Samson Oak

Samson Oak (Japanese: ナリヤ・オーキド Nariya Ōkido) is a Pokémon researcher in Alola. He studies the regional variants of the region. He is a cousin of Professor Oak, with whom he shares a striking resemblance.

In the games
Samson Oak is first met in Malie City on Ula'ula Island in Pokémon Sun and Moon, when the player's Rotom Dex recognizes him. He tells the player about his research on regional variants, and asks them to come meet him in Malie Library. When the player meets him in the library, he talks about regional variants again, before requesting that the player show him the local variant Persian. Upon being shown an Alolan Persian, he explains why regional variants exist, and tells of his theory on why the Alolan Persian looks the way it does. He also talks about his cousin in Kanto, who gave him a Kanto Pokédex which he uses to compare the Alolan variants of Kanto Pokémon to their regular form counterparts. Finally, he tells the player about how his cousin's grandson might come visit Alola someday because of the Z-Crystals Samson has sent him.

Samson is later met behind the Pokémon Center atop Mount Hokulani, where he talks about Minior's variants. Before going back to Malie Library, he gives the player a Moon Ball.

In the anime
Samson appeared in Alola to New Adventure!. He is the principal of the Pokémon School and enjoys making puns using the names of Pokémon (while usually doing a visual impression too).

Trivia

 * In the Japanese, Korean, and Chinese versions of the game, Samson's name is written in Western order (given name placed before family name), as opposed to his cousin, Professor Oak, whose name is written in East Asian order (family name before given name).