Pasta La Vista! (422)

[Jo-Jo]

It figures that they wouldn't want to have either Ash or May win over the other. If May beats the seasoned trainer, it would be unrealistic and people would complain that she was turning into a canon-Sue. If Ash beats the female co-ordinator, it might look as though the writers were undercutting May's profession, suggesting that co-ordinators aren't really any great shakes at battling - or worse, that girls can't win against boys. It doesn't put out a great message. Although TR interrupting is still a cop-out. But hey, that's what they always do. Ash and Misty's gym battle (for which rather more was at stake) is a case in point.

[ChaosMage]

Looks like what I expected- wasted potential of what could have easily been the best episode in a long while.

[Jo-Jo]

Why is the entire episode, including the cool battle, wasted just because there was no winner?

[Geodude]

If you had fun watching it, isn't that all that counts?

[JazzJazz]

If you had fun watching it, isn't that all that counts?

Indeed, people seem to be letting their expectations get the better of them and stop them from enjoying the episodes for what they are...

[CyberCubed]

It figures that they wouldn't want to have either Ash or May win over the other. If May beats the seasoned, hardened trainer, it would be unrealistic and people would complain that she was turning into a canon-Sue.

Yes but they had no problem letting Misty beat Ash in the Whirl Cup, even if Misty won by dumb luck. (Psyduck getting a headache...Misty's version of "Super Skitty" or Ice beaming Baby Squirtle)

[S.Suikun]

Well, the entire Whirl Cup was basically one big fat excuse for Kasumi to beat Satoshi in something. I'm glad they didn't do the same with Haruka here, yet I'm disappointed with the interruption. Still, this is probably the saga's best filler so far (though next week's looks to replace that).

[Jo-Jo]

Yes but they had no problem letting Misty beat Ash in the Whirl Cup, even if Misty won by dumb luck. (Psyduck getting a headache...Misty's version of "Super Skitty" or Ice beaming Baby Squirtle)

True, but Misty isn't a younger, less experienced trainer, and Ash never mentored her. Her winning a water tournament - her specialty - is much more plausible than May beating Ash in a straightforward battle when he has five seasons' experience on her. Plus, fans are already up in arms over May's supposed lucky breaks allowing her to triumph in contests, not to mention her unfair 'victory' the last time she and Ash fought (not counting the tag-team match in The Bicker The Better).

[CyberCubed]

But they were battling with two experienced fighting Pokemon, thus the odds were a bit even. Ash and May have no real experience ordering the attacks that Hitmonchan/lee use, so it could have been a fair battle. May showed that she battles just fine outside of Contests, so it's not like she only knows contest battling. Therefore we should have gotten a winner.

[Sweet May]

the episode was a bit awesome....... Ash and May's battle was great but no winner....... XP
but for a sec there, i thought May was gonna win
if i were to rate it, i'd give it a 7/10

[Jo-Jo]

But they were battling with two experienced fighting Pokemon, thus the odds were a bit even. Ash and May have no real experience ordering the attacks that Hitmonchan/lee use, so it could have been a fair battle. May showed that she battles just fine outside of Contests, so it's not like she only knows contest battling. Therefore we should have gotten a winner.

Well, sure, May might have won, assuming she had a stroke of luck to help her along, a la Misty and Psyduck in the Whirl Cup (I really don't think that she could win against Ash on pure skill. He is an excellent battler). But what I'm talking about is how the audience would have reacted to a victory for May. Consider how berserk everyone went over her beating Harley, who she has never lost to before - how are they likely to respond if she beats Ash, who is practically her teacher? We'd be up to our eyeballs in people saying the battle was cheap and May keeps getting handed things on a platter without having to work for them.

[JazzJazz]

Well, sure, May might have won, assuming she had a stroke of luck to help her along, a la Misty and Psyduck in the Whirl Cup (I really don't think that she could win against Ash on pure skill. He is an excellent battler). But what I'm talking about is how the audience would have reacted to a victory for May. Consider how berserk everyone went over her beating Harley, who she has never lost to before - how are they likely to respond if she beats Ash, who is practically her teacher? We'd be up to our eyeballs in people saying the battle was cheap and May keeps getting handed things on a platter without having to work for them.

Face facts, whatever happens in the shows and whoever ends up winning a battle... people will complain, it's impossible to satisfy everyone.

[Jo-Jo]

Yeees, but it's a reason why the writers might choose to refrain from having Ash or May conclusively beat the other. The closest they seem willing to come is Torchic's non-win against Taillow, which was merely a comic-relief battle that Ash only 'lost' because the townspeople were ridiculously biased (and because Torchic has bad aim ).

[V Faction]

Easiest thing in the world to do: Have the Pokemon knock each other out at the same, making it a draw. It's an obvious set up, but it fulfills its duty, and I'd have it come down to that than another obnoxious TR deus ex machina. Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan were even using the same attacks! How perfect was that?

[JazzJazz]

Easiest thing in the world to do: Have the Pokemon knock each other out at the same, making it a draw. It's an obvious set up, but it fulfills its duty, and I'd have it come down to that than another obnoxious TR deus ex machina. Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan were even using the same attacks! How perfect was that?

Having the pokemon knock each other out wouldn't have left room for hitmontop to get its little bit of screen time...

[V Faction]

Who cares? And certainly, that does not justify a whole TR bore-fest.

Please think.

[Pikachu90000]

Somehow, I think ALMOST everybody will know that TR will bump into something important. Not a bad filler though. Somehow I got a feeling that 4Kids are gonna remove a lot of Asian references. 8/10

[Jo-Jo]

Well, if the Pokemon knock each other out, then that would suggest that Ash and May are exactly evenly matched, and their skills are equal. Whereas if the match is interrupted, then we don't know who's stronger; we can speculate that either one would have won had the battle continued. To be honest, I think the writers used the TR cop-out because they knew that, realistically, May shouldn't be able to beat Ash or even tie with him, yet they also didn't want him to beat her out of concern that it'd look sexist or, errrr, anti-co-ordinator of them.

[CyberCubed]

I think it's a bit unlikely to assume that Ash and May will never finish a battle together. They're bound to make more episodes featuring their two main characters battling again, and they can't keep using the TR cop out every single time.

[Heracross]

Oh yes they can. :s I don't doubt that they would do something that annoying.