Team Aqua

Team Aqua in Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald: Archie's plan to expand the sea

Team Aqua appears in Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald and their remakes, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Led by Archie, with Matt and Shelly as his Admins, it wants to wake the legendary Kyogre and add more water to the world. The originals present that as better for people and Pokémon alike; Alpha Sapphire darkens the motive into wiping out human civilization so Pokémon can live untouched by it. Grunts lean on Poochyena, Zubat and Water types such as Carvanha.

Its opposite number is Team Magma, which wants more land through Groudon. In Emerald both teams wake their legendaries, and once Kyogre and Groudon clash Archie and Maxie realize the disaster they have caused and make peace after Rayquaza settles it.

Team Aqua in the anime

In Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire, Team Aqua first turns up in Stairway to Devon, where a Grunt steals what he thinks is a valuable "Creation Fluid" from the Devon Corporation; it turns out to be plain water. The team recurs through the Hoenn journey, and its biggest appearance comes in Gaining Groudon and The Scuffle of Legends, where its schemes with Team Magma set Kyogre and Groudon against each other.

Team Aqua on cards: EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua and Double Crisis

Team Aqua's cards come from two English sets. EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua (March 2004) introduced Team Aqua's Pokémon, and gave the team's evolved Pokémon a second type, Darkness, alongside their usual one; the EX Team Rocket Returns set later reused the idea for Team Rocket. The set's Team Aqua holos are Team Aqua's Cacturne, Crawdaunt, Kyogre, Manectric, Sharpedo and Walrein, and its roster also covers Mightyena, Sealeo, Seviper, Lanturn, Carvanha, Corphish, Electrike, Chinchou, Poochyena, Spheal and Cacnea.

Double Crisis (March 2015), a small special set built around the two teams, brought Team Aqua back with new cards, headed by the Ultra Rare Team Aqua's Kyogre EX, plus new versions of Sharpedo, Walrein, Muk and others and the Trainer cards Team Aqua's Great Ball (an Item) and Team Aqua's Secret Base (a Stadium).

Cards to know

• Team Aqua's Kyogre (Team Magma vs Team Aqua #3)

  The team's legendary as a holo, from the set that introduced Team Aqua's Pokémon.

• Team Aqua's Kyogre EX (Double Crisis #6)

  The Ultra Rare centerpiece of Team Aqua's half of Double Crisis.

• Team Aqua's Sharpedo (Team Magma vs Team Aqua #5)

  One of the six Team Aqua holos in the 2004 set.

• Team Aqua's Walrein (Team Magma vs Team Aqua #6)

  Another 2004 holo, with art by Ken Ikuji.

• Team Aqua's Sharpedo (Double Crisis #21)

  A new 2015 Team Aqua's Sharpedo, illustrated by kawayoo.