Villainous teams (English: Team ~; Japanese: ～団 -dan) are criminal organizations which usually have some sort of goal of which they attempt to achieve through the misuse of Pokémon. There are currently seven known teams: Team Rocket, found in the Sevii Islands; Team Aqua and Team Magma, found in Hoenn; Team Galactic, found in Sinnoh; Team Plasma found in Unova; Team Flare found in Kalos and finally Team Skull in Alola. Whatever their goals are, the one thing they all have in common is that they achieve their results through the misuse of Pokémon.
While Team Rocket has vague goals and is Mafia-like, the other known villainous teams Team Aqua, Team Magma, as well as Team Plasma and Team Flare have clear goals and are cult-like, fanatically believing that achieving their goals will bring about the best interests of the people of the world. The leader of Team Galactic wishes to recreate the universe in his image with the powers of Dialga and/or Palkia. Each has an iconic leader - Giovanni, Maxie, Cyrus, Ghetsis, and Lysandre.
Team Rocket were present in the Sevii Islands, but also had a presence in both Kanto and Johto as a business conglomerate. Despite knowing of their deeds, the law has seemed to ignored their efforts so far.
Like Team Rocket, Team Galactic appears to run the Veilstone Game Corner. However, unlike the other teams, Team Galactic has several facilities. A warehouse and the headquarters are both in Veilstone City, and another building is located in Eterna City. Team Galactic is far more successful than the other teams in accomplishing their goals, as they have captured Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf, created the Red Chain, and temporarily capture Dialga and Palkia until Alexis and the lake guardians foils them.
Team Plasma appears to work in a more mysterious attitude, especially their leader, N. Their goal is unlike the other villainous teams, not abusing Pokémon, but separating humans and Pokémon, comparing Pokémon under a Trainer's command to slaves. (They believe that liberation will actually help the Pokémon.). The team was disbanded upon the discovery of Ghetsis's real plan, however secretly just split in half with half disbanding and the other remaining loyal to Ghetsis, awaiting for his instructions in the future. They then returned two years after their first assault on Unova but were foiled once more by Alexis and her friends.
In contrast, Team Aqua and Team Magma's crimes are more extreme, including stealing Pokémon, a meteorite, and war machines including submarines; and causing catastrophes: halting the activity of a volcano and causing droughts and heavy rains by awakening Groudon and Kyogre.