Giovanni grew up in a mob family, which resulted in his creation of Team Rocket - whose sole purpose was the illegal buying and selling of Pokémon, alongside experimentation of them in a bid to create money. This money would then be laundered through casinos, gambling houses and various businesses. Giovanni had initially formed a plot to take over Kanto which was thwarted, as one of the first of many villaneous teams throughout the Pokémon world to try to do so. Upon failure, Giovanni disbanded the team and disappeared into hiding for many years, with many believing Giovanni was going away to think of a new scheme to take over the world. It was later revealed by himself that he had intended to form a new scheme which had taken him to Alola, however he was stopped after accidentally stumbling upon an Ultra Wormhole and was held captive by Cyrus and Ghetsis whom had been creating their own plot after being in the World themselves for some time.
Giovanni first appeared in AE007 being revealed as the Mastermind and Leader of the new iteration of Team Rocket, Team Rainbow Rocket. He is first seen during a broadcast at Aether Paradise's Annual Festival, where he seizes control of the organization from Lusamine. He fortifies himself inside the castle and stations versions of Archie, Maxie and Lysandre from other worlds, alongside "Ultra" Faba and an army of Grunts as his guards, and sends out a group of controlled Ultra Beasts to see how they perform in battle (in the hopes he would successfully control everyone at the fair to do his bidding) and protect Necrozma from being revealed until the right moment. After battling through his army, Lexi finds Giovanni with Necrozma and battles it in the hopes it would return to the light to Alola and restore them back home. He introduces himself and reveals that he plans to create an army of Ultra Beasts in order to conquer all worlds. For that purpose, he needed the Aether Foundation's resources, and intended to brainwash Lusamine into serving him and then using the Annual Fair as an experiment to recruit more followers. However, it's revealed that Giovanni had planned all along for the events to happen as they had, but use this moment to open the Wormhole to escape from Ultra Space, where he had previously been held captive by "others". These events cause Necrozma to cause a paradox opening the two worlds to clash. Giovanni gets previously believed to be dead Cyrus, and them himself to battle Lexi to continue their plans, but both of them are ultimately defeated. Angered by his plans failing, citing "years" of planning and research, he becomes psychotic, releasing a powerful force of energy which causes a giant serpent appearing Fire Pokémon out who attacks and causes an earthquake and wildfires which results in the deaths of most of the population of the Fair. In the rage, Cyrus drags him away, and the pair of them, alongside also newly revealed to be alive Ghetsis, escape via a helicopter. While unknown, it is believed Giovanni once more had gone into hiding to plot a new plan, following his previously failed attempts.
