Flint (Pokemon)

Flint in Diamond and Pearl
Flint
Species	Human
Affiliation	Elite Four
Hair color	Red
Eye color	Brown
Relatives	Buck (brother)
Voiced by	Landon McDonald (2019)
Debut	Pokémon: Diamond/Pearl Versions

Flint is the third member of Sinnoh's Elite Four to be battled in Pokémon: Diamond, Pearl and Platinum Versions. He specializes in Fire-type Pokémon.

Background

Flint was an easygoing member of the Elite Four with a love for battling. However, he did not take losing easily and was often left speechless after losing a battle (to the point where Volkner once referred to a post-loss Flint as a "husk"). According to his good friend Volkner, he started specializing in fire-type Pokémon after someone told him what his name meant.

In Diamond, Pearl and Platinum, he was first seen in Sunyshore City where he was exhibiting concern for Volkner, whom had lost his passion for battling due to facing a series of weak challengers. However, after meeting Lucas/Dawn, he said he could sense the trainer's "aura of toughness" and encouraged them to challenge Volkner, believing the trainer would be tough enough to re-ignite his passion for battling. As the challenge was issued, Flint noted Volkner's excitement towards the challenge and, having confidence that Lucas/Dawn could restore Volkner's battling passion, he returned to the Pokémon League.

Lucas/Dawn later battled Flint during their Elite Four challenge. He had anticipated the trainer's arrival ever since learning how impressive they were from Volkner. Lucas/Dawn surpassed his expectations by defeating him. Flint told them they were fantastic and inspiring, but then remained speechless afterwards, only able to work in saying that he had been "burned to cinders" and simply telling them to keep going.

In Platinum, he wold later appear by the Battle Tower upon the player's arrival at the Battle Frontier. He dragged Volkner with him, and they challenged Lucas/Dawn and Barryl to a double battle to see if they were worthy of taking on the Battle Frontier. Flint and Volkner were defeated, and Flint was unable to speak afterwards, which led Volkner to escort "the husk" back home. Flint and Volkner would also visit the player's Villa on random days, believing he had a right to lounge around there due to thinking the Villa was bought with Lucas/Dawn's Elite Four prize money. While there, he would banter with Volkner about the Pokémon League needing more decorations and his belief that Fire-types are the future as well as superior to Electric-types.

Pokémon Roster

Flint uses the following Pokémon for the Elite Four challenge in Diamond, Pearl and Platinum:

• Rapidash
• Drifblim (Diamond/Pearl only)/Houndoom (Platinum only)
• Steelix (Diamond/Pearl only)/Flareon (Platinum only)
• Lopunny (Diamond/Pearl only)/Magmortar (Platinum only)
• Infernape

Out of the above, he uses Houndoom, Flareon and Magmortar during the tag battle with Volkner in Platinum.

In Other Pokémon Games

In Pokémon Masters, Flint and his Infernape appear as a playable sync pair. Flint was unlocked in Chapter 12 of the Main Story. In that chapter, Flint had just been left without teammates for the Pokémon Masters League due to Blaine having thrown out his back, so he convinced Shauntal to battle alongside him. After they were defeated by the player, Flint was briefly left speechless, and Shauntal convinced him to join Scottie/Bettie's team, while she took a step back to observe the action. Flint also appeared in the "The Eccentric Electrician" Story Event, where Volkner took part in battles with Scottie/Bettie and Clemont in order to revitalized Flint after he was burned out. After Flint regained his energy, he helped Volkner to easily dispatch members of Team Break. It turned out that Flint had burned himself out by battling too many trainers in preparation for his battle with Volkner, and he went on to scold Volkner for the renovations that he had made to the local machines.

Other Appearances

Other Media

• Flint first appeared in two subsequent episodes of the Pokémon anime concerning his friendship with Volkner. It was revealed that he and Volkner started out as rivals when they were children and eventually became friends, with Flint eventually leaving to join the Elite Four around the age of 20. As in the games, Flint tries to help Volkner regain his fighting spirit. He winds up battling Ash in Volkner's place and easily defeats him, although seeing Ash fight is still enough to inspire Volkner to accept his challenge personally. Flint later watched Ash's gym battle with Volkner in another episode. Flint reappeared later on in an episode where he wound up battling and defeating Jasmine, and he was shown planning to battle Cynthia for the title of Pokémon League Champion. Their battle was seen on a television in the last episode of the Diamond & Pearl series and ended with Cynthia winning.
• In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Flint appears during the Platinum arc, where he is called upon by Volkner to investigate a mysterious hole at Sendoff Spring. They end up in the Distortion Zone, where they help in the battle against Giratina. Although the legendary Pokémon initially overwhelms them, they are able to finish it off in the end.

Trivia

• As mentioned in-game in Platinum, a flint is something that is used to start a fire.
• He is alluded to in Black and White 2, in the form of an excerpt from one of Shauntal's unfinished novels that she recites aloud. She refers to his hair style as being potentially great with the move Head Charge.
• In Diamond and Pearl, his room at the Pokémon League is an ordinary-looking room with a fighting ring in the center, but in Platinum is is changed to have several pits of fire off to the side.