Worst Deus Ex Machina EVER (That is not "The Horn!" or Thunder Armor) *SPOILERS*

[CyberCubed]

What? How so?

Just ignore her, she doesn't watch the episodes. Obviously a few of May's wins were very cheap, but far from all of them. And same could be said about any of Misty's with Psyduck (obviously), and a few of Dawn's against Ursula.

[pokemonsquared]

At least psyduck was consistent. It only worked if something hurt its head. Even if confusion was stupidly OP.

Besides mamoswine was used in 2/3s of the battles vs ursula, one was a DEM on the other end due to electric working vs ground and the second involved a barrage of attacks not unlike what swellow takes on a regular basis, is a mammmoth supposed to have less endurance than a bird?! now to think about it Swellow is a DEM. The third wasn't even a knockout.

[CyberCubed]

At least psyduck was consistent. It only worked if something hurt its head. Even if confusion was stupidly OP.

The problem is Psyduck was used to cheapen out whenever Misty needed a win, like against Lickitung to win the Princess Festival or against Ash in the Whirl Cup.

Psyduck was used to almost make Misty's battle skills look incompetent until she got a headache to get a win for her. Now if Misty was ever able to control Psyduck's powers that would have been a different story, but it just happened randomly.

[Caseydia]

Definetly the "Pokémon tears can resurrect the dead" crap in M01. No, the legend the lady speaks of about tears restoring the world WASN'T in the original version. So it came completely out of nowhere. I don't care if they can breath fire or create worlds, POKÉMON ARE NOT JESUS.



When Rhyhorn can be hurt by Thunderbolt in the games, then I'll take that "clever-thinking" statement of yours seriously.

It's probably because anime and the games are different. Even you can figure that out.

[pokemon fan 132]

Excluding infamous "thunder armor" here are few i can think from top of my head:
-Ash battle against Frontier brain Tucker: it was easily one of most contrived and poorly written comebacks ever in this show. During whole match Swampert and Arcanine were throwing Ash pokemon left and right with their attacks causing serious damage to Swellow and Corphish. Just to see having them ridiculous comeback getting up after lethal twister compound of water pulse and fire blast knocking down both of Tucker pokemon basically with one measly Aerial ace and crab hammer.

I understand sometimes pokemon can have strong willpower and everything but this was ridiculous, surviving barrage of opponent attacks and overpowering their moves to the point that one attack basically was enough to knock down opponent side.
Now that i think about it writers often played on card of resistance with Ash Corphish and Swellow too much and lame comebacks.

-May win over Ogata Venusaur: Frenzy plant attack is usually enough strong to knock down bigger and more resistant pokemon than Combisken, but once again we saw writers exaggerating with pokemon resistance to justify win from main character. Since May pookemon didn't survived one but two hits from such attack finishing of large pokemon like Venusaur with single sky uppercut and peck prior to that.

Not something which i would call believable in my book. Now that i think about it May Skitty also often won in similar manner.

-Iris battle against Luke in Club battle tournament: This was typical textbook example of deus ex machina device being used to resolve unsolvable problem. Luke Gollet had win in its hands being matter of time when Axew is going to be knocked out with dragon rage being skillfully countered, while scratch not having any effect whatsoever. And just about when Axew was put in corner being ready to be finished of he learned outrage out of nowhere knocking Luke pokemon down. Despite never using it before or being trained enough to warrant learning one of most powerful dragon type moves from nothing.

Whats even funnier was that after that Axew never used this attack only further adding to fact how it was only used to resolve issue regarding Gollet.

Psyduck was used to almost make Misty's battle skills look incompetent until she got a headache to get a win for her. Now if Misty was ever able to control Psyduck's powers that would have been a different story, but it just happened randomly.

I don't think that was really writer intention. Psyduck main purpose was to be source of comedy bringing extra gust to group dynamic by causing negative reactions, or to simply provide moment of tension when Misty was in some important battles making outcome all that more uncertain with his random popping out.

We had opportunity to see plenty of times Misty winning battle through her own skill without Psyduck help, so i don't really think occasional headache from Psyduck side can be used as reflection of Misty competence as trainer.

Not to mention Psyduck headache defeating opponent through psychic attacks cannot even be considered deux machina. When taken in account how it happened on consistent basis being established early in Kanto how pressure on duck head is going to cause big headache allowing to release enormous amount of mental energy in process.
In reality it was Jessie and Ash stupidity in examples you count which net them loses.

[Spin Attaxx]

It's probably because anime and the games are different. Even you can figure that out.

That's not a valid excuse for Pikachu being able to hurt Ground types. Especially when the animé seems to say that Ground types are immune to Electric types nowadays.

[Valoo.]

People need to stop confusing DEM with badly written. Just because Pikachu's power levels changes faster than Rihanna's hair doesn't make him DEM. Same goes for unrealistic battles, they're ridiculous but not DEM.

The worst case of DEM has to be Togepi. Seemingly unsolvable situation? To-gi, to-gi EXPLOSION. I mean, really. Psyduck was pretty bad too but Togepi takes the biscuit.

[marioluigifan05]

People need to stop confusing DEM with badly written. Just because Pikachu's power levels changes faster than Rihanna's hair doesn't make him DEM. Same goes for unrealistic battles, they're ridiculous but not DEM.

I changed the thread title, hope that fits better.

[Ciccone]

People need to stop confusing DEM with badly written. Just because Pikachu's power levels changes faster than Rihanna's hair doesn't make him DEM. Same goes for unrealistic battles, they're ridiculous but not DEM.

The worst case of DEM has to be Togepi. Seemingly unsolvable situation? To-gi, to-gi EXPLOSION. I mean, really. Psyduck was pretty bad too but Togepi takes the biscuit.

When the writers add an element to the story that was never so much as hinted at before it occurred, that's DEM. Ergo, it's also bad writing. And how on earth is Togepi DEM? Its use of the move Metronome - which was a move whose effect was established before Togepi used it - wasn't bad writing. I'm more inclined to believe that its evolution was a [minor] type of DEM scenario the likes of which has been seen throughout the series, but that's about it.

[Angel~]

May skitty also won in similiar manner

It did. Its wins were a bit unrealistic. That battle with the Jynx, Dusclops, and Houndoom was really unbelievable. But that's okay right? Its just there to look cute.

[dman_dustin]

What was wrong with Skitty vs Dusclops?

People don't have a problem with that episode solely because of assist, because if so that would be ridiculous.

Especially anything revolving metronome as well.

[OceanicLanturn]

Ash vs Trip in the league, ridiculous. Iris vs Luke in Don Battle, ridiculous. Bianca vs Trip in Don Battle, though I loved it when Trip got owned by my favourite BW rival, it's kinda ridiculous.

IMO Unova had one of the most DEM of all time, that most battles are just... bad. Especially all the battles in every other region where "*insert Pokemon* stand up!" <- *gasps* find a surge of strength and pwns the opponent.

[An00bis]

aren't league rules supposed to be strict?

It was never stated that you must bring six Pokemon to a Full Battle.

Ash wouldn't have taken the win that way, anyway. He'd convince the referee to let Cameron get Watchdog and then get beaten.

[marioluigifan05]

But that's okay right? Its just there to look cute.

This is May we're talking about, of course it's okay.

What was wrong with Skitty vs Dusclops?

Everything.

Skitty took many powerful attacks (even a HYPER BEAM to the face!), and with endurance that would put Ash's Pikachu to shame, not only did it still manage to get up, but it managed to actually beat Dusclops, too. The writers didn't even TRY to justify her win...

It's not the worst DEM out there, but it's still bad.

[CyberCubed]

It did. Its wins were a bit unrealistic. That battle with the Jynx, Dusclops, and Houndoom was really unbelievable. But that's okay right? Its just there to look cute.

The Skitty/Dusclops battle was awful, but Skitty Vs. Jynx was very well done. That was one of the better battles for the pokemon and using Assist a number of times until it finally got Combusken's Fire Spin was a great strategy.

Assist doesn't take a random move like Metronome does, Assist takes one of the attacks of one of your pokemon in your party. That's why first it got Beautifly's String shot and the Bulbasaur's Razor Leaf. So eventually she knew it would get Combusken's fire spin to finish off an ice-type like Jynx.

I will agree the Dusclops battle was awful though, easily one of the worst battles.

[1rkhachatryan]

Ash vs Trip in the league, ridiculous. Iris vs Luke in Don Battle, ridiculous. Bianca vs Trip in Don Battle, though I loved it when Trip got owned by my favourite BW rival, it's kinda ridiculous.

IMO Unova had one of the most DEM of all time, that most battles are just... bad. Especially all the battles in every other region where "*insert Pokemon* stand up!" <- *gasps* find a surge of strength and pwns the opponent.

Hey!! Bel using his defense against him was awesome!!

[pokemonsquared]

Hey!! Bel using his defense against him was awesome!!

Yes and this is somehow legit but mijumaru losing due to a disarmed scalchop isn't?

[1rkhachatryan]

Yes and this is somehow legit but mijumaru losing due to a disarmed scalchop isn't?

Not when he was in training to battle without the damn thing -_-....

[pokemonsquared]

Not when he was in training to battle without the damn thing -_-....

Which all went out the window when the mean doggie smacked it away from him. They could have really made his oshawott unique if the scalchop was lost permanently and he had to learn to survive without one.

[OceanicLanturn]

Which all went out the window when the mean doggie smacked it away from him. They could have really made his oshawott unique if the scalchop was lost permanently and he had to learn to survive without one.

I actually hoped during Stephan's debut Oshawott could get rid and battle without his scalchop for good. Guess that ain't happenin'.