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Mission: Defeat Your Rival! (765)

Lorde

Let's go to the beach, each.
I'm glad Ash didn't lose at the beginning of the league. I was sad that Bianca lost to Cameron but I loved the sauna scene with Oshawott, Riolu, and Pikachu.

It was the best scene of the episode imo. But the rest of the episode was horried to be honest. I mean the fact that the Queen B's Emboar lost to Cameron's Riolu just showed how much DEM takes place in these types of tournaments. It's just really sad to see such a great character be taken down in an instant like that.
 

1rkhachatryan

Call me Robert guys

Vipsoccermaster

Well-Known Member
Fine episode. Ash was lucky enough to get through the battle with Trip. And I guess it's nice to see Trip on the good side now. The battle between Bianca and Cameron was alright.
 

Ash&Pikachu-Fan

Pika-Speed
Ooh, I really like this episode! Its also a good way to see a rivalry finish! So this episode continues on from the last.

Anyway, Ash vs Trip was awesome! For sure Ash is going to win but they really kept it super suspenseful, with Pikachu losing to all of Serperior attacks. Its nice after the rival's battles, went to see Ash's. Ooh, I got to say I really like Ash's idea of Pikachu's Electro Iron Tail combo clashing with Dragon Tail! Its so cool! :O

Haha, the sauna scene is funny but I kind of felt bad for Oshawott. So Bianca vs Cameron was good, I like Cameron's idea for the first battle to use Samurott to shake Escavalier's armor! Haha, Emboar using attract on Samurott is funny too! Wow, Cameron's Riolu is actually pretty good at battling but too bad Bianca lost... :/

So its good this episode left at a break, after all those battles. So this episode is good! I'm looking forward to next episode!
 

Orton155

Pokemon Enthusiast
So we pick up from where we left off and the Pikachu battle didn't disappoint in my opinion. Even though it was quite obvious that Ash was going to win, I was totally convinced that they were going to break the mould for a while as I couldn't see a way back but I'm glad to see a return of Ash's combo moves, it reminded me of the Volt Tackle-Iron Tail back at the Sinnoh league. I know people are disappointed the way the battle panned out but it reminded me just how strong and resilient Pikachu is but I slightly agree that I would have preferred more of a tussle between Pikachu and Serperior.

Inbetween, we had a very humourous scene concerning Oshawott, Riolu, Saunas and Pikachu.

We continue to the Main event Round 1 and its Bianca vs Cameron. I thought this battle was ok too, and I didn't expect Bianca to use attract to counter Samurott but overall I thought it was a great battle.

On to the next one! (Excited)
 

WaterDragon trainer

Freak Like Me
This was a pretty good episode. I liked how Trip started to respect Ash after his loss which was something I didn't really get from Paul. Their battle went very well.
 

Joltik-Kid

Careful? Where's the fun in that?
She was too busy teaching emboar attract.
Minccino must have been it's teacher XD

I said this when the episode first aired, but it's apparent Trip didn't raise his Serperior's defenses right, what he did was focus on Serperior's speed to make it evasive and by doing so, when it gets hit by a strong enough move, it will drop.

The tip off was when Trip ordered Serperior to plant it's tail into the ground, yes there have been cases where other pokemon have done the same to negate Pikachu's attacks, however Trip commanded it rather quickly when Ash called for Thunderbolt and if Serperior was truely the defensive force it was supposed to be, it wouldn't have needed to do that. Add in to the fact that back during the last tournament nobody except Alder was able to actually touch the thing, and the point gets nailed further.
That's flawed logic there though because how can you explain any of Ash's Pokemon tanking hits? Ash clearly has stated his strategies rely completely on what Trip did with Serperior, Speed with Power as an added bonus. Ash revolves all his tactics around Pikachu's abilities, the biggest glass cannon and tanker this show offers. The only time Ash has ever induced an actual form of defense was the counter shield, which worked perfectly with his style because it was still offensive in the end. So explain to me, why is it that Pikachu, which has no defensive training to speak of in Unova (or despite the CS, none in the shows existence), can tank blow after blow from Serperior, but Serperior, which you claim also has no defensive training, faints so easily from a resisted combo attack? The answer is you can't other then bad writing, you can't assume that Serperior had lackluster defense based off one defeat to a Champion's Pokemon who had it's attack power raised thanks to Sap Sipper. Also, of coarse Trip was gonna try to avoid damage at all cost in that tournament, Serperior was at a disadvantage in every single battle (3 Fire types and 1 Bug type) till he faced Alder (which was a different form of disadvantage)
 
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RVD_fan

Well-Known Member
For his story with Alder and his journey to decide what kind of trainer he wants to be, you felt like Trip deserved a better fate.
 

Ash&Pikachu-Fan

Pika-Speed
So even though Bianca said she trained for the league, she still never taught her Escavalier a Bug/Steel type move? GENIUS!!!

Well, Iron Defense is a steel type move just not for attacking but more of defense I guess.

Not surprising really, didn't Marlon a water type specialist and gym leader not even use any water type moves against Cameron in his gym battle with him? XD
 

LizardonX

Banned
That's flawed logic there though because how can you explain any of Ash's Pokemon tanking hits? Ash clearly has stated his strategies rely completely on what Trip did with Serperior, Speed with Power as an added bonus. Ash revolves all his tactics around Pikachu's abilities, the biggest glass cannon and tanker this show offers. The only time Ash has ever induced an actual form of defense was the counter shield, which worked perfectly with his style because it was still offensive in the end. So explain to me, why is it that Pikachu, which has no defensive training to speak of in Unova (or despite the CS, none in the shows existence), can tank blow after blow from Serperior, but Serperior, which you claim also has no defensive training, faints so easily from a resisted combo attack? The answer is you can't other then bad writing, you can't assume that Serperior had lackluster defense based off one defeat to a Champion's Pokemon who had it's attack power raised thanks to Sap Sipper. Also, of coarse Trip was gonna try to avoid damage at all cost in that tournament, Serperior was at a disadvantage in every single battle (3 Fire types and 1 Bug type) till he faced Alder (which was a different form of disadvantage)

I feel bad for giving a one word answer to such a huge paragraph but.

Plot.
 

Joltik-Kid

Careful? Where's the fun in that?
Not surprising really, didn't Marlon a water type specialist and gym leader not even use any water type moves against Cameron in his gym battle with him? XD
I guess so, but Water moves weren't the best option to uses against both of Cameron's Pokemon. Then again, apparently using Bullet Seed and Psybeam against Ferrothorn was viable, so I really don't know.

I feel bad for giving a one word answer to such a huge paragraph but.

Plot.
That or as I said, bad writing XD
 

jammiedodger

Active Member
I swear Serperior putting the squeeze on Pikachu would NOT fly by with 4kids. Hell, I'm surprise any censor would let it pass (US wise mostly).

Um...



5th episode.


I really didn't care for the resulting battle between Pikachu and Serperior; I feel that in trying to go a different route by making Ash battle his main rival first for a change, the writing team messed up by making the resulting battle rather poor. The whole thing just felt a little unbelievable, which is a shame.

I don't know if they were trying to make up for justifying Paul being a git in Sinnoh, or what. Trip was an interesting enough rival who deserved a better send-off than this.

There were also some misses in Bianca's battle, but at least it was more satisfying as a whole.
 

Battra

Well-Known Member
Welp that battle was lackluster, nice to see the writer's still coming up with deus ex machina's to get Pikachu and Ash out corners in which they'd actually lose, cause heaven forbid we actually have a season were Ash washes out first round. Oh and the idiot savant once again get writer's luck because the production staff just fawns over him.
 

squrtle

Dance with the Enemy
Ash VS Trip was essentially a remake of Pikachu VS Onix from Showdown In Pewter City.
The writers can't fool anypony, they remade the battle just with Pikachu dying more. I did nearly cry seeing Pikachu all purple like that... I could go on and on and on about how wrong it was that Pikachu was being god-damned choked to death, but I won't.
I loved the episode, but with the over-emphasis of tournaments in this series, it just felt like another tournament...
6/10
 

moneylesswario

Gone But Not Forgotten
This was awful, bad enough Trip went out so early, but then he goes out in the most anti-climactic manner possible. No Static activation, nothing, just 1hko after Serperior almost beat it. Also, "OPEN YOUR EYES!" What for? So it can see its demise? Seriously, what was the point of it having to open its eyes?

~mlfan05
 
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squrtle

Dance with the Enemy
This was awful, bad enough Trip went out so early, but then he goes out in the most anti-climactic manner possible. No Static activation, nothing, just 1hko after Serperior almost beat it. Also, "OPEN YOUR EYES!" What for? So it can see its demise? Seriously, what was the point of it having to open its eyes?

~mlfan05
The leagues are getting worse and worse I reckon.
Indigo was great, I loved Richie, he was like another Ash, but different. It was wonderful.
Johto was incredible, Ash VS Gary five years in the making, I actually think this was the best league so far. Plus Blaziken and Kecleon. Wow.
Hoenn was fun, I loved Tyson and Morrison, two of my favourite characters in the entire show.
Sinnoh was alright... Darkrai and Latios was a bit much, they just wanted Ash to get car-parked so they could resolve the Paul thing. I actually think Paul was up there with Gary.
Unova is HORRIBLE. So many lovable rivals and so much potential. I won't spoil it for anyone who only knows what happens by the dub, but everyone I know was unhappy with the turn-out.
Good news is even though Virgil never had Sylveon, there's an Eevee episode coming up that I hope he appears in with Sylveon.
 

the1stpkmnfan

Your Big Buff Bro
No need to say anymore; the Unova League started off lackluster, and it doesn't seem like it'll have the chance to get any better. What bugs me now is that Ash VS was at the very last part of League Episode 1, and ended in the early part of League Episode 2. Which sucks. Can't even count this for a full length episode; nearly just about half of one episode.
 
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