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Agatha Christiansen

Agatha Christiansen (born August 23, 1928) is a member of the Kanto Elite Four and a world-renowned author of mystery novels.

Early Life

Christiansen was born in 1928 to a family that owned the Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town. She spent much of her free time playing in the Tower, saying that she enjoyed feeling the spirits of the deceased Pokémon on the upper floors. In a 2008 interview with Johto Radio's Places and People!, she explained herself:

"If you listened very carefully, these Pokémon had such thrilling stories to tell. They talked of their travels with their trainers and the bonds they shared, and at that time they had talked of places I had never even heard of. I'm sure they had heard my questions for them through my thoughts, and I guess they're mostly responsible for inspiring me to go on my own journey. Even though many of the spirits I once spoke with have moved on from this world, I'm sure my current status as a trainer would make them proud."

Christiansen began her Pokémon journey when she was 11 years old, taking along a Gastly she befriended from the Tower.

"That Gastly I took with me…we hit it off really well. We bonded over stories it told me when it was still alive as a trainer's Golbat, and it liked my youthful energy at the time—I think it sensed that I was preparing to go on my own journey, and wanted to go on one again."

She was a childhood friend of Professor Samuel Oak, who went to school with her. Oak and Christiansen were often known as rivals in their school days, especially after they both got their first Pokémon. The two were frequently top of their class, and the very top spot kept changing hands between the two of them year after year.

"There was no doubt [Oak] was very good at what he did back in the day," Christiansen said. "But after a while he started burying his face in books and research, leaving his Pokémon behind. I never could understand why he did—it's very clear that the life of a trainer is much more interesting, but then again, once he started research, I leapt far ahead of him in battling ability. I always thought what he was trying to accomplish was largely useless."

Rise to the Indigo League

Christiansen is currently the longest-tenured Indigo League member, having been with the League since its founding in 1958. She was selected as a member of the Elite Four because, at the time, she was the only trainer in the world that trained ghost Pokémon.

"Ghosts were associated with power back then," Christiansen said. "They were difficult to find, difficult to raise, difficult to train. And if you trained them—and above all, trained them well—you were rightly considered one of the best."

Christiansen is the third trainer that challengers face on their way to the Indigo League Championship. Her team consists of her first Gastly (which has since evolved into Gengar), a second Gengar, Golbat, Haunter, Arbok, and Misdreavus. She also sometimes uses Crobat.

According to Pokémon League HQ, Christiansen's record over her 53-year career stands at 2919-978-192 as of October 16, 2011. This does not include her appearances in special tournaments or battles against other League entities.

Fed up with all the negativity he received from Christiansen, Professor Samuel Oak issued his lifelong rival a challenge—six-on-six, no substitutions. Christiansen accepted his challenge, and the battle was televised worldwide on March 24, 2010.

Reporters and witnesses the next day said that this match was a true clash of the titans, recalling how the match was relatively even until the very last moment. Both sides had one Pokémon remaining—Christiansen with her first Gengar and Oak with his Dragonite. Christiansen appeared to have the battle locked away when she put Oak's Dragonite to sleep, but what she wasn't expecting was Dragonite's Sleep Talk calling for an Outrage. Dragonite's Outrage, however, missed, and Gengar called for a Dream Eater.

What followed was something that never happened before—Dragonite woke up in the middle of the Dream Eater attack, cutting it short before it could deliver more damage than it already had. Two successful Outrages later, Christiansen's Gengar fell, and Oak emerged victorious.

The only comment Christiansen shared after the battle was simply, "He shut me up in a hurry."

Accomplishments

Christiansen is a best-selling author, having written such popular works as Murder on the Magnet Train (1954), The Elite Four (1957), and Why Didn't They Ask Ekans? (1964). Her most recent book to reach the Kanto Bestsellers List, Meowth Among the Pidgeys, was released in 2004.

She has also written several stage plays that have been performed for many years. Her 1966 play Spinarak's Web is by far her most popular, continuing to run to this day since its theater debut in 1972. Saffron City Gym Leader Sabrina LaFay played the lead role of Clarissa from 2005-2011. Johto Elite Four member Karen Rénard will take her place.

At 83, Christiansen is the oldest active League entity anywhere in the world.