Flannery

One with a Fiery Passion that Burns
Flannery
Species	Human
Hair color	Red
Base	Lavaridge Town
Relatives	Grandfather
Debut	Pokémon: Ruby Version/Pokémon: Sapphire Version

Flannery is the fourth gym leader of the Hoenn region who must be battled in Pokémon: Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald Versions, as well as the remakes Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. She specializes in fire-type Pokémon.

Background

Flannery was the granddaughter of a famed Pokémon trainer who once served as part of the Elite Four. Flannery herself eventually became the gym leader of the gym in Lavaridge Town. She had only recently become its gym leader at the time of the third generation games. Most of the town admired her for her beauty, and she was known for the flaming passion that she had for raising Pokémon. Due to her own insecurities, she attempted to put on an intimidating persona for challengers, though she was not very good at coming up with things to say, and she later realized that it confused her Pokémon too.

She was eventually challenged and defeated by Brendan/May in Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. This defeat caused her to realize that she should stop trying to act like someone she wasn't, and it inspired her try doing things in her own natural way. She thanked them by giving them TM 50: Overheat in addition to the Heat Badge. Flannery realized that the trainer had a similar fighting style to Norman, which made sense considering that he was the player's father.

In Emerald, she shut down her gym while redoing her training, and then when she reopened she called Brendan/May up for rematches over the Match Call. She decided not to feel deflated by her losses due to her love of Pokémon, battling and her gym. In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Flannery traveled to the Scorched Slab sometime after the Groudon/Kyogre crisis was resolved in search of the rare Pokémon Heatran, which she heard about from her grandfather. However, she realized that she was ill-prepared for this journey and decided to return to Lavaridge. She would also congratulate Brendan/May on becoming champion if revisited at her gym in these versions, having heard the news from Winona. This news stimulated her spirit and made her realize that she had to grow as a Pokémon trainer.

Flannery reappeared in Black and White 2, where she competed in the Pokémon World Tournament. She took part in the Hoenn Leaders, World Leaders and Type Expert divisions.

Pokémon Roster

In Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, she uses the following Pokémon in the first battle:

• Numel (Emerald only)
• Slugma (2 in Ruby/Sapphire/Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire, 1 in Emerald)
• Camerupt (Emerald only)
• Torkoal

In Emerald, Flannery then uses the following Pokémon in the optional rematches:

• Magcargo
• Ponyta (first two rematches)/Rapidash (latter two rematches)
• Camerupt
• Torkoal
• Growlithe (second and third rematches)/Arcanine (fourth rematch)
• Houndour (third rematch)/Houndoom (fourth rematch)

In Black 2 and White 2, her potential roster for tournament fights could include some or all of these Pokémon:

• Torkoal
• Camerupt
• Magcargo (Hoenn Leaders) or Chandelure (World Leaders/Type Expert)
• Blaziken
• Houndoom
• Magmortar

Other Appearances

Other Media

• Flannery appears in two subsequent episodes of the Pokémon anime. These also feature an appearance by her grandfather, who is instead the former leader of the Lavaridge gym and known as Mr. Moore. The first episode introduces her and her grandfather, where Ash and his friends help them stop Team Rocket from stealing her Pokémon. The second episode shows the gym battle between Ash and Flannery, which Ash manages to win.
• Flannery appears in several chapters of the Pokémon Adventures manga, where she is an uncertain young gym leader under Winona's tutelage. She is initially captured by Team Aqua to lure Sapphire into a trap but she is able to bust them out. After Team Aqua dries up the volcano, a Team Magma member Tabitha helps her to try to stir up the volcano in vain, although this incident later leads her to sympathize with Team Magma at the gym leaders' conference. She bonds with Sapphire in the last hot spring before it cools and gives her the badge. After Groudon and Kyogre are awakened, Flannery is part of the team sent after Kyogre and winds up battling the Team Aqua member Shelley. After the crisis is averted Flannery is able to re-open the hot springs and surprisingly finds Tabitha among her guests. She reappears in the Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire arc, where she and the other gym leaders help in the effort to stop Grand Meteor Delta.

Trivia

• Her name may be a play on the word flame. Her Japanese name is Asuna, which could refer to the name of a Japanese conifer, or to sand baths.