Summary
Morty, known as Matsuba in the Japanese version of Pokemon, serves as the Gym Leader of the Ecruteak Gym. He awards the Fog Badge to Trainers who emerge victorious in battle against him. A young man specializing in Ghost-type Pokemon, Morty conducts training classes focused on these creatures. He understands that most Ghosts lack physical strength, so he relies on tactics that disable opponents by confusing or frightening them. In the anime, Morty features in the episodes A Ghost of a Chance, From Ghost to Ghost, and For Ho-Oh the Bells Toll!. Ash, Misty, and Brock first encounter him when they mistakenly head to the Burned Tower, believing it to be the Gym. His Ghost Pokemon had conjured an illusion of fire to scare the trainers away, but Morty calmed them and introduced himself. He shared the legend of Ho-Oh and Ecruteak’s two towers, though he was skeptical when Ash claimed to have seen the rainbow Pokemon. When Team Rocket kidnapped Pikachu and Togepi, Morty deployed his powerful Gengar to thwart them. The following day, Ash challenged Morty to a Gym battle. Ash secured victory by using Noctowl’s Foresight to weaken Morty’s Ghost-types, making them vulnerable to Normal attacks. Upon his defeat, Morty conceded that Ash’s great spirit suggested he might indeed have seen Ho-Oh. Later, when Ash and his friends returned to Ecruteak en route to Mahogany Town, it was revealed that Morty shares a close bond with Eusine, as both study rare legendary Pokemon. He also makes a minor cameo in Bagged Then Tagged!, where it is shown that Lyra’s next Gym challenge was supposed to be against him or Whitney. In Pokemon Adventures, Morty is depicted as a human version of the Itemfinder, using his psychic abilities to locate lost objects and Pokemon. His clairvoyant powers allow him to see distant events, though he was away from Ecruteak during Team Rocket’s earthquake attack, later helping with reconstruction. His dream is to witness Ho-Oh, but the legendary Pokemon’s immense power blocks his abilities. He also failed to locate Suicune while searching on Eusine’s behalf. Morty’s first appearance in this series occurs after he finds a Girafarig for a young woman. Upon hearing from a radio that Suicune has awakened, he begins searching and encounters a mist containing Gastly and Misdreavus. He senses Suicune and runs it into town, where it appears paralyzed by Gastly’s Thunderbolt. However, Suicune tricks Morty, using Mirror Coat to negate the attack and paralyze Misdreavus instead. Morty then contacts Eusine about the encounter and joins the chase.
