The 10 Best Elite Four Members in Pokemon History

The upcoming Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will add a new major zone for players to explore called the Terarium, which is housed within the newly introduced Blueberry Academy.

Among the new additions appearing in The Indigo Disk expansion are older starter Pokemon from previous generations as well as the introduction of a new set of Elite Four members that players can challenge.

For the uninitiated, the Elite Four are a group of the best Pokemon Trainers within a region, usually serving as the final challenge for the player at the end of a Pokemon game along with the only trainer that stands above them, the Pokemon Champion.

Trainers! Meet the Members of #PokemonScarletViolet Part 2: The Indigo Disk’s BB League Elite Four!

Lacey is an earnest and caring member of the BB League Elite Four. She will show you around Blueberry Academy once you arrive. pic.twitter.com/vf3YE38oH7 — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) August 12, 2023

With nine generations of Pokemon, players have encountered many members of the Elite Four in their quest to become the very best. So before this new set of Elite Four makes its debut, here are IGN Southeast Asia’s ten best Elite Four members of all time.

Lorelei

This Lapras-riding, Ice-type Trainer is cool and calculated when it comes to battling Pokemon. Her appearances in FireRed and LeafGreen, as well as Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee expand her role in the story, having players know more about her.

As the first Elite Four member to be encountered in the mainline Pokemon games, Lorelei set the standard on what players should expect from this class of Trainers. With how rare Ice-types were in Generation I, Lorelei really stood out as being the only character that specialised in it.

Acerola

For a child to be a member of the Elite Four, she would have to be quite formidable. Needless to say, Acerola’s ghastly demeanour and Ghost-type specialisation make her a great member of Alola’s Elite Four, both in the base games and the Ultra rereleases.

Initially encountered as part of the Island Trials players had to go in Sun and Moon, Acerola instructs the player in finding the elusive Mimikyu. As an Elite Four member, her Pokemon covered a lot of ground with their dual typings and diverse move pools.

Karen

As the franchise’s first Dark-type Pokemon master, Karen broke the mould with her relaxed design and showcasing of Generation II’s brand-new type. While the pool of Dark-type Pokemon was small, she more than made up for it in the remakes HeartGold and SoulSilver.

As for her outlook on Pokemon battling as a whole, Karen leaves the player with one of the best quotes in the series: ”Strong Pokemon. Weak Pokemon. That is only the selfish perception of people. Truly skilled trainers should try to win with their favourites.”

Lance

When people think of Pokemon Champions and the Elite Four, Lance definitely makes a strong impression especially since he was the first Dragon-type specialist in the series. He and his Dragonite have made many appearances across Pokemon-related media.

As somewhat of a heroic ideal for players to aspire to, Lance’s story arc sees him as a member of the Elite Four in Red and Blue, before becoming the region’s champion in Gold and Silver. He is also present when the player battles the infamous Red Gyrados before helping them storm Team Rocket HQ.

Larry

From a draconic icon to an exceptional everyman, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet saw the introduction of Larry who is presented as a run-of-the-mill salaryman. This is also reflected in the Pokemon he uses, the oh-so-common Normal and Flying-types.

This is exactly what makes Larry so loveable as being the only normal person in a world of outrageous Trainers and pocket monsters, he chooses to be devoid of life like most of us in the real world. He also has two sets of Pokemon to battle with, so extra brownie points there.

Drasna

An older member of Kalos’ Elite Four, Drasna appears as the final challenge before players fight the Champion in Pokemon X and Y. Her tribal style of dressing and cheery outlook in life is also a great departure from more serious Dragon-type specialists.

Dragon-types are superbly strong and are usually served as endgame monsters for players to catch. With Generation VI debuting the Fairy-type that counters Dragon, Drasna serves as a great way for players to show off their mastery of this new magical typing.

Grimsley

With a killer design and formidably cool demeanour, Grimsley is part of the winning quartet of Unova’s Elite Four. Arguably the best lineup of the franchise, Grimsley and his fellow Elite Four Trainers all make great use of Generation V’s revamped Pokemon roster.

Dark-types have some great additions in Pokemon Black and White, with Grimsley having the best ones like Krookodile, Bisharp, and Scrafty. He also appears in Generation VII, chilling out and becoming a Mantine Surfer champion in Alola for the player to encounter.

Phoebe

Looking at Phoebe, one may mistake her for being a Water-type trainer, with her flower-adorned island wear complementing Hoenn’s tropical setting. Phoebe is, in fact, a Ghost-type specialist, and also the only member of Generation III’s Elite Four to not have a Water-type on her team.

Phoebe exemplifies what an Elite Four member should be, an individualistic Pokemon Trainer who does their own thing. While she is associated with the Dark-type, her Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby team shows off how versatile she can be in battle.

Aaron

Arguably the most underrated Pokemon type in the entire franchise, it means a whole lot for a Bug-type specialist to end up as an Elite Four member. This is why Sinnoh’s Aaron is a real highlight amongst an Elite Four lineup that isn’t quite the best.

To be one of the last challenges of the game and still rocking early game monsters like Dustox and Beautifly, Aaron may not be the toughest Trainer to beat, but one can admire his sheer tenacity with an otherwise weak Pokemon Type.

Caitlin

Like Lance before, it is always cool to see an NPC work their way up and progress in their own Pokemon journeys. When it comes to Caitlin, she first appears in Pokemon HeartGold, SoulSilver and Platinum, overseeing the Battle Castle series of optional battles.

Then to see her appear in the next generation as a part of Generation V’s Elite Four was a great treat to longtime fans. On top of that, Caitlin comes fully equipped with some of the most outlandish Psychic-types, like Reuniclus, Sigilyph, and Gothitelle.