Calem/Serena

Calem/Serena
Species	Human
Hair color	Black (Default - Calem) Honey (Default - Serena)
Eye color	Gray (Default)
Base	Vaniville Town
Relatives	Grace (Mother - as Protagonist) Parents (as Rival)
Voiced by	Zach Aguilar (Calem, 2019) Jackie Lastra (Serena, 2019)
Debut	Pokémon X and Y

Calem and Serena are the potential identities of the protagonist and rival characters of the sixth generation Pokémon games, Pokémon X and Y. As in most Pokémon games, X and Y begin with asking the player's gender. Calem is the name designated for the male character, while Serena is the female character. After the player chooses a gender, the character of the other gender appears in the game as a rival character. In order to distinguish the two versions of the character, the protagonist shall be referred to as "Calem/Serena", while the rival version shall be called "Serena/Calem".

Background

Protagonist

Calem/Serena was the child of two Pokémon Trainers, one of whom was a well-known Rhyhorn Racer named Grace. At the start of X/Y, Calem/Serena had just moved to Vaniville Town in the Kalos region from parts unspecified. Professor Sycamore decided to sent the trainer on a journey to help them feel less like a stranger within Kalos. Their neighbor Serena/Calem and Shauna came to tell them about Sycamore's offer, and they then went ahead to Aquacorde Town, where each of the three new trainers received a Pokédex and got to choose from one of three starter Pokémon. The Pokédexes and Pokémon were dispensed by Trevor and Tierno, two other trainers who had been chosen by the professor.

The trainers then set off on their journeys. At Lumiose City, Calem/Serena finally met Professor Sycamore in person. After beating the professor in a battle, he allowed them to choose one of three starter Pokémon from Kanto to take as an additional Pokémon and also gave them the Pokémon's corresponding Mega Stone. The professor expressed his hopes that they became the best trainers that the could be and also asked them to look into the secrets of Mega Evolution. Calem/Serena set off on a journey in which they defeated the Gym Leaders of Kalos in order to collect eight gym badges that were necessary to compete against the Elite Four and become the champion. Along the way, Calem/Serena constantly met up with the other young trainers, who worked together with them and/or occasionally battled them. Out of the group, Serena/Calem most consistently battled them as a rival. At Shalour City, they visited the Tower of Mastery to learn about Mega Evolution from Gurkinn and his granddaughter Korrina. He had only one Mega Ring to give out, so Calem/Serena and Serena/Calem battled each other to decide who would get it. Afterwards, Calem/Serena battled Korrina twice to prove himself worthy of the Mega Ring. The trainer not only earned the Mega Ring, but Korrina's second Lucario chose to join the trainer as well.

Throughout the journey, the trainer also battled members of Team Flare on several occasions. Ultimately, Lysandre revealed himself as the leader of Team Flare and set his plans into motion to unleash the ultimate weapon on the Kalos region that would wipe out most life in the world except for members of Team Flare. Calem/Serena found the hidden entrance to Lysandre Labs and battled Lysandre as well as various other Team Flare members. They also met AZ there and learned the history behind the ultimate weapon. Calem/Serena was unable to stop the weapon from activating, but they did travel to Team Flare's Secret HQ in Geosenge Town. There, with help from Serena/Calem and Shauna, they freed the Legendary Pokémon (Xerneas in X or Ylvetal in Y) that was powering the weapon and stopped the weapon before it could be activated. They battled Lysandre again, at which point he tried setting off the weapon on the young trainers. In X, the weapon was supposed to curse the trainers with eternal life, while in Y, it was simply supposed to wipe them out. Regardless, Calem/Serena and their friends were able to escape from the headquarters before the weapon fired, which caused the HQ to collapse and left Lysandre's fate unknown.

After collecting all eight badges, Calem/Serena traveled to the Pokémon League of Kalos. There, they defeated the Elite Four and Diantha to become the new champion of Kalos. A parade was held in Lumiose City to celebrate Calem/Serena's achievements. There, Professor Sycamore awarded them with the Honor of Kalos for their role in defeating Team Flare. Afterwards, he gave them a TMV Pass, which could be used to access Kiloude City, where further challenges awaited. In Lumiose CIty, Calem/Serena also acted as an assistant to Looker in solving various cases which involved stopping the last active Team Flare member.

Pokémon Roster

As this character acts as the protagonist, their Pokémon roster is a variable based on which Pokémon the player chooses to catch in the game. Only some of the Pokémon they obtain are set. They receive Chespin, Fennekin or Froakie as a starter Pokémon and later receive Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle from Professor Sycamore. They also receive several Pokémon as gifts, such as a Lapras and Korrina's Lucario.

Rival

Serena/Calem was the child of a pair of experienced Pokémon trainers living in Vaniville Town. They were friendly, yet competitive and intent on being self-sufficient. When Professor Sycamore was seeking new trainers to send off on Pokémon journeys, Serena/Calem and Shauna were among those chosen. They were also sent to meet their new neighbor, Calem/Serena, and to inform them that the professor wanted them to join as well. The three trainers then met up with Tierno and Trevor at Aquacorde Town, who gave each of the trainers a Pokédex and one of three starter Pokémon to choose from. Serena/Calem chose their first Pokémon after Calem/Serena. Afterwards, Serena/Calem showed Shauna and Calem/Serena how to catch Pokémon on Route 2 and also gave them some Poké Balls. They were encountered several more times in the following areas, where they took note of Calem/Serena's potential as a trainer and gave them a set of tips known as Adventure Rules. The trainer then went ahead to Santalune City to challenge its gym leader and test their strength.

At Lumiose City, the five young trainers met up with the professor at his Pokémon Lab. They witnessed Calem/Serena's battle with the professor, and afterwards, the new trainers were each allowed to pick a starter Pokémon from him. Professor Sycamore told the trainers to try to be the best trainers that they could be and to try to learn the secrets of Mega Evolution. Serena/Calem liked the idea of being different from other trainers and wanted to learn about Mega Evolution in order to stand apart from others. They then asked Calem/Serena to meet up with them at Cafe Soleil. There, the two trainers witnessed Lysandre and Diantha's conversation. After those two departed, Serena/Calem told their neighbor that they wanted the two of them to have a friendly competition in order to see which of them would become stronger. They were determined not to lose, however. At Route 7, Serena/Calem decided to hold a Pokémon battle between members of the group. Calem/Serena and Serena/Calem teamed up to defeat Tierno and Trevor in a battle. They then went ahead to Ambrette Town. There, they worked with their neighbor to find the assistant for Fossil Lab at the Glittering Cave. Along the way, they met up with members of Team Flare and took part in another double battle to defeat two of them. Serena/Calem could also be found at Geosenge Town, where they tried pursuing a Team Flare grunt and lost them, unaware of the hidden entrance to their secret base nearby.

The group met up again at the Tower of Mastery in Shalour City, where Gurkinn and Korrina taught them about Mega Evolution. Gurkinn was willing to pass a Mega Ring on to the young trainers, but he only had one to give. The other trainers on the group passed on the offer until only Calem/Serena and Serena/Calem were left. Serena/Calem decided that they should battle for the Mega Ring and saw it as a way of measuring their strength. Calem/Serena ultimately defeated their neighbor and received the Mega Ring. Serena/Calem was left frustrated by their loss, but still supportive of Calem/Serena's victory and impressed by their skill. Afterwards, they gave Calem/Serena HM 03: Surf. At Coumarine City, Serena/Calem contacted their neighbor and challenged them to a battle in front of the town's gym, partly because they were curious about seeing Mega Evolution in a battle. They lost to the protagonist again and wondered determined their difference in strength, when they had both set off on their journeys at the same time. Afterwards, the group met up at Route 14, and Serena/Calem battled Calem/Serena once more. After losing, the group talked about going to visit an abandoned house nearby, but Serena/Calem passed on that in favor of spending more time with their Pokémon.

Serena/Calem then helped their neighbor to fight off Team Flare again when they had occupied the Poké Ball Factory, which ended in the two young trainers defeating Celosia and Bryony. At Anistar City, the two rivals had another battle again, which Serena/Calem once more lost. They then congratulated Calem/Serena after they had earned the Psychic Badge, and together they watched Lysandre's broadcast in which he declared himself as the leader of Team Flare and that the group's plan was being set into motion. Serena/Calem went to investigate Lysandre Labs and met two masked heroes (Dexio and Sina) instead of their neighbor, who informed them more about Team Flare's plans involving the ultimate weapon. The trainer then went to Geosenge Town and accompanied Calem/Serena in exploring Team Flare's Secret HQ. Along the way, they were joined by Shana, and Serena/Calem apologized for not being considerate of her feelings when she wanted to accompany them. The three trainers made their way to the Control Room, and Serena/Calem protected Shauna while Calem/Serena freed the Legendary Pokémon and defeated Lysandre. Afterwards, Lysandre attempted to use the ultimate weapon on them, but the three trainers escaped before they could be hit on it, while the Secret HQ caved in as a result of the weapon's usage.

They confronted their rival once more at Victory Road. Serena/Calem had reflected on the clash between Team Flare and saw the value in trying to find ways to meet halfway instead of taking part in conflicts. Because of that, they determined that they wanted to battle their neighbor not just for the sake of winning, but also to see how the other trainer's Pokémon thought and felt. Serena/Calem lost again and continued to be puzzled by their difference in strength, but they also found peace realizing how much they were alike and that they enjoyed being friends with their neighbor. Serena/Calem then wished them luck at the Pokémon League. Sometime after that, Serena/Calem returned to the Tower of Mastery and was able to gain their own Mega Ring, which finally allowed them access to Mega Evolution. Serena/Calem next appeared at Kiloude City after Calem/Serena had tried out the Battle Maison. There, Serena/Calem would challenge the player to rematches on a daily basis, and they found comfort in being different from other trainers due to being a unique individual.

Pokémon Roster

• Chespin/Quilldan/Chesnaught, Fennekin/Braixen/Delphox or Froakie/Frogadier/Greninja: The rival chooses a starter Pokémon that has a type advantage over the one chosen by the player (such as picking Fennekin if the player chose Chespin). This Pokémon is never used in battle while in its first form. It evolves into its second form before the double battle against Tierno and Trevor, and it evolves into its final form by the Route 14 battle.
• Fletchling: Serena/Calem uses this Pokémon for the tutorial on catching Pokémon and for the battle against Tierno and Trevor. They do not use this Pokémon again afterwards.
• Espurr/Meowstic: They first use Espurr for the double battle against Team Flare grunts in the Glittering Cave, and it evolves into Meowstic by the Tower of Mastery battle.
• Absol: Absol is first uses during the double battle against Team Flare grunts in the Glittering Cave. During rematches at Kiloude City, Serena/Calem uses an Absolite to Mega Evolve it into Mega Absol.
• Vaporeon, Jolteon or Flareon: They use one of these Pokémon starting with the battle at Anistar City, depending on the starter Pokémon chosen. They use Jolteon if the player's starter was Chespin, Flareon if it was Fennekin or Vaporeon if it was Froakie, possibly to complement the typing of the trainer's respective Delphox, Greninja or Chesnaught.
• Altaria: This Pokémon is used starting in the Victory Road battle.
• Clefable: Clefable is added to the roster starting with the Kiloude City battle.

Serena/Calem also catches a Bunnelby while providing the game's capture tutorial and receives one of the Kanto starters (Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle) from Professor Sycamore as well as whichever fossil (of Tyrunt or [[Amaura) the player did not take, but never uses any of them in battle. It is never established which of the Kanto starters they chose.

In Other Pokémon Games

In Pokémon Masters EX, both Calem and Serena have appeared as parts of playable Sync Pairs that could be recruited in the game, with Serena being depicted as the protagonist character while Calem had the rival role. Both have been featured with multiple sync pairs:

Calem

• In his default outfit, Calem was paired with an Espurr that could evolve into a male Meowstic. This sync pair was unlocked by completing Chapter 20 of the Main Story's PML Arc, and it would evolve through a Sync Pair Story in which Calem had to defeat Nanu in a one-on-one battle.
• Champion: Calem wears a Neo Champion outfit, which consists of a dark suit with a hat, its coloring being similar to that of the Pokémon he's paired with: a Shiny Greninja. Calem mentions having met the Greninja as a Froakie shortly after setting out on his Pokémon journey. This variant was made available at random through the Sync Pair Scout feature during limited time periods starting in December 2022.
• Calem could also gain Fennekin as an alternate sync partner in his default outfit by reaching Friendship Level 100 with Calem at the Trainer's Lodge, after he was added to that mode in August 2023.

When fought in battle, Calem has synced up with other Pokémon from the rival's X/Y team such as Altaria, Absol and Clefable.

Serena

• In her default outfit, Serena was paired with a Fennekin that could evolve into Braixen and Delphox. She was available through the Sync Pair Scout starting in June 2020, and her Fennekin could evolve through Sync Pair Stories in which she had to battle Hilda and Elesa, respectively, in one-on-one battles.
• Palentine's 2021: Serena wears what appears to be a combination of a gray turtleneck sweater with a with a black dress that has purple designs, and she carries a bag resembling a puff of cotton which matches the Pokémon she's paired with, Whimsicott. This was available through the Sync Pair Scout during limited time periods starting at the end of January 2021.
• Sygna Suit: Paired with Zygarde, Serena has a dress colored to resembling Zygarde's coloration and also sports a different hairstyle. Zygarde is in its 50 Percent forme, but it is capable of achieving its Complete Forme during battle. This sync pair was available during limited time periods starting in March 2022.
• Champion: Serena's New Champion outfit is a dress containing several different blues and a white bottom matching the Pokémon she's paired with: Greninja. She mentions having traveled around Kalos with Greninja, but it is not completely clear if this means Froakie was her starter Pokémon. Available during limited time periods starting at the end of November 2022.
• Fletchling could be unlocked as an alternate Sync Pair partner for Serena by reaching Friendship Level 100 with her in the Trainer's Lodge, after she was added to the mode in December 2022.

Calem was featured in Chapter 20 of the Main Story's PML Arc, where he helped Scottie/Bettie to attack a Team Break hideout after coordinating with Cynthia and ultimately asked to join the player's team for the Pokémon Masters League tournament. Calem also formed a bond with Acerola, who insisted on referring to the older boy as her little bro. As for Serena, she was featured in the "Serena's Dessert Party" Story Event, where she decided to work with Jasmine and Scottie/Bettie to throw a big dessert party. Calem and Serena appeared together during the "Give and Take" Legendary Adventure, where they joined Professor Sycamore in searching for a Xerneas that had been seen on the island, only for them to confront Lysandre, who was able to defeat both Calem and Serena with his Yveltal. Ultimately, Professor Sycamore saved the day this time after bonding with the Xerneas. Serena was featured in her Palentine's outfit in the Story Event "Baking Buddies", where she worked with Dawn to make Palentine's sweets, and they each gave gifts to Scottie/Bettie. She later starred in the "Verdant Guardian" Story Event, in which Zygarde appeared to Serena and chose to accompany her. Serena and Calem worked with others to gather Zygarde's cells, only for Zygarde to scatter its cells to help locate a lost trainer and Pokémon. Serena assumed her Sygna Suit after partnering with Zygarde and also changed her hair to look more grown up. Calem also appeared in the Story Event "Revel in Rivalry", where he was part of a randomly-chosen team with Hop and Hau for the New Stars of Pasio tournament. His team defeated Bede, Hugh and Wally in a battle, at which point Calem advised them that they should support each other more as teammates.

Both Serena and Calem were featured in the Neo Champion event "Leaders of a New Era", in which they were invited to take part in the first Neo Champion Stadium. This tournament was held to acknowledge trainers who acted as inspirational examples for others rather than by battling ability. Diantha would act as the head judge for the first tournament and made sure that both of them were invited. Calem was shown to have some anxiety about not being worthy of being Serena's rival, but Alder helped to reassure him while training with him, and Acerola also showed up to help him train, while Serena trained with Cynthia and Jasmine. During the tournament, the two of them made it to the finals, where Calem was finally able to defeat Serena. They were both awarded the Neo Champion title because of how brightly they shined in Diantha's eyes, and Calem reminded Serena that he would not have gotten that far as a trainer without being rivals with her. With that, they were both given formal outfits for their new titles. Within the Main Story's Villain Arc, Serena and Calem appeared during the Kalos chapter. They attended a play that Diantha was putting on about Kalos's war as part of a peace ceremony commemorating the 3,000 years that had passed during the war. They met with Shauna, Tierno and Trevor there, which marked the first time the five of them had met up together since their journeys in Kalos. When Team Flare disrupted the ceremony, they stepped forward to help drive them off. Afterwards, Calem kept dwelling on rumors of an invisible Pokémon, so they went to investigate it while Looker dealt with Team Flare, and they ultimately discovered that it was Lysandre's Volcanion. Serena also made an appearance in the Final Chapter of the Villain Arc, where Paulo's situation reminded her of the sadness experienced by Professor Sycamore and Lysandre, which drove her to tears.

Other Appearances

Video Games

• Both trainers have been referenced in Super Smash Bros. games. The two of them appeared together as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, where they were referred to simply as "Pokémon Trainer (X and Y)" (similar to the way Red was simply called Pokémon Trainer in the series). They have also been referenced through alternate costumes; starting in the 3DS/Wii U game, Pikachu and Jigglypuff each have an alternate costume featuring headwear based on that of Calem and Serena, respectively; and the male version of Pokémon Trainer (Red) has an alternate costume with coloration evocative of Calem's default outfit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Other Media

• In the Pokémon anime, Serena was featured as one of the main characters of the X/Y-based series. She was the daughter of Grace, as in the games, but instead of becoming a Pokémon Trainer, she was an aspiring Pokémon Performer. She traveled with Ash, Clemont and Bonnie while competing in Pokémon Showcases. Ultimately, she competed in the Gloire Showcase Master Class for the title of Kalos Queen, but she lost to the reigning queen, Aria. At the end of that series, she departed to Hoenn to take part in the Pokémon Contests there. Serena was also shown to have originally met Ash as a child at a Pokémon Summer Camp and to have a crush on him. Her starter Pokémon was a Fennekin, which evolved into a Braixen, and she also had a Pancham and an Eevee that evolved into a Sylveon. Serena reappeared during the Pokémon Journeys series, in which it was shown that she had become a Pokémon Coordinator and worked with Lisia. She gave advice to Chloe about being a Pokémon Coordinator and tied with Lisia in a Master Rank Contest Spectacular. She was later seen watching Ash fight in the Masters Eight Tournament, where she and May supported each other when Ash was in trouble.
• In the Pokémon Adventures manga, the protagonists of the X/Y arc were based on Calem and Serena. X was based on Calem and started the arc as a shut-in. Y was based on Serena and was an aspiring Sky Trainer. Their specialties among the Pokédex holders were known through the respective titles of 'Loner' and 'Flyer'.
• In Pokémon Generations, Calem was featured in the final episode. Based on the ending scenario of the game, the episode depicted the celebration of Calem's championship and his battle with AZ.
• Calem and Serena both appeared in the third episode of the Pokémon Evolutions anime shorts, which adapted the climax of Pokémon X. Calem was depicted as the protagonist and was shown with parts of his appearance obscured, like other protagonists featured in the series, while Serena appeared in the rival role. Calem defeated Lysandre with Xerneas, at which point Serena arrived with Shauna. The three of them fled the base together while Lysandre activated the weapon, and they were seen overlooking the rubble of the collapsed base afterwards.

Trivia

• As in past games, the protagonist's name is chosen by the player, while the rival character's name is set as Calem or Serena. Calem is known as Calme in Japanese, while Serena's name is the same. Their names reference the similar-meaning words of "calm" and "serene".
• Calem and Serena are the first trainers who the players could choose alternate appearances for, with each of them having three possible appearances. Calem's hair could be black or blonde, while Serena's hair could be honey, blonde or black, and both characters could have gray, blue or brown eyes. The choices also alternated in terms of skin color. Additionally, the player's fashion could be changed throughout the game as the player could acquire different clothing and accessories for them.
• As Serena/Calem appeared on Victory Road, this indicated that they must have collected the eight gym badges, as it is a requirement for entering Victory Road. Despite this, although Serena/Calem mentioned that they were going to battle some of the gym leaders, their name was not inscribed in any of the gym's statues (which was done for other trainers taking part in gym challenges in other games).