Cynthia is arguably the most iconic final boss in the history of the Pokémon video games. In her first appearance in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, the final boss fight against Cynthia was generally regarded as the most difficult in the series’ history up to that point.

To take it up a notch, she was a secret boss battle in Pokémon Black and White and further increased the difficulty when doing so. Most recently, in Diamond and Pearl remakes Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Cynthia’s OG roster was brought back.

It was thus expected that the Special Art Rare (SAR) version of the Cynthia’s Ambition card from the Pokémon TCG set VSTAR Universe [S12a] set became a coveted pull.

This card’s Full Art illustration depicts the Sinnoh region’s best Trainer exploring the Celestic Ruins—a reference to the fact that Cynthia is an archeologist. She’s shown here with her West Sea Gastrodon, a Pokémon on her roster in Diamond and Pearl as well as their eighth-generation remakes. The card’s holofoil adds to its visual appeal, making it appear as though light is streaming down towards the floor of the ruins.

While it’s true that almost every Full Art illustration card depicting a female character garners much fan appeal, this Cynthia’s Ambition card still stands out in this regard. Cynthia holds a very specific appeal to a particular subsection of Pokémon fans even among the target demographic (those who know will understand).

Additionally, the release of the Pokémon Legends: Arceus video game has further elevated Cynthia’s status within the fanbase. This is because two characters in the game, Volo and Cogita, are Cynthia’s ancestors from centuries before the events of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. Finally, the nostalgia factor derived from her status in the Pokémon video games is in play as well.

The English version of this card is card GG60/GG70 from the Crown Zenith set.

The latest figures show that a Cynthia’s Ambition (VSTAR Universe [S12a] 239/172) card has a price of 8,500 JPY (~US$56).

In other TCG-related news, check out the Yamato card from Kingdoms of Intrigue [OP-04]. Alternatively, you can also head over to the SNKRDUNK App via the banner below and find the top trending and latest single cards and boxes.