Marlon (Japanese: シズイShizui) is a current Leader of Team Aqua, former Galaxy Team Leader in Hisui & former Water-typeGym Leader based in Unova, and one of the protagonists of the series.
Marlon was born and raised in Galar alongside his sister Nessa, but had a distaste in his home region due to the lack of water around him, having watched television shows about swimming and the sea since childhood. When he was still a young Trainer, he decided to go travelling and moved to Humilau City, Unova - famed for its aquatic land. He's a big-hearted Trainer who's famed for his passionate advice. He's also very relaxed and carefree, often keeping out of negative discussions and events. Despite this, he's shown to be extremely passionate for those he loves, and will do anything to ensure they're happy.
Marlon is a keen Surfer, often training in the open sea, coming into contact with random Trainers while Swimming. He heavily campaigned for the Humilau City Gym to become an officially recognized Gym, which ultimately led to his Gym replacing the Icirrus City Gym once Brycen stepped down. Marlon remained as the Gym Leader ever since, despite his ambitions to travel.
The Alexis Saga[]
Marlon's original appearance.
Marlon first appeared in Best Wishes: Plasma Freeze, when Lexi came to battle against him. When he first met her, he was shown to have an immediate attraction to her, fumbling his words and complimenting her at many opportunities. The two battled for Lexi's final Unova Gym Battle in which Lexi won her final Badge. Immediately following their battle, Marlon asked if he could join her on her journey, which she agreed. He was a supportive hand to Lexi while she was battling and taking down Team Plasma, often protecting her and fighting in her honor.
When Lexi completed the battle against the UnovaElite Four, he and Lexi shared a moment, which seemed to suggest that his feelings towards Lexi were mutual, however, due to the following events, they couldn't act on.
In the events of M03 and M04, Marlon was an active role, causing a distraction from a group of hunters from capturing Lexi, ensuring her escape.
He didn't appear at all following this, although Hayley gave Lexi a message from him in New Beginnings saying that he'd come and see her soon.
Xenial Destiny[]
Marlon reappeared in Fate Decided after being asked to visit Lexi in Kalos. Upon their re-meeting, he and Lexi once more shared a moment similar to the one Marlon previously had when he first met her, showing their feelings were still present. Elesa had mentioned that Marlon "hadn't stopped talking about her (Lexi)" since deciding to visit her. After helping Professor Sycamore and leaving Kalos, he kissed Lexi on the cheek before leaving.
Marlon returned to Kalos in X vs. Y: Destruction, after hearing the news about Lysandre's return. While there, he discovered that Calem had feelings for Lexi, and warned him off trying to start anything with her, resulting in a rivalry striking up between the two. He was then apart of the Kalos War, and was the first person to run in after Lexi when Parfum Palace was on fire, however was unsuccessful, being dragged out of the building after refusing to let her go.
At her funeral later in the movie, he and Calem make amends, and also mentions he plans to go 'traveling' following the funeral.
Marlon's appearance in XD II.
Xenial Destiny II
Marlon reappeared in Ruby & Sapphire alongside Shauna and Calem, after deciding to join the two in their journey to Hoenn. He seemed to have become close friends with both Calem and Shauna, claiming that they grew closer due to Lexi's death in a conversation with Roxanne. His team remained mostly the same other than the additions of Totodile and Corphish (the latter caught in Hoenn).
Like Calem and Shauna, he was oblivious to the fact Lexi was still alive, and upon discovering she was in fact alive and well, reacted much happier than his two friends did, and was happy to help with Team Aqua and Team Magma.
Marlon spent his time with the team helping them train along with training his two newest Pokémon. As their journey in Hoenn came to a close, he decided to return to Unova, but told Lexi he'd be back if ever she needed his help.
Gallant Fate[]
Marlon's Gallant Fate appearance.
Marlon is first seen in the series when he runs into Lexi when she arrives at his sister's Gym. Marlon had been visiting family in Galar. In his time since last seeing Lexi, he reveals that the Humilau Gym was shut down and that he has been travelling ever since. When Lexi relays her run in with the mysterious Pokémon, Marlon asks to accompany her to aid her due to Sonia's research into the Darkest Day which may share a connection. She agrees, and Marlon once again joins Lexi on her journey. Before leaving Hulbury, Nessa gives him a Sobble to take care of while he travels. He later captures a Chewtle, which eventually evolves into a Drednaw.
Marlon's time with Lexi in the series opens up a deeper conversation within himself regarding his path in life. He often is shown very interested and intruiged with Sonia's musings with the history and lore of the region and often is the most proactive member of the team interms of searching for potential clues or aids to their discoveries. As Sonia pieces together the story behind Zacian and Zamazenta and the Darkest Day, Nessa and Marlon uncovered the secrets behind their family origins, discovering that their ancestors opposed the royal families decision to cover up the Pokémons history with Eternatus, instead replacing this with the first kings ancestor as the hero. They also discovered that they themselves were the creators of the Rusted Sword and Rusted Sheilds that were the sources of the Legendary Pokémon's powers.
He realises as time goes on he wishes to continue exploring in order to gather and retain data regarding Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, by remaining with Sonia for the time being before travelling once more once he found a research area he wanted to focus on.
Awakening Dimensions[]
Marlon's Awakening Dimensions' appearance.
In Awakening Dimensions, Marlon found himself waking in Hisui, an early settlement of Sinnoh alongside Calem. In this time, while the duo tried to discover their way home, Marlon saw some immence growth within himself. After spending many years unsure of his path in life following being a Gym Leader, he took this opportunity to learn more about nuturing Pokémon, becoming good friends with Adaman. As time progressed, his ability to make strong decisions and leadership skills lead him to be admired by the clans and found himself loving the lifestyle of Hisui. Discovering more about legends and myths, all this went into his consideration to remain in Hisui when the time-space rift reopened. He remained, and after being reunited with his sister, the two decided to settle in the region.
By the end of the series, despite feeling settled, when Nessa was kidnapped through a Wormhole, he journeyed through the Wormhole himself to find her.
Return in the Zenith Odyssey series[]
Marlon returns when Nessa awakens in somnia. Both of them were transported back to present day through a wormhole by Giovanni in order to convince their soon to be revealed father, Archie of Team Aqua, to join them. He threatened to kill both Marlon and Nessa if he didn't obey, however, Archie sacrificed himself, leading to Giovanni commanding his Clawitzer to drown Archie where he stood. As Archie passes out, Team Aqua's break-in with the help of a controlled Suicune, and the brother and sister duo manage to escape with their father. On his death bed, Archie revealed Team Aqua was infact started for them to honour their ancestors and their beliefs and guardianship to the sea, although he acknowledged the mistakes he made along the way.
As Archie dies, its then revealed that he had previously made a deal with a "wish maker" while at sea, whom he had asked to grant a wish to protect his children "or the sea would swallow this world up for his broken promise". The "wish maker", taking this literally, granted his wish, but outlined to Archie that his wish came at the price of him never being able to leave the sea for more than mere hours, or be it his children would die at the worlds seas due to an everlasting storm. This over time led to hatred in his heart causing him to act out Team Aqua's previous villanous plots, and becoming obsessed with ensuring the worlds seas were protected and cherished.
With Archie dead, and the wish makers deed now broken, a terrential storm begun to errupt, alongside the discovery that both Marlon and Nessa's hearts were beginning to "drown themselves". Unknowing of how to stop it, the storm caught the attention of the Confederation, leading to Marlon and his sister reuniting with Lexi and Calem. As the discovery that only the wish maker could help, and the team set out to find them before its too late. Using Lexi's Latias to discover the whereabouts of Jirachi, its revealed that only someone taking the leadership of Team Aqua and once again fulfill the deed will stop the storm. Marlon takes the helm of Team Aqua, and takes on his fathers promise, much to the dismay of Nessa, despite saving both hers and his life in the process.
Marlon from here on out remains at sea with his loyal following of Team Aqua members, however using their abilities to protect all at sea. After helping the Confederation with several missions, they then ask him to join them full-time as their sea ops team, which he agrees, which allows him to see his sister and friends regularly.
