How Phoebe's Pokémon Story Mirrors Women's Struggles & Progress (RSE)

In honor of Women's History Month, we’re diving into the influential roles women have played in the core Pokémon games. From strong Pokemon Trainers to Gym Leaders and Elite Four members, women have helped shape the Pokémon world we know today. Join us as we explore how these female characters were not only shaped by the times they were introduced but also reflected the roles, challenges, and triumphs of women in the real world. We travel to Ever Grande City to meet the Hoenn Elite Four. It's time for Phoebe, the Ghost-type specialist!

"Ahahaha! I'm Phoebe of the Elite Four. I did my training on Mt. Pyre. While I trained, I gained the ability to commune with Ghost-type Pokémon. Yes, the bond I developed with Pokémon is extremely tight. So, come on, just try and see if you can even inflict damage on my Pokémon!"

Phoebe, the Elite Four’s Ghost-type specialist, is more than just a powerful trainer, she’s a reflection of how women were navigating tradition and independence. At a time when many women were shifting from traditional family roles to pursuing careers and personal ambitions, they were still expected to embody grace, emotional intelligence, and devotion to family. Phoebe captures this balance perfectly.

Unlike the typical serious or intimidating Elite Four members, Phoebe stands out with her warm, carefree personality. Yet, beneath her cheerful demeanor is a deep connection to tradition.

"I’ve trained with my Pokémon at Mt. Pyre. The bond I developed with them is extremely tight."

Mt. Pyre, a sacred place tied to spirits and ancestry, symbolizes the role women have historically played in preserving family traditions and honoring the past. Her Ghost Pokémon embody this legacy, linked to the supernatural, ancestors, and the unseen forces that shape our lives.

But here’s what makes Phoebe compelling. She doesn’t just uphold tradition; she modernizes it. She respects the past but isn’t confined by it, much like the evolving role of women. Can you relate to that feeling of honoring where you come from while forging your own path? How do you balance tradition and independence? 

Phoebe's Dusclops

Imagine this: You’re into Hoenn, stepping into the intense, chamber of the Elite Four, and there stands Phoebe. She’s barefoot, carefree, and smiling, almost like she’s not about to completely wreck your team. But behind that easygoing vibe, she’s got this deep connection to something unseen, something lingering between the past and the present. And if you look closer at her ace Pokémon, Dusclops, you start to notice something… familiar. You ever feel like you’re carrying expectations that no one really talks about? Like you’re just supposed to absorb responsibilities, whether it’s family, work, relationships, without anyone stopping to ask how you feel about it? That’s Dusclops.

One of its Pokédex entries says its body is completely hollow, like a black hole that swallows everything and never gives anything back. Sound familiar? Women, especially in places with strong traditional values, have often been expected to take on emotional labor, keep the peace, and put others first, all while making it look effortless. Dusclops, much like those women, holds it all in, quietly dealing with what no one else sees. Does this hit home for you? Have you ever felt like you’re holding so much inside just to keep things running smoothly? Then there’s this line:

“It is thought that its body is hollow with only a spectral ball of fire burning inside. However, no one has been able to confirm this theory as fact.”

There’s something powerful (and a little heartbreaking) about that. People look at Dusclops and assume they know what’s inside, but no one actually knows the truth. How often are women placed into roles without anyone stopping to ask who they really are underneath it all? Phoebe represents that struggle. She’s deeply tied to tradition, carrying the legacy of spirits and ancestors, yet she’s also young, playful, and full of life. Do you ever feel like there’s a part of you that people don’t see? A passion, a fire, a dream that you haven’t had the space to fully explore?

Phoebe and her Dusclops tell a story that so many women can relate to. They embody the weight of unseen labor, the quiet strength of influence, and the struggle between who they're expected to be and who we truly are. Dusclops represents the weight of traditional expectations placed upon women. If you’ve ever played Pokémon, you probably know Curse cuts half of a Ghost-type HP, like Dusclops, to inflict damage toward the opponent over time.

Sound familiar?

Curse mirrors how women have been expected to take on so much, whether it’s family, work, relationships, often at the expense of their own well-being. It’s the late nights, the emotional labor, the quiet sacrifices that no one really acknowledges, but they add up.

Shadow Punch is similar to Aerial Ace from Winona where it represents the need for perfection for women to receive any type of recognition. Confuse Ray represents how women have to navigate their surroundings to get ahead in life. Future Sight represents the long-term thinking expected of women, particularly in familial and social matters. Dusclops embodies the struggles of balancing duty, tradition, and personal aspirations.

Phoebe's 2nd Dusclops represents resilience, learning, and adaptability. Confuse Ray symbolizes creating disorder, or pushing back against expectations. Ice Beam and Confuse Ray suggest a more tactical approach, reflecting how women had to strategize and fight within the system to enact change. Ice Beam embodies delivering results without theatrics. It’s elegant, effective, and rarely misses its mark. But at the same time, it carries the weight of emotional suppression—freezing others in place while maintaining an almost detached presence. 

Ice Beam, when seen through this lens, becomes more than just an attack. It represents the precise, calculated strength that many women had to develop to succeed in a world that often asked them to be everything at once—strong, but not intimidating; confident, but not aggressive; graceful, but not passive.

It’s a move that says, “I am in control. I will not lose my composure. But I will leave an impact."

As a result, Earthquake is powerful resolution of the attitudes from the other moves.  As it suggests, Earthquake is about disrupting old systems—a metaphor for women breaking traditional barriers. Dusclops’ second appearance symbolizes enduring strength and slow but powerful societal shifts.

Phoebe's Banette

Banette represents the emotional struggles and expectations placed on women. Banette’s entire existence comes from being discarded. It started as a plush doll, abandoned and left to rot only to come back to life, fueled by pain and revenge. That’s heavy. And it hits close to home when you think about how women, especially in more traditional settings, have often been valued for their roles as daughter, wife, mother rather than for who they are as individuals.

When those roles shift or are no longer needed? It can feel like you’re being left behind, like your value disappears the moment you stop being "useful" to others. Women were often expected to follow a set path: prioritize family, conform to societal norms, and not make waves. If they strayed from that? They risked being cast aside, whether in the workplace, in relationships, or even in their own families. Have you ever felt like people only value you for what you do for them, rather than for who you are?

The 1st Banette moveset represents women's struggles with being identified for their roles over their individuality. Spite, just as the name suggests, means holding grudges, symbolic of repressed emotions. Will-O-Wisp, a move that burns an opposing Pokemon, in the case of Phoebe, represents long-term resentment by women who had to work around barriers. Women historically have had to use subtlety, endurance, and emotional intelligence to shape their world. Will-o-Wisp reflects this approach: rather than a forceful attack, it weakens its target over time by a Burn Status, much like how women have historically influenced society in quiet, gradual ways rather than through direct rebellion. Both Shadow Ball and Faint Attack signify hidden strength and perfection respectively.

Banette isn’t just another Ghost-type Pokémon. It’s a reflection of pain, resilience, and the way emotions can shape women. And Phoebe? She represents the kind of woman who doesn’t shy away from those hidden struggles. Phoebe walks the line between honoring the past and creating her own space within it. So the real question is: How do you make sure you don’t silence yourself? What’s the part of you that refuses to be forgotten? Because no matter what the world says, you are not something to be discarded.

Phoebe's 2nd Banetee has a completely different moveset. While Shadow Ball has the same meaning. We are introduced to 3 new moves. Toxic, which badly poisons a Pokemon that inflicts more damage every turn, represents repressed anger finally surfacing. Meanwhile, Psychic, like the case with Sabrina, means wisdom to turn the tide of battle. Finally, Skill Swap represents changing roles, symbolizing shifting power dynamics.

This second Banette suggests evolution, a transformation in how women viewed their roles. Toxic and Skill Swap together suggest that women were beginning to challenge their expected roles and redefine their place in society. Skill Swap, in particular, is significant as it represents exchanging one identity or expectation for another, aligning with how women were redefining themselves in the changing social landscape. Banette’s second appearance suggests personal evolution and the willingness to challenge outdated norms.

Phoebe's Sableye

At the time of Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire, Sableye was the only Pokemon without any weaknesses. Sableye emphasizes hidden value and transformation. Sableye seeks gems in the darkness, digesting them until they manifest on its body as crystal-like structures. This symbolize the process of self-discovery and personal refinement, much like how women were increasingly carving out new identities and opportunities despite societal limitations.

For Phoebe, this represents her ability to uncover hidden strength and potential in herself and others. Unlike traditional Ghost-type specialists who lean into themes of fear, Phoebe exudes confidence and control, implying that she sees beyond the fear and embraces the value within.

The only new move addition is Attract, which represents how women manipulated social dynamics through charm. Women have often had to balance tradition with ambition, finding ways to thrive in male-dominated spaces without openly defying expectations. Attract is not just about charm, but about using social intelligence to shift the balance of power.

Sableye’s elusive, shadowy nature reflects how women throughout history have mastered the art of subtlety—winning battles not by overpowering, but by outmaneuvering. And that? That’s a power all on its own. 

Phoebe’s and her Ghost Pokemon are a mirror of balancing tradition vs. ambition for women during the time period of Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire. So, why Ghost-types? Because Ghost Pokémon aren’t just about haunting—they’re tied to emotions, unseen forces, and the past. Phoebe’s team is the story of how women navigated the complex balance between honoring their heritage and stepping into new roles. They embraced both the lessons of the past and their evolving sense of self, and in doing so, showed the world that they could break free of old molds and make room for something new.

Phoebe tells a story of growth, power, and evolution. One that’s still so relatable today.

Questions:

1) What do you like most about Phoebe as an Elite Four member?

2) In what ways are Agatha's and Phoebe's different as characters?

3) Do you recall a time where you were caught between following tradition and your own path? 

What’s your take on Phoebe? Share your thoughts by tagging us on any of our socials!