematch. He also appeared at the Diglett's Cave on Saturday nights, when he offered to trade a Rhyhorn (that has Thunder Fang as an Egg Move) for a Bonsly.

Brock returned in Black and White 2 as one of the competitors in the Pokémon World Tournament held at Unova. He could be faced in the Kanto Leaders, World Leaders and Type Expert tournaments. Whether winning or losing, he would enjoy the battle and compliment the challenger.

Let's Go!

In Let's Go, Eevee!/Pikachu!, Brock appeared with the same role as in the first generation games. This time, the challenger who battled him was Chase/Elaine. After being beaten, he surrendered the Boulderbadge and TM01: Headbutt. He would later appear in Celadon City, where he had tried to give out Pewter Crunchies as a gift at Celadon's gym, only to be turned away by the girls at the gym. He ended up giving them to Chase/Elaine instead, along with some tea that went well with them. He then lamented that he did not have enough tea left to give to one of Saffron City's thirsty guards.

After Chase/Elaine became the Pokémon champion, Brock would challenge the them to engage him in rematches whenever they wanted. He decided to postpone his dreams of becoming a Pokémon breeder in favor of training hard in hopes of one day defeating the trainer.

Pokémon Roster

Brock in HeartGold and SoulSilver.

Brock specializes in rock-type Pokémon as well as ground-types. In the first generation games (and their remakes), Brock's only Pokémon are a Geodude and an Onix.

By Gold, Silver and Crystal (as well as HeartGold/SoulSilver), however, his roster had expanded to include the following:

• Graveler
• Rhyhorn
• Omastar
• Kabutops
• Onix

In HeartGold and SoulSilver, he uses the following Pokémon in rematches:

• Golem
• Relicanth
• Omastar
• Onix
• Kabutops
• Rampardos

In Black 2 and White 2, his team included Onix, Golem, Kabutops and Aerodactyl. The other two slots in his team were taken up by Omastar and Relicanth for matches in the Kanto Leaders Tournament, or by Tyranitar and Rhyperior for matches in the World Leaders and Type Expert tournaments.

For rematches in Let's Go, Eevee!/Pikachu!, his roster for rematches was part of his Black 2/White 2 tournament line-up: Onix, Golem, Kabutops, Omastar and Aerodactyl.

In Other Pokémon Games

Brock was the first opponent in the Gym Leader Castle of Pokémon Stadium. His Pokémon, based on his roster in the original games combined with some from his anime roster, were Onix, Graveler, Cubone, Vulpix, Omanyte and Kabuto in the first round; and Onix, Golbat, Golem, Ninetales, Dugtrio and Omastar in the second round. Oddly enough, many of these Pokémon (such as the evolved forms of Omanyte and Kabuto) later appeared on his roster in Gold and Silver. In Pokémon Stadium 2, Brock was the first opponent of the Kanto Gym Leader Castle. He used a Golem, Onix, Pinsir, Omastar, Kabutops and Forretress in Round 1, and a Slowbro, Rhydon, Steelix, Shuckle, Heracross and Ursaring in Round 2.

Brock, as he appears in the Pokémon anime, appeared in Pokémon Puzzle League as the second opponent. Ash Ketchum battled him for the Boulderbadge. The Pokémon he used were Vulpix, Geodude and Zubat. Vulpix and Zubat were both Pokémon that Brock had acquired in the anime series.

Brock was featured in Pokémon Masters EX as part of a playable sync pair with Onix. There was also a Sygna Suit variant paired with Tyranitar. He and Misty were the first two trainers to join the player's team for the Pokémon Masters League during the Main Story's introduction. He initially acted like a mentor to Scottie/Bettie, but he temporarily split off for the first Interlude chapter (between Chapters 10 and 11). In that chapter, Brock decided to challenge Scottie/Bettie to a battle as a fellow trainer because of how skilled they had grown and donned a new outfit called a sygna suit that enhanced his connection to his Pokémon. After being defeated, he accepted that Scottie/Bettie had learned everything that he could teach him, and he decided to rejoin the team as an equal teammate, rather than as a mentor or coach. Brock also made some appearances in the Main Story's Villain Arc, where he helped out during some of the conflicts against villainous organizations on Pasio. Brock was also featured as an opponent in a sync pair story, where Rosa had to defeat him in order for her Servine to evolve, and he made minor appearances in a number of Story Events.

Other Appearances

Other Media

• Brock also served as a major supporting character in the Pokémon anime series. After Ash defeated him at the Pewter Gym, Brock left the gym in the care of his parents (and later his younger brother Forrest) to travel with Ash in hopes of achieving his dream to become a master Pokémon breeder. Along the way, he showed his talents as a chef and was known for being flirtatious with nearly every girl he encountered (with limited success). Brock has been the most loyal of Ash's traveling companions, remaining with him in the journeys through Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and finally Sinnoh. Until that point, he was only absent for the filler series involving the exploration of the Orange Islands (between the Kanto and Johto episodes), when he briefly worked as a lab assistant for Professor Ivy. Towards the end of the Sinnoh episodes, Brock developed an interest in becoming a Pokémon doctor and stayed behind in Kanto to train for that. His place in Ash's crew was originally taken by Cilan for the following Unova series. Brock has since made several guest appearances, including a two-part episode of the Sun and Moon series which featured him and Misty reuniting with Ash.
• In the manga series The Electric Tale of Pikachu, Brock appears with a role similar to his role in the first anime series. He is defeated by Ash and proceeds to accompany him on his quest, although he does not appear in every chapter.
• Brock appears in the Pokémon Adventures manga. In the Red/Blue/Green arc, he works in conjunction with Misty and Erika (and later Blaine) as the only "good" gym leaders battling against Team Rocket. He is shown to battle shirtless, and as in most adaptations, he befriends Red after being defeated by him. He and the other good gym leaders lend Red their aid at several points in the series and then do the same for Yellow in the Yellow arc. In that latter arc, Brock ultimately ended up defending Pewter City from the Elite Four's attack. In the Gold/Silver/Crystal arc, Brock and Misty helped Red to prepare for his gym leader examination, and during the competition against the Johto gym leaders, he was defeated by Jasmine's newly-discovered Steelix.
• Brock appeared in the Pokémon Origins anime, which was based more directly on the games. He originally watched Red fight a losing battle against Blue and taught him about Pokémon battles afterwards. Brock continued to teach him during their own gym battle, in which Red was able to win. Brock was also shown to choose only two Pokémon to use for the battle after hearing that Red had no badges, which implied that gym leaders adjust the level of strength they use in battles to be fair to their opponents' skill levels.

Trivia

• Brock's name is a play on the word "rock". His Japanese name, Takeshi, could be taken from a Japanese word for "brave" and could also referencing words for "bamboo" and "mountain peak".
• He also has an interest in fossils and has aided in excavation of fossils in Mt. Moon (which could explain the Kabutops, Omastar and Rampardos he has in some appearances).
• It is said that Brock rarely laughs, but whenever he does laugh, he finds it hard to stop.
• In the Yellow version and Let's Go! games, he mentions his dreams of becoming a Pokémon breeder. This references his aspirations from the Pokémon anime. The latter games also reference his tendency to be rejected by girls from the anime.