| A Pyramiding Rage!
|
バトルピラミッド！シンジVSジンダイ！！
Battle Pyramid! Shinji VS Jindai!!
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First broadcast
| Japan
| May 21, 2009
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| United States
| October 17, 2009
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| English themes
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| Japanese themes
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Credits
| Animation
| Team Iguchi
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| Screenplay
| 冨岡淳広 Atsuhiro Tomioka
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| Storyboard
| 小山賢 Masaru Koyama
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| Assistant director
| 小山賢 Masaru Koyama
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| Animation director
| 広岡歳仁 Toshihito Hirooka
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| Additional credits
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A Pyramiding Rage! (Japanese: バトルピラミッド！シンジVSジンダイ！！ Battle Pyramid! Shinji VS Jindai!!) is the 128th episode of the Diamond & Pearl series, and the 594th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on May 21, 2009 and aired in the United States on October 17, 2009.
Synopsis
The episode picks up right after the previous one with Paul challenging Candice to a gym battle, but Candice mentions that she just finished with Ash and would like to reschedule for tomorrow. Paul agrees and begins to leave, but Ash shows off his badge and asks Paul how many more he has gotten, but Paul brushes him off and walks away. Dawn tells Zoey that Paul is Ash's rival while Candice notices how fierce this rivalry is compared to Dawn and Zoey.
As night falls on the Pokémon Center, Zoey learns that Paul was Chimchar's original Trainer and how Ash and Paul contrast so much. Dawn notices that Ash is missing as outside Paul's Magmar and Electabuzz train, Magmar firing Flamethrower at Electabuzz and towards the sky. Ash meets up with Paul and mentions how Grotle perfected the defense strategy Paul's Torterra taught it and wanting to thank Torterra, but Paul recalls his Pokémon and heads inside, criticizing Ash for his actions. Before he can get inside, Zoey confronts him, but Dawn holds her back. Paul heads inside without another word as Zoey hopes that Candice wipes him out in the battle.
The next day, Reggie drives by in a van, noticing Paul outside the Center. He pulls over and greets his brother. Inside, Ash and his friends notice Reggie as Dawn fills Zoey in. They head outside and greet Reggie, who mentions that he just dropped off a Pokémon he was caring for. Ash mentions that he won at the Snowpoint Gym. Reggie congratulates him and asks Paul if he can watch the match, which Paul allows. Zoey notices how Paul contrasts to his brother as much as to Ash. A shock wave gets everyone's attention as a huge shadow passes by, everyone looking up and spotting the Battle Pyramid. Ash identifies it, getting Reggie and Paul's attention. Paul is even more shocked at the fact that Ash conquered it. Team Rocket spots the Pyramid from the town while Candice watches from outside her gym.
Inside the Pyramid control room, Samuel relays a streaming video feed from Ash at the Pokémon Center, acknowledging their presence. As the Pyramid touches down in a clearing, Reggie drives Ash and his friends to the locatoin. Ash and Brock fill Dawn in on the Kanto Battle Frontier and Brandon's ranking position. Reggie confirms that the Pyramid was the only place he did not win, as well as the day he realized that he needed to learn more. They reach the Pyramid and meet up with Brandon. Brandon recognizes them all, even Paul, which prompts Paul to step forward and challenge Brandon to a battle. Candice arrives on a Dodrio as a jeep pulls out. Brandon introduces the woman getting out as Temple Maiden Maria. Brock instantly goes crazy, but Croagunk calms him. Zoey fills everyone in about the Snowpoint Temple while Team Rocket listens in, Brandon mentioning that the Temple was his reason for coming to Sinnoh. Brandon tells Samuel to go with Maria to the Temple while he battles Paul. Paul reveals his desire to defeat the person his brother couldn't, not caring about everyone watching.
Inside, Brock offers to be the referee, but Paul turns it down, making it a full battle. Paul summons Magmar as Brandon summons Regirock. Dawn checks her Pokédex as Reggie remembers that Paul watched his battle, Regirock being the same lead Pokémon. Paul went to Kanto first to watch Reggie's battle, the only obstacle Reggie needed to conquer in order to become a Frontier Brain, but Brandon defeated Reggie without losing a Pokémon. Brandon instructed Reggie to refine his battle style and find his inner strength, which Paul also took on, making it the reason he wants to be strong. Paul immediately recalls Magmar and brings out Hariyama, which Dawn checks. The type matchup is positive as Regirock fires Stone Edge, but Hariyama blocks it easily. Hariyama charges forward and hits with multiple Arm Thrusts, but Regirock bear hugs Hariyama and uses Shock Wave at close range, causing it to stumble. Hariyama launches Force Palm, but Regirock dodges and lands a Focus Punch, knocking it out. As Paul recalls Hariyama, everyone is awed at how strong Regirock is. Outside, Team Rocket tries to decide whether to climb the pyramid again or go to the temple. Jessie and Meowth play rock paper scissors to decide, but it results in a tie.
Meanwhile, Paul summons Electabuzz. Ash predicts Paul's strategy as Electabuzz uses Brick Break to hit. Regirock fires Stone Edge, the attack so powerful that it even smashes through Protect before following up with Hyper Beam, taking down Electabuzz. Both recall their Pokémon, which benefits Brandon on not having to deal with Regirock being immobile after firing Hyper Beam. Brandon sends out Registeel as Paul brings Magmar back out. Magmar hits with a Flamethrower, but Registeel takes it without much falter and launches into an Iron Head. Magmar blocks it, but it flinches, negating the Will-O-Wisp order Paul gave. Paul recalls Magmar and deploys Nidoking. Registeel fires Flash Cannon and hits, but Nidoking uses Earth Power, hitting before launching into Double Kick. Registeel shows some fatigue but recovers, hitting with a Thunderbolt before using an Iron Head to knock out Nidoking.
Brandon questions Paul, but Paul rants about his desire to beat him after Reggie's failure and his inability to find his inner strength, his will being his driving force to win. Brandon questions Paul's reason for battling, but Paul doesn't answer, angrily bringing out Lairon. Brandon brings Regice out as Lairon uses Iron Defense. Regice freezes Lairon with Ice Beam before launching Zap Cannon, knocking out Lairon without it being able to attack. Paul's emotions grow more intense as he brings out Ursaring, launching Hammer Arm. A Focus Punch blocks that and creates a massive backlash. Ursaring prepares Focus Blast, but another Zap Cannon stops that attack and paralyzes Ursaring. Brandon brings Regirock back out as a Stone Edge attack wipes out Ursaring. Reggie notices that Paul did not give any orders to Ursaring as Paul brings out Magmar as his last, Candice mentioning that Paul has pretty much lost. Regirock easily endures Magmar's Flamethrower before using Shock Wave to knock out Magmar, giving Brandon a perfect victory over Paul. Brandon does praise Paul on raising his strong Pokémon but instructing him to control his emotions next time.
Outside, Team Rocket is still split on deciding where to go as James notices Ash and his friends exiting. Outside, Paul still plans to challenge Candice as Candice challenges Zoey to a battle. Candice and Zoey get on Dodrio as Candice wishes Dawn good luck in her next Contest before leaving. Paul starts to leave but Reggie asks if Ash and Paul can have a full battle. Brandon agrees with the idea as both Ash and Paul agree to battle, Reggie setting the event at Lake Acuity in 10 days. Reggie and Paul leave as Samuel and Maria arrive, telling Brandon that a situation has occured at the temple.
Major events
Debuts
Pokémon debuts
Characters
Humans
Pokémon
Trivia
- This is the first episode starring a Frontier Brain where Scott does not appear.
- This is also the first time when a Frontier Brain appears after the Battle Frontier season.
- This is the first episode in which both Paul and Reggie appear in person together.
- This is the second time when Paul loses a Pokémon match without his opponent losing a single one of his/her Pokémon, the first being against Cynthia 88 episodes back.
- The Sinnoh map shown on TV is similar to the one in-game.
- This episode holds the record for the most amount of Pokédex entries in a single episode, that being five (the Pokémon referenced being Regirock, Registeel, Hariyama, Nidoking, and Lairon).
- If collision of Regice's Focus Punch and Ursaring's Hammer Arm isn't counted as a hit, all of Paul's Pokémon were knocked out with two hits.
Errors
Dub edits
