‘Tomboyish mermaid’ Misty is one of the most iconic characters in the Pokémon franchise. A close friend of Ash Ketchum and a consummate expert with Water-type Pokémon, she’s a huge fan favorite.

As popular as she is, though, there are still a lot of details about Misty than franchise followers may not be aware of. From her mysterious last name to an apparent surprising fixation on berries, here are some surprising facts about the Kanto icon that players might not have known.

10 She (Technically) Makes An Appearance In Pokémon The Series: Diamond And Pearl

Many Misty fans will fondly remember some of her classic moments from the anime (usually her attempts to keep Brock in line). She hasn’t been a part of the entirety of the series’ long run, but fans may be surprised to learn that she features in Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl.

There are two instances of Misty (in some form or another) in this series that she’s otherwise absent from. Her special fishing lure, pictured here, is seen in the episode Buizel Your Way Out Of This!, while a photograph of her is also seen in DPS01 (a two-part special episode that aired in Japan). One for the eagle-eyed super-fans!

9 She Is Said To Idolize Lorelei

In Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen, players could find issues of the magazine Pokémon Journal. They didn’t serve any particular purpose (beyond the Fame Checker), but offered curious little tidbits about the famous names of the Kanto region (which didn’t change all that much in Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee). In the Cerulean City Pokémon Center, there’s an issue that states, “Misty is said to worship Lorelei of the Elite Four.”

This little piece of trivia shouldn’t really come as a shock. After all, in Generation I, Ice-types were tough to come by, rendering Lorelei’s ‘Ice team’ primarily Water-based. The Elite 4 legend could probably teach even Misty a thing or two.

8 She Falls Victim To Sabrina’s Psychic Power In The Pokémon TCG

As with any TCG, the Pokémon Trading Card Game has definitely released its share of outlandish-looking cards. Some are hilarious, some are just plan bizarre and others are a little frightening, frankly.

This menacing card is Sabrina’s Psychic Control, of the Gym Challenge set. It allows the user to take control of an opponent’s Trainer card from the discard pile (providing that it isn’t one that needs to be put in play and that they’ll paid the usual cost to activate it). That’s all well and good, but what’s happening to poor old Misty and her Psyduck here?

7 Her Tears Can Produce Water Energy Cards… Apparently

So, Misty and her Psyduck are on the receiving end of Sabrina’s powers in the TCG. Not to worry, though, because the Water-type lover has some special tricks of her own up her sleeve.

Misty’s connection with Water Pokémon is so great that, as the card Misty’s Tears demonstrates, her tears have the effect of allowing the player to discard a card then search for up to two Water Energy to reveal and add to their hand from their deck.

6 She Doesn’t Give The Player A TM In Pokémon Gold & Silver, But She Does In HeartGold & SoulSilver

In Generation II, the player is able to visit the Kanto region once they’ve conquered Johto. This means that there are 16 badges up for grabs. One of which, of course, is Misty’s again.

Veteran players will know the routine: defeating a Gym Leader earns the player a badge and usually a TM. One interesting little change is that, after disturbing Misty on her date with her boyfriend, convincing her to go back to her gym and defeating her, she won’t give the player a TM in Gold, Silver & Crystal, though, she will in Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver: Generation II’s TM 03, Water Pulse.

5 She Offers Exclusive Photo Opportunities To The Player In HeartGold & SoulSilver (If They’re Water-Type Fans Too)

Clearly, then, Misty lives, breathes and cries Water-types. This is only to be expected from a dedicated Water Gym Leader, of course, but perhaps she goes a little too far with this at times.

Also in HeartGold & LeafGreen, the player is able to take part in rematches against Gym Leaders once they’ve completed both regions’ Gym Challenges. There’s also the chance to meet Misty on Route 25 every afternoon. Here, she’ll pose for a photo with the player, but on one condition: they must have a Water-type in their team. In the first slot, naturally.

4 She Seems To Be A Huge Advocate Of Berries As Held Items

While the AI of the game’s NPC trainers isn’t exactly the smartest much of the time, they’re not to be underestimated. Those who have climbed the Battle Tower, challenged the Battle Maison and so on will have seen first-hand the kind of RNG trickery the AI is capable of pulling off.

As befits a Gym Leader, Misty is less about RNG shenanigans and more about those classic held items, Berries. Across her many appearances in the series, she’s used lots of teams, and lots of her Pokémon have been equipped with Berries. In Pokémon Black 2 & White 2’s Pokémon World Tournament, for example, five of her six Pokémon held berries, while all four did in the Gathered! Gym Leader! Wi-fi tournament in Japan in the same game. Sometimes, these Berries were intended to mitigate Water’s weakness to Grass or Electric. Sometimes to boost Defense in a pinch, in the case of her bulky Lapras. Others seemed to have been slapped on her Pokémon simply Misty can never have enough darn Berries (her Dragonair’s Bitter Berry in Pokémon Stadium 2’s Kanto Gym Leader Castle wouldn’t have been much use at all).

3 She And Her Gym Trainers Are More Respected In Pokémon: Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee

Long-time fans will remember a lot of the quirky NPCs that helped make Generation I what it was. Not just the major characters, but the ‘shorts are comfy and easy to wear’ boy, the Super Nerd who decides to share ‘his’ fossils with the player and so on.

Among these less significant but super memorable characters was the man who peered in through the window of Cerulean City’s Gym, thrilled that it was “full of women.” Fortunately, Game Freak took care to adjust this dialogue in Let’s Go, and he now remarks that the gym is full of “strong trainers.” It certainly is.

2 She Really Doesn’t Have A Last Name?

Many Pokémon fans simply assume that Misty doesn’t have a last name. Interestingly, it’s a much more complex issue than it appears. Everybody knows that Ash’s surname is Ketchum, but conflicting reports make it tough to definitively determine Misty’s (or whether she has one).

As stated by TvTropes, it was a popular rumor that her full name was Misty Waterflower (Misty Williams is also a common suggestion), but this has never been confirmed. In fact, both suggestions have been discredited.

1 She Uses Surprisingly Good Sets On Her Pokémon (Sometimes)

While the Pokémon series has some surprisingly difficult battles to offer (especially in the post-game or other optional content), the main story isn’t usually particularly harrowing. For the most part, in-game trainers are restricted by the level-up movesets of their Pokémon, which combines with questionable AI decisions to make for a comfortable ride.

As with many other Gym Leaders, though, some sets she’s equipped with in some of her battles are almost identical to competitive ones! In the Pokémon World Tournament in Black 2 & White 2, for instance, her Starmie had Hydro Pump, Psychic, Ice Beam and Thunderbolt, while her Carracosta had Shell Smash, Aqua Jet, Rock Slide and Waterfall. Both Pokémon boasted defensive Berries, but with a tweak to the item choice, they could be offensive monsters. Thunderbolt, Scald, Ice Beam and Toxic (along with a Sitrus Berry) on a Lanturn in that game’s Pokémon World Tournament? That’s nothing to sniff at either. Misty and her formidable Water-types have certainly learned a lot over the years.

NEXT: Pokémon: The 10 Most Powerful Water Moves, Ranked