VS Cynthia! Iris' Road to Dragon Master (1206)

[Sham]

99x winning streak

Winning a tournament and beating Ash’s Pikachu wins and defeating Drayden’s ace

First Pokémon defeating Cynthia’s Pokémon on screen that defeated Aaron’s ace

best starter

 

[cricketlaxwolvesbandy]

99x winning streak

Winning a tournament and beating Ash’s Pikachu wins and defeating Drayden’s ace

First Pokémon defeating Cynthia’s ace on screen that defeated Aaron’s

GOAT
Stan Excadrill. Such a cool Pokémon

 

[Sham]

GOAT
Stan Excadrill. Such a cool Pokémon

He truly is the best designed Unova Pokémon (and up there in general) along with Haxorus.

He’s pretty great in competitve and awesome in game.

 

[SkyBlaze9125]

After watching Haxorus v M Garchomp. The clash show that they were about even because neither seem tired after their clash of Dragon Claw v Psycho Cut.

However I do have a q about the final clash? Why did Iris have Haxorus shoot Dragon Pulse up? For dramatic effect? Why didn’t he try to shoot straight at Garchomp?

 

[Sham]

After watching Haxorus v M Garchomp. The clash show that they were about even because neither seem tired after their clash of Dragon Claw v Psycho Cut.

However I do have a q about the final clash? Why did Iris have Haxorus shoot Dragon Pulse up? For dramatic effect? Why didn’t he try to shoot straight at Garchomp?

Haxorus isn’t a fast Pokémon. In fact Draco Meteor is pretty much never fully dodged in the anime and sometimes a finisher move like Gible in the Conway battle.

Flint’s Infernape had the ability of dodging it because he’s really fast (as Pikachu in XY against Grant) so as a way of countering it, Haxorus improvised his move and stretched it so it could destroy each rock individually and the first Draco Meteor he used Outrage

 

[Sham]

 

[Ragnarok4]

Although Alain seems to be the weakest member of the Masters Tournament, I like how the marketing and production team give him love and continues to be promoted everywhere , I think being among the best Eight Trainers in the world it's a flawless achievement. I mean being stronger than people like Rahian is a champion level achievement in itself.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1551342105439752195

 

[cricketlaxwolvesbandy]

Although Alain seems to be the weakest member of the Masters Tournament, I like how the marketing and production team give him love and continues to be promoted everywhere , I think being among the best Eight Trainers in the world it's a flawless achievement. I mean being stronger than people like Rahian is a champion level achievement in itself.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1551342105439752195

Alain’s should say Kalos League runner up

 

[Sham]

The sequence of Cynthia Mega Evolving was so cool and probably the best


Edit: Clearly not the only person

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1551640676886093824

 

[vondecayle]

It was an awesome battle! Gastrodon vs Excadrill is one of my favorites from this tournament. The whole atmosphere created by rain dance with the help of the music was amazing! Then, when Excadrill is defeated, the realization that one of Iris ace’s is down makes you think that this is not just one silly junior cup. It was great to see Iris as the champion of Unova!

Cynthia’s pokemon were terrifying. Not just her garchomp. The way gastrodon took those hits and just stood there. And Milotic took two pokemon down like it was nothing. Finally Garchomp, having the intro of a legend and finishing with that menacing glare. The shot of his face made me feel like I was watching a monster from some other anime.

 

[SerGoldenhandtheJust]

Thoughts after watching it subbed:

- The preview for this episode with the meta joke of Meowth saying "These awful memories" lmao when debating where they remember the champion of Unova from XD Love that dig
- Any notions of Cynthia going easy on Iris or not using her full potential is thrown right out the window and falsified since Cynthia literally says she wont go easy on Iris, glad they included that
- TR saying Iris should come thank them sometime for training her up made me laugh so hard!! TR were AMAZING in this episode and it was nice to see them cheer for homegirl
-Lol once again to those who tried to claim Iris didnt beat Alder in a battle/didnt battle to get her champion title and just got it. Those Iris episode arguments was so freaking funny because they were in such denial that Iris is champion
-Haxorus makes me beam so much in this episode man! It going from a timid crybaby to being described as fearless was peak character development, it charging into those draco meteors compared to its past as being a crybaby is just chef's kiss, really brings it standing upto Garchomp as an axew back in BW full circle
- Hop going "What the hell is up with you Satoshi" after learning Ash knows freaking everyone was hilarious! The meta moment was so well done
- Still salty cameron virgil and burgundy werent in the BW cameo group, esp when there was space for them
- Garchomp was a beast this episode. People saying Haxorus went toe to toe with Garchomp and almost pushed it to its limits....yeah no. Garchomp was unfazed this episode, which IS GOOD. They manage to both hype up Haxorus and show its and Iris's strength as top tier trainer while showing Garchomp as a beast as it went head on head with Haxorus is good writing and how it should be done
- Im still happy the One hit KO thing was included in the episode, it was cool to see it being utilised, but man it does really feel they rushed to get to Garchomp vs Haxorus
- Overall, I think I prefer Lance vs Diantha over Iris vs Cynthia. It was better paced even though the climax of this episode was better!
- Goh being there in the end scene was so overhated for no damn reason. He is Iris's friend too and the purpose was to introduce the segway to get Iris to join Goh and Hop in the stands
- Alain praising Iris and hyping her up whenever the others praised Cynthia, "This battle could still go either way" was fun. Man I really love JN for giving stuff such as Alain commenting on Iris's battle against Cynthia as Steven, Leon and Diantha engage him. So surreal

You know, knowing that Cynthia wants to retire after this tournament, this episode is very telling. Suddenly so many of Cynthia's looks and glances this episode seem foreboding and it makes sense why she would finally reveal her Mega evolution this time in the tournament. No I do not think in any way she does it because she has to or otherwise she would lose, but rather because she recognises and respects Iris's strength and wants to go all out, and in general wants to experience the most thrill she can with battles in her final ever battling spree!



Man, this episode was wonderful even if I feel the previous's episodes battle was better. Iris being a Champion still feels surreal despite that previous Iris JN episode, and to see her champion status asserted is cathartic! Seeing how strong she and Haxorus is, Haxorus REALLY is a show stealer and worthy of being ace. Its so heartwarming to see Axew's unlimited potential on full display finally as it became a beast. In general the best of Iris shines here and Im really glad JN did justice to her storyline after her dumbass BW ending with losing to Clair. Dragonite still losing does sting a bit, and I do wish her Garchomp or sixth pokemon was used instead but its also kinda poetic to have her main three battle instead for the worlds biggest tournament.

10/10 episode despite its flaws, its so satisfactory

 

[Sham]

Garchomp was a beast this episode. People saying Haxorus went toe to toe with Garchomp and almost pushed it to its limits....yeah no. Garchomp was unfazed this episode, which IS GOOD. They manage to both hype up Haxorus and show its and Iris's strength as top tier trainer while showing Garchomp as a beast as it went head on head with Haxorus is good writing and how it should be done


You know, knowing that Cynthia wants to retire after this tournament, this episode is very telling. Suddenly so many of Cynthia's looks and glances this episode seem foreboding and it makes sense why she would finally reveal her Mega evolution this time in the tournament. No I do not think in any way she does it because she has to or otherwise she would lose, but rather because she recognises and respects Iris's strength and wants to go all out

Lillie is the monarch and defeating Garchomp so it doesn’t matter.

This kinda comes out as a thinly veiled response to make Cynthia seem like this strong girl boss who can’t be touched yet somehow saying Iris did great

I’d argue this against any character be down played with gimmicks. You would not be saying “Diantha didn’t need Mega Evolution she would have won anyway with no struggle”.

I’m also not sure was this at me but when I said this part about it going “toe to toe”.

“The out of respect” thing makes no sense and just seems like a huge cope.

No matter how much she wanted to please Iris, it makes no sense for the show to say Iris was the first push she pulled it out for.

Cynthia even says she’s doing everything to reach the top and test her potential yet wasted her secret weapon that could get her there?

And did Iris feel more respected? Nothing in the show said otherwise. She cried because she lost and wasn’t expecting that

She outright exposes her secret weapon to Ash and Leon who should be “more worthy of it being used. I don’t care how much Cynthia likes Iris, exposing your secret weapon you’ve never used on an opponent is a fools game.

 

[SerGoldenhandtheJust]

Lillie is the monarch and defeating Garchomp so it doesn’t matter.

This kinda comes out as a thinly veiled response to make Cynthia seem like this strong girl boss who can’t be touched yet somehow saying Iris did great

I mean this episode makes it very clear Cynthia is NOT some unstoppable girl boss who can't be touched, Iris does manage to beat two of her mons and give Garchomp a fight. Rather it was to show full power Cynthia, despite being given a great fight by Iris, is still a step above in strength, which builds her up well for Ash

I’d argue this against any character be down played with gimmicks. You would not be saying “Diantha didn’t need Mega Evolution she would have won anyway with no struggle”.

I mean it's hard to gauge that as we really never see Diantha using base Gardevoir in JN, and based on XY yeah base gardevoir seemed weak so Id say Diantha needed ME coz of that, but I have no update of that in regards to JN powerscaling
Plus, I believe it is a fault not to master a gimmick, Iris can easily master one and I kinda see her dragon bond being that like Ash's bond phenomenon. Id like for her to seek out gimmicks to power herself more in the future, specifically Z moves coz of that connection with Ash and how well it suits her

I’m also not sure was this at me but when I said this part about it going “toe to toe”.

Na na this wasnt at you, Twitterati stans were the audience.

“The out of respect” thing makes no sense and just seems like a huge cope.

No matter how much she wanted to please Iris, it makes no sense for the show to say Iris was the first push she pulled it out for.

Cynthia even says she’s doing everything to reach the top and test her potential yet wasted her secret weapon that could get her there?

And did Iris feel more respected? Nothing in the show said otherwise. She cried because she lost and wasn’t expecting that

She outright exposes her secret weapon to Ash and Leon who should be “more worthy of it being used. I don’t care how much Cynthia likes Iris, exposing your secret weapon you’ve never used on an opponent is a fools game.

To each their own, for me based on Cynthia's dialouges it seems clear she is going all out against Iris because she respects her strength. And I definitely don't think it was a close call of Mega Garchomp almost losing to Haxorus, Garchomp was given hell of a fight but not quite so close to being pushed to its absolute limit.
As for Base Garchomp again, the same powerscaling argument comes and I personally do think Base Garchomp still would beat Haxorus even if it takes more damage. All in all, I dont think Cynthia needed to mega evolve to win as in it was mega evolution only that granted her the victory and otherwise Iris would have beat her

Considering it's the last tournament of her life, she is against a prodigy she herself gave invaluable advice to in the past and witnessed her growth to a top tier trainer she respects, I think it makes perfect sense for her to go all out. Needing to keep it a secret for the next rounds doesnt really seem like a strat Cynthia would cling to

And Im sure Iris felt respected even if she cried, because she still lost. It doesnt need to be one or the other

 

[Sham]

WHAT IS THIS. THE ELEVATOR MUSIC. WHY DOES IT SOUND LIKE THEYRE READING FROM A SCRIPT

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1601680938802753537

 

[Sham]

How is it possible the dub made this tournament EVEN WORSE. They literally sound like they want to clock out and go home. Literally compare Cynthia’s voice in DP and now.

 

[Pokegirl Fan~]

How is it possible the dub made this tournament EVEN WORSE. They literally sound like they want to clock out and go home. Literally compare Cynthia’s voice in DP and now.

Tpci's incompetence is showing again, just like the extra 16 episode thing that they deleted.

 

[Sham]

Tpci's incompetence is showing again, just like the extra 16 episode thing that they deleted.

Exactly. This sounds crazy and the worse part is that they’re literally changing the script back and forth to the point where the context is even different.

Ed Goldfarb needs to be on unemployment at this point. He had one job.

 

[Pokegirl Fan~]

Exactly. This sounds crazy and the worse part is that they’re literally changing the script back and forth to the point where the context is even different.

I really wish 4kids was revived so that they could take back the dub

 

[Sham]

I really wish 4kids was revived so that they could take back the dub

Right. Least in OS-DP they actually made music you wouldn’t even tell was from the dub. I’m still shock to date that Paul’s guitar theme is a dub creation.

The fact they took

Aiming for your dreams!
Mid air battle!
Big trouble!
I can’t lose!

And replaced it with waiting room music is a crime against humanity

 

[Almighty Zard]

i wonder who iris new VA is? I wasn't expecting that.