Looming in the Shadows is six-stage Special research quest line that introduces Team GO Rocket Leaders and Giovanni into Pokémon GO. Completing the quest line helps Professor Willow create the Super Rocket Radar. This page contains Looming in the Shadows Special Research Tasks, Rewards and Story line information. In order to unlock Looming in the Shadows, you need to first complete A Troubling Situation.
Trainers can receive Giovanni Special Research once per calendar month. For example, if you complete your September Giovanni Special Research in mid-October, you’ll receive new Special Research shortly after. If you complete the September Research in mid-September, you’ll need to wait until midnight on October 1st (local time) to receive the Research again.
Research Tasks
“Looming in the Shadows” Step 1 of 6
- Spin 10 PokéStops (500 XP)
- Defeat 3 Team GO Rocket Grunts (500 XP)
- Catch 1 Shadow Pokémon (500 XP)
Rewards: 500 Stardust, x10 PokéBalls, x10 Razz Berries
“Looming in the Shadows” Step 2 of 6
- Spin a PokéStop 5 days in a row (750 XP)
- Purify 15 Shadow Pokémon (750 XP)
- Win 5 raids (750 XP)
Rewards: 1000 Stardust, x3 Hyper Potions, x3 Revives
“Looming in the Shadows” Step 3 of 6
- Use 6 super effective Charged Attacks in Gym Battles (1000 XP)
- Win 3 Great League Trainer Battles against another Trainer (1000 XP)
- Defeat 6 Team GO Rocket Grunts (1000 XP)
Rewards: 1500 Stardust, x15 Great Balls, x5 Pinap Berry
“Looming in the Shadows” Step 4 of 6
- Defeat Team GO Rocket Leader Arlo (1250 XP)
- Defeat Team GO Rocket Leader Cliff (1250 XP)
- Defeat Team GO Rocket Leader Sierra (1250 XP)
Rewards: 2000 Stardust, x1 Super Rocket Radar, x3 Golden Razz Berry
“Looming in the Shadows” Step 5 of 6
- Find the Team GO Rocket Boss (2500 Stardust)
- Battle the Team GO Rocket Boss (1500 XP)
- Defeat the Team GO Rocket Boss (3 Silver Pinap Berry)
Rewards: 3000 Stardust, x1 Fast TM, x1 Charge TM
“Looming in the Shadows” Step 6 of 6
- Already Complete (2000 XP)
- Already Complete (2000 XP)
- Already Complete (2000 XP)
Rewards: x3 Max Revive, x3 Rare Candy, x20 Ultra Ball
Looming in the Shadows
Stage 1/6
Tasks and rewards
| Tasks | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Spin 10 PokéStops | 500 XP |
| Defeat 3 Team GO Rocket Grunts | 500 XP |
| Catch 1 Shadow Pokémon | 500 XP |
| Stage Rewards |
|
Story
Thanks for your help in defeating Team GO Rocket Grunts, %PLAYERNAME% The team leaders and I have been observing Team GO Rocket, and something tells us this is far from over. The transmission sent during the Team GO Rocket take-over had a message from an unknown sender at the end. We’re going to need all the help we can get to reveal the identity of this unknown figure looming in the shadows, and you are just the Trainer for the job!
Can you help us get to the bottom of this mystery?
Stage 2/6
Tasks and rewards
| Tasks | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Spin a PokéStop 5 days in a row | 750 XP |
| Purify 15 Shadow Pokémon | 750 XP |
| Win 5 raids | 750 XP |
| Stage Rewards |
|
Purifying Pokémon can cost up to 5000 Stardust. Look for Shadow Rattata or Shadow Zubat, who only cost 1,000 Stardust to purify.
Story
Thank you for your continued support against those pesky Team GO Rocket Grunts. As they flee, some Grunts are leaving behind Mysterious Components.
I believe these are what Team GO Rocket is using to hack and steal resources from PokéStops. Clever little devices, aren’t they? There’s information we can glean from these components that will help us in our fight against this dangerous organization.
Once you have enough pieces, you should be able to assemble something similar to the device I’ve modified in my lab. It might be best to prepare yourself for whatever might come, %PLAYERNAME%.
Stage 3/6
Tasks and rewards
| Tasks | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Use 6 super effective Charged Attacks in Gym Battles | 1000 XP |
| Win 3 Great League Trainer Battles against another Trainer | 1000 XP |
| Defeat 6 Team GO Rocket Grunts | 1000 XP |
| Stage Rewards |
|
Interesting. It appears there’s more to Team GO Rocket than previously thought. Their ingenuity has got me thinking there might be another use for these Mysterious Components. We shouldn’t underestimate Team GO Rocket.
It’s time to get battle ready, %PLAYERNAME%. I don’t want to send you out to face another foe without some more training. While you sharpen your battle skills, I’ll be sure to get this little project of mine up and operational.
Stage 4/6
Tasks and rewards
| Tasks | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Defeat Team GO Rocket Leader Arlo | 1250 XP |
| Defeat Team GO Rocket Leader Cliff | 1250 XP |
| Defeat Team GO Rocket Leader Sierra | 1250 XP |
| Stage Rewards |
|
Stage 4 of 6 was discovered on Niantic’s support web page.
Fantastic work, Trainer. I’ve been working on a prototype for something I call the Rocket Radar, but I was missing some critical components. Your hard work in retrieving these components actually made my device work’
If we combine my research and these Mysterious Components you’ve found, we can create a radar-like tool to track down Team GO Rocket Hideouts! Trainers all over the world are figuring out now to put together devices like this, and they’re identifying more hideouts than I originally anticipated.
%PLAYERNAME%, it’s time to head to these hideouts and face whatever—or whomever—is there head on. Let’s GO.
Stage 5/6
Super Rocket Radar is a stronger radar that can find headquarters where the Team GO Rocket Boss Giovanni might be. Giovanni will be hiding and there are decoy Grunts that will distract you.
Tasks and rewards
| Tasks | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Find the Team GO Rocket Boss | 2500 Stardust |
| Battle the Team GO Rocket Boss | 1500 XP |
| Defeat the Team GO Rocket Boss | x3 Silver Pinap Berry |
| Stage Rewards |
|
You battled well, %PLAYERNAME%I You’ve done your team leaders—and me—proud. According to my observations, it appears the sender of that mysterious transmission during the Team GO Rocket take-over was not in attendance. There’s someone else calling the shots—someone above Sierra, Cliff, and Arlo.
I’ve improved on my previous invention and put together a Super Rocket Radar that should help you track this mastermind down. If it is who I think it is, he signs all his messages with “G”
Stage 6/6
Tasks and rewards
| Tasks | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Already Complete | 2000 XP |
| Already Complete | 2000 XP |
| Already Complete | 2000 XP |
| Stage Rewards |
|
You’ve put a stop to Team GO Rocket’s plans for the time being and rescued a special Shadow Pokémon. It’s unlikely that Giovanni will give up this easily, so I hope we can rely on you to take down Team GO Rocket members as they appear around your area. Spark, Blanche, and Candela will be on the lookout as well. I’m sure Team GO Rocket will try to hatch another villainous plot soon
If you’re interested in the Pokémon GO lore, Niantic has shared bits and pieces of the story line to with their recent Willow’s Reports series.