In a scuffle with Team Rocket, Ash and friends are thrown from the ship bearing them to the Whirl Islands. As powerful whirlpools draw them toward impending doom, a mysterious form under the sea shifts the powerful undertow, drawing them to safety. Shortly thereafter, a Corsola comes skipping over the sea's surface and guides the children back to a ship wherein awaits their old friend, Professor Elm. They ride the ship to a bustling harbor in the first of the Whirl Islands. There they learn of an upcoming competition in which Water Pokemon trainers will vie for the title of Whirl Island champion.

The gang finds they're way to Pudgey Pidgey Isle. While there they discover that there was one Pidgey once wanted to fly into space! And not only that there was one who had a dream to flying to space. And even Meowth and Team Rocket wanted to help this Pidgey's cause, can the pidgey reach it's dream?

On their way to the Whirl Cup competition, Ash and friends are fortunate enough to pass a small mountain village just as an annual Chinchou migration is about to occur. Long ago seismological forces had combined to lift the mountain out of the depths of the sea, bringing along with it the undersea nesting ground of these Chinchou.

Just as Ash and friends arrive at a new island, their ears are met with cries for help. A family had built their house upon a Corsola nesting ground, and when a new, hyperactive Corsola arrived and frightened off the previous Corsola residents, the ground beneath the house weakened and the house was washed out to sea. The father and daughter who had been outside during the catastrophe now look on helplessly as another daughter—trapped inside the house—is washed out toward a large whirlpool. Ash and Misty call their Pokemon to action and manage to save the young girl, but this proves to be only the first challenge of the day. As Ash and friends set about recollecting the Corsola that had reinforced the foundation of this family's home, Team Rocket soon arrives and attempts to steal not only the needed Corsola, but also collections of local artwork made from Corsola horns, which these Pokemon shed regularly. While assisting this local family, Misty waits not so patiently for an opportunity to catch the Corsola that had first driven the others away, and make it her own.

Ash and co. go after a treasure chest in a sunken ship

After reaching the town where the preliminary round of the Whirl Cup is held, Ash and Misty enter and earn the two victories required to continue on to the finals. A friend they had met earlier is not as fortunate. When Misty tries to console him with promises of the next Whirl Cup to be held in three years, he remains depressed, saying that it was not lack of ability but the low spirits of his Octillery that had brought about his defeat. The Pokemon had been depressed ever since it evolved from a Remoraid and was subsequently spurned by its onetime Remoraid friends. If the boy cannot somehow mend these friendships between Pokemon that have now grown different in appearance, he doesn't see any hopes of victory even in three years time. Ash and friends willingly lend their knowledge and enthusiasm to this problem of Pokemon sociology.

As the final round of the Whirl Cup begins, Ash and Misty must each face formidable opponents. Ash has his Kingler transferred from Oak's lab in preparation, but when he and his Totodile begin their first battle, they must face an opponent with a powerful Kingdra. Misty also faces a challenging duel with an experienced opponent and his Qwilfish. Meanwhile, Team Rocket sets about stealing an ancient jewel used in a reward ceremony to be performed for the tournament's victor.

Ash and Misty each emerge victorious from arduous bouts only to be paired against one another in the next round. As these two square off, Team Rocket plots to steal the tournament's prize using reverse psychology: they leave an anonymous tip with the local police force that the prize is in danger. This tip, Jessie reasons, will lead to heightened security, which will in turn lead to overconfidence and carelessness, effectually making it easier for Jessie and James to sneak in and claim their prize. With Ash already in strong position, Misty accidentally deploys Psyduck to face his Kingler. In a surprise turn, however, Psyduck launches a Confusion attack that wins the match for Misty. Ash takes his place in the stands and cheers for Misty as she begins her next round. Meanwhile Team Rocket watches in shock as—contrary to Jessie's plan—not only is the police presence at the event fortified, but the police show no sign of growing overconfident.

A village of kind, elderly people prepares a great meal for Ash and friends, and in return requests that the Pokemon Trainers assist them in defending their village against a gang of marauders that invades the village every year and attempts to rustle their sizable herd of Diglett.

Ash, Misty, and Brock run into a local shopkeeper who introduces them to one of her friends, a jewelry maker who tells them the legend of the fourth Whirl Island. When they first encounter the jewelry maker they find that he and his Sandslash are very ill. After Ash, Misty, and Brock help them to recover, they learn that the jewelry maker is in love with the shopkeeper and wants to propose. As usual Team Rocket isn't far behind and up to no good with a plan to try and steal all of the jewelry in the town.

Ash and the gang have just gone through a cave, and decide to take a quick rest. The gang is surprised by another Pikachu!

With the young Lugia in the possession of Butch and Cassidy, Ash and friends set about rescuing it while protecting its parent from itself. The parent Lugia fights desperately to free its child—playing right into Team Rocket's hands. If Ash fails to win the Lugia's trust and convince it not to oppose Team Rocket alone, it seems this Pokemon is fated to end up in captivity along with its child.

Ash and the gang, along with Richie, are captured by Team Rocket and held at their base. Dr. Nanba and the other Rockets look upon their capture of the parent Lugia, but they rather use that than the child so they carry that one off.

# 225. Season 5, Ep 14: Throwing in the Noctowl 9.51 Review Ash and friends have missed the ferry back to Olivine City. An old fisherman tells them that there is a plane service that can get them to Olivine that day. The fisherman turns out to be the one running the plane and they take off for Olivine. Several problems arise along the course of the trip including Team Rocket, Jigglypuff, and broken plane parts.

Ash finally battles Jasmine in Olivine City to get his next badge.

Professor Oak and Tracey have a problem. The Pokemon in Professor Oak’s garden are acting very agressive. Seeing the extremity in this case they call Ash for his Bulbasaur because Bulbasaur took care of and understood wild Pokemon in the past.

Ash, Misty, and Brock head back to Ecruteak City where they meet up with Sakura.

When Ash, Misty, and Brock run to investigate a mysterious chorus of bells that spontaneously ring out, they chance to meet their old friend Morty and a Pokemon researcher of his acquaintance. Morty and the researcher discover that the sacred Crystal bells, which are said to ring when a legendary Ho-oh returns, are missing. Since the bells were also used to heal the Bug Pokemon living in that area, these Pokemon lash out against their human neighbors, covering the town with their webs. Ash and friends decide to get to the heart of things and, in the forest, find Team Rocket restrained by webs and hanging from a tree. Ash, Misty, Brock, Morty, and the researcher begin to battle with the Bug Pokemon.

n a racing competition called Extreme Pokemon in which you are pulled by your Pokemon, Ash and Gary face off once again. The prize is a Pokemon egg. With Bayleef racing with Ash and Arcanine with Gary, who will win?

Ash must save his newly won egg from Team Rocket before it hatches.

# 232. Season 5, Ep 21: Hatching A Plan 8.81 Review Ash's egg hatches into a baby Phanpy. Team Rocket tries to get it on their side by decepting it, but when they trap it with Pikachu, Pikachu explains that Ash is a good trainer and friend.

Upon realizing that Ash and friends have many more Pokemon than they do, Team Rocket goes on a search for a new Pokemon. They find a Delibird in a cage, free it and capture it. A lady comes out and says that if they athey can prove re members of Team Rocket, they can keep the Delibird. They search through Team Rocket records to find they names aren’t listed. Will Jessie and James finally get a new Pokemon?

As they journey towards Mahogany Town, Ash and friends stop in a house for the night. When they arrive, they discover that there’s a girl named Lakoko who owns it and a Ninetales. Brock instantly falls in love with her. Strangely, she likes him too. Brock says that he wants to marry her and she agrees that she wants to marry him. He is about to hug her but actually goes through her. Ash and Misty get scared and as they get suspicious, a fog appears and Ninetales Fire Blasts them out of the house. Meanwhile, Team Rocket tries to sneak into the house but they run into some booby traps. Ash and Misty sneak in and find that there’s an old picture of Brock in the house. There’s also a diary written by Lakoko that is over 200 years old...

Ash and friends chance into a Tyrogue, nearly falling victim to a ploy it lays out in an attempt to make off with all of their Pokemon food. Just as they tie things up with the Tyrogue, they learn that it is in fact not wild, but owned by a devoted student of Chuck, the Cianwood Gym leader. This student, who prides himself for his martial arts ability, explains that he is now taking his Tyrogue to an exhaustive tournament in which Fighting type Pokemon vie for the title. Meanwhile, though, he is having a terrible time disciplining his mischievous Pokemon. As if to accent this complaint, an angry local arrives, exclaiming that Tyrogue has wrought havoc in town for the last time.

Ash and friends stumble onto a community which relies on the predictions of Xatus. Ultimately the people learn not to rely on the pokemon tha much and the caretaker of the Xatus becomes a weather girl.

Heading for Mahogany Town, Pikachu, Togepi and several wild Pokemon seem a little sick. Ash and friends go to the Lake of Rage to find a red Gyarados. Team Rocket comes to battle but they're beaten with the help of Lance of the Elite Four. Defeated, Team Rocket goes to a Rocket HQ where they meet there Team Rocket members named Shiranui and Tatusumi who are going to try and capture the Red Gyarados. They and other Team Rocket members, not including Jessie, James and Meowth, go on a search for the Gyarados. Lance disguises himself as a Team Rocket member and they capture the Gyarados while Ash and friends watch helplessly. The Gyarados is taken on a truck and Lance is still with them in disguise...

Since Ash, Misty and Brock are all trapped, Jesse and James decide to take an advantage of the moment to catch Pikachu. They press the wrong button and it frees Ash and the others! Then Lance comes with Dragonite to help Ash. With Dragonite, they destroy Team Rocket's evolution inducement ray, and go off to save the red Gyarados. Since the ray was destroyed, the Gyarados becomes stronger and breaks free with Team Rocket. But now, it's angry and rampages towards Mahogany Town! Lance had called Officer Jenny to come and arrest Tyson and the Rocket Grunts. Ash and friends go to help the Gyarados, while Lance fights Tyson's two Fearows with Dragonite. After winning, Lance goes to help Ash calm down the Gyarados. He eventually captures it. Tyson and the Rocket Grunts are arrested, Lance flies off, and Ash is now in Mahogany Town ready to challenge the gym leader!

he Gym Leader Pryce but he isn’t in town. They find him meditating under a waterfall. Ash battles him with Phanpy and quickly loses. Afterwards, Pryce tells the gang that his most prized Pokemon Piloswine disappeared a long time ago and he needs help finding it. The groupd agrees to help and they set out immediately. Jessie and James are nearby and they decide to steal it. Can Ash and the others find it before Jessie and James do?

Having earned Pryce's respect and permission to face the trainer in a gym battle, Ash makes the unlikely choice of sending out Cyndaquil, a Fire Pokemon, to face his opponent on an Ice battlefield. Fortunately, Ash's strategy pans out as he leads the gym leader to lower his defenses, allowing Ash to take the first victory in a two-on-two match. Next the gym leader sends out his trusty Piloswine, which immediately unleashes a Blizzard attack that completely alters the battlefield, allowing it to make quick work of Ash's defending Pokemon. With one victory each, the round enters sudden death with each trainer playing his oldest, most reliable Pokemon. A seasoned duo, Ash and Pikachu may match the teamwork of the gym leader and his Piloswine

Our friends find themselves in a meadow with lots off Gloom, Vileplume, Bellossom and Oddish. Steve there new friend tells Ash and Friends that he came to this area so he could do studies on all the Grass-type Pokemon. He also added when the wind blows, the Gloom may evolve into Bellossom (NE winds) or Vileplume (NW winds). Vileplume and Bellossom fight over territory since the very old and large tree covers so much of the land; they both need the sun shine, so over the day they fight for the area not covered in shade. Jesse, and James both get Stun Spored by the Vileplume and Bellossom, So Meowth goes to a convenient store and buys Salvea Weed. A major storm comes in and makes very large amounts of Gloom evolve all at once, but since the wind was coming from the NE and NW, they both were even in numbers in the end. The war broke out and Ash, Misty, Brock, and Steven all knew they had to fight to finally see that fighting does not solve anything. Jesse and James try with help from there Pokemon to catch the Grass Pokemon. All the Pokemon know now that they should all just live together as friends, so they all took on Team Rocket and made them blast off again! Ash, Misty, and Brook say good bye to there new friend Steve since this new problem has been solved.

Ash, Misty, and Brock encounter a gigantic Magcargo that refuse to step aside and let a traveller pass. When Misty’s Water tactics fail to move the stubborn Fire Pokemon, a passing trainer taunts her, declaring that Fire Pokemon, his specialty, are far superior to Water. Their rivalry escalates into a full-on Pokemon battle.

Ash, Brock, and Misty meet up with a witch named Lily. She is seeking ingredients to conduct a spell to make humans more friendly with Pokemon. The one last ingredient she needs is tears of an Aipom, and the group fights Team Rocket to get an Aipom. Lily then conducts the spell, turning Ash into a Pikachu!

When Pikachu is left exhausted in battle, the gang meets a trainer who guides them to a secret, yet legendary lake that somehow serves to restore energy to the Electric Pokemon that live along its banks.

In the midst of their travels, Ash and friends meet up with a young girl who, along with her two Igglybuff assistants, stars in her own musical variety television program. Our heroes are content to sit back and enjoy the show, but unfortunately Team Rocket has other plans in mind.

Ash, Misty and Brock stop by a lake where they meet with Team Rocket. As they’re about to battle each other, a Slowpoke with a flag comes and sits on a rock fishing. This lady comes and says the Slowpoke is looking for "enlightment". She offers everyone to take to Slowpoke Temple to learn this. There’s a giant gold statue of a Slowpoke. They go through tests, such as having to concentrate so hard they won’t move or else they’ll be hit by sticks(!). The next is cleaning the temple, which Ash and Team Rocket compete in. Jesse and James go off to steal the statue, and Meowth distracts Ash by fishing with him. The same Slowpoke is fishing much better than Ash and friends, because the pokemon know they won’t be captured. The gold statue is stolen by Jesse and James, but Slowpoke evolves into Slowbro and defeats them. Ash and friends head off, while Team Rocket stay at the temple, this time to truthfully learn enlightment.

sh, Brock, and Misty, on their adventure to the way to the Johto League, they stop to rest in a small town, and learn that Prof. Oak and Mary are doing an outdoor show in Maroon Town, a nearby town. They go there, and as usual, Team Rocket pop up and they impersonate Prof. Oak and Mary. A standoff to prove the real Prof. Oak is held

The gang is relaxing in a field when a Cleffa lands on Phanpy, the gang then witness a flying saucer which crashes into a mountain. The Pokemon Myserty Club (PMC, Ken and Mary) appear to get the Cleffa and interrupt Team Rocket's plan to capture the Cleffa as well. While both Pokemon escape into the forest, PMC, Rocket and Ash all search for them. Ash, Misty and Brock stumble upon the Clefairy rocket ship which needs to be repaired. As PMC and Rocket fight using their machines, the Clefairy steal their machine parts for repair. As the ship leaves, Cleffa evolves into Clefairy and leaves a sad Phanpy behind. Meanwhile, PMC examine crop circles being created by Snorlax.

On meeting up with a proud Pokemon trainer who dares all comers to face his Poliwrath, Misty and Ash quickly rise to the challenge. Misty, in particular, encourages her Poliwhirl to watch closely as it may someday evolve into a Poliwrath. As is often the case, the battle isn't long over before this challenger and Ash and Misty have become fast friends. Meanwhile, Team Rocket, having furtively observed this battle and been convinced that the Poliwrath is a match even for Pikachu, decide to first capture it and then use it to capture Pikachu. Unfortunately, this logic does not hold as they find capturing a Pokemon stronger than Pikachu even more difficult than simply capturing Pikachu. A surprise is in store for Misty, as her Poliwhirl evolves not into a Poliwrath, but into another Pokemon altogether.

After defeating a girl who has a Smoochum, Ash is determined to beat Clair, as he is getting close to Blackthorn City. Seeing that Ash just can’t get enough battling, the trainer suggests as she leaves that he give a local Pokemon battle park a try.

When Ash, Misty, and Brock pause for a picnic by a lake, Politoed wanders off and is mistaken by another trainer for her own Politoed.

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Finally reaching the outskirts of Blackthorn City, Ash pushes to quickly seek out the gym where he hopes to earn his final Johto badge. Before he has the opportunity, he chances into a Dratini and learns that its eager trainer, Clair, is in fact the Blackthorn Gym leader.

Team Rocket steals the Dragon Fang as Ash begins his battle for the final Johto badge with Clair. Then TR gets Dragonite on their side to help them escape

Ash's Charizard flys in and lands on Ash. Liza also lands in on Charla who is in love with Charizard. Rocket find a bowl in a Dragon Shrine which upsets Dragonite and causes a fire in a field. So Ash, Liza and Clair set to put out the fire to save wild Pokemon. After the fire is put out, TR is greatful that they were saved from the fire. Dragonite is under an attack rage and starts attacking Clair, Ash and the gang. This leads to a battle between Dragonair and Charizard versus Dragonite which ends his attack rage.

Having finally seen stability restored to the Blackthorn Gym, Ash and Claire face off in a gym battle. Ash opens with a surprise entry, his Snorlax, and defeats Claire's Kingdra to take victory in the first round. Claire quickly comes back, wearing Snorlax down with her Gyarados. Ash sends in Pikachu, hoping its advantage as an Electric Pokemon will be enough to defeat Claire's Water Pokemon. It isn't until he puts Pikachu's speed to use, however, that he emerges victorious. At two to one, Ash is only one win away from earning his final badge, but this last round—against Claire's Dragonair—promises to be the hardest one yet.

Ash plans to go to Newbarktown to register for the Johto Silver Conference now that he has all 8 badges even though the Silver Conference is in 3 months. Team Rocket has plans of their own, they decide to steal Ash’s badges for money or to enter the Conference themselves. They are successful in stealing his badges and run away with them. Meanwhile, Wobbuffet meets a Wynaut in the woods who steals the badges from Team Rocket. When Ash realizes his loss of badges he goes through the list of the gym leaders he fought to get them. Team Rocket think a Wooper stole the badges, so they try to find one. While Ash tries on his own to try to find the badges. Noctowl and Bayleef find Wynaut and the badges and some berries he has in a box. But when Team Rocket find Bayleef with the badges, they attack Bayleaf and escape with the badges. Claire comes in with Dragonair to chase the Rocket balloon. When Ash gets his badges back he realizes he’s missing his Rising badge, Wynaut appears holding the badge. He hands it to Bayleef and escapes without Ash seeing him. Now that Ash has all 8 badges, Claire tells Ash the directions to Newbarktown to register for the Johto League Silver Conference.

On the road back to New Bark Town, Ash and friends stop for a rest near the ocean. There they spot a sign advertising a synchronized Pokemon swimming event. They run toward the area where the event is being held, arriving just as it begins. Close behind is Team Rocket, who quickly hatch a plan to steal all of the Pokemon from the swimming show. After the first show, Misty, Ash, and Brock chance to meet the trainer in charge of this event. A rivalry quickly develops between Misty and this Water Pokemon trainer. Before these two trainers have a chance to battle however, Ash steps in and challenges her to a battle in one of her underwater arenas. Due in part perhaps to this trainer’s home-court advantage Ash quickly loses. Misty then steps in and challenges the trainer to a three on three Pokemon battle. Misty is hard-pressed to defeat such an experienced trainer on her own field, but will her intimate knowledge of water Pokemon guide her to victory?

Ash and friends return to New Bark Town, but before Ash is able to register for the Johto League Championship, Professor Elm sends him on an errand to retrieve a Pokemon egg from a nearby marine Pokemon laboratory. At the laboratory, Ash and friends meet up with a young researcher who uses the supersonic waves from a Lanturn to detect the singing voices of traveling Lapras.

Ash receives an egg from Prof. Elm, and as the egg hatches into a Larvitar, Ash must help the shy pokemon find its parents. Unfortunately, Team Rocket has their eye on this rare pokemon.

On their way to Mount Silver, the gang come across a hot spring and meet Nelson who is looking for an Entei. Ash, Misty and Brock decide to release their Pokemon for them to enjoy the hot springs and hot sand. Team Rocket appear pretending to be researchers in order to steal Larvitar. After escaping from Rocket's truck, Nelson and his Misdreavous meet Ash again. Nelson wants to battle Ash, so Ash sends out Phanpy first. While battling, TR steal Misdreavous after they find out how powerful she is. Rocket then steal all the wild Pokemon in the hot spring as well as Brock's Pinco. When Brock chases after it, Pineco evolves into Forretress. After Rocket over-powers their machine, it causes the hot spring to get out of control. But then, Entei's flamethrower saves the spring and blasts TR away. Nelson then tries to catch Entei, but it uses roar to escape.

Brock leads Ash and Misty toward a beautiful lake he has read about in his guidebook, but when they arrive at its supposed location, they find nothing but a dried-up stream, surrounded by a number of thirsty Slowpoke. Ash and friends spot a Sumo Crown, but are stopped from approaching it by a young girl and her Slowpoke. The girl explains that she and her Slowpoke are researching legends surrounding the Slowpoke and a supposed Slowking.

While the gang looks for Larvitar's mother, they run into Casey. They see that her Bayleef has evolved into Meganium. It seems that Casey is after a wild Elekid who is a very good tricker; the group decides to help her find it. Meanwhile, James trades his Victreebel for a Weepinbell, and it evolves.

Ash and friends reach the base of Mount Silver, where they hope to return their Larvitar to its birthplace. On their way, Ash faces a young trainer in Pokemon battle, pitting his Cyndaquil against the trainer's Magby. After the battle, Ash has thoughts about trying to make his Cyndaquil evolve. Following behind, Jessie and James note the trainers and their rare and valuable Pokemon preparing to battle in the Johto Championship. Setting aside their usual plans for capturing Pikachu-they capture Larvitar and many other Pokemon.

Having finally reached amount Silver, Ash and friends stop momentarily when they discover a lost Unown on their path. Spotting these two rare Pok�n together, Team Rocket decides to kidnap both of them. When this Unown is attacked, however, a defensive instinct leads it to teleport itself into another dimension. Unfortunately, Ash and friends are also caught up in this interdimensional escape.

After many days of travel, Ash and friends finally reach the area where their Larvitar was born. They soon encounter a Tyranitar that they recognize from Larvitar’s visions to be its mother. Unfortunately, this Tyranitar mistakes them for the poachers that had stolen her child. Our heroes struggle to convince the mother Tyranitar of their good intentions, but to no avail. Things only get worse when the actual poachers arrive, intent on capturing not only the child, but its mother as well.

Ash and friends offer to help the Silver Conference Officials retrieve the Ho-Oh Flame from atop a mountain shrine. However, a Sneasel and its buddies Machop and Machoke are guarding the shrine. They also meet another trainer, from the Hoenn Region, named Harrison. Harrison vowes to catch the Sneasel. Will he succeed and will they get the Flame?

Gary and Ash meet up again

Ash’s Squirtle makes an appearance.

Ash calls on Bulbasaur for his next battle against a trainer named Jackson, who is well known for having a powerful Meganium and a Shiny Magneton.

Ash is about to take on his long time rival, Gary Oak, in the next battle of the Johto League Silver Conference, and he's determined to do everything he can to win. He stays up all night researching strategies and trying to learn more about Gary's Pokemon. Gary has a lot of strong Pokemon, and he trains many different types, so Ash has to pick his team carefully. Gary starts out with Nidoqueen, and Ash uses Tauros. Gary wins the first round, but Ash takes the second. It's going to be a very close match! In round three, it's Ash's Heracross versus Gary's Blastoise.

Our hero is in the middle of the first match of the championship tournament at the Johto League Silver Conference. His opponent is his long time rival – Gary Oak. Each trainer is down one Pokemon, with five to go. Gary's Blastoise is very strong and knocks out Ash's Heracross. Ash isn't surprised – that Blastoise was the Squirtle that Gary got when he first started out as a trainer! Gary recalls Blastoise and the battle continues. Finally, each trainer is down to their last Pokemon. Gary has saved Blastoise till the end – and Ash calls out Charizard! Blastoise has the advantage because it's a Water Type, but Ash is very clever. He uses Charizard's Flame Thrower attack to scorch the battle field, trapping Blastoise. Blastoise uses Hydro Pump to cool off the field, but it backfires. The field becomes all steamy and no one can see. Charizard finishes off the battle with a Seismic Toss. Ash is thrilled to have finally defeated his rival – but his next opponent will be Harrison from Hoenn.

Ash is battling Harrison from Hoenn at the Johto League Silver Conference. Pikachu is very excited to be battling. It’s a close match the whole way through, but one by one Harrison knocks out Totodile, Snorlax, and Noctowl. Ash cleverly guides Bayleef through a rough battle with Harrison’s Houndoom. Houndoom is a fire type Pokemon so it has the advantage, but Ash had Bayleef use its Vine Whip attack to close Houndoom’s mouth. In the end, Bayleef is able to knock out Houndoom! But Bayleef is no match for Harrison’s last Pokemon. Harrison’s sixth Pokemon is one that Ash has never seen before – Blaziken. It’s a fire type Pokemon and it’s at a really high level. Ash has saved Charizard for last.

Our hero is at the end of a tough battle with Harrison at the Johto League Silver Conference. The winner of this battle will go on to the semi-finals. Each trainer has battled hard and is down to their last Pokemon. Ash is using Charizard. Harrison is also using a high level fire type called Blaziken. Charizard flies up with Blaziken and is in position for a powerful Seismic Toss. After the impact, however, both Pokemon are standing! As Charizard tossed Blaziken down, Blaziken had directed a Flame Thrower attack towards the ground to propel it back up, softening the blow of the impact! Both Pokemon battle well, and it seems like neither will give in, but, in the end, Charizard faints. Harrison continues on into the semi-finals, but is defeated in the next round. After his battle, he tells Ash all about Hoenn and the amazing Pokemon there. As the Silver Conference comes to a close and the gang prepares to leave for Vermillion City, Gary makes a surprising announcement – he's giving up battling. He's decided to become a Pokemon Researcher.

With the Johto League Silver Conference behind them, Ash, Brock and Misty head back to Viridian City to relax. Their vacation is cut short when Misty receives an urgent call beckoning her back to Cerulean City to run the gym while her sisters cruise the world. Brock, too, realizes that has things he has to do. After a teary goodbye, Ash returns home to Pallet Town – but soon grows restless for adventure. When his former rival Gary takes off on a new journey, leaving behind all of his Pokemon except Blastoise, Ash starts thinking about his next journey.

Ash has left all of his Pokemon behind in Pallet Town – except Pikachu – and boarded a ship bound for Littleroot Town in Hoenn. Unfortunately, Team Rocket is on board as well, and they're cooking up a scheme to catch Pikachu once and for all. They nab Pikachu and hop off the boat just as it pulls into a port. Their plan quickly goes awry, and Meowth and Pikachu end up in a bad neighborhood. While Meowth and Pikachu team up to chase off a gang of territorial Haunter, Ash teams up with Officer Jenny to rescue Pikachu before the boat leaves.