Who is the lone resident of the wasteland at the start of Pokémon Pokopia?

Professor Tangrowth is the lone resident of the wasteland at the start of Pokémon Pokopia.

The game’s backstory says that humans and Pokémon once lived together happily, but the world later withered and the humans disappeared. Professor Tangrowth remains alone in the desolate environment, providing an important early connection between the ruined setting and its lost past.

After waking from a long slumber, the player-controlled Ditto begins restoring the land. The character gathers materials, crafts useful objects, and creates a more welcoming place for Pokémon. Professor Tangrowth is therefore part of the game’s opening premise rather than a conventional Pokémon professor who gives the player a starter Pokémon.

Professor Oak is the most famous Pokémon professor and may be chosen by players who associate the word “Professor” with the franchise. Rowan and Kukui are also established professors, but neither is the solitary resident described in Pokémon Pokopia. The name Tangrowth specifically combines the title with the Pokémon species Tangrowth.