Should disobedient Pokemon be disqualified from official battles?

[matt0044]

I found a thread on Bulbagarden that really gave me food for thought:

In the anime, we have seen many Pokémon be disobedient to their trainers. However, should there be a line drawn in terms of a Pokémon not listening to its trainer in an official battle like a Pokémon League/Gym Battle, Contest/Grand Festival or a smaller tournament like Don George or the Junior World Cup?

I mean in some battles it is possible for an out of control Pokémon to actually do more harm than good in terms of beating the opponent. In some instances, it is possible for bystanders to actually get hurt during the battle.

Remember Mamoswine being tossed into the Judges’ booth during the contest battle between Dawn and James dressed up as Jesselina in the DP series?

Luckily, the audience wasn’t hurt during Dragonite’s outburst after being hit from Dragon Claw because that rampage could have really did some damage. Like Infernape’s Blaze during the 8th gym match in DP it nearly destroyed the arena with its Flamethrower.

Charizard napping caused Ash to lose in the Indigo League so that is one example of a league not taking disobedient Pokemon lightly. However, that battle with Richie was basically a free for all with neither trainer really giving commands save for Butterfree using Sleep Powder on Squirtle.

So, what do you think should a trainer be disqualified because their Pokemon doesn’t listen to it?

Minus attacks like Thrash, Outrage, etc. that “naturally” cause a Pokemon to act out of control.

And I'm inclined to agree with him. Hell, the only reason this isn't so in the actual Anime is because (all together now) the writers says so.

So what are your thoughts on all this?

And if you have a burning hatred for Bulbagarden, DON'T BRING IT UP! NOT EVEN CROSSED OUT!

[Necro101]

Well I think that first of all, trainers should be able to control the Pokemon and it's moves before putting it in an important battle. I think that disqualifying the trainer and the Pokemon would be harsh in some scenarios. Like if you use a move that creats an out of control effect like outrage, the trainer should be able to regain control of the Pokemon. If not, then he should be disqualified. If the pokemon gets out of control for no reason the trainer should have a limited amount of time to regain control of its pokemon. If he does not succeed disqualification. The trainer should not say awhhh it's all right that you got out of control when the Pokemon nearly destroyed and/or nearly kills someone. So it's the Pokemon and the trainers fault if they get out of control more than once. Anyway, I hope this helps.

RAWK ON

[An00bis]

Only under two circumstances.

1. If the Pokemon's disobedience leaves the Pokemon unable to fight. Charizard napping (at least one other Pokemon was DQ'd for falling asleep I remember), a Pokemon leaving the arena, Emolga purposely switching out with Volt Switch, if a Pokemon knocks itself out in confusion or an angry fit.

2. If the Pokemon seriously injuries a Pokemon or Person with their rampage. Not only Dragonite but when Tyson's Meowth went into a fit of rage and kept trying to attack Persian after knocking it out.

[ConUxie223]

I kinda be inclined to disagree with him. A Trainer shouldnt be disqualified from an official battle because they cant get their Pokemon to obey them at the moment.. Pokemon battles are meant for a Trainer to bond with their Pokemon in the anime not to just battle and win like in the games -_- When a person battles with a disobdient Pokemon and are aware of the fact they obivously are trying their best to bond with them. But some butthurt fans are still mad about Iris and Dragonite from the WTJC so thats most likely why this statement was made. Notice how no one complained when disobdient Charzaird beat Blaine..

[Umbilical Noose]

Every moment you mentioned has different explanation but talking about most recent one, do you really think people could have got hurt when there are two champions sitting there watching the battle? If they really thought that battle is going out of hand then they would have controlled it ignoring the fact that Champions like Cynthia don't usually participate in such manner.

Overall I am not sure about this whole disobedience stuff. Nobody ever got hurt badly due to these Pokemon. The worst I can remember is Ash's hand getting burned while rubbing Charizard which actually was the after effect of its disobedience action.

And then there is Reason Behind Disobedience clause. What if the trainer is trying to boost its Pokemon's confidence? In the start of BW Excadrill was not listening to Iris due to some sort of inferiority complex. If Iris had sent it in battle at that time then disqualifying it at that time would have been unfair.

at least one other Pokemon was DQ'd for falling asleep I remember

That was Ash's Squirtle in the same battle. Though the whole sleep thing was not out of disobedience but because of Butterfree's Sleep Powder.

[DMerle]

Officially; No I can't see it happening.

Unofficially: Yeah, the writers shouldn't include it too often.

[DawnBoy]

Tbh, I think it depends on if the disobedient Pokemon is willing to battle or not.

[pokemonsquared]

Ash's charizard disqualified itself so i suppose there's a clause in there that says if it battles, then its okay but if the pokemon slacks off and refuses to fight then its a DQ

[matt0044]

Overall I am not sure about this whole disobedience stuff. Nobody ever got hurt badly due to these Pokemon. The worst I can remember is Ash's hand getting burned while rubbing Charizard which actually was the after effect of its disobedience action.

People could've gotten hurt with Dragonite getting out of control. Just saying...

I mean, if Charizard could get DQ'd for sleeping, what does that make this? Trainers should work on gaining their Pokemon's trust outside tournaments or official matches where something could possible go wrong.

[lolipiece]

I kinda be inclined to disagree with him. A Trainer shouldnt be disqualified from an official battle because they cant get their Pokemon to obey them at the moment.. Pokemon battles are meant for a Trainer to bond with their Pokemon in the anime not to just battle and win like in the games -_-

And if someone gets sent to the hospital from a stray attack? Remember when Dragonite went crazy?

When a person battles with a disobdient Pokemon and are aware of the fact they obivously are trying their best to bond with them. But some butthurt fans are still mad about Iris and Dragonite from the WTJC so thats most likely why this statement was made. Notice how no one complained when disobdient Charzaird beat Blaine..

Gee, I wonder why...

Oh, I know! It must be because Charizard wasn't being disobedient in that fight.

[Angel~]

I'm surprised Iris hasn't been disqualified with that disobedient Dragonite she had in the tournament.

[PAndrews]

I kinda be inclined to disagree with him. A Trainer shouldnt be disqualified from an official battle because they cant get their Pokemon to obey them at the moment.. Pokemon battles are meant for a Trainer to bond with their Pokemon in the anime not to just battle and win like in the games -_- When a person battles with a disobdient Pokemon and are aware of the fact they obivously are trying their best to bond with them. But some butthurt fans are still mad about Iris and Dragonite from the WTJC so thats most likely why this statement was made. Notice how no one complained when disobdient Charzaird beat Blaine..

Why should they have complained? Charizard was obedient against Blaine.
Notice how Charizard was disqualified for not listening in the Indigo League and automatically counted as a loss in the first Blaine fight for not listening.

Iris should have been disqualified in the WTJC, she had no control over Dragonite, the first and second round were bad enough, but the 3rd had it rampaging and endangering everyone there, and Iris just stood there and watched. Bonding with the Pokemon is fine, but tournaments are official battles meant to show the skill of the trainer, a disobedient Pokemon has no place there, since it defeats the very purpose of the tournament. If the method Iris used to win the first 2 rounds is allowed, then anyone can win as long as someone lends/gives them a ridiculously powerful Pokemon. They don't even need to issue a command, just let it out of the ball and recall at the end.

Iris didn't win a single round in that tournament, Dragonite did it all on his own, yet she takes the credit. That makes no sense and she should have been disqualified the moment it was clear she had no control in round 2.

[WhyHelloThere]

No. They usually lose anyway.

[matt0044]

Iris didn't win a single round in that tournament, Dragonite did it all on his own, yet she takes the credit. That makes no sense and she should have been disqualified the moment it was clear she had no control in round 2.

Georgia said the most truthful thing then: "That was Dragonite's win, not your's."

[HatersGonnaHate]

Georgia said the most truthful thing then: "That was Dragonite's win, not your's."

So what? Iris still would've won if D-nite listened to her. The power of that beast is there whether it listens or not. It would've been great if it listened to Iris, but the writers were establishing a story.

[WhyHelloThere]

Georgia said the most truthful thing then: "That was Dragonite's win, not your's."

Georgia always makes up excuses for why she loses. If Dragonite was obeying, Iris would have won even faster so what she said didn't even make sense.

"My loss doesn't count, I lost to you, not a DRAGON TYPE"

"My loss doesn't count, I lost to a Dragon Type, not YOU"

[matt0044]

So what? Iris still would've won if D-nite listened to her. The power of that beast is there whether it listens or not. It would've been great if it listened to Iris, but the writers were establishing a story.

Sure Iris would've but she didn't in that match and Georgia meant that Dragonite won the match while Iris did jacksquat since her orders never got through to the behemoth then. She was commenting how there was practically no bond between Trainer and Pokemon on their end and Iris deserves no credit.

[Groundedshock]

If this was not a kid's show, do you think that Dragonite would have hit walls and the ground and nothing in the sky?
Mamoswine would have surely injured someone with its recklessness.
Charizard rampaged on after beating a Tauros in ONE HIT on the Orange Island. If it was not for Loreli's Slowbro who knows what would have happened.

Sure Iris would've but she didn't in that match and Georgia meant that Dragonite won the match while Iris did jacksquat since her orders never got through to the behemoth then. She was commenting how there was practically no bond between Trainer and Pokemon on their end and Iris deserves no credit.

Agreed. Same with Ash and Charizard and Dawn and Mamoswine.

[HatersGonnaHate]

Sure Iris would've but she didn't in that match and Georgia meant that Dragonite won the match while Iris did jacksquat since her orders never got through to the behemoth then. She was commenting how there was practically no bond between Trainer and Pokemon on their end and Iris deserves no credit.

Well of course she said that, she had to say something to soften that embarassing loss. I saw it as a little karma from Iris and Georgia's first battle when Beartic creamed Axew :P

I don't think it really matters since at the end of the tournament, Georgia told Iris to keep working to become a dragon master and she was looking forward to when D-nite starts listening.

[An00bis]

That was Ash's Squirtle in the same battle. Though the whole sleep thing was not out of disobedience but because of Butterfree's Sleep Powder.

Yep, but I was thinking it was Bulbasaur and kept wondering why it sounded wrong. It's been so long since I watched that battle.

Squirtle getting DQ'd was an extreme exception to the norm. I figured that the writers only called it against Ash because they were setting him up to lose before the battle even started.