Pokémon Sword & Shield: How Old Is Marnie (& 14 Other Questions, Answered)

Like previous generations, Pokémon Sword & Shield introduces a fresh set of rivals to compete with as the player battles their way to becoming the champion. One of the fan-favorite rivals, Marnie, is a kind trainer with an edgy aesthetic and a devoted in-game fanbase.

Aside from her appearance and her beloved Morpeko, other details and fun facts about Marnie might not be as apparent. Therefore, fans are often intrigued and curious to know a little more about her background and role in Sword & Shield. At the convenience of inquiring fans, ten burning questions about Marnie will be answered here.

Updated by Daniel Kurland on August 4th, 2021: The Pokémon series’ work with its supporting characters and Gym Leaders gets better with each new game and it’s easy to understand the enthusiasm that’s built up around Sword & Shield’s intrepid Marnie. Marnie and her Pokémon are a highlight from the game, but there’s still a lot to learn about this newer character.

15 How Old Is She?

The ages of the protagonists and rivals are not always specified, but they are usually in their teen or preteen years. In the case of Pokémon’s Marnie, her age is not specified in the game, but one can assume that she is relatively close in age to the player’s character.

14 Does She Exclusively Fight With Dark-Type Pokémon?

Pokémon has plenty of traditions that carry out the franchise and one of the more popular staples is that each Gym Leader specializes in a certain type of Pokémon, which can lead to some creative strategies in how these Pokémon are approached. Pokémon’s Marnie proudly embraces Dark-Type Pokémon, which makes it come as a bit of a shock that Toxicroak is in her party. Some of Marnie’s Pokémon are Dark-Type hybrids, but Toxicroak is a Generation IV Pokémon that’s a Poison- and Fighting-Type combo. This unexpected party addition highlights Marnie’s ability to break away from the norm and not be needlessly regimented with her approach to Pokémon battle.

13 What Is The Significance Of Her Uniform And Its Number?

It’s exciting how much character models, accessories, and the ability to customize Pokémon trainers has advanced in the series. Pokémon has reached a point where the outfits of characters are significant and not just generic designs. Observant gamers will notice that Pokémon’s Marnie sports a uniform that’s marked with a 960.

This number is actually a reference to hardship and speaks to Marnie’s difficult youth. 960 also corresponds to the Japanese word for black, “kuro,” which also meshes with Marnie’s Pokémon persona and her passions as a trainer.

12 Does Her Morpeko Symbolize Anything Special?

Any good Pokémon trainer has a wide variety of creatures that they can pull from for any situation, but it’s not unusual for trainers to form a special bond with one particular Pokémon. Pokémon’s Marnie has this relationship with her Morpeko. The creature is cute, but Marnie’s affection for it actually holds a deeper meaning. Morpeko represents Marnie’s duality. Morpeko can switch between two forms, which reminds Pokémon’s Marnie of her repressed nature and the full complexity of her character. It also doesn’t hurt that Marnie’s hair is a somewhat similar style to Morpeko, too. They’re the perfect match and Morpeko reminds Marnie of who she really is.

11 How Does She Cope With Success And Being In The Public Eye?

The Pokémon world can sometimes seem quaint and small, but there’s definitely the idea of celebrity throughout the various regions. Pokémon masters and prestigious Gym Leaders are basically looked at like Pokémon royalty, and this is no exception for Marnie after she takes over her brother’s gym. In the post-game, players can find Pokémon’s Marnie trying to teach herself how to smile so that she can come across as more affable for her fans. Pokémon’s Marnie is also highly awkward and embarrassed over this, which causes her to run off and is fitting of Marnie’s crybaby nature from her youth.

10 Where Does Her Style And Fashion Sense Come From?

Pokémon trainers get a lot of credibility based on the Pokémon in their parties and their number of badges, but how they present themselves to the world is also important. Marnie has a very hip and memorable fashion sense that accentuates her preference towards Dark-Type Pokémon. The Isle of Armor DLC expansion contains Marnie’s outfit and hair style to acquire on the island. This is a nice way to pay respect to Pokémon’s Marnie, but it’s also possible that the Isle of Armor is where she first encountered this style and then chose to adopt it. It’s a possible glimpse into how Pokémon’s Marnie built her image.

9 What’s Her Personality Like?

Despite her tough leather aesthetic and lack of expression, Pokémon’s Marnie is actually very wholesome and kind to those around her. According to her League Cards, Marnie used to be very shy and cried a lot when she was younger.

As she’s grown up, however, she’s become quite well-known in her hometown of Spikemuth despite not wanting the fame. At the same time, she’s also known to stay angry for an extended period of time if something really bothers her.

8 Why Does Team Yell Follow Her?

Despite being the villainous team of the Galar Region, Team Yell doesn’t have an evil goal in mind like Team Rocket or Team Flare. Rather they just want to support Marnie in her quest to becoming a great Pokémon trainer. In fact, Pokémon’s Marnie’s entire hometown, Spikemuth, is filled with Team Yell members who are dedicated to cheering her on and helping her out in any way possible. All of their rowdiness and aggression toward the player is all with good intention for their beloved idol.

7 What’s Her Relation To Piers?

Piers is not only the Gym Leader of Spikemuth but also Marnie’s older brother. As the leader of Team Yell, he wants nothing more than to see his sister succeed as a trainer. In addition, Piers’ League Card reveals that he feels as though Marnie is the better Pokémon trainer between the two of them. That’s why he is proud to have Pokémon’s Marnie take his place as the Spikemuth Gym Leader.

6 What Was Her First Pokémon?

As one might guess, the first Pokémon Marnie ever received was the Morpeko that follows her around everywhere. However, the story behind how they met was quite sweet. When Marnie was five, Piers caught the Morpeko and gave it to her to play with. This made Marnie a lot happier and allowed her to grow accustomed to the way of a trainer. To this day, she cherishes her friendship with the little electric rodent.

5 Which Pokémon Will She Gigantamax?

Although Morpeko is the Pokémon most closely associated to Marnie, it is not the Pokémon who she will Dynamax in battle. Instead, she will Gigantamax her Grimmsnarl at Wyndon Stadium for the Champion tournaments.

Marnie’s Gigantamax Grimmsnarl is a tough opponent to watch out for with its signature moves, Spirit Break and G-Max Snooze. If the player isn’t careful, Grimmsnarl has the potential to deal some massive damage to their team.

4 What Does She Do In The Post-Game?

In the post-game, Pokémon’s Marnie can be found back in her hometown of Spikemuth. Just as the player becomes the new Champion, Marnie becomes the new Spikemuth Gym Leader after her brother decides to retire. From there, Marnie will always be waiting in Spikemuth, ready for a rematch. The player can battle her team there once a day to rack up money and experience.

3 What Are Her League Cards?

In Sword & Shield, every trainer has their own League Card. As the player progresses through the game, they will receive League Cards from fellow trainers, including Gym Leaders and rivals. Pokémon’s Marnie will give the player her normal League Card at Ballonlea Stadium when she first becomes their rival. Later in the game, the player can receive her rare League Card after defeating her at Spikemuth in the post-game.

2 What Kind Of Accent Does She Have?

When speaking to Pokémon’s Marnie, it is apparent that she speaks with some slang and a bit of an accent. According to her rare League Card, her accent is the local dialect of Spikemuth. The members of Team Yell also carry the same accent, though that is because Marnie’s habits have rubbed off on them as her fans.

1 What’s Her Goal?

There are many reasons why a trainer may decide to join the Gym Challenge, whether it’s just for fun or for achieving one’s dreams. In the case of Pokémon’s Marnie’s, she strove to become Champion just like the player while also hoping to up the reputation of her hometown. Because of Team Yell and a lack of a Power Spot, Spikemuth does not have the best reputation in the Galar region. Still, Marnie loves her hometown and wishes only the best for it.

NEXT: Pokémon: Every Main Character, Ranked According To Strength