#pokemon rival

LIVE

There’s one thing you can always count on in your travels across Kanto and Johto: Indigo will always be there to challenge you.

(Want to learn more? Check out the Memories of Kanto tag!)

You and Indigo grew up together in Lavender Town, and he’s always had something to prove. He’s been waiting years to have a Pokémon of his very own, and is now determined to take on the Indigo League!

Indigo is intensely focused on battle strategy, and will sometimes share tips and tricks with you, though always with a bit of a snide edge. After all, if you were a great trainer, like him, you’d already know this stuff!

However, not everyone is inclined to point out his attitude problem, since he does have the badges to back himself up! He’s always one step ahead of you in your gym challenge, and is a valuable ally on the occasions when you team up against Team Neo-Rocket.

The one challenge he struggles to master is defeating Champion Red. In fact, you meet Indigo out front of the indigo plateau. He defeated the elite four, but was unprepared to face the champion. He challenges you to a battle, and you can’t challenge the league for yourself until you have bested his fully-evolved starter (whichever one has type advantage over yours), Marowak, Haunter, Raichu, Fearow, and Dragonair.

Indigo does not take this defeat lightly, and insists on following you into Johto, where he can continue training and getting stronger. You will encounter Indigo a few times as you travel the Johto region, but the two of you will challenge each other less often. It will be more common to fight as a duo against Team Neo-Rocket in your efforts to keep them away from Johto’s legendaries. However, you will face Indigo again before taking on Johto’s Elite Four and Champion. This time, his team will consist of his starter, the highest evolution of the starter Pokémon that Associate Professor Gold entrusted him with (which, once again, has type advantage over yours), Dragonite, Gengar, Xatu, and Marowak.

Once you have defeated Johto’s champion, you will be able to find Indigo back in Lavender Town on weekends, where you can challenge him to a battle.