James (Pokémon) & His Inner Demons
James is a gangster who struggles with depression and has a paralyzing fear of commitment, but he’s a fighter.
James grew up wealthy, but left home when he was around 10. His private tutors were physically abusive whenever he got something wrong or showed emotion (AG147). His ex-fiancée, Jessibelle, was emotionally, physically, and sexually abusive. We see her try to r*** him onscreen and she’s done it in the past (Japanese version: “This is... the same stuff... you used last time.” English dub: “This is just like... This is just like... last time.”). His parents help her assault him because he’s only useful to them as someone who can produce heirs. They also didn’t let him have toys. He collected bottle caps in secret, but his mother threw them away whenever she found them (XY85).
In my opinion, James seemed to imply that he doesn’t want kids, with anyone, because of his parents’ abuse. That is, in SM46, Ash’s friend Lillie says that it’s unfair that her toxic mother expects her to bend over backwards for her. In the Japanese version, James says to Jessie, “Such is the fate between parents’ relationships with their children.” I take that to mean that he doesn’t like the idea of having kids, because only two episodes later, Professor Burnett drops the hint to Professor Kukui that she wants kids and he blushes. (As for Jessie, she’s never fantasized about having kids.)
James met Jessibelle at a ball abroad in his social circles. He got excited that someone noticed him for once and he thought she was pretty. In the DP series, so like half-way through the Pokémon series, he says that he was in “love” with her (Japanese and dub versions say “love”) but she broke his heart. He says this was the primary reason that he left home (DP153). Physical harm was one thing but manipulating his feelings hurt much more. When talking about this, his voice sounds like he’s going to cry, and he smiles when he recalls writing her a love letter. This makes me think that in DP, he thought that some part of him was still in love with her. Curiously, when James sees Jessibelle for the first time in years (Kanto 48), a jazzy noir-sounding song plays that’s called “Hiya, Hot Stuff!”
Of course, it isn’t love. Attraction, sure. But, during DP, he still had PTSD from her abuse, so any ‘feelings’ for her after they first met would be Stockholm Syndrome. I think the other reason that he thought he loved Jessibelle is because he doesn't (or didn't in DP) know what love is. Fortunately, he's quite sure that he is no longer in love with Jessibelle (Kanto 48, DP2, DP117, DP153). Even though he hates balls, because of Jessibelle, he manages to be Jessie’s date at a ball (a ball for regular people; not aristocrats) (XY105). He doesn’t enjoy it, but he doesn’t complain out loud, for Jessie’s sake. She has a great time at the ball.
After leaving home, James applied to Pokémon school and met Jessie, who was also applying (Kanto 9, Kanto 48). It would’ve been immediately obvious to him that she looks exactly like Jessibelle. We know that he knows that she looks like Jessibelle (DP153). He could have had genuine feelings for Jessie when he met her. But I think part of him would’ve wanted to have her replace his first love. The catch is that her looking like Jessibelle probably made/makes physical contact, uh, challenging.
James didn’t pass the school’s entrance exam. Jessie did, but she chose not to go (Japanese version of Kanto 9). So they joined a biker gang (Kanto 36, Kanto 48). At some point, they parted ways until they were adults. Jessie ended up joining Team Rocket. Then James joined and seemingly volunteered to be her partner. She was a femme fatale known as The God of Death, so she was always in need of a new partner, as no one wanted to work with her.
Although there are different ways that this flashback can be interpreted, it seems like Jessie and James recognized each other and that Jessie was upset with James (like if he left her or if they had a fight). I interpret it as him having left her because later on (in the Japanese version) he confesses that he tried to outrun his past and has been running away his whole life.
If James joined Team Rocket for Jessie, then that’s a rather grand gesture, because, in Pokémon, gangsters are highly stigmatized. They can leave Team Rocket any time they want to, but they would have trouble finding a job and a significant other. They could change their identity, but that would also be hard on a person. Never, ever telling their significant other and friends who they are and knowing that they wouldn't be accepted. The red "R" on their uniform is almost literally a Scarlet Letter. Three of Jessie and James's friends left Team Rocket, but they started their own businesses and made no attempt to fit in with ordinary society.
In any case, being in Team Rocket empowers James with a sense of confidence (DP139), and he seems to enjoy the military exercises (DP137).
James’s traumas affect him throughout the series, but he becomes less and less affected over time.
On the positive side, James has strong boundaries and won't hesitate to cut people who cross them out of his life (Kanto 48, DP153, SM58). He does not allow others to manipulate him, play mind-games with him, or rope him into their drama.
On the other hand, when Jessie tries to get him to talk about how he's feeling, he typically ices her out (DP54, DP55, DP70, DP165, XY85, SM58, ATBAM 9, etc.). In DP117, Jessie saves him and his first instinct is to pretend that he doesn't care. She then tells him to stop lying, and he cuts it out.
When Jessie and James became partners in Team Rocket, he was standoffish. While his heart was in the right place, he was averse to accepting help. Jessie offered him her food ration because he didn't eat anything all day (she didn't either, as she gave the rest of the ration to Meowth), but he turned it down. Then she insisted, so he took it. She tried to keep him from falling in a river, but he intentionally let go of her hand. She tried to keep him from falling down a chute, but he let go of her hand. Anticipating that, she grabbed his wrist, and he got mad and insisted she let go. She refused, and he was moved.
However, he seems to have mostly moved past shutting out loved ones, as he is brutally honest about what he thinks, in SM58.
James’s inner darkness also seems to affect his ability to be a Trainer.
A Pokémon is mostly an extension of its Trainer (ex. JN72). They pick up their Trainer’s mannerisms and interests because Trainer and Pokémon are bonded through their hearts. Sometimes the bond between Trainer and Pokémon is so strong that they can psychically sense where the other one is (XY28, XY30, XY68, ATBAM6). The Gym Leader Korrina calls this being “soulmates” (Japanese version of XY30).
When Pokémon battle, they connect their heart with that of their Trainer. They siphon some energy from the Trainer (a lot of energy if they do a Z-Move, G-Max, or Mega Evolution) and feel each other’s emotions. That’s what they mean when they say that a Trainer has a heart that’s true or a heart that’s pure. Trainers can also send energy to their Pokémon in other situations, like while riding the Pokémon (ex. XY53) or when the Pokémon needs energy to heal (ex. XY105).
Pokémon attacks are relatively weak if Trainer and Pokémon don't connect to each other's hearts, or if the Trainer's heart doesn't feel love. For instance, in AG177, Jessie and James Tag Battle Ash and Brock, using Pokémon on loan from Team Rocket Headquarters. It starts off well for Jessie and James. But battling seems to bring out the true feelings in their hearts because they start arguing about personal issues between them. The Pokémon, even though they don't belong to Jessie and James, start arguing with each other too, because their hearts are connected with Jessie and James for the time being.
In the SM series, characters learn Z-Moves, which are special moves that use the Trainer's auric energy to fuel the attack. The Kahuna (Gym Leader, basically) of Melemele Island, says that Z-Moves allow people to feel a Trainer's emotions, because it brings out a Trainer’s aura. Ash's friend, Kiawe, says that to use a Z-Move, a Pokémon and Trainer's heart have to become one, and then their combined feelings turn into energy that can be used in battle. But they can't be just any feelings; they have to be feelings of love for all living things. When using Z-Moves, they are to focus on their love of community, love for their fellow man, or love of Pokémon.
James's aura would not feel pleasant. It would be full of pain, fear, resentment, betrayal, and loneliness. It reminds of Howl’s Moving Castle when Howl’s depression is triggered. His hair turns black, green slime comes out of him and covers his skin, and dark spirits emerge from the shadows. Actually, the first analogy that came to mind was that feeling James's aura would be like blasting "Down With The Sickness" by Disturbed, but that's neither here nor there.
James makes a point of telling us that he’s black-hearted. In the BW series motto, he says he's "The pure heart of darkness" (Dub: "With thunderous emotion") who is "The hammer of justice in a black universe" (Dub: "Thrusting the hammer of justice down onto the black darkness of the universe."). In the SM series motto, he says he's "An exquisite talent and the perfect gentleman. A disciple of evil fighting back against this tragic world." (Dub: "The nobly heroic man of our times. The master of darkness fighting back against a tragic world.")
In mottos, the darker imagery is afforded to him. The clearest examples are in the BW series. We see James with black darkness behind him; and white light behind Jessie. We see James with a dark purple aura and a black background; and white light behind Jessie. We see James colored all-black and against a white background; and Jessie all-white against a black background.
In the DP series mottos, we see James stomping or hitting the ground and causing earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. We see Jessie soaring through the sky with whirlwinds, gentle wind, or gentle winds carrying rose petals (autumn leaves in AG188). We even see James with hellfire behind him and Jessie floating above him towards celestial white light coming from the heavens.
James's darkness isn't just metaphorical either. He's a mad scientist and a computer hacker who can get pretty lost in the madness. In XY124, he hadn't slept for three nights because he was too obsessed with building his mecha. If Jessie weren't around to balance out his darkness, I’m sure he would end up consumed in darkness and madness.
Though Z-Moves require special crystals (Firium-Z for Fire attacks, Normalium-Z for Normal Type attacks, etc.), the attacks are still depicted as directly correlating with the Trainer's personality. James has Darkinium-Z and can use a Dark Type Z-Move called Black Hole Eclipse. Unlike other Trainers, Jessie and Meowth can also add energy to the attack since the bonds between Jessie, James, and Meowth are inseparable. However, this is really James's Z-Move and he is also able to do it by himself.
In contrast, Jessie has Mimikium-Z and uses it for a Z-Move called Let's Snuggle Forever. It's more like 'Let's snuggle forever because I'll suffocate you to death,' but it's pretty cute compared to Black Hole Eclipse. It's a Fairy Type move with a cutesy pose. James and Meowth are able to power it up with her.
Acquiring a Z-Crystal seems to require a test of character. Before getting Darkinium-Z, Jessie and James tell some petty thieves that they deserve better than their toxic friend who threw them under the bus. Jessie and James have a shot at getting the crystal, but their Pokémon all get knocked out, so they rush to their Pokémon instead. Ultimately, they do get the crystal anyway.
When James Tag Battles with the Gym Leader Gardenia, they lose; and she says that the main problem was that Trainer and Pokémon weren't in sync so they weren't battling as one. James loved Cacnea dearly, so how could that be? Maybe it's that James's heart is covered in darkness and this type of connection isn't possible for him. Maybe only Dark Type moves work for his dark aura. Maybe he didn't open himself up to others enough at that point in the series (DP54). Indeed, in the next scene, Jessie tries to get him to talk about his feelings and tells him to stop lying to her about being "fine." He just doubles down on saying that he's fine.
To answer that, consider * how * James learns Black Hole Eclipse. In order to learn it, James has to do some Jungian shadow work (SM58). That is, he has to have an honest conversation with his Pokémon, Mareanie, about what he will and will not tolerate in a friend (he detests emotional manipulation, drama, jealousy, people who are controlling, etc.). His terms are unconditional. Him telling Mareanie what to expect puts them on the same page and allows them to connect their hearts, now that James's shadow self isn't blocking the way.
♪ I Wanna Do Bad Things With You ♫
Jessie and James used to camp out and rent cabins, so they traveled light and could pack up and go at any time. They were lost souls wandering the earth. But then they get an apartment together in Vermillion City and make it homey. We see them travel to lots of countries, yet always returning to their apartment when they’re back in Kanto.
They even start a podcast (JN106) and YouTube channel (JN115), WhamBam-Z (dub: DumDumDum-Z) as Charm Deluxe (dub: Cosmic Charm Deluxe), Princess (dub: Princess), and Blue Bruise (dub: Bluesilocks). According to the Narrator, they continued thereafter to be content creators in addition to being in Team Rocket (JN106).
James even sacrifices his bottle cap collection to make pins as podcast freebies and sacrifices his PokéBall collection to give as podcast grand prizes. Jessie and Meowth had never understood his love of collecting things. To them, things only have value if you can use them or hock them for cash (XY85, SM4). But they understand what a huge sacrifice giving up his collections is, and are moved. James is moved that they appreciate the sacrifice, and that they see his collections as having value, just as he has always seen them as having value (JN106).
Nevertheless, for someone who's so afraid of getting close to people, living together must be a difficult adjustment for James. It used to be one of his worst fears (AG147). At the end of the series, they have a fight and James is very standoffish. I think that it’s mainly brought on by the stress and fears from them settling down together, because that’s the big change in their life in the SWSH series. It’s taking things to the next level. I could see that triggering his depression and making him build up walls.
Jessie is concerned that his heart isn't in being a gangster anymore. James is deeply offended. The viewer, at first, might think that he’s being defensive because he knows she’s right. However, we find out that she’s completely wrong and just projecting her fear that he will lose interest in being a gangster. He’s actually upset because he’s completely devoted to their job and to her. He’s insulted that she could lose faith in him.
Until they find new Team Rocket partners, they still have to work together. Since they're Field Agents who aren't out in the field, they work at Headquarters for a while. Interestingly, on one of their breaks, James drinks a Granbull canned coffee (so, Red Bull Cold Brew Coffee), which is a drink that Jessie once bought him, to show him that she wasn’t upset that he backstabbed her (SM132).
Jessie, James, and Meowth individually go off to do the same villainous scheme. Perhaps this is the same type of heart bond that allows Ash and Pikachu to sense where each other has gone when they are apart (ATBAM6). The fact that they had the same plan moves Meowth to tears and makes Jessie and James smile. They realize that the three of them are inextricably linked, and what initially linked them was their love of villainy. While Meowth is included in this bond, Trainers can have heart bonds with their Pokémon; but, as far as energy bonds between humans go, Jessie and James are the only characters shown to have one. Moreover, Jessie and James have promised to be at each other's side even in the afterlife (DP117).
Jessie and James used to cycle through lots of successful normal careers. In the finale, besides podcasting and YouTubing, they cast away their previous careers and embrace what truly brings them passion. Not always success, but passion. The thing that brought them close together in the first place - doing deliciously bad things together.
You can check out my Jessie character study here
You can check out my Team Rocket music playlist here
origamiaround
kianamaiart
stormborns
areudirty
