Fighting Fear with Fear (553)

[JohnLee]

I loved the animation in this episode. Especially the night scenes with the moon! Gary is a true friend indeed. It was nice to see him offer his help to improve Gligar's battling skills. I love gliscor!

[KGB13]

It was nice to see Gary again and it was nice of him to give Ash the Razor Fang to evolve Gligar. I'm also happy Ash made Gligar work for his evolution instead of just evolving him on the spot. Overall this was a good episode.

[_Taidow_]

After watching this episode again, I love the fact that Staravia put on Ash's backpack! Very cute lol.

[Willow's Tara]

I liked this episode too, pretty cool. Nice that Gligar evolved I like Gliscor more really. Although it does seem odd it forgot all about it's fears thought, I guess Ash really helped it with that.
Staravia was cute carrying Ash's bag too, nice to see Gary and Umbreon as well.

[wind21]

We know how Sinnoh is going to end now. So many things have happened over the last 48 hours, that I don't really know where to start or how I feel about everything. A little sad, for sure, and a little drained. And I want to really applaud Sinnoh for everything, especially now that I can how it's going to end. And well, just say thanks. There were many times during my first two years in college where this show was really the brightest moment of the day, so it's never going to be something I'll forget. Sinnoh Ash, Dawn, and Brock really feel like my friends, you know? It'll be tough to see it end (although Dawn and Brock didn't always act the way I would have liked; Sinnoh Ash has been incredible), along with the summer. I knew Sinnoh was going to be all but over this summer, and it was really something I was looking forward to enjoy as much as I can from as early as the last 2 weeks before vacation started. My last semester didn't end so well, so again, thanks to the dp anime and tennis for helping me get away from that, and experience some really important moments in these 2 worlds.

Last night, I was thinking about just doing two more reviews, and well, today the last 2 episodes of Sinnoh were revealed. I'm a little bit of a believer in fate, and so, 2 is the right number. At least for this summer. I know that, if I pick up from there at Christmas, there won't be any interest in these, and I understand that. Not that there's too much interest in them right now, and I also understand that.

Okay, I skipped Ash's 4th gym battle, which is the blandest one of the lot. Again, for people who have watched Ash from Kanto onwards, Ash having problems with his Pokemon due to pride issues is not something that's going to get my interest; Ash has handled that many, many times. Fortunately, Sinnoh has had Chimchar's training as its saving grace, but I also have really liked Gliscor's training as well because of the contrast in the personalities of Gligar and Ash, at least in the beginnning. Gligar is a teary-eyed pokemon at heart who doesn't quite understand how tough mentally a pokemon needs to be in battle; and Ash has little tolerance for that. But Dawn and Brock sympathize with Gligar, and so Ash finds himself a little on the defensive when trying to train Gligar. Gary comes along, and things get even worse for Ash, as Gligar believes Gary will have the perfect solution, and Dawn and Brock urge Ash to accept Gary's help. Ash wants no part in all of this, since he believes he's a very good trainer himself and knows what he's doing, but he gives in. Gary rubs it in Ash's face that Ash doesn't understand how to train Gligar when Ash answers that all Gligar needs to do is concentrate to get over its problems, saying that if Gligar had more confidence in the power of its moves (like Steel Wing), then there's no reason for it be afraid. Ash can only just grit his teeth, as again both Dawn and Brock are quite impressed with Gary. But Ash is the one who's right (although he doesn't say anything; and for Sinnoh Ash, that's pretty in character for him): Gligar is still too afraid to attack. Gary then proposes evolution for Gligar and gives Ash the necessary item. Ash accepts it, but he also puts down his foot here. Gligar will not evolve unless it can battle properly. Instant power is no substitue for hard work. I think Ash is showing a great deal of maturity here (but it's also why his relationships with his pokemon in training them have not been as interesting this region for most of his pokemon; he's just too experienced now for there to be any doubt that he won't be able to handle things).

Ash and Gligar are kidnapped by Team Rocket, and our hero and his pokemon have to wait until nighttime when Jessie, James, and Meowth fall asleep before they get a chance to escape. Gligar tries out an X-scissor on the cage, but the bar doesn't break, resulting in Gligar hurting itself. As it starts to get teary-eyed, Ash does something that really sets him apart; he recognizes he needs to set an example, and so he lowers his should and rams into the bar, hurting himself in the process. But he makes sure he shows no sign of despair and acts like this is nothing; he rams the bar again. And Gligar finally understands then. It's a really neat moment, b/c it shows not only Ash's hands-on training, but also how Gligar is really a pokemon just for Ash. At the very beginning of Sinnoh, if you remember, there was an episode where Brock and his Bonsly, as well as a Nuzleaf, were captured by Team Rocket. Bonsly and Nuzleaf were put in a cage; and when Team Rocket let their guard down, Brock snuck over and ordered Bonsly to try to break the cage. Bonsly gave it a shot, but it failed, and started crying. Brock was able to convice Bonsly to try again by saying he believed in Bonsly, and Bonsly succeeded, resulting in an evolution (funny how being captured by TR and evolution seem to go together!). So, I can understand why Brock takes the viewpoint he does when he advised Ash not to be too harsh on Gligar back at the beginning of the episode. But Gligar is a different type of pokemon, and Ash recognizes that. Words won't due in this case as Brock says, and instant power isn't the way to go as Gary offers. What Gligar really needs to see is its trainer not only saying that mental toughness is needed, but also showing it. And that's right in line with Ash's hands on training. So... that makes Dawn, Reggie, Electabuzz, Zoey, and now Gligar as Sinnoh pokemon/people who have learned to respect or repected right away the type of trainer Ash is. Gary is also nice at the end, saying that Ash was the one who really got Gligar along. I loved Ash's reaction, saying "If you say so" with a smile. I get the feeling Ash felt this way, regardless, but he's happy to hear Gary say so as well. Ash has come a little ways since Gary's last appearance, hasn't he? I think Ash was much more in control this time when he saw how Dawn and Brock were impressed with Gary's reasoning and aura. And...Ash was right about how to solve Gligar's real problem, not Gary or Brock.

Gligar is the one of Ash's pokemon that Dawn really connects to the most (outside of Buizel, for obvious reasons). I think it's b/c they both are a little similar in the way they thought battles/contests were easier than they turned out to be.

[Painkiller2001]

Yay..

And how!

Holy moly, is Gliscor huge!
Maybe she just looks that big because of how she's holding Ash.

[Antiyonder]

Now I'm not begrudging Ash for scolding Gligar. He's only human after all, but man did he sound like Paul for that moment.

Again, not complaining. It made for an interesting moment, but you'd think that Ash would acknowledge that. Or be called out on it by Brock or Dawn.

[Lance The Champ]

I want to see a battle between Ash's gliscor and Paul's Gliscor

[G50]

This episode was good. It was cool to see Gary again, glad he decided to give Ash a Razor Fang. It was cool to see a Razor Fang for the 1st time. I felt Ash was very harsh with Gligar when it kept running away from battling every time they were trying to battle. Interesting how Gligar was completely terrified of Flying/heights. It was cool that Gary was trying to really help Ash out. I'm glad Ash eventually threw the Razor Fang to Gligar so it could evolve into Gliscor. I'm glad Gliscor still sticks its tongue out like before.

80/100