• A new LGBTQ+ forum is now being trialed and there have been changes made to the Support and Advice forum. To read more about these updates, click here.
  • Hey Trainers! Be sure to check out Corsola Beach, our newest section on the forums, in partnership with our friends at Corsola Cove! At the Beach, you can discuss the competitive side of the games, post your favorite Pokemon memes, and connect with other Pokemon creators!
  • Due to the recent changes with Twitter's API, it is no longer possible for Bulbagarden forum users to login via their Twitter account. If you signed up to Bulbagarden via Twitter and do not have another way to login, please contact us here with your Twitter username so that we can get you sorted.

Question: Why is Team Rocket/Plasma named Team Rocket/Plasma?

reynard

Active Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2013
Messages
165
Reaction score
13
Here's a question that's been bugging me. Why is Team Plasma called "Team Plasma?" When it comes to evil team names, most of them make sense. Magma and Aqua fit their goals, Galactic wanted to remake the universe and was messing with space time, Flare, while spelled that way, was a homonym for "flair" as in fashion which tied into their theme and sense of ego. Skull...okay, no reason there, but the skull motif on their clothes added to the punk aesthetic. Team Yell, well, they're insane fans so I don't expect much of them. Honestly, from what I gather they don't really qualify as an evil team.

But then there's Plasma. It has a medieval aesthetic going for it. It wants to "liberate" Pokemon. They're messing with Pokemon that represent truth and ideals. For the life of me, I cannot understand how that relates in any way to either blood or the fourth state of matter. The only thing I can think of is "It just sounded cool," which would just be really dumb.

And then I realized I had the same question about Team Rocket. Why were they named that? Does anyone know why these two teams were named what they were, because otherwise I just don't get it.
 
From Bulbapedia's article on Team Plasma:

Bulbapedia said:
  • Plasma is a state of matter in which the negative electrons and positive nuclei that usually form atoms become pulled apart and separated. This is analogous with Team Plasma's ideology, which states that people and Pokémon should be separated from one another.
    • Plasma can be interpreted as the culmination of both fire and lightning.

As for Team Rocket...:
"It just sounded cool,"
Maybe this?
 
From Bulbapedia's article on Team Plasma:



As for Team Rocket...:

Maybe this?

Yeah, I guess that figures. To be fair, it was the first game, so I suppose that sort of thing can slide.

To quote Bulbapedia: Plasma is a state of matter in which the negative electrons and positive nuclei that usually form atoms become pulled apart and separated. This is analogous with Team Plasma's ideology, which states that people and Pokémon should be separated from one another.

Okay, so I guess I missed that in the article. I don't know how. I thought I checked that section. Ugh, eyes, you fail me.

Still, I have to say, while I get the metaphor, it's still pretty obtuse for the players, especially when you combine the unrelated aesthetic and also if they never bothered to work that metaphor into the games.

Thanks, guys.
 
i have a idea for team rocket. team rocket wants world domination right? well another way to think of world domination is going way up on the amount of things your in charge of. and rockets also go way up when they work right.
 
Please note: The thread is from 2 years ago.
Please take the age of this thread into consideration in writing your reply. Depending on what exactly you wanted to say, you may want to consider if it would be better to post a new thread instead.
Back
Top Bottom