Editing Roark

'''Roark''' is the first of the eight gym leaders of the [[Sinnoh]] region who appears as an opponent ''[[Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl Versions|Pokémon: Diamond, Pearl]]'' and ''[[Pokémon: Platinum Version|Platinum Versions]]'', as well as the remakes ''[[Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl|Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl]]''. He specializes in Rock-type Pokémon.

Being the son of Steel-type gym leader [[Byron]], Roark followed in his father's footsteps by aspiring to become another gym leader. He trained hard and liked to measure the toughness of his Pokémon in battle. His father still looked down at him as a child and originally offered a Gym Leader position to [[Riley]] instead of him. Riley declined in order to give Roark his chance, and so Roark became the gym leader of the Oreburgh City Gym. He also acted as the safety supervisor of the Oreburgh Mines. Despite his youth, he was able to safely maintain the mine while also allowing trainers to use the area to practice with their Pokémon.

In the fourth generation games, Roark was first encountered within the Oreburgh Mines, where he demonstrated the Rock Smash move and then returned to his gym after meeting [[Lucas (Pokemon)|Lucas]]/[[Dawn]]. After being defeated by them, Roark was ashamed to lose to a badgeless trainer, but he admitted that the victor was strong while he was weak. He surrendered the Coal Badge along with TM 76: Stealth Rock and left Lucas/Dawn with the warning that the other seven gym leaders were tougher than him. He was also defeated by [[Barry]] beforehand.

When the player first used the Explorer Kit, Roark appeared nearby to welcome them to the Underground. In ''Platinum'', he was among the trainers who could be randomly battled at the Battleground, where he used a a stronger line-up of Pokémon. Additionally, Roark could visit the player's villa on random days and commented about how fossils could make good decorations. He would also muse about the Underground and wondered if it could extend to [[Kanto]] and [[Johto]].

 

In ''Brilliant Diamond''/''Shining Pearl'', he tunneled out of the ground to meet Lucas/Dawn outside Professor Rowan's lab in Sandgem Town after the trainer had become the Pokémon League champion, in order to congratulate the trainer and to invite them to have rematches with the gym leaders. After this point, Roark could be challenged to rematches at his gym at any time. He could also appear at the Battle Tower as an opponent for both single and double battles. For double battles, he teamed up with his father.

*He has appeared in a total of six episodes of the ''Pokémon'' anime's ''Diamond'' and ''Pearl'' series. In his initial appearances, he was bested by Paul and initially defeated [[Red#Other Media|Ash Ketchum]], until Ash won their rematch. He reappeared when the group arrives at Canalave City, in an episode dealing with his father issues. He acted as a referee during the battle with Byron, who was shown to have more affection for his son than he lets on.

*Roark also appeared in the ''Diamond''/''Pearl'' arc of the ''Pokémon Adventures'' manga, where had just returned from some type of conference (which later turned out to be about Team Galactic) with Byron and the Underground Man, and was defeated by Platinum in her first gym challenge. He reappeared at Canalave, where his Cranidos evolved, and he worried about his father's recklessness. Near the end of the arc, he tunneled through Mt. Cornet with his father and grandfather to get the gym leaders atop Spear Pillar so that they could fight Team Galactic.

*In the ''Pokémon Evolutions'' anime series, he made an appearance in the fifth episode, in which Barry's gym battle against him was among the scenes from Barry's journey that were depicted.