Sophocles (Japanese: マーマネ Māmane) is a student at the Pokémon School on Melemele Island and one of Ash's classmates. He debuted in Alola to New Adventure!.
History[]
Sophocles made his first appearance in Alola to New Adventure, where he, Mallow and Lana accidentally trampled Ash on his first visit to Samson Oak's Pokémon School. He later watched along with the rest of the class as Ash fought a group of Team Skull Grunts alongside Kiawe. Shortly after the battle, Ash claimed to see the guardian deity Tapu Koko in the sky, but neither Sophocles nor the rest of the class could see the guardian.
In The Guardian's Challenge, Sophocles was surprised to see Ash with a Z-Ring, which Ash claimed to be a gift from Tapu Koko. The next day, Sophocles participated in Ash's surprise welcome party to the school by challenging him to a balloon-popping contest. Sophocles won the challenge with ease by bursting the balloons on Togedemaru's spikes, and then using her Lightning Rod Ability to absorb Pikachu's electricity to charge her attacks. During a lunch break, he and the others witnessed Tapu Koko challenge Ash and Pikachu to a battle to test their ability using Z-Moves. After Ash decided to participate in the island challenges to replace his shattered Electrium Z, Sophocles gladly offered to teach him and Pikachu new techniques.
In A Shocking Grocery Run!, Sophocles met Ash in Hau'oli City's mall, where the two ate some ice cream. Later, the mall's fire shutters separated Sophocles and Ash from Togedemaru, Pikachu, and Rotom due to a system malfunction caused by Team Rocket. Using his knowledge of machinery, Sophocles was able to find out the solution to the problem. While on their way to the mall's power switch room, he and Ash got into an argument, but settled their dispute after Ash saved Sophocles from being locked up. Eventually the two made their way up to the mall's roof, where they encountered their Pokémon battling Team Rocket. Sophocles had his Togedemaru absorb Pikachu's Thunderbolt using her Lightning Rod Ability, allowing Togedemaru to turn the tides of the battle before the Team Rocket trio got carried away by Bewear. After solving the power problem, Sophocles went to have dinner with Ash and Professor Kukui.
In SM026, his father and mother informed Sophocles that they were moving house which left him very upset. He later discovered that it was all a big misunderstanding as they were only moving a few houses away but was terrified off explaining this to his friends who were throwing a leaving party. Ash even got him a Charjabug as a going away present which he caught.
Character[]
Sophocles is an intelligent young boy with a knack for inventing helpful devices and machinery. He is also a skilled Trainer of Electric-type Pokémon, often using them to power his inventions. While at times rude and prone to absorbing himself in his technological activities, he is friendly and greatly cares for his Pokémon and classmates. In A Shocking Grocery Run!, it was revealed that Sophocles likes to collect information on all sort of things, including what is the best ice cream in Alola. In the same episode, it is also revealed that he has a fear of dark places, but is never scared at night as long as he has his Togedemaru with him.
Much like Clemont, Sophocles fails to do tasks that require physical activity as shown in The Guardian's Challenge!, when he needed help to climb over a log, and in Racing to a Big Event!, during the Pokémon Pancake Race.