Mission: Defeat Your Rival! (765)

[RickHoenn]

Judging by the pics, it seemed like a great episode battles were kind of cool, I felt a little bad about Bianca losing but anyway, I'm fine with Kotetsu winning. I think Trip is left, and why should he stay I mean he's not friends with anyone and basically has no reason to stay. The ending scene with all four rivals left was nice as well.

The sauna scene with Kotetsu and Stephan was so.. hahaha Ash blushed? XD

Hopefully someone uploads the episode in a few days, I know some sites but you know people are not allowed to tell. :P

[cg19293]

Good episode by the sounds of it. Imo it's good that Trip and Bianca lost so early. Trip's strategies are too (to use his favourite word) "basic" and he already achieved his dream of battling Alder anyway, while Bianca's too naive. I'm glad Stephan went through - he's my favourite non-antagonistic rival

[Joltik-Kid]

I gotta say that Pikachu vs Serperior shifted way too fast. @Zard, although you make a good point about not being trained defensively, that doesn't excuses the fact that the battles momentum somehow shifted that fast towards Pikachu's favor. He got beat to a pult and then out of no where becomes a god of hit taking. Oddly enough, Serperior move set got weaker for this match... got wonder if the writers though that the moves it used in the Junior Cup would be too much for Pikachu to handle.

Decent episode, nothing special

[Bardische]

Literally just came back to the forums just to comment on that episode.

It's weird how early they've shafted Trip's place in the Unova League. But hey, if he went ahead to somewhere along the semi-finals, it would have been too typical. With that being said, if Trip had to leave that early, the battle could have been dealt with better. Pikachu just choking for a bit then managing to break free to smash Serperior's face with an Electro Ball+Iron Tail combo was just rushed in my opinion. Oh well.

[Pepsi_Plunge]

Emboar is FABULOUS!

Seeing Emboar in action just makes me want Satoshi to get one as soon as possible .


Joltik seriously? yeah Shooti as a character made his pokemon weaker so his rival could beat him, makes a lot of sense.

[Joltik-Kid]

Joltik seriously? yeah Shooti as a character made his pokemon weaker so his rival could beat him, makes a lot of sense.

How else do you explain him not using Solarbeam (would have totally worked with Wrap) or Frezeny Plant. Instead Serperior for some reason learned Wrap for this one battle and spammed Dragon Tail the entire time.

Come on Pepsi, your kind of a stickler about my posts lately... I'm just curious about these things.

[sSerenity]

Solar Beam = Energy Ball for me
But Frenzy Plant ! Pffff, you should have kept it Trip

[_Taidow_]

This actually wasn't too bad. Still upset that Bianca lost but oh well, there's always time after the league. What i want to know is what was the conversation between Trip and Ash.

[Lucario At Service]

I still don't get how Pikachu beat Serperior though. One minute Pikachu uses an Iron Tail/Electroball combo against Serperior's Dragon Tail, & then the next minute BOOM! Pikachu comes out of the smoke just fine while Serperior looks swirly-eyed. How is it possible?

From what i understood the combo worked something like this, first Electro Ball neutralized Dragon Tail which then allowed Iron Tail to connect and defeat Trip's Serperior.

It seems that Trip's Serperior is good at Speed and Power, but isn't so good defensively.

Also from what i understood, the reason Kotetsu's Samurott was able to defeat Bianca's Escavalier who boosted its defense (with Iron Defense) was because of Razor Shell's secondary effect which lowers the opponents defense plus it could also be possible that Bianca's Escavalier ability is Swarm, which also allowed Razor Shell to land a critical-hit.

[Shego]

Yay! I'm really glad that Ash and Pikachu wiped out their rival Trip and his Serperior. I don't blame Bianca for rooting for her beloved friend against the enemy. This episode have made my day. Too bad that Meloetta,and Dawn weren't there to see that. Stephan turned out to be great,funny and sweet.

[00poke_maniac]

OMG OMG MG

I GOT MY SHIRTLESS DEENTO SCENE. AND KOtESTU HURTiNG HIMSELF WITh HIS HEABAND.

fjkfhglfhghafg <3

[wingzx]

OMG OMG MG

I GOT MY SHIRTLESS DEENTO SCENE. AND KOtESTU HURTiNG HIMSELF WITh HIS HEABAND.

fjkfhglfhghafg <3

haha for some reason when i saw that scene i knew you would go crazy :P

i really enjoyed this episode. but a 2v2 in a league battle this league seems really rushed i wouldve loved for atleast a 3v3 with bel and kotetsu

[Hanto]

Damned rat one shotted beloved serperior -_-

[Joltik-Kid]

Damned rat one shotted beloved serperior -_-

Well, not exactly one shot... Serperior did take a Thunderbolt from wrapping Pikachu. But yeah, the momentum shifted way too fast imo.

[Almighty Zard]

only two more questions from me.

Does Trip say anything when Serperior goes down or does he just remain silent with that "shocked" expression.

What attack did ferrothorn use on Elektross, whatever it was it looked like it went into the slugs mouth OO;

[_Taidow_]

What attack did ferrothorn use on Elektross, whatever it was it looked like it went into the slugs mouth OO;

Pin Missile
-

Also i forgot to state, Samurott's win vs Escavalier was really dumb. Escavalier maximized it's Defense stat and after one Razor Shell it lowered it's defense by one stat, he shouldn't had been able to KO it so easily. One can argue that Emboar's win vs Samurott was also dumb but at least it was consistent to the Attract pokemon being immoble in the anime. Unless Freddy stated "ooh a critical hit!" or something, then fine.

[Joltik-Kid]

Also i forgot to state, Samurott's win vs Escavalier was really dumb. Escavalier maximized it's Defense stat and after one Razor Shell it lowered it's defense by one stat, he shouldn't had been able to KO it so easily. One can argue that Emboar's win vs Samurott was also dumb but at least it was consistent to the Attract pokemon being immoble in the anime. Unless Freddy stated "ooh a critical hit!" or something, then fine.

What I find more shocking is why did Iron Defense somehow save Escavalier from Samurott's Hydro Cannon?

[Almighty Zard]

What I find more shocking is why did Iron Defense somehow save Escavalier from Samurott's Hydro Cannon?

because defensive techniques in the anime often cover both defenses of the pokemon, not just one or the other like in the games.

Heck look at when Torkoal used Iron Defense, very little could hurt it when it used it.

[_Taidow_]

What I find more shocking is why did Iron Defense somehow save Escavalier from Samurott's Hydro Cannon?

It didn't. Escavalier dodged it.

Samurott: Hydro Cannon
Escavalier: Dodged and Iron Defense
Samurott: Hydro Cannon
Escavalier: Dodged and Iron Defense
Samurott: Razor Shell
Escavalier: Dodge and Iron Defense (game wise Defense is max)
Escavalier: Fury Attack
Samurott: Razor Shell used to defend then a single hit. Escavalier's Defense dropped.
Samurott: Double Razor Shell, first one dodged, second one hit. Escavalier struggles enduring it and faints.

So you see why this match makes no sense to me.

[Joltik-Kid]

because defensive techniques in the anime often cover both defenses of the pokemon, not just one or the other like in the games.

Heck look at when Torkoal used Iron Defense, very little could hurt it when it used it.

I just fine it odd that Energy Ball drops Special Defense in the Roxie battle, but then we go right back to both defenses being the same with Trip using Leer against Burgundy's Darmanitan

It didn't. Escavalier dodged it.

I did not know that... I thought Serebii said it hit, must have misread that

[Pepsi_Plunge]

How else do you explain him not using Solarbeam (would have totally worked with Wrap) or Frezeny Plant. Instead Serperior for some reason learned Wrap for this one battle and spammed Dragon Tail the entire time.

Come on Pepsi, your kind of a stickler about my posts lately... I'm just curious about these things.

He changed his pokemon moveset to fit it into a diferent strategy, its unrealistic to think someone would make their pokemon weaker on purpose.

Not my intention.

[Joltik-Kid]

He changed his pokemon moveset to fit it into a diferent strategy, its unrealistic to think someone would make their pokemon weaker on purpose.

Not my intention.

I never said he made the moveset weaker, just that the writers changed the moves to give Pikachu a better shot of beating Serperior

Sometimes it feels like it. I don't type these things to get on your nerves, just that I've changed a bit since joining.

[Almighty Zard]

I never said he made the moveset weaker, just that the writers changed the moves to give Pikachu a better shot of beating Serperior

Or trip decided to use what he felt was convient at the time either way thier are factors on both sides.

Sometimes it feels like it. I don't type these things to get on your nerves, just that I've changed a bit since joining.

At least you ain't gone on psyco rampages like some people have been doing.

As for the whole Offense/Defense thing, I guess the writers just change it to how they want it to work, cause heck Close Combat's defense dropping weakness wasn't brought up until we saw Sawk battle for the first time after we saw Staraptor abuse the move and not pay for it, as well as Flint's Infernape who used it several times against Pikachu and seemed to take no drawback pain at all.

[Joltik-Kid]

Or trip decided to use what he felt was convient at the time either way thier are factors on both sides.

Fair enough, guess I should be a bit more specific from now on.

At least you ain't gone on psyco rampages like some people have been doing.

I might know who your talking about, but it's best that I don't assume anything right now XD

As for the whole Offense/Defense thing, I guess the writers just change it to how they want it to work, cause heck Close Combat's defense dropping weakness wasn't brought up until we saw Sawk battle for the first time after we saw Staraptor abuse the move and not pay for it, as well as Flint's Infernape who used it several times against Pikachu and seemed to take no drawback pain at all.

I made a few points in I think the Sawk thread about how wishy-washy this show is when it comes to moves and stuff. Sometimes imunities work and other times their completely neglected. Same can be said with move effects and stats too I guess

[Pepsi_Plunge]

I never said he made the moveset weaker, just that the writers changed the moves to give Pikachu a better shot of beating Serperior

Sometimes it feels like it. I don't type these things to get on your nerves, just that I've changed a bit since joining.

Like I said it makes no sense, they wouldn't make it look weaker, its as strong or stronger then he was, the moveset is just diferent he changed to counter Pikachu or something else he had in mind.

Not getting on my nerves don't worry, my reaction if more like faceplaming XD.