Is Team Rocket a Cult?

Many of us who grew up watching Pokémon and playing the video games know about the evil groups who exploit Pokémon and their trainers for their own gain. From Team Rocket blasting off again, to Team Aqua and Team Magma in the Ruby and Sapphire games, these thugs are always scheming diabolical plots to rule the world.

But could these villainous teams in the Pokémon universe be considered cults? I think so. Every villainous team in Pokémon is dictated by a single, powerful leader, who gains control over hundreds of grunts who help him achieve his goal. But how does this make them cults?

While this term is generally related to religious followings, a cult doesn’t have to involve religion. According to psychologist Robert J. Lifton in his essay, “Cult Formation,” there are 3 key characteristics that make up cults:
1. A charismatic leader who becomes the object of worship and the source of power and authority of the group.
2. A process of coercive persuasion or thought reform, also called “brainwashing.” This is shown by members doing things, not for their own best interest, but for the best interest for the leader.
3. Economic, sexual, or other exploitation of the group members by the leader.

Take, for example, Team Galactic in the Sinnoh region (Pokémon Platinum). Their leader, Cyrus, is a charismatic man that everyone in Team Plasma worships. He has complete authoritarian power over the grunts, which is the perfect fit for characteristic #1. Cyrus lies to and manipulates his followers, telling them that he is going to need their help to create a better universe with total peace. This is exemplary of characteristic #2. The grunts dedicate their lives to their leader, allowing themselves to be exploited for money and manpower to benefit their leader, demonstrating characteristic #3. However, once Cyrus gains power by awakening the legendary Pokémon Giratina, he abandons his followers to jump into the underworld to be with the legendary Pokémon and create a new dark universe under his control. The grunts gave everything to their idol, Cyrus, only to be discarded like trash once Cyrus got what he wanted.

This cult-theme is seen in all the Pokémon games. In the Sapphire and Ruby games, Teams Aqua and Magma create a rivalry between each other. The leader of Team Aqua, Archie, and the leader of Team Magma, Maxie, both claim to be environmentalists. Both leaders say that they are fighting to better the world for people and Pokémon, but for different causes. Team Aqua wants to purify the oceans, while Team Magma wants to improve the land. However, these claims are false, and are used as lies to get their grunts to follow them. Their true goal is to awaken specific legendary Pokémon from their slumber in order to control the world. Team Aqua steals a meteorite and hijack a submarine in order to locate the water-type legendary, Kyogre, while Team Magma awakens the ground-type legendary, Groudon. Both Pokémon battle and almost destroy the earth in the process.

Though not mentioned here, every single villainous team in Pokémon is a cult. They fit all three criteria of what makes up a cult, and every team causes immense damage to society and the world as a whole. What do you think? Should these teams be considered cults?