Team Rocket

Team Rocket (ロケット団, Rocket-dan; literally, "Rocket Gang") is an organized crime syndicate in pursuit of evil and exploitation of Pokémon based in the Kanto and Johto regions with a small outpost in the and, later, the Unova region. Later the team appears in the Hora region as well.

Goal
While its main focus is stealing or capturing, then selling, rare and strong Pokémon, it also funds and conducts cruel experimental research on Pokémon. Their oath, as posted on the wall of one of their many bases, is "Steal Pokémon for profit. Exploit Pokémon for profit. All Pokémon exist for the glory of Team Rocket." Their ultimate goal is to take over the world using Pokémon.

Recently, however, their goal has slightly altered. As of their missions in the Hora region, their goal is to revive Sacrelivo and cause the world to descend into darkness. After kidnapping the now famous archaeologist Travere Kouten, they are just one step closer into accomplishing their goals.

Organization
Team Rocket isn't as structured as most organizations are in the world. They are lead by their "Boss", Giovanni, and a group of Rocket Admins — the Executives of the Team. As of Pokémon — Advance Frontier, it is revealed that each region is assigned at least one (four in the case of ) Admin, which is assigned to oversee Team Rocket operations in each region. Aside from the Team Rocket Grunts, that serve as the fodder soldiers of the organization, the Team Rocket Agents do the majority of Team Rocket's work, being assigned to various missions consisting of anything from basic Pokémon theft, to grand heists, depending on the situation. The trio of Jessie, James, and Meowth are one such example.

Additionally, Team Rocket has hired a plethora of "Scientists", whose job it is to research ways for Team Rocket to make the most of Pokémon in their pursuit of world domination. It does, however, seem to have a large unit dedicated to military-style combat, known as the Team Rocket Combat Unit (ロケット団戦闘部隊, Rocket-dan Sentō Butai).

Ranks
Team Rocket, as with any well-organized criminal organization, has certain ranks. It's not known if any of these are in any established hierarchical order, although the below table shows the apparent status of Team Rocket members and their ranks.

Although there are some exceptions, most Team Rocket members are referred to as Rockets and can usually be identified by a large red "R" on their uniforms. Team Rocket uniforms can be white, black, or silver. While most Rockets seem to wear black uniforms, it is unknown if the color has a purpose in distinguishing rank, or is just a personal preference.

Trivia

 * Team Rocket is one of only two villainous teams to have explicitly caused a death, that of the Marowak in Pokémon Tower. The other being Team Galactic, whom a Trainer, Roughneck Kirby, blamed for the deaths of most of his Pokémon.