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Set Off! You Are Our Ultra Guardians!! (1004)

Zhydra

Master of Chaos!
However its Pokédex entries state that it shows off its muscles but according to its Sun entry, it is unknown if it is a boast or if it is indeed a threat. So that means it may not even be a communication method but it is shown that Ash and Kiawe have bonded with the Buzzwole.

True, but there are three things known about Buzzwole that is a given. Like a mosquito, it less eats things and more drink things. (Like Snorlax!) Its power can pulverize a large truck and as a fighting type... it translates to it getting into a fight with others. The last one is the flexing, why does it flex?

It's an unpopular opinion of mine. (I got a lot of them!) But I like how the anime portrays the UB's in comparison to how everyone views them as. (Scared animal in an alien world, a creature that's mind set is so different that it may not even be aware of the destructive power it can cause. Blacephalon's case it is doing what the data would say it would do in startling people for energy. In comparison to generic aliens that want to destroy everything for potato reasons.)

Nihilego being the only one that is accurate as a 100% threat due to how it is a creature of instinct and only instinct! In addition to it's venom that can really mess your head up. At least the other UB's have a mindset that can be understood, Nihilego has none!
 

Mega Altaria

☆~Shiny hunter▢~
True, but there are three things known about Buzzwole that is a given. Like a mosquito, it less eats things and more drink things. (Like Snorlax!) Its power can pulverize a large truck and as a fighting type... it translates to it getting into a fight with others. The last one is the flexing, why does it flex?

It's an unpopular opinion of mine. (I got a lot of them!) But I like how the anime portrays the UB's in comparison to how everyone views them as. (Scared animal in an alien world, a creature that's mind set is so different that it may not even be aware of the destructive power it can cause. Blacephalon's case it is doing what the data would say it would do in startling people for energy. In comparison to generic aliens that want to destroy everything for potato reasons.)

Nihilego being the only one that is accurate as a 100% threat due to how it is a creature of instinct and only instinct! In addition to it's venom that can really mess your head up. At least the other UB's have a mindset that can be understood, Nihilego has none!
Well this is how I think about the situation. Buzzwole arrives and it is unaware of its surroundings in the new world it has arrived in, which is the world Ash lives in, and hence does not know anyone who lives in Ash's world. As much as everyone perceives it to be a threat, it may perceive the people in Ash's world to be a threat to it because of its unfamiliarity with being in a new world and not knowing anyone in it. However as you know that Buzzwole usually flexes as a pose, it sees Ash and Kiawe flexing on it and it believes that they are like Buzzwole so it becomes friendlier to them and it sees them as less of a threat to the point Ash is more able to catch Buzzwole in a Beast Ball. And since their intention is to return it to its original world it would be even more inclined to be caught and return there because it is more familiar with its original world than with Ash's world.
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
I truthfully like the twerps being given opponents where they actually have to appeal to their personalities and be clever, not another flat antagonist they have no chemistry with and defeat with a couple of attacks. We truthfully need more stuff like this, more opponents for the protagonists to INTERACT with.
 

Zhydra

Master of Chaos!
Well this is how I think about the situation. Buzzwole arrives and it is unaware of its surroundings in the new world it has arrived in, which is the world Ash lives in, and hence does not know anyone who lives in Ash's world. As much as everyone perceives it to be a threat, it may perceive the people in Ash's world to be a threat to it because of its unfamiliarity with being in a new world and not knowing anyone in it. However as you know that Buzzwole usually flexes as a pose, it sees Ash and Kiawe flexing on it and it believes that they are like Buzzwole so it becomes friendlier to them and it sees them as less of a threat to the point Ash is more able to catch Buzzwole in a Beast Ball. And since their intention is to return it to its original world it would be even more inclined to be caught and return there because it is more familiar with its original world than with Ash's world.

Which gives Buzzwole more depth, because of that understanding he found in an alien world, he allowed Ash and gang to help him with his problem.

I truthfully like the twerps being given opponents where they actually have to appeal to their personalities and be clever, not another flat antagonist they have no chemistry with and defeat with a couple of attacks. We truthfully need more stuff like this, more opponents for the protagonists to INTERACT with.

I like the... odd as I can call it, humanization of the UB's portrayed in the Anime. It was the depth that the Looker post game in S/M tried to tell us about, it was what most of the Beasts homeworld showed us in USUM. (Guzzlords is horrible and depressing to where... I will joke if they never address that tiny bit of detail.)
 

Mega Altaria

☆~Shiny hunter▢~
Which gives Buzzwole more depth, because of that understanding he found in an alien world, he allowed Ash and gang to help him with his problem.
That's what I kinda meant by seeing Ash and Kiawe to be like Buzzwole. So Buzzwole is then able to relate more to Ash and Kiawe because of that understanding, which made things a lot easier for the Ultra Guardians.
 

LilligantLewis

Bonnie stan
I wish the other characters other than Ash got the chance to battle.

Yes, it was kind of a joke that when Kiawe showed up, he didn't use one of his two Pokémon. I got excited at that part thinking that Ash and Kiawe were about to tag-battle a UB!

Also, I noticed Kiawe is actually riding a different charizard, not his usual ride.

No, it's the same one, he referred to it as "buddy" and said something like "I didn't expect to see you here," or something.

one has to wonder why Gladion is not an Ultra Guardian, but non-battlers like Mallow, Lana, and Sophocles are.

Wow yeah that is odd..


wow

SS anne two parter came closest but even that was mostly wacky hijinks despite the danger.

The St. Anne was a 3-parter, and it was the first 3-parter in Pokémon history, unless you count catching the 3 starters in 3 consecutive episodes to be a 3-parter. Also, I disagree. Only the Island of the Giant Pokémon was wacky hijinks. All Aboard the St. Anne was a pretty serious episode in terms of Ash freaking out about trading away his Butterfree, and Pokémon Shipwreck was an absolutely terrifying episode to me as a child. I still remember how I felt watching that episode.. one of the furthest episodes from wacky ever.

All of the others have an alien feel, but Poipole looks like it could fit right in.

Totally disagree it looks even more like an alien than Buzzwole does. Its eyes alone give that vibe, before you even look at the rest of its body.

He can't just snag the very first UB he sees you gotta wait for the prize.

Well he already saw Nihilego so this was the second, but I get what you mean and agree with what you said.

I mean the thing is still stuck with Tackle, Peck and Leafage isn't it?

Well, it can use Breakneck Blitz and Bloom Doom, so maybe in this generation it's less important for Pokémon to learn 4 moves of their own as quickly as they did in previous generations because of Z-moves?

So I'm the only one who think this should be a two parter? Because I think this will work better as a two parter.

fully agree, it was too rushed

When exactly did the AF renovate the Pokemon School? More importantly, when exactly did they have the time to renovate the school? That was a little weird to me but it’s Pokemon so I’m not surprised.

Overnights. They're only at school in the daytime. I wasn't surprised at all because in the real world construction projects largely happen overnight (at least near where I live) to minimize the disruption to people's daily schedules.

Can someone tell me how because there is no way they could have done it during the school day without these characters knowing. It makes no sense.

Overnights. You answered your own question when you said during the school day. There's a whole nother part of the day available.

I think this episode should have been a two parter. It seemed like they crammed way too much into this twenty minute episode. The whole episode felt rushed to me from beginning to end, I hope I’m not the only one who thinks this. I definitely think it would have been better off if it was a two parter.

Yes, I agree. I think in fact the limited time might have been the cause of many of the other issues of this episode people have talked about in this thread

And since their intention is to return it to its original world it would be even more inclined to be caught

How would it know their intention?

I truthfully like the twerps being given opponents where they actually have to appeal to their personalities and be clever, not another flat antagonist they have no chemistry with and defeat with a couple of attacks. We truthfully need more stuff like this, more opponents for the protagonists to INTERACT with.

well basically any antagonistic COTD episode ever has featured them figuring out what their opponent really wants and making peace with them rather than defeating with a couple attacks, so it's been played out a lot, I didn't need to see it with a UB! Plus, at least with those COTDs such a plot is more interesting as the COTD can actually talk.
 

xEryChan

Demon Child
Overnights. They're only at school in the daytime. I wasn't surprised at all because in the real world construction projects largely happen overnight (at least near where I live) to minimize the disruption to people's daily schedules.

I guess its different where I am from because I have never seen construction projects occurring at night. They always occur during the day, which is why it made no sense to me. But now that I think about it, it does make sense to me that they renovated the school at night. It’s the only way they could do it without the characters knowing, unless they get time off from school, kinda like how we get vacations where I am from.
 

LilligantLewis

Bonnie stan
I guess its different where I am from because I have never seen construction projects occurring during at night. They always occur during the day, which is why it made no sense to me. But now that I think about it, it does make sense to me that they renovated the school at night. It’s the only way they could do it without the characters knowing, unless they get time off from school, kinda like how we get vacations where I am from.
Let me clarify one thing -- outdoor construction projects largely happen at day where I am as well because they need daylight, but indoor construction/renovations (which is what this is) pretty much always happens at night so that people are not there and will not need that space while the work is happening.
 

Ryu Taylor

Unwavering beliefs. Richter Taylor is my name now.
Good thing that secretly-built elevator to the Ultra Guardian cave had room for the Pokemon, too. And yeah, I think Bewear and Buzzwole are too even for that fight to have been able to properly end. And really, I think it was the best course of action to send Buzzwole back to the Ultra Wormhole.

If anyone ever suspected that TPCi would remove the scene of Buzzwole going Imperfect Cell on Snorlax, I'm happy to inform you all that once again, you made the wrong call. The English dub has that part intact, and therefore, so will all other versions.

Nice to see the script correctly call potions as such. Though I'm not thrilled they kept that stupid "Ult-roger" catchphrase. People need to learn that what may work in one language won't be guaranteed to work in another.

Great idea using that one instrumental remix of Under the Alolan Moon during the takeoff scene. But my God what did Miyazaki do to the Totem Battle theme?! Though I suppose it's better than what he would've done to the more logical choice Mima should've placed over the Pikachu vs Buzzwole battle.

Good way to start this arc.
 

Zhydra

Master of Chaos!
The Disney XD channel got away with Weirdmageddon. (Bill literally unleashing hell on earth!)
So Buzzwole drinking a Snorlax isn't even close to the limit.
 

LilligantLewis

Bonnie stan
I think Bewear and Buzzwole are too even for that fight to have been able to properly end.
I'm frustrated at this because Bewear's strength is totally unexplained. It's ridiculous.
 

Sceptile Leaf Blade

Nighttime Guardian
I'm frustrated at this because Bewear's strength is totally unexplained. It's ridiculous.

Bewear is a gag pokémon, part of the fun is that it is ridiculously over-the-top. It's supposed to be. It's like how you don't explain why the Road Runner is fast in Looney Tunes. That said, I don't really like Bewear actually engaging Buzzwole in this episode. By making it physically struggle in anything it is suddenly grounded in a way and that kind of ruins its magic.
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
well basically any antagonistic COTD episode ever has featured them figuring out what their opponent really wants and making peace with them rather than defeating with a couple attacks, so it's been played out a lot, I didn't need to see it with a UB! Plus, at least with those COTDs such a plot is more interesting as the COTD can actually talk.

Well really it's more like the antagonistic COTD messes with them, Trio intervenes, they team up and the antagonist suddenly gets what they want in the process and makes peace. It's a rather lazy resolve in most cases.
 

LilligantLewis

Bonnie stan
Well really it's more like the antagonistic COTD messes with them, Trio intervenes, they team up and the antagonist suddenly gets what they want in the process and makes peace. It's a rather lazy resolve in most cases.
that's fair, but I feel like you're overgeneralizing this, I'm sure there are examples in Gens V and VI in non-TR episodes where they actually came to an understanding.. I definitely have the feeling that I remember those.
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
that's fair, but I feel like you're overgeneralizing this, I'm sure there are examples in Gens V and VI in non-TR episodes where they actually came to an understanding.. I definitely have the feeling that I remember those.

There might have been, but they were the clear minority. Earlier episodes were maybe a bit more creative (eg. episodes like the Erika one where TR chained things off, but Ash still needed to do something noteworthy besides blasting them off) though by XY they were pretty much a non-stop 'get out of jail free' card for nearly ANYTHING that was remotely complicated or daunting.

I'm just used to the anime dumbing down every feud or dilemma the twerps have to the same old formula of 'Pikachu Thunderbolt!' and maybe the odd 'Dodge!' here and there. I like seeing cases like the UG episodes where they're forced to do something really different and clever.
 

Mega Altaria

☆~Shiny hunter▢~
How would it know their intention?
I think it could be more of its instincts rather than knowing its intentions. Buzzwole would assume they want it to return to its own world, which is their intention. However it is coincidental because I don't think it would know their intentions at all but it would instinctively want to return to its own world.
 

Leonhart

Imagineer
DatsRight said:
I truthfully like the twerps being given opponents where they actually have to appeal to their personalities and be clever, not another flat antagonist they have no chemistry with and defeat with a couple of attacks. We truthfully need more stuff like this, more opponents for the protagonists to INTERACT with.

While I appreciate the change, it makes me a bit sad to see so much chemistry go to waste since we'll likely never see the interactions between Satoshi's group and the Ultra Beasts again.
 

lolipiece

Pictured: what browsing Serebii does to a person
Staff member
Moderator
While I appreciate the change, it makes me a bit sad to see so much chemistry go to waste since we'll likely never see the interactions between Satoshi's group and the Ultra Beasts again.

How can we be so sure? Remember, the Ultra Guardians are helping the Ultra Beasts, not defeating them.

Given that Necrozma has the ability to open wormholes, it could very well be possible that the beasts may return to help once that part of the story occurs.

You know, maybe a "Necrozma is too powerful for our heroes to stop, but the friends they helped before come back to give them an edge in the battle" sort of situation.
 

Rohanator

Well-Known Member
Pokémon Shipwreck was an absolutely terrifying episode to me as a child. I still remember how I felt watching that episode.. one of the furthest episodes from wacky ever.
The episode was full of comedy though. Jessie and James fantasizing about a hot beach only to find themselves literally on fire, Ekans almost causing TR to drown by using Acid on the ship, all the banter between Ash and co and TR, James acting like he was a saviour thanks to buying Magikarp only for it to turn out to be incapable of swimming, zombie TR, even the Gyarados part was kinda humorous thanks to James freaking out. I definitely found it mostly just funny as a kid.
 

Vipsoccermaster

Well-Known Member
A fine episode. Seeing Buzzwole is nice, but the only highlight about it is posting and flexing its muscles, as described by the Pokédex entries. A secret underground base under the Pokémon School was odd, but understandable. As for the Ultra Guardians, they chose the right Pokémon to use, though Kiawe already had his from before. Liked that Lana went with Dragonair.
 
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