Wanna see what destruction looks like? Here it is in human form - it's your boy Guzma!
Guzma, Pokémon Sun and Moon
Guzma is a character first appearing in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, and the secondary antagonist of the games. He is the boss of Team Skull. He specializes in Bug-types.
Quick Answers
What type of Pokémon does Guzma specialize in?
What is the significance of Guzma's outfit resembling a Xurkitree?
What is the role of Guzma in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon?
What is the logo on the back of Guzma's jacket?
Who is the leader of Team Skull in Pokémon?
Appearance
Guzma is a young man with white hair top with a shaved lower black, dark eyes and black eyebrows. His outfit somewhat resembles a Xurkitree. He wears a black jacket with a zigzag pattern on both sides of his jacket, which has the Team Skull logo on the back. He also wears a white shirt, some black pants with two white X's under his knees and pair of white shoes. Guzma also has a purple tattoo of Team Skull on his left arm and a golden watch, while on his right hand are black and white bracelets. He also wears sunglasses with a golden frame (with its left lens being bent) and a locket that has the yellow logo of Team Skull.
After Guzma disbands Team Skull, he uses red tape to cover the Team Skull logo at the back of his jacket. He also removes his tattoos from his arms and his yellow Team Skull logo locket.
Personality
A dark individual, Guzma wishes to sow fear and chaos among Alola who bears an intimidating look, which has granted him a lot of respect, even among those not of Team Skull. Guzma sometimes behaves erratically when being defeated.
As later revealed, however, he lacks confidence and desperately wants to be taken seriously as a Trainer, something Lusamine took advantage of to trick him into serving as her hidden enforcer. For all of his posturing, he does have a conscience, realizing upon seeing how obsessed Lusamine is with Ultra Beasts and her cold attitude towards the destruction they cause that he has become a danger to the world at large and turns against her.
Etymology
His English and Japanese name, Guzma, both come from "guzmania", another name for the tufted airplant.
Biography
Pokémon Sun and Moon
Guzma originally aspired to become a Trial Captain with Professor Kukui. He was even Hala's apprentice to train in battling. While he was a talented trainer in his own right, having won many trophies and awards, he also struggled to in his efforts to be the best, never once having placed first in any tournaments. It is also implied that he suffered domestic abuse from his father and he ran away from home to escape it. He was also rejected as Trial Captain for unknown reasons. After failing to become a Trial Captain, Guzma formed Team Skull with other kids who failed the Trial vowing to destroy the very same traditions that shattered his dreams.
He is first encountered at Malie Garden and mocks Professor Kukui for trying to create the Alolan version of the Pokémon League. He then battles the player character after seeing the Z-Ring. He ends up losing and leaves. He is then encountered at Po Town after a couple of Team Skull Grunts stole a kid's Yungoos. The player character is the only one who offers to got get the Pokémon back in the cursed town. He is at the top of the mansion and has a lot of Buginium Z, collected from the whole Alola. He is defeated yet again and leaves the room, leaving free to grab a Buginium Z as reward. He is later revealed to be working with Lusamine, because she had pointed out how strong he was and he fell for her words of trust. He blocks the entrance to the mansion where Lusamine's secret lab is. After the wormhole is opened, he follows Lusamine into Ultra Space. The rest of the team ask of the player character to rescue their boss. The player character meets him after his encounter with a Nihilego. He states that its the first time he has actually been scared. He is teleported out by Solgaleo or Lunala after the battle with the Ultra Beasts. He realizes how pointless Team Skull really was and disbands it, becoming a normal Trainer.
The player character, after becoming the Champion, is able to find him in his parent's house, where he challenges the player for one last battle. Once defeated he'll give a Dawn Stone as reward, stating it's his lucky charm.
Post battle, the player can find him in the Battle Tree as a potential challenger and partner for recruitment.
Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon
He is mostly the same in the original game, when the player and Lillie prepare to open the Ultra Wormhole to pursue Guzma and Lusamine into Ultra Space, the duo are thrown out of a wormhole before the player and Lillie can do so. They are followed by Necrozma, who attacks and absorbs Nebby before opening many Ultra Wormholes and fleeing back to Ultra Megalopolis. After the player defeated Necrozma in Ultra Megalopolis, Guzma has regained consciousness and reflects on the conversation he overhears about working together with others. Later, during the game's credits, he and Plumeria are shown at the Shady House announcing that he is disbanding of Team Skull to his team members.
During Episode RR, Guzma reappears at Team Rocket's Castle to assist the player against a pair of Team Rainbow Rocket Grunts. He mentions that while he has nothing anymore, not even Team Skull, there are certain things he can't let go of, and by invading Aether Paradise, Team Rainbow Rocket has violated one of those things. He remains in the lobby of the castle, holding off two Grunts while the player defeats the various bosses in the castle en route to Giovanni, who has Lusamine to be his hostage. Later, once the player has defeated Giovanni, he appears with Wicke and Colress as Lusamine regains consciousness and witnesses Faba's downfall.
He also appearing at the Battle Tree in Ultra Moon, Guzma can be found in both versions near Plumeria's trailer on Route 13, promising to protect those he cares about even not being a trial captain. He can also appear as a potential challenger during Title Defense battles at the Pokémon League.
Other appearances
Sprites
Pokémon
Sun and Moon
 Golisopod  
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 Ariados 
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| Lv. 31 | ♂ | Lv. 30 | ♂
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| Ability: Emergency Exit | Ability: TBA
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| Item: None | Item: None
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| Swords Dance | Fell Stinger | ||||||
| Razor Shell | Sucker Punch | ||||||
| First Impression | Shadow Sneak | ||||||
| - | Infestation | ||||||
Golisopod
|
Ariados
| ||||||
| Lv. 37 | ♂ | Lv. 36 | ♂
| ||||
| Ability: Emergency Exit | Ability: TBA
| ||||||
| Item: None | Item: None
| ||||||
| Swords Dance | Fell Stinger | ||||||
| Razor Shell | Sucker Punch | ||||||
| First Impression | Shadow Sneak | ||||||
| - | Infestation | ||||||
Golisopod
|
Ariados
|
 Masquerain 
|
 Pinsir
| ||||
| Lv. 41 | ♂ | Lv. 40 | ♂ | Lv. 40 | ♂ | Lv. 40 | ♂
|
| Ability: Emergency Exit | Ability: TBA | Ability: Intimidate | Ability: Mold Breaker
| ||||
| Item: None | Item: None | Item: None | Item: None
| ||||
| Swords Dance | Fell Stinger | Air Slash | Double Hit | ||||
| Razor Shell | Sucker Punch | Bug Buzz | Brick Break | ||||
| First Impression | Shadow Sneak | - | X-Scissor | ||||
| - | - | - | |||||
Golisopod
|
Ariados
|
Masquerain
|
Pinsir
|
 Scizor 
| |||||
| Lv. 63 | ♂ | Lv. 63 | ♂ | Lv. 63 | ♂ | Lv. 63 | ♂ | Lv. 63 | ♂ |
| Ability: Emergency Exit | Ability: TBA | Ability: Intimidate | Ability: Mold Breaker | Ability: Mold Breaker | |||||
| Item: None | Item: None | Item: None | Item: None | Item: None | |||||
| Sucker Punch | Fell Stinger | Air Slash | Guillotine | X-Scissor | |||||
| Waterfall | Sucker Punch | Bug Buzz | Storm Throw | Iron Head | |||||
| First Impression | Toxic Thread | Ice Beam | X-Scissor | Night Slash | |||||
| - | Cross Poison | Energy Ball | Stone Edge | Bullet Punch | |||||
Battle Tree options
Pinsir
|
Pinsir
|
 Honchkrow 
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Honchkrow
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 Toxicroak 
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Toxicroak
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| Lv. 50 | - | Lv. 50 | - | Lv. 50 | - | Lv. 50 | - | Lv. 50 | - | Lv. 50 | - |
| Ability: Hyper Cutter or Mold Breaker | Ability: Hyper Cutter or Mold Breaker | Ability: Insomnia or Super Luck | Ability: Insomnia or Super Luck | Ability: Anticipation or Dry Skin | Ability: Anticipation or Dry Skin | ||||||
| Item: Pinsirite | Item: Choice Scarf | Item: Darknium Z | Item: Life Orb | Item: Focus Sash | Item: Wide Lens | ||||||
| X-Scissor | X-Scissor | Psychic | Night Slash | Sludge Bomb | Sucker Punch | ||||||
| Superpower | Earthquake | Dark Pulse | Drill Peck | Dark Pulse | Poison Jab | ||||||
| Stone Edge | Close Combat | Swagger | Sucker Punch | Focus Blast | Taunt | ||||||
| Thrash | Guillotine | Shadow Ball | Thunder Wave | Shadow Ball | Cross Chop | ||||||
Golisopod
|
Golisopod
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| Lv. 50 | - | Lv. 50 | -
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| Ability: Emergency Exit | Ability: Emergency Exit
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| Item: Quick Claw | Item: Quick Claw
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| Liquidation | Sucker Punch | ||||||
| Leech Life | Rock Slide | ||||||
| First Impression | First Impression | ||||||
| Brick Break | Aqua Jet | ||||||
Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon
Golisopod
|
Masquerain
| ||||||
| Lv. 34 | ♂ | Lv. 34 | ♂
| ||||
| Ability: Emergency Exit | Ability: Intimidate
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| Item: None | Item: None
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| Sucker Punch | Air Slash | ||||||
| Razor Shell | Bug Buzz | ||||||
| First Impression | Icy Wind | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
Golisopod
|
Masquerain
|
Pinsir
| |||||
| Lv. 41 | ♂ | Lv. 41 | ♂ | Lv. 41 | ♂
| ||
| Ability: Emergency Exit | Ability: Intimidate | Ability: Mold Breaker
| |||||
| Item: None | Item: None | Item: None
| |||||
| Sucker Punch | Air Slash | Throat Chop | |||||
| Razor Shell | Bug Buzz | Storm Throw | |||||
| First Impression | Icy Wind | X-Scissor | |||||
| - | - | - | |||||
Golisopod
|
Masquerain
|
Pinsir
|
 Vikavolt 
| ||||
| Lv. 45 | ♂ | Lv. 45 | ♂ | Lv. 45 | ♂ | Lv. 45 | ♂
|
| Ability: Emergency Exit | Ability: Intimidate | Ability: Mold Breaker | Ability: Levitate
| ||||
| Item: None | Item: None | Item: None | Item: None
| ||||
| Sucker Punch | Air Slash | Throat Chop | Flash Cannon | ||||
| Razor Shell | Bug Buzz | Storm Throw | Thunderbolt | ||||
| First Impression | Icy Wind | X-Scissor | Bug Buzz | ||||
| - | - | Stone Edge | Energy Ball | ||||
Tag battle
Golisopod
|
Vikavolt
|
Masquerain
|
Pinsir
|
Scizor
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| Lv. 64 | ♂ | Lv. 64 | ♂ | Lv. 64 | ♂ | Lv. 64 | ♂ | Lv. 64 | ♂ |
| Ability: Emergency Exit | Ability: Levitate | Ability: Intimidate | Ability: Mold Breaker | Ability: Technician | |||||
| Item: None | Item: None | Item: None | Item: None | Item: None | |||||
| Sucker Punch | Flash Cannon | Air Slash | Throat Chop | X-Scissor | |||||
| Waterfall | Thunderbolt | Bug Buzz | Storm Throw | Iron Head | |||||
| First Impression | Bug Buzz | Ice Beam | X-Scissor | Night Slash | |||||
| Brick Break | Energy Ball | Energy Ball | Stone Edge | Bullet Punch | |||||
Champion title defense
Golisopod
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Vikavolt
|
Masquerain
|
Pinsir
|
Scizor
| |||||
| Lv. 68 | ♂ | Lv. 68 | ♂ | Lv. 68 | ♂ | Lv. 68 | ♂ | Lv. 68 | ♂ |
| Ability: Emergency Exit | Ability: Levitate | Ability: Intimidate | Ability: Mold Breaker | Ability: Technician | |||||
| Item: None | Item: None | Item: None | Item: None | Item: None | |||||
| Sucker Punch | Flash Cannon | Air Slash | Throat Chop | X-Scissor | |||||
| Waterfall | Thunderbolt | Bug Buzz | Storm Throw | Iron Head | |||||
| First Impression | Bug Buzz | Ice Beam | X-Scissor | Night Slash | |||||
| Brick Break | Energy Ball | Energy Ball | Stone Edge | Bullet Punch | |||||
Trivia
- Guzma's sunglasses have a noticeable crack going between both lenses with them being both straightened.
- He is very different from other Team bosses in that he cares about his group, having a soft spot for fellow outcasts, whom he provides a place they can be themselves and accepted, thus Team Skull is completely loyal to him.
Gallery
| Locations · Pokédex | |
| Trial Captains | |
| Island Kahunas | |
| Elite Four | |
| Others | |
| See also | |
| Characters | |
 Team Rocket |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Team Magma |
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 Team Aqua |
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 Team Galactic |
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 Team Plasma |
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 Team Flare |
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 Team Skull | Guzma (Adventures · anime)
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 Aether Foundation |
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 Team Rainbow RocketUSUM | Giovanni
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 Team Yell | |||||||||||
 Macro Cosmos |
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 Team Star |
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| Others | |||||||||||