Showdown in Pewter City (005)

[DaMike52]

It was ok. The gym battle wasn't spectacular but its the 90's. Brock was actually cool in this one.

[Green_Cat_Assassin]

I loved the whole back story for brock and his father. good stuff. you just dont see episodes like this now a days. now you see harley the flamboyant cactus boy. big flippin whoop.

[Korobooshi Kojiro]

Harley >>>>> Brock.

It's truth.

[LavenderFairy51]

This was Ash's first gym battle. Brock. He look's like my bro. Well.......maybe a little I think. Sorry master cyndaquil.

[Battra]

Alright 1st appearance of Brock in the series and what an episode we also get Ashes 1st gym battle and Pikachu getting supercharged. I really like "Gym Leader" Brock he got attitude and when we first see him he's very intimidating. Nice first gym battle for Ash even if he won on a with a little bit of luck but at least he wants to win on his own strength. Grats to Ash for wining his first badge and gaining a new friend.

[THE ONE THE ONLY...AIPOM]

Loved this the debut of brock,and pikachu defeating onix and geodude with electric attacks

[Chibbichan]

Brock was introduced well. Although i didn't get the bit that Brock went on the journey with Ash and Misty just by Ash beating him. I liked Brock's father when he was Hidden (Flint) all mysterious.

[Hooray4Homestar]

Brock was a lot different in his debut than he is currently. I think I liked his personality back then more than I do now.

[mifune]

Brock had a great backstory, and although Ash technically didn't win the badge, it did show that having good character can win out.

[pokemon fan 132]

This was a very good episode.We for the first time saw Brock in pokemon series,and it was interesting to learn something about his past and family.Also,it was very interesting to see how Ash managed to win against Brock rock types using electric attacks from supercharged Pikachu,thought the Onix lost because he was weakened by sprinklers.Overall a nice episode to introduce Brock in the series.

[(s.i.e)]

that onix sure was a brute, he almost squished pikachy there
9/10, it was a good episode.

[hydrojames]

Only bad thing about this episode is Brock just giving Ash the badge!

[hydrojames]

Brock has to look after 9 children, that must be a handful!

[Tadashi]

Oh, I loved this episode! I felt bad for Pikachu being practically squeezed to death by Onix... and it was so cool how Ash climbed that water wheel to boost its electricity...

Favorite moment was when Brock said, "Your Pikachu is in its cutest stage... it can't win." Heh, Pikachu was really shy back then, wasn't it?

[dagon22]

I think it would have been cool if he had won in some other way, instead of pulling off the electric attacks affecting ground pokemon. Even when wet, it shouldn't have worked. But that's watter under the bridge. Meeting Brock for the first time was cool. Hearing his story was cool, espically after hearing that his mom was dead, and then meeting her years latter.

[PenguinBeam]

Ah, the debut of Brock...He really was a lot different in his first appearance. His character has a much more serious and intimidating nature in this episode. Brock probably just lightened up as he traveled with Ash. I guess when you're a gym leader, you try to stay as strong and intimidating as possible.

This was a good episode. A part I particularly liked was when Ash refuses to accept Misty's offer to let him borrow some of her water Pokemon; this reminds me of when my friend was trying to beat the Pokemon League and I offered to let him borrow my level 100 Empoleon. He told me that he'd rather do it with his own Pokemon, and that reminded me so much of this episode.

I usually don't like it when gym leaders just hand the badge over to Ash without really defeating the Pokemon, but this one I don't mind so much. I mean, if you think about it, Ash took what was happening into his advantage. He was thinking on his feet.

The major problem I have with this episode, however, was the in the dub when they said Brock's mom died. And then years later, she appears well and alive, confusing many American fans of the show.

[npdargy312]

I found it really unbelievable that Pikachu could beat Brock.

[Igottapoo]

I love this episode. I hate how Pikachu can defeat ground Pokemon and how he got a badge for no reason but meh. Good episode.

[Raikipper]

I love this episode. I hate how Pikachu can defeat ground Pokemon and how he got a badge for no reason but meh. Good episode.

I wouldn't say that he got it for no reason. Yes, this was the first in the long Kanto-based line of what have been affectionately dubbed Ash's "pity badges", but in this instance it didn't really bother me. The Gym Battles are as much a test of the trainer's character as they are the strength of their pokemon, and I think that Ash demonstrated here that he had what it takes to be a noble and pure-hearted trainer, through refusing to win by unfair means, and also showing consideration for the pokemon of both parties. Maybe by the time we got to Celadon City and the writers were still trying to manufacture methods for Ash to receive a badge without actually having to defeat his opponent in battle, it was getting a little tiresome. Here, I thought that it was quite a sweet and valuable little sentiment, one which set Ash (and Brock) up quite nicely for the road ahead.

The episode itself is probably one of my favourites of the early episodes. It was a good introduction to Brock, who happens to my favourite of Ash's posse, illustrating both his prowess as a trainer, and his kind and brotherly side as a character. True, the dub messed up big time with that "Brock's poor mother has passed away" amendment - which, as we all know, would later come back to kick them in the butt big time by the time "Chronicles" rolled around - but back in the height of my Poke-fandom, this had yet to be proven an issue. Also, as much as I love Team Rocket, I did appreciate how this episode managed to keep their input to a minimum - they didn't naturally fit into the main narrative, and it's good that the episode didn't try to force them regardless, with a lame, distracting attempt to steal Brock's pokemon, or whatnot. Later episodes could've learned a lot from this one in that regard.

[Sonic15]

Now this is what Team rocket should always be! A little comedy scene at the beginning of the show would be perfect for every episode. I would like them so much more if they were always like this.... too bad that won't happen.
Anyway, another thing I like about this episode is the way brock battles. Even before the episode he was cool, attempting to smash Ash with giant bolders. Why couldn't Roark do that?
I didn't mind this pity badge that much, but 1 was enough. He didn't need more.