Edge's Venusaur

**Edge's Venusaur** (Japanese: **えっじのフシギバナ** *Etsuji's Fushigibana*) is the first Pokémon that Edge captured after officially embarking on his journey, and his second overall.

## **History**

### **Kanto**

Venusaur first appeared as a Bulbasaur inside Professor Oak's Laboratory. Edge went to Professor Oak's Laboratory in hopes that the professor would teach him how to be a great Pokémon Trainer, and found a dark, empty laboratory. In one of the Poké Balls on an empty table was Bulbasaur. Professor Oak soon entered and startled Edge, causing him to accidentally release all of Professor Oak's Pokémon from his lab. Edge was ordered to retrieve Oak's Pokémon, and Bulbasaur was the last one to be found, in the closed Viridian Gym. Bulbasaur was scared, but Edge used calming words to gain his trust, which caught Oak's interest, as in the past, Bulbasaur was disobedient to the level of using Tackle on him. Disaster struck though as a wild Machoke appeared and attacked them. When all bets were off, Edge took a wild guess and presumed that with the giant seed on Bulbasaur's back being his key trait, exposing him to rays of sunlight would be worth an attempt. He opened the curtains on the window, allowing him to use Solar Beam and defeat the bulky Pokémon in a flash. After the battle, Professor Oak saw the bonding occurring between Bulbasaur and Edge, as well as the fact that Bulbasaur had learned how to use Solar Beam, and allowed Edge to keep him, along with a Pokédex.

An injured girl is being attacked by an enraged Gyarados, with her Staryu defending her. Staryu nearly faints as Edge appears. Edge decides to help with his Bulbasaur. Thanks to the type advantage, Gyarados's Hydro Pump doesn't critically injure Bulbasaur. Edge then commands Bulbasaur to use Leech Seed, which drains some of Gyarados's health. However, Gyarados breaks free of Leech Seed due to sheer force, but Bulbasaur and Staryu's combined Vine Whip and Bubble Beam, respectively, finally manages to weak Gyarados enough for Edge to use the girl's Poké Ball and recall the rampaging Gyarados.

Bulbasaur was later chosen by Edge to fight against Misty's Starmie in order to win the Cascade Badge. Bulbasaur attacks with a Vine Whip attack but Starmie shrugs it off and defeats him with Bubble Beam.

Inside the Pokémon Tower, Edge is taken by surprise by an eerie fog that begins to mysteriously form. A Psyduck suddenly appears from the mist, soon followed by other Pokémon, and as Psyduck draws near Edge, discovers that Psyduck is really a ghost. The other ghosts, along with Psyduck, prepare to close in on Edge. Bulbasaur is quickly sent out, and after a few unsuccessful attacks it manages to crush the decomposing Psyduck corpse with Vine Whip, causing Edge to vomit due to the disgusting sight. As the other undead Pokémon close in on the duo, Edge and his Bulbasaur make a dash for the exit, but Edge notices that the ghosts aren't following them. Noticing that the ghosts are not leaving the fog, Edge deduces that the corpses must be controlled by the fog, just as he sees a blast of fire coming at him. Dodging the attack, Edge recognizes Robyn's silhouette, but as he tries to run over to them, Robyn's Charmeleon continues to attack. When he gets a closer look, he sees that there is something different about Robyn's expression, as the latter stands alongside the ghosts in the fog.

Edge calls out to Robyn, but quickly realizes from the latter's eyes that his rival is being controlled by the mysterious fog of the Tower. While Bulbasaur fights the possessed Robyn and his Charmeleon, Edge deduces that Robyn is being controlled by a Gastly and tries to stop it by having Bulbasaur use Razor Leaf. Due to Gastly's gaseous body, the attack simply goes right through, and Charmeleon gets ready to subdue Bulbasaur with a massive Fire Spin attack. Quickly, Edge has Bulbasaur use the bulb on its back to suck in the Gastly and the fog it created, freeing Gastly's possessed victims before expelling Gastly in a Solar Beam.

Edge rouses Robyn from his stupor, but much to Edge's surprise, Robyn heads further into the Tower, determined to find the individual responsible for turning him into a mindless slave. On the way up, Edge barely avoids touching the corrosive venom from a Poison-type Pokémon, and at Robyn's demand, the culprit reveals himself to be Koga; an elite agent of Team Rocket. Koga reveals that Team Rocket had been using the Tower as a base of operations, and thanks to the townspeople fear of the Tower they had managed to carry out operations undisturbed. Robyn has his Charmeleon attack Koga; however, it proves to be only a projection, with the real Koga controlling his Pokémon from elsewhere.

Koga sends his Arbok after Edge and Robyn, who quickly unleashes its corrosive Acid. The boys run back to where Edge had encountered the zombies, and Robyn orders a Reflect from Charmeleon. Outside the tower, Koga observes the battle from a Golbat-shaped screen, and commands another Acid that appears to break past Charmeleon's defense and corrode it as well. Koga gloats at his victory, but is soon surprised as Charmeleon slashes Arbok cleanly in two. Robyn explains that Arbok had instead melted the Psyduck corpse from earlier, and points out that Koga's strategy of controlling his Pokémon from a distance meant that he couldn't see through the substitution ploy. Edge silently concedes Robyn's skill while Koga, crushing his screen in anger, swears vengeance on the two boys.

During a battle against a wild Primeape, Bulbasaur evolves into Ivysaur and uses its newfound power to defeat Primeape, much to Edge's delight. Sol, distracting Edge with fake applause for this evolution, sold Edge a bunch of fake items that did nothing but hinder him. Edge proceeded to give chase on Sol to get his money back, while Sol used the opportunity to steal Edge's two Badges. However, a chain of events unfolded in the Rocket Game Corner that left Edge (disguised as a Team Rocket Grunt) and Sol allied. Ivysaur's Vine Whip was used to try to capture the Mew that appeared before them.

Later, Ivysaur is accidentally traded to Robyn Oak alongside Azumarill and Pikachu. During the three days that Robyn had them, Ivysaur and the others train vigorously. They later traded back, while keeping the serious attitude that Robyn installed in them.

Ivysaur was the first Pokémon chosen by Edge to battle against Erika and her Tangela. He commands Ivysaur to use Vine Whip and reel Tangela in, but Tangela tosses Ivysaur away with little effort and defeats it.

Having just returned from Cinnabar Island, Edge decides to pay Professor Oak a visit, but is somewhat perturbed by the apparent lack of activity in town. In Professor Oak's Laboratory, Edge begins to ask Professor Oak about his inability to enter Saffron City, when the Professor starts attacking all of a sudden. In response, Edge releases Ivysaur to restrain Professor Oak with Vine Whip, but Professor Oak surprises them by exhibiting signs of Psychic power, and attacking Ivysaur with a Psybeam. Recognizing the handiwork of a Psychic Pokémon, Edge orders a Leech Seed from Saur, and as the "Professor's" energy is drained away it reveals itself as a Kadabra, which had been using its Illusionary Hypnosis powers on Sabrina's command. As the Gym Leader herself appears, she graces Edge with a warning before teleporting away: the Professor, along with the townsfolk, were kidnapped and held hostage in Saffron City. Before she teleports, Ivysaur uses Razor Leaf, but it goes right through Sabrina without doing anything to her.

Ivysaur later battled against Lt. Surge and Zapdos at Silph Co.. Ivysaur's attempts to fight back with Razor Leaf seemed hopeless until Edge had Ivysaur redirect the leaves it scattered from his Razor Leaf at Lt. Surge and Zapdos. The attack not only severs the wires directing Zapdos's electric power away from Surge, but also ruptures the Gym Leader's insulated suit, giving him a crippling dose of Zapdos's electricity that promptly knocks him out cold.

Ivysaur, Robyn's Charizard, and Roberta's Blastoise battle against the merged version of Zapdos, Moltres and Articuno. During the attack, Ivysaur evolves into Venusaur, which tips the scales of the battle towards the three starters's favor, and eventually defeats Sabrina and also separates the conjoined Legendary Pokémon.

The rivals Edge and Robyn begin their much-anticipated battle for the title of the Pokémon League, with Professor Oak, Bill, and Sol among the excited audience. A simultaneous drop of their Poké Balls reveals Robyn's Charizard and Edge's Venusaur, much to Bill's shock as the odds are stacked against Edge. Taunting Edge for a misprediction, Robyn orders a Fire Spin that Venusaur barely dodges, but as Charizard lunges in for a follow-up attack, Venusaur surprises it with a burst of Poison Powder. Edge follows with a Razor Leaf that Robyn is forced to assist his addled Charizard in dodging, before Edge switches for Snorlax to continue.

Later, much to the horror of the spectators, Edge makes a switch back to Venusaur, which causes Bill to become angry at Edge for his decision. Mocking the sentimentality of Edge to finish the match with the Pokémon they received from Professor Oak, Robyn sends in Charizard for the kill when a Vine Whip securely binds Charizard. Robyn is surprised at the presence of a cloud in the arena, to which Edge explains that Azumarill and Pikachu had formed the lightning cloud when they were flung up to the ceiling; Azumarill's water was super-heated and condensed in midair while Pikachu electrified the cloud. With Venusaur's vine acting as a lightning rod, Charizard is not only trapped but severely shocked by the combination attack of Edge's three closest Pokémon, and as the smoke clears, Charizard eventually collapses.

### **Two Years Later**

Venusaur was seen in Edge's battle against Bruno, battling against his Onix. Venusaur used his vines to cover the ground, ready to defend against Onix. The moment Onix came up, Venusaur used all his vines to push Onix back. Suddenly, Onix's tail comes up from behind Edge and smashes into him and Venusaur, sending them underground. Underground, there are several holes that Onix could come through. When Onix appears, it starts to charge at Venusaur. Venusaur braces himself, but the attack stops at the last moment as Bruno stops the battle as Onix would've killed a group of Diglett that were passing by if Onix had attacked.

### **Johto**

Venusaur was seen participating in Edge's aptitude test to become Viridian City's Gym Leader. Venusaur first goes up against a Pineco, which he swiftly knocks out, as well as his next two opponents, a Forretress and another Pineco. However, the fourth opponent, another Forretress, resorts to its Spikes and puts up a fair fight against Venusaur. Edge commands Venusaur to use Sweet Scent, then promptly switches him out for Snorlax.

Venusaur participated in the final battle against the Masked Man at Ilex Forest. After the fight was over, he was taken to Mt. Silver to train with Miguel.

### **Crisis of Deoxys**

In the Sevii Islands, Venusaur learned the move exclusive to the Grass-type starter families, Frenzy Plant, after training on Ultima's Jump Path, Catch Path, and Battle Path courses. Afterwards, Edge and Robyn's inability to perfect their respective move's accuracy would come to haunt them in the battle against Sird, Carr and Orm. When Deoxys appeared, Venusaur, along with Edge's other Pokémon, nearly died shielding Edge from the fearsome Pokémon's Psycho Boost attack.

Venusaur still managed to gather the strength to fight and participated in the battle at the Trainer Tower against Deoxys's clones. Venusaur then agreed to be traded to Robyn again to allow Edge to Fly on Robyn's Charizard after Aerodactyl was too injured to fly, and defeat Giovanni. After Giovanni's defeat, Venusaur was traded back to his original owner, but the two soon found themselves petrified by Sird with the four other Pokédex holders and their Pokémon.

### **Battle Frontier**

The Kanto Pokédex holders, Martinez, and their Pokémon are freed from their petrified states by the power of Jirachi's wish-granting abilities. Together alongside the ten Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn Pokédex holders, Venusaur battled against Guile Hideout's Kyogre-shaped monster. Together with Rosita's Meganium and Magna's Sceptile, Venusaur attacks with Frenzy Plant to destroy the fake Kyogre.

### **Time War**

Venusaur was chosen by Edge to participate in the all-out battle against Giovanni and his minions during their **Time War**. Venusaur particularly battled against Shawn's Shiny Golurk, and due to Venusaur's type advantage over the Ground-type Golurk, Venusaur emerged victorious.

### **Meteor Threat**

Venusuar battled alongside Roberta's Blastoise against Maxie and Archie in order to retrieve the stolen Red and Blue Orbs they took from Bill. It was revealed that Venusaur and Blatoise had gained the ability to Mega Evolve into Mega Venusaur and Mega Blastoise, respectively. Maxie and Archie countered by having their Camerupt and Sharpedo Mega Evolve as well. Eventually, Venusaur and Blastoise succeed in defeating Camerupt and Sharpedo, but the battle was interrupted by the arrival of Groudon and Kyogre. Maxie and Archie used the orbs to turn Groudon and Kyogre into their Primal forms. With its new power, Groudon proceeded to easily defeat Roberta and Edge by creating a sink hole to bury them under.

Later, Venusaur assisted in stopping the Grand Meteor Delta.

## **New Era**

### **Frontier Challenge**

Edge and Venusaur were seen battling against Jade and Scyther in a training session at the Viridian Gym. Venusaur attacks with Sludge Bomb, but Scyther dodges and lands a direct hit with Night Slash. However, Venusaur grabs ahold of Scyther with Vine Whip and begins squeezing him, but Scyther breaks free by charging up an Air Slash, before speeding foward with Quick Attack. Jade then calls for Scyther to use Slash, but Venusaur defends himself with a rapid-fire Razor Leaf, which staggers Scyther, although the latter quickly recovers and knocks out Venusaur with a subsequent Air Slash after evading a Sludge Bomb.

## **Personality and Characteristics**

Prior to joining Edge's team, Venusaur was incredibly shy and timid, due to the fact that it had never interacted with other humans besides Professor Oak, but quickly warmed up to Edge and became one of his most trusted and reliable Pokémon.

Over time, Venusaur outgrows his shyness and timidness, and adopts a more feisty, but also immature and mischievous personality, being easily annoyed by things that doesn't interest him, and occasionally liked to pull pranks on his fellow Pokémon. However, after evolving into Ivysaur, and subsequently Venusaur, his personality changed: He became more focused and serious, but still retained its immature personality whenever it had free time, but stopped pulling pranks on others. After his evolution into a Venusaur, he became one of the major powerhouses on Edge's team.