Team Rocket Grunts (Japanese: ロケットだんいん Team Rocket Member in Generation I, ロケットだんいんのしたっぱ Team Rocket Underling Member in Generation II, ロケットだんのしたっぱ Team Rocket Underling in Generation III and IV) are members of Team Rocket. They act as fodder, enforcers, soldiers, workmen, crooks, and backup for various leaders in the criminal organization.
History[]
In the anime, the Grunts have had few appearances. They first appear in Battle Aboard the St. Anne, under the command of Jessie, James, and Meowth trapping Trainers and trying to steal their Pokémon. But before Team Rocket could steal the Pokémon from all the Trainers onboard, they were stopped by Ash and his friends.
There are also many Team Rocket Grunts that appear in one scene from Mewtwo Strikes Back. They are using Mewtwo's psychic abilities to capture a large herd ofTauros.
In Johto, operating from an under sea base, grunts are under the command of Dr. Namba, Butch, and Cassidy, attempting to harness a Lugia and its child, but Ash, his friends and Ritchie stopped them.
Later, they operate around the Lake of Rage under the command of Professor Sebastian and Tyson to help in Project R; the project's goal is to force Pokémon to evolve artificially, thus giving the group powerful Pokémon to use. But they were stopped yet again by Ash and his friends, with the help from Lance of the Pokémon G-Men.
They also appear in copious amounts during Mewtwo Returns, led by Giovanni and Domino, to recapture Mewtwo and build a new base for Team Rocket on Mount Quena. However, they are all mind-wiped and transported away from the mountain at the end of the movie.
They have also been seen helping Butch and Cassidy with their stadium scam in The Ole' Berate and Switch. There, they were disguised as several tournament officials.
One Grunt appeared in A Venipede Stampede! where he informed Giovanni that they would arrive shortly in Unova. They were also to appear in two unairedepisodes to do battle with Team Plasma which would have been the first time Team Rocket as a whole (not counting Jessie, James, and Meowth) is seeing battling against another villainous team.
More Grunts appeared in Meloetta and the Undersea Temple!, greeting Giovanni as he arrived to Unova to supervise Team Rocket's "Operation Tempest". Two Grunts later appeared at Cynthia's villa, attempting to steal Meloetta from Ash and his friends. The latter got assistance from Ridley, who used hisGolurk to battle the Grunts' Golem and Rhydon while Ash and others ran away with Meloetta.
Pokemon[]
- Tauros
- Zubat
- Doduo
- Venomoth
- Skarmory
- Golem
- Rhydon
- Yanma
- Koffing