Lusamine and Cynthia sandwich

Character profile Cynthia is the Champion of the Sinnoh region, who makes her first appearance in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. She also is the first female, non-playable character Champion introduced in the core series. Cynthia is an archeologist who investigates myths involving Pokémon and is described as mysterious, referring to herself as "the researcher of myths." With her interest in mythology and history, she spends her time researching and exploring various sites associated with Legendary Pokémon of the Sinnoh region. Because of this Cynthia has a wide knowledge of Pokémon and their relationships with people, creating some theories of her own. She can get carried away with these topics, often talking for long periods of time or theorizing in places where she shouldn't be.[4] Cynthia realizes this behavior, catching herself and apologizing whenever it happens.[5] Similarly, she speaks politely, frequently asking the player if they are doing well and uses phrases such as "pardon".

Cynthia tends to enjoy relaxation and travel, visiting the villas owned by Caitlin and the player found in Unova and in Sinnoh's Battle Zone respectively. In Platinum, she expresses that part of the reason for this is that she is typically a messy person, and has research papers thrown around the house. Cynthia also enjoys the piano, claiming that she enjoys the sound, listening to it with both her body and spirit.

Cynthia has a large love and passion for Pokémon and is implied to have helped Professor Rowan with his Pokédex, embarking on an adventure as a child, similar to that of the player. Cynthia can be seen as a generous person, providing the player with multiple items and information throughout their journey, including Pokémon Eggs. While generous, she is also very appreciative of the player's efforts. At the Pokémon League, she acknowledges the player's strength as a Trainer and their bond with Pokémon. She enjoys fun and challenging battles and isn't easy to give up.

Cynthia's known relatives include her grandmother, her grandfather, and a younger sister, all of which go unnamed. Her family lives in Celestic Town, although her own hometown was not mentioned, even going as far to say that her home region is a secret. Cynthia bears a striking resemblance to Volo and Cogita, implying some form of ancestry, however the direct correlation between the three, is unknown.

Appearance

Cynthia's appearance without her coat can be seen in her concept art for Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. Cynthia is an adult woman with long curly platinum blonde hair that reaches behind her knees. Bangs fall over her left eye, and two large side curls fall in front of her shoulders, curling inward, covering her ears and the back of the neck. She has thin eyebrows. Cynthia's eyes are thin, but round, and point outward ending with thick eyelashes. She has gray irises. While their relation is unknown, she carries similar design attributes with that of Volo and Cogita, possessing similar facial structures and colors.

Her clothing and design has remained mainly the same between all of her core series appearances. Her hair has four decorations, two on each side of her head, resembling black teardrops, like the Aura-sensing appendages of a Lucario, with a gold stripe around each, as on the ears of an Umbreon. One of Cynthia's most iconic attributes is her long and heavy black coat that drapes over half-way down her legs, ending in dark black fur trim. The coat forms a V-neck with the openings connecting to another with another teardrop-like ornament that is silver in color, potentially acting as a zipper, that ends on the front of her chest. Two more silvery buttons appear next to this ornament. The coat's long sleeves end at her wrists also ending in dark black fur trim. Cynthia also owns a scarf of the same black fluffy material as the fur trim on her coat, covering a majority of her neck. Underneath, Cynthia wears a plain, dark-gray V-neck dress shirt with long sleeves ending at around her hips. Cynthia's long light gray dress pants also lack much detail other than seams. The pants however, do cover her ankles, leaving no form of skin in sight. The toe tips of Cynthia's black pointed high-heel shoes have a thin gold stripe that end at the soles. A majority of her shoes are covered by her pant legs. Cynthia without her coat and hair decorations is seen in concept art for Diamond and Pearl.

Cynthia owns a Pokédex and, in Generation VII, she has a Key Stone. Where these items are held are unknown.

Role Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, Brilliant Diamond, and Shining Pearl Website blurbBDSP: A mysterious person who shows up at many points along your journey. She’s investigating myths about Pokémon.

Cynthia makes her first appearance in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, where she meets up with the player at various points during their journey.

She will first meet the player in Eterna City, where she takes an interest in them for owning a Pokédex given to them by Professor Rowan. She explains to the player about her interest in mythology and about Sinnoh's Pokémon of myth, she then offers HM01 (Cut) to the player. After the player defeats Crasher Wake and Maylene, and follows a Team Galactic Grunt found in Pastoria City to Lake Valor, the player runs into Cynthia again at Valor Lakefront, where she is researching the Pokémon of the lake, however, the lake is currently closed to the public. She asks the player if they have seen the wild Psyduck that appear at Route 210, giving them the SecretPotion that would help cure the Pokémon's headache. Once the player makes their way to Route 210, Cynthia appears again once the Psyduck have left. This time, she has a big favor to ask the player, and gives them the Old Charm to deliver to her grandmother at Celestic Town. In Hearthome City, Cynthia speaks to the player at the gym after they have defeated Fantina, making mention of Team Galactic and their dangerous acts. She later appears at the Pokémon League as the Champion, serving as the player's final obstacle.

In Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, she can also be battled against at the Battle Tower.

Pokémon Platinum In Pokémon Platinum, Cynthia has the same role as she did in Diamond and Pearl, but has an extended role in this game, allowing for more character interactions and events.

Like in Diamond and Pearl, the player first meets Cynthia at Eterna City, where she takes notice of the Pokédex that Professor Rowan has given them. She explains to them that she is a researcher of myth, and that Sinnoh has many Pokémon to discover to record in the Pokédex. After her explanation of the statue based on the Pokémon of myth, she provides the player with HM01 (Cut), and before leaving, asks the player to give her regards to Professor Rowan. After Jupiter's defeat in the Team Galactic Eterna Building, Cynthia meets the player at the cycle shop and happily gives the player a Togepi Egg, saying it will help them with their Pokédex.

After the player defeats Crasher Wake in Pastoria City and follows a Team Galactic Grunt towards Lake Valor, the player runs into Cynthia again at Valor Lakefront, where she is researching the Pokémon of the lake, however, the lake is currently closed to the public. She asks the player if they have seen the wild Psyduck that appear at Route 210 and gives them the SecretPotion that would help cure the Pokémon's headache. The player makes their way to Route 210, with Cynthia appearing again once the Psyduck have left. This time, she has a big favor to ask the player, and gives them the Old Charm to deliver to her grandmother in Celestic Town. At Celestic Town, she takes notice of the bomb held by Team Galactic, having second thoughts about how harmless they actually were and how their usage of Pokémon is unacceptable. She directs the player towards Canalave City and it's library, if they want to continue work on their Pokédex.

At the summit of Mount Coronet, Cynthia arrives at the Spear Pillar once Cyrus has been dragged into the Distortion World by a shadowy figure. Providing context of Sinnoh's origins, she explains that there is a third Pokémon of myth alongside Dialga and Palkia, a Pokémon named Giratina. Because of Giratina's presence, space-time is distorting from the portal leading to the Distortion World. Cynthia and the player lead into the Distortion World where she guides the player through the world in order to confront Giratina. Throughout the Distortion World, Cynthia explains the properties of the location, the lack of Pokémon, the abnormality of space and time, and the balance the Lake guardians have with the Pokémon of myth. After the defeat of Cyrus and Giratina, Cynthia and the player fall back into the Sendoff Spring, where she offers her thanks on the situation, and tells the player to meet Professor Rowan who was worried. She splits paths with the players once again, and, like in Diamond and Pearl, she is fought as the Champion of the Pokémon League.

During the post-game, she will appear at the Celestic Ruins, explaining the context. Cynthia theorizes about the three lights, painted on the cave wall, such as what Pokémon they could be or if it represents something greater. She connects it to the writing that is engraved on the Plates found throughout Sinnoh, and how there may be a another Pokémon mentioned, called the Original One. Her theory implies that this Pokémon is stronger than Dialga or Palkia, but is unsure about where Giratina may fit into the bigger picture. She thanks the player for listening and takes off.

The player meets Cynthia again at Snowpoint City after they have found every Pokémon in Sinnoh. Here, she provides the player with words of encouragement before they boat to the Fight Area, and how she is proud of them. She can later appear in the player's villa in the Resort Area, and takes mention of her love for the piano.

In the core series games

Personality Lusamine, being the current president of the Aether Foundation, is described as a lovely, beautiful woman who wishes for the protection of all Pokémon, both in and out of Alola. Due to this, Lusamine can be seen as quite motherly, loving all hurt Pokémon as if they were her own children. She seems to have a knack for fashion, stating that her looks are the result of the right outfit and style, and is unhesitant to suggest changes to another's wardrobe.[5]

After the loss of her husband in the past, Lusamine's kindness eventually changed over time, becoming obsessed with Ultra Beasts and neglecting her own children. After dropping her kind facade, Lusamine appears to care not for anyone who does not give her positive attention, blaming her kids and their friends for her own rude and neglectful behavior. Her spiral into selfishness and obsession also resulted in abuse of Pokémon, storing them in her trophy room on Aether Paradise under cryostasis. While under the influence of Nihilego, her emotions become much more abrasive and violent, causing her to lash out at her daughter and the player. Lusamine's daughter, Lillie, makes the statement in Sun and Moon that Lusamine was once a very kindhearted woman before her obsessive nature with Ultra Beasts had taken over. In Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, her relationship with Nihilego is removed, but her obsession remains, instead focusing on the protection of the Alola region and being unmindful of the harm she has caused to others. Her destructive and abusive nature caused both her children, Lillie and Gladion, to leave, each stealing a Pokémon from the foundation before leaving Aether Paradise.

Lusamine's husband was named Mohn, who had previously worked at the Aether Foundation before his disappearance. The couple had two children: their older son, Gladion, and their younger daughter, Lillie. Before the start of the Alola-based games, it is known that Lusamine had treated her children with love and care, with Lillie particularly mentioning a time when she and Lusamine had once played out in the rain together and got sick. Lusamine is known to have dressed both Gladion and Lillie in clothes they did not wish to wear. This had resulted in Lillie's outfit resembling the shape of a Nihilego. Lusamine's father, the previous Aether President, was a wealthy man and was known to love Pokémon, creating Aether to protect them.[3] Lusamine lives in a mansion that resides on Aether Paradise. Internally and on the Sun and Moon website, she is simply called MOTHER.

Appearance

Concept art of Lusamine Lusamine is a woman who is over 40 years old with long blonde hair.[2] Her hair falls behind her back and reaches down towards her knees. Her hair is straight and divided into several sections forming blunt ends that wrap around her body. Her bangs fall over her left eye. Her stock art displays several purple strands. She has a ponytail that sits on top of her hair, topped with a dark green gemstone in a golden frame. Lusamine has round, but slanted eyes that are known to change shape with her expressions, displaying thick eye liner when she smiles. Her irises are green with a yellow triangular glare towards the bottom. Her irises lose detail when upset and her eyes become sharper when angry. She has three eyelashes on each eye. Her children take after her platinum-blonde hair color and lime-green eyes.

Concept art of Lusamine fused with Nihilego Lusamine has a skinny build, with her legs taking up most of her height. She wears a short, white, sleeveless dress that reaches down to her upper thigh. Her collar reaches all the way to her jaw and is cuffed with a gold decoration that wraps around her neck. On her chest is a large, dark green gemstone in the shape of a diamond with a golden frame along the bottom point. Two lines wrap horizontally around her dress beneath her her chest. While the skirt goes down to her thighs, it is also topped with a translucent, yellow frill-like decoration with a cut on the side that drapes down from the bottom line that begins under her chest. Lusamine has a pair of long, black-and-white stockings that reach down to her ankles. Her shoes are high-heeled with an opening on the front, locked with a single strap. The shoes are mainly black with two black gemstones on both sides of each foot. The heels are golden and give her a large amount of lift, providing an unnatural height. The soles of these shoes are a pattern-less teal color.

Main article: Nihilego (Pokémon) In the final battle of Pokémon Sun and Moon in Ultra Space, Lusamine fuses with the Ultra Beast, Nihilego. While it is mainly Nihilego who takes upon a new shape, Lusamine's design is altered as well. Her hair becomes black in color with all previously purple strands turning into blonde. Her hair becomes elongated and flows outward, sitting on the bottom of Nihilego's bell. Her irises turn the yellow color that was previously used for the glare. All gemstones and decorations on her outfit vanish, with the yellow frills on her skirt changing to a deep purple color. The lower half of the main outfit becomes a black color, becoming indistinguishable with her now black and purple leggings that lack any detail and have no shoes. Her arms are hidden behind her hair, but otherwise her shoulders can be seen. Her legs dangle from outside Nihilego's bell.

Lusamine can control the four front the tentacles on Nihilego's body, with four fingers on each of these tentacles that can bend and grab things such as Poké Balls. The reason for Lusamine's fainting after fusion is unknown, but can be assumed to be caused by the Pokémon's neurotoxins, the stress of the fusion, or the strain of the Z-Power that the Nihilego had. This form for the character and Nihilego goes unnamed. However, the fusion is internally referred to as MOTHERBEAST.

History 201 Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details. 201 Background Website blurb: "The lovely Lusamine functions as the Aether Foundation’s president."

Lusamine took the ownership and presidency of the Aether Foundation from her father, a wealthy man who loved Pokémon and had built Aether paradise to protect them. Like her father, Lusamine claims to love all Pokémon. Lusamine acts like a mother to the Pokémon kept at Aether Paradise. Her family owns the Sun FluteSUS/Moon FluteMUM that was once sitting at the Lake of the SunneSUS/Lake of the MooneMUM in Ula'ula Island.

Because of the disappearance of her husband and her obsession with Ultra Beasts, she became a controlling mother. For example, it is implied multiple times throughout the story that the way Lillie dresses is because of Lusamine, purposely causing her appearance to resemble that of Nihilego. She had previously signed off on and helped fund the beast killer project, initiating the creation of Type: Null. Two years prior to the events of the game, her son had stolen a Type: Null model from her. Her daughter had done something similar, stealing a Cosmog, two months prior to the game and staging what would lead to the games' main events.

Pokémon Sun and Moon The player meets Faba on Akala Island, after helping him with a task, he invites them and their friends on a tour of Aether Paradise, to which both the player and Hau agree to, while Lillie nervously declines. After their grand trial with Kahuna Olivia, Wicke brings the two to the Conservation Area of Aether Paradise, where Lusamine is waiting. Lusamine introduces herself to them, explaining that she is a mother to all Pokémon, protecting those who may be lost or suffering, regardless of where they come from, including those from other dimensions. Hau makes mention of Lusamine's looks, saying that she looks rather young and it is amazing how she has done all that she has with the foundation at her age. Lusamine enjoys the boy's remark, but corrects him, explaining that she is already over 40 years old, and she simply has the right outfit to make her look younger. She asks if her the player and Hau would like some new outfits to better fit her personal taste. The two decline, with Hau saying "I don't think anyone else could pull off that kind of look! Except maybe Lillie...", Lusamine takes note of this but brushes it off and says that children are better off listening to the adults around them.

At this point, Aether Paradise begins to shake. This seems to originate from their labs on the basement floor, where they test new kinds of Poké Balls, and disrupts the facility. An Ultra Wormhole emerges in front of the group, and from it, a then unnamed Ultra Beast by the name of Nihilego appears. The player battles the beast, being directed by Hau to protect the president. Lusamine sees the Ultra Beast, and identifies it as being hurt, wishing to help and treat it like any other Pokémon. The player defeats the Nihilego and it returns back to the Ultra Wormhole to where it came. Lusamine tells Wicke to bring the two trial-goers back to their island challenge and send them Ula'ula Island, while she talks with Faba to see what exactly happened downstairs.

On Ula'ula Island, Plumeria remarks to Lillie that Team Skull are not the only thieves in Alola, and that Lillie ought to return Nebby, Lillie's Cosmog, back to where she found it. The Team Skull Admin takes the young girl away, Hau being unable to stop her. Lillie goes with her willingly to avoid anyone getting hurt. Gladion, a boy who Hau and the player have met several times before, takes the duo to Aether Paradise, where he is certain that Lillie is at. By the time the three of them arrive, all the employees are suddenly hostile to them including Faba, who had locked down Lusamine's office under her orders. The three of them make it into Aether Paradise's labs, learning about the experiments done to Cosmog and Type: Null. Gladion explains his history with Type: Null, and how his mother wasn't a very nice person, being forced to always wear what she wanted. The player can then read Faba's blog in this room, learning that his superior's child, had stolen one of the Type: Null. The trio then makes it back up stairs and goes outside towards the mansion, where a number of Team Skull Grunts and Guzma, their boss, are lined up in front, implying an alliance with the Aether Foundation.

After a battle with Guzma, Hau and Gladion take out the remaining grunts. When the player enters the building, they find an upset Lillie in the same room as Lusamine, with the former begging Lusamine to come to her senses. Lusamine is not fazed by it, and berates Lillie for leaving her and claims she was never her daughter, before teleporting into another room via a pad hidden behind her mirror. Lillie and the player step on the pad too, and teleport into the room her mother went to. When they arrive, Lusamine taunts them to come closer. Afterwards, Lillie and the player are horrified to see that she has a collection of frozen Pokémon scattered about the room, "protected" for all eternity.

Hau arrives, together with Gladion. Lusamine is disgusted by her son's arrival, as he and Lillie had both stolen her Pokémon, a Type: Null and Cosmog, and had ran away from her. Gladion does not try to reason with her, deciding it is impossible at this point. Lusamine, frustrated, exclaims that she gave all her love to her children, only for them to reject it all and run away. Nebby is then revealed to be inside a cage that Lusamine is holding, and reveals that the gases from Cosmog's body can be used to create Ultra Wormholes, but the entire Pokémon can be used to a greater effect. Lillie pleads for her not to use its power, as using it would cause Nebby to die. Lusamine, however, acts as though she does not consider her statements, and uses the machine anyway, opens up an Ultra Wormhole in the room, and multiple others on the various islands of Alola. This alerts the Guardian deities and the island kahunas on each of the islands, who prepare to deal with the Ultra Beasts that are appearing in the region.

Guzma arrives, asking Lusamine whether the experiment was a success, and Nihilego materializes behind her. Gladion commands the player to battle Lusamine, while Hau takes care of Guzma and he battles any onslaught of Ultra Beasts that may come from the wormhole. Regardless if the player has won or lost to the woman, Lusamine and Guzma jump into the Ultra Wormhole and disappear into the portal alongside the Nihilego. The cage drops from Lusamine's hands and breaks open, Nebby comes from inside, having evolved into a Cosmoem, although nobody seems to be aware of this. This change of events has caused Lillie to attempt to be a more confident person, changing her look, and wishing to save Cosmog, and her beast-obsessed mother. She leaves to go on a journey with the player to Poni Island.

On Exeggutor Island, the player and Lillie go looking for the missing flute, the counterpart that to the one her family has already owned. As it begins to rain, Lillie explains some history with her mother. Lusamine wasn't always a bad person, she was in fact, a really sweet and lovely mother. Lillie recalls a time, where she had gone out to play in the rain all by herself. This had upset her mother, who had came outside to bring her back in so Lillie wouldn't get sick. The two girls instead started playing and dancing in the rain together, both winding up sick. Lusamine brought her daughter inside, having Lillie sleep with her as they recover from their cold.

At Poni's Altar, Lillie and the player summon the Legendary Pokémon, SolgaleoS/LunalaM, finding out that Nebby had been this Pokémon the entire time. Nebby flies them into Ultra Space, and discover a terrified Guzma, who has given up working with Lusamine because of his newfound fear of Nihilego possessing him, and claims she is immune to reason at this point. Lillie disagrees, and runs off to confront her mother. When they arrive at an open terrace, she is nowhere to be found, only to phase into visibility and appear sitting on a rock in front of them. Lillie continues what she was saying to her mother back at Aether Paradise, along with trying to persuade her to come back to Alola.

Lusamine fusing with her Nihilego Guzma turns out to be correct, as Lusamine says she would rather not come back to Alola, and that Lillie "could not even be that stupid". She boasts about how Ultra Space is beautiful, that Nihilego is all she cares about now, and that Lillie became ugly after leaving her and making friends with the player. Lusamine then turns her attention to the player blaming them for her daughter's change, in which she immediately battles them, but not before merging with a Nihilego to become a pseudo-beast herself. During that battle, Lusamine's Pokémon team are enveloped of the Totem Pokémon's same special aura which increases their stats, Z-Power.

After losing, Lusamine becomes enraged and attempts to strike Lillie and the player with one of her many large tentacles she has control of. Lillie calls out to Nebby, who proceed to roar and emit energy at Lusamine, separating her from Nihilego. Nihilego returns to the Beast Ball it had originally came from it, and Lillie gets a hold of her. Before passing out, she shares a moment with her daughter, reaching out to her face and asks Lillie when she had started becoming beautiful. Lillie, Guzma and the player bring her back home to Alola. They meet up with Hapu, who had been traveling with the player and Lillie the entire way through Poni making sure nobody had gotten hurt. Hapu brings the fainted Lusamine back to Aether Paradise on her Mudsdale. Lusamine is never seen in person again after this.

At Iki Town's festival, Lillie tells the player she believes Lusamine is getting a bit better, having even tried to go to the player's celebration of becoming champion, and that she has been gently trying to help her mother understand the error of her ways. The following day, Lillie leaves for the Kanto region to seek treatment for her mother from Bill (who, like Lusamine, has been combined with a Pokémon before) in the hopes that it will heal her of the last of Nihilego's poisons. While not seen, Lusamine leaves for Kanto with Lillie, and Gladion takes up Lusamine's role as Aether President in her absence.

Lusamine is one of the few characters to not appear in the photographs during the credits. However, Lusamine's Clefable and Bewear both make an appearance with the Aether Foundation with happy expressions on their faces.

When spoken to in the post-game, Gladion speculates that Lusamine's fixation with the Ultra Beasts may have started when his father and Lusamine's husband, Professor Mohn, had vanished during his study of the Ultra Wormholes and, in an ill-fated attempt to find him, eventually grew obsessed with the Ultra Beasts to the point of monomania, as a way of trying to get to him. Wicke and Lillie suggests three possible reasons for Lusamine's fainting in Ultra Space, this could have been a result of the neurotoxins Nihilego had injected into her, the overwhelming amount of Z-Power surrounding her, or because of the literal fusion with Nihilego itself.