Summer camp continues as Ash & Co. participate in yet another event on their quest to make it into the Summer Camp Hall of Fame. The campers are tasked with navigating the area in a Pokemon Orienteering competition. It's a dead heat between Team Froakie (Ash & Co.) and Team Squirtle (Tierno, Shauna, and Trevor) before Bonnie and Pikachu wander off in the fog, leaving the two teams to work together to find them.
The highlight of the episode is the climactic action scene in which Ash crosses a ravine with Bonnie on his back while jumping across a pack (herd? school? gang? I dunno) of Drifblim! It's all very exciting until I started thinking with my big boy mind and realized that the rescue didn't require such a risky procedure--it all could've been accomplished with some Vine Whipping from Chespin and Bulbasaur. But hey, we need some action somewhere.
Even though it wasn't meant to be funny, I got a kick out of Ash telling Clemont that he's better at this whole action business. Like "yeah Clemont it is your sister that needs the saving but you aren't exactly built for the action like I am." I dunno, felt like Ash gave Clemont the ol' sandbag there haha. But Ash isn't wrong--he has certainly become a daredevil of sorts, especially in the XY saga. Ash has always been a brave soul but now the writers are really trying to tout him as an awesome action hero, and I gotta say they're doing a pretty good job of it.
Not much else to say here. I've taken a liking to Team Squirtle--they seem like a quality bunch of kids and they're not annoying (that's a plus in my book). These camp episodes have been good so far--the first one and this one were a bit on the boring side but still solid, and the second one was great. Here's to hoping the fourth one tops them all.
Grade: B-
Side Note: Guess we're gonna ignore the fact that Ash & Co. have seen Xerneas before? Argh, I hate the whole "non-canon" thing with these Pokemon movies. Bulbapedia claims that they're all canon but I don't think there's been a certifiably canon movie since the first one...but correct me if I'm wrong! I'd like to know.