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Better Eight Than Never (Japanese: フスベジム！さいごのバッジ!! Fusube City Gym! The Final Badge!!) is episode 254 of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on June 27, 2002 and in the United States on June 21, 2003.

Ash and Clair restart their battle but the dragon Pokémon will be just as powerful as last time. Can Ash find a way to win a Rising Badge?

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

Synopsis

The episode begins with Ash and Clair on separate sides of a huge lake with floating platforms spread around it which is going to be the battlefield for Ash and Clair. It is a three on three match. The battle then begins. Ash starts off with Snorlax wich is a big surprise for Misty and Brock. Clair counters with Kingdra.

Ash starts off with Snorlax’s Hyper Beam and Clair counters with Kingdra’s Agility. Kingrda attacks Snorlax, but it doesn’t work. Clair then uses Kingdra’s swift, but that just bounces off again. Ash tries to use Snorlax’s Body Slam, but Kingdra dodges with Agility. Kingdra attacks Snorlax again, but again Snorlax is undamaged. Clair notes that these attacks aren’t working, so she uses Hydro Pump. Ash tells Snorlax to dodge it but it is unable to dodge it. Clair orders another Hyper Beam which Snorlax avoided by going under water. Ash congratulates it on its quick thinking. Ash orders a Body Slam but as it goes underwater it weighs much less. Kingdra uses this to its advantage and avoids being crushed. She tells Kingdra to use Hydro Pump once Snorlax comes up for air. This worries Misty and Brock, but Ash tells Snorlax to jump out of the water. It goes up into the air and Kingdra uses Hydro Pump. Ash orders Snorlax to lean back and it manages to successfully dodge the attack. Clair then orders Kingdra to use Swift attack, but Ash tells Snorlax to just take it. Clair orders another Hydro Pump, but it only does a little bit of damage. Kingdra is also starting to look tired. Brock says that Ash’s plan must be to just wear Kingdra out, as Snorlax has a lot of endurance. Clair orders another Hyper Beam, but Snorlax dodges it once again by going underwater. Ash then orders Snorlax to use Ice Punch knocking Kingdra out of the match.

Clair recalls Kingdra congratulating it for a job well done. She then releases Gyarados! Snorlax seems to be a little tired after the match with Kingdra. Clair orders Gyarados to use Hydro Pump while Snorlax uses Hyper Beam. Both attacks cancel each other out. Gyarados the uses Dragonbreath, which hit Snorlax, paralysing it. Clair then orders Gyarados to use Hyper Beam. Snorlax is slammed by the beam and it falls, fainted. He then chooses Pikachu.

Gyarados goes in to tackle Pikachu, but Pikachu uses Agility to get out of the way. Ash tells Pikachu to use Thunderbolt but before it could attack Gyarados uses Dragon Breath tiring Pikachu. Gyarados then tries to finish it off with a Hydro Pump, which misses Pikachu as it uses Agility to get out of the way. As Gyarados goes in for another Hydro Pump, Pikachu uses Agility to race up the Hydro Pump. It then uses a massive Thunder knocking Gyarados out.

Clair then releases her strongest Pokémon: Dragonair. Pikachu then uses Thunderbolt, but Dragonair dives under the water. Clair orders a Hyper Beam, which zooms out of the water and smashes into Pikachu, taking it out. Ash then sends out Charizard into battle! The roof of the stadium then opens so that the two Pokémon could have a sky high battle.

Charizard goes in to attack Dragonair. Clair tells it to dive under the water. From under the water, Dragonair spins to create a massive twister, which bursts out of the water and smashes into Charizard. Charizard then uses Flamethrower on the lake drying it entirely. Dragonair is now unable to dodge by diving in the water. Clair then orders Dragonair use Iron Tail. Charizard dodges and grabs Dragonair. Ash then orders a Seismic Toss. Charizard starts to spin around the earth and is about to throw Dragonair when it uses Dragon Rage. Charizard is hit bad and it falls to the ground. But on Ash's encouragement Charizard gets up and flies toward Dragonair. Dragonair then tries to use another Iron Tail. Charizard grabs it again and uses Seismic Toss just as before. Dragonair once again uses Dragon Rage but Charizard uses Flamethrower while in the twister! As Charizard is holding on to Dragonair, it is unable to escape. It then uses a fiery Seismic Toss. Charizard flies from the flames, roaring with victory. Clair orders Dragonair to get up. It tries, but collapses again. Clair then pulls out the Rising Badge and hands it to Ash, who says his usual line and Pikachu jumps for joy.

Back at the Dragon Cave, Team Rocket enters slowly. They approach the Dragon fang, but see Liza and Charla. Charla goes in and sends them blasting off again. Liza then returns to the gym to find that Ash has won the Rising Badge. Clair then explains that Ash should head to Mt. Silver, where he can prepare for the Johto League. Ash thanks her. He then looks at Charizard, who is by Charla. Ash walks up to it and tells it to be good for Liza. Liza is surprised, but Ash knows that is where Charizard belongs. Liza, Charla, and Charizard then take off. Ash waves goodbye to his old friend. Ash decides to stay in Blackthorn for one more day so Clair can explain about the league.

Major events

• Ash beats Clair and earns a Rising Badge.
• Ash's Charizard returns to the Valley

Debuts

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• Misty
• Brock
• Jessie
• James
• Clair
• Liza

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?: Snorlax

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Togepi (Misty's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
• Charizard (Ash's)
• Snorlax (Ash's)
• Kingdra (Clair's)
• Gyarados (Clair's)
• Dragonair (Clair's)
• Dragonite (flashback)
• Sentret (flashback)
• Furret (flashback)
• Wynaut (hidden)

Trivia

• The English title of this episode is taken from the saying "Better late than never".

Errors

Dub edits

In other languages

• French: Le badge décisif
• Italian: L'ultima Medaglia (quarta parte)

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This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of the Pokémon anime.