Masked Man

The Masked Man (Japanese: 仮面の男 Masked Man), also referred to as the "Mask of Ice" (Japanese: マスク・オブ・アイス Mask of Ice), is the main antagonist of the in the Pokémon Adventures manga, serving as the leader of Team Rocket after Giovanni disbands it but before the s take over.

History
The Masked Man initially used to kidnap, , Carl, Sham, Will, and Karen as children based on their potential as Trainers. and escaped from him and went to great lengths to figure out his identity. When Team Rocket disbanded in Kanto, he collected the remaining grunts and revived the organization in Johto with himself as the new leader and the remaining kidnapped children as administrators. The Masked Man's goal was to capture and make use of its time travel powers.

Gold was able to retrieve a scrap of his clothing and gave it to Professor Elm, who examined it and later realized that there were particles of the substance used to make Gym Badges owned especially by Gym Leaders on his clothes, revealing to that he must be a Trainer of some Gym.

The Masked Man first appears in the Ilex Forest, controlling the Charcoal Kiln and his to battle Gold. He then appeared to Gold, who thought that his Pokémon were wild, and told him to leave this forest. He easily defeated Gold and disappeared. Later, he would show up to battle Silver and Gold at the Lake of Rage and revealed Silver's past to Gold before defeating them both by freezing the entire lake and sending them both plummeting toward the rock bottom, a measure that would have been fatal had not arrived and saved them.

He then lays low at the headquarters and commands grunts to capture. To keep and Eusine distracted, he sent a  disguised as Suicune to battle them. The grunts failed in their mission however and Suicune escaped because of Spore.

He is then confronted by Lt. Surge at Team Rocket's new base in Mahogany Town. Lt. Surge was defeated, but he was able to escape and have his Electrode blow the base up. However, the Masked Man was confident Lt. Surge would not report him to the police since he was formerly a member of Team Rocket and would be arrested as well.

The Masked Man eventually gains the control of the Legendary Pokémon, Ho-Oh and, both of which he captured before, and leads them to rampage at the Pokémon League so he can gain the secret behind the time-traveling Poké Ball from Kurt.

Later on, by completing the GS Ball, he captures Celebi in the Ilex Forest and goes back in time. Gold, having followed the Masked Man and also having revealed the Masked Man's real identity, eventually succeeds in defeating him and freeing Celebi.

Trivia

 * In either of his two identities, is the only evolved Pokémon that the Masked Man uses.

Names
Mask of Ice

Mann mit der Maske (Pocket Monsters SPECIAL) Homme Masqué Maschera di Ghiaccio 假面男