Ash's Noctowl

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Ash's Noctowl
サトシのヨルノズク Satoshi's Yorunozuku
Bag Poké Ball SV Sprite.png
Ash Noctowl.png
Ash's Noctowl
Debuts in Fowl Play!
Caught at Ilex Forest
Gender Unknown
Ability Unknown
Current location At Professor Oak's Laboratory
File:HOME164s.png
This Pokémon is fully evolved.
Voice actor Japanese English
As Noctowl Yūji Ueda

Ash's Noctowl (Japanese: サトシのヨルノズク Satoshi's Yorunozuku) is a Shiny Pokémon that Ash encountered on the way to Goldenrod City during his travels through Johto in Fowl Play! Not only does it have a unique color, but it is also unusually small and intelligent.

History

Johto

Ash's Noctowl (right) with a wild normal Noctowl (left)

Noctowl debuted in Fowl Play!. One Dr. Wiseman was trying to capture the Noctowl using traps rather than Poké Balls, but each time Noctowl outwitted him and escaped the traps — usually leaving him hypnotized in the process. Ash was offended by Wiseman's tactics and plotted to capture Noctowl traditionally. Wiseman hypnotized Noctowl using its own Hypnosis and a mirror, but Noctowl managed to escape - just in time for Team Rocket to attack and attempt to capture it. Ash risked his own safety to pry Team Rocket's mecha claw open and allow Noctowl to fly free, before Noctowl marshaled the power of Totodile, Cyndaquil and Pikachu to destroy the mecha and send Team Rocket blasting off.

Noctowl clashing with Haunter

Following the rescue, Noctowl challenged Ash to a battle. Dr. Wiseman decided that it was too smart for him to catch, so Ash should have a go. Pikachu was hypnotized and began to use Thunderbolt on everything except Noctowl. When he shocks himself, he returns to normal. Cunningly, to avoid further hypnosis, Pikachu closed his eyes and listened for Noctowl's wings, then used Thunderbolt, knocking Noctowl out and allowing Ash to capture it in one.

In Carrying On!, Noctowl used its Hypnosis on a Fearow to make it believe it was a Charizard, causing it to flee in fear. It then used Hypnosis on the traumatized Pidgey victim, making it appear as a fellow Pidgey and allowing it to approach. Noctowl later led the gang to the lost carrier Pidgey that had been captured by Team Rocket and alongside Ken, the Pidgey he rescued before, freed them and led the Pidgey into an attack on Team Rocket's balloon.

Noctowl was unique when compared to Ash's Pidgeotto in that it had Psychic powers to add to its abilities as a scout and aerial attacker. This gave it advantage over the Poison-type Ghosts under Morty in Ecruteak City. Noctowl's ability to use Foresight was revealed in A Ghost of a Chance and gave it a huge advantage as it made the Ghosts visible and vulnerable to Tackle.

Defeating multiple Gastly after learning to use Foresight

Noctowl was the Pokémon Ash based his Ecruteak Gym campaign around in the following episode. It successfully used Foresight on Gastly, but had to be recalled because it couldn't land any other attacks. It was then sent out against Haunter, struggling to overcome the Ghost type but managed to win through learning Confusion. It was then left to battle Morty's fresh Gengar, and looked vulnerable as Gengar was able to attack whilst invisible. However, Noctowl was able to reveal Gengar's location by using Confusion through the whole building and then using Foresight to keep Gengar visible. It then finished Gengar off with a Tackle attack and Ash got the Fog Badge.

Ash briefly transferred Noctowl to Professor Oak in Ring Masters so that Oak could study its unique coloring whilst Ash borrowed his Snorlax.

In Throwing in the Noctowl, Ash sent out Noctowl and used its ability to fly in order to carry a plane headed for Olivine City.

In Fangs for Nothin', Ash used Noctowl in battle with Clair's Kingdra. Noctowl managed to land a Confusion attack, but an attempt to telekinetically levitate Kingdra was broken by a Hydro Pump attack. Hypnosis also failed and Kingdra was about to knock Noctowl out when the battle was suspended by Team Rocket's antics. Noctowl was not used in the rematch.

Noctowl was used in the battle against Harrison in the quarterfinals of the Silver Conference in Can't Beat the Heat!. It was put at a huge disadvantage by fighting Harrison's Steelix, who blinded Noctowl with Sandstorm and then used Dig to avoid Noctowl's psychic attacks. A single Iron Tail took Noctowl out of the match.

Ash left Noctowl along with his other Johto Pokémon at Professor Oak's Laboratory when he set off for the Hoenn region.

In the special episode Showdown at the Oak Corral, Noctowl was seen on a branch and spotted Cassidy and Butch when they were breaking into Oak's Lab. It appeared later when it was showing Tracey and Bayleef the way to Cassidy and Butch's helicopter. It was also seen in the Christmas special where it helped Delibird to retrieve its presents.

Sinnoh

Noctowl defeating Lickilicky with Extrasensory

Noctowl reappeared in An Old Family Blend!, alongside Ash's other Pokémon.

In Working on a Right Move!, Ash used Noctowl in his battle with Conway in the Lily of the Valley Conference. It put up a strong fight against Conway's Shuckle, demonstrating two powerful new Flying-type moves (Air Slash and Sky Attack) whilst attempting to break through Shuckle's defenses. However, Shuckle used Power Trick to amp up its own attack and allowing Gyro Ball to break through Air Slash, causing critical damage and forcing Ash to recall it.

Noctowl was sent back out to battle Lickilicky, using its exceptional speed to dodge the super-effective Thunderbolt and then countered by using Extrasensory to raise Lickilicky and slam it to the ground, defeating it. However, Conway's Dusknoir used Trick Room to counter Noctowl's speed and it took it out with a single ThunderPunch.

Personality and characteristics

Ash and Noctowl

Personality-wise, Noctowl was presented as intelligent, mischievous, and cunning — although these traits weren't usually emphasized or touched upon after its debut episode. It also presents a serious side to its personality, often going to sleep with dignity, or using its hypnosis on others in order to save them, instead of for prank purposes, as was the case in Carrying On!, where it was also shown to develop a soft spot for a small Pidgey. Noctowl is very loyal to Ash because he saved it from Team Rocket, and similar to Bulbasaur, was captured in a fair contest with Pikachu.

Ash used Noctowl much in the same way he did with Pidgeotto, sending it out to scout or to pop Team Rocket's balloon, but otherwise not focusing too much on it. For some reason, it was often absent from scenes featuring the rest of the group's Pokémon.

Moves used

Ash Noctowl Extrasensory.png
Using Extrasensory
Ash Noctowl Foresight.png
Using Foresight
Move First Used In
Peck Fowl Play!
Hypnosis Fowl Play!
Foresight Delibird's Dilemma
Tackle A Ghost of a Chance
Confusion From Ghost to Ghost
Sky Attack  Working on a Right Move!
Air Slash  Working on a Right Move!
Extrasensory  Working on a Right Move!
A shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves.

Trivia

Like Shiny Pokémon in the games, Noctowl sparkles as it exits its Poké Ball.
  • Noctowl is the first Shiny Pokémon seen in the anime, although it is not the first alternately colored Pokémon to appear, and is also the only one to be owned by a main character.
  • Noctowl is the only one of Ash's bird Pokémon to have been fully evolved when it was captured. As such, Noctowl is also the only Flying-type Pokémon currently owned by Ash that did not evolve under his ownership.
    • To date, Noctowl is also the latest Pokémon that Ash has caught it in its fully evolved state.
  • Noctowl is Ash's only Pokémon able to use damaging Psychic-type moves.
  • Noctowl is Ash's only Normal/Flying-type Pokémon that doesn't know Quick Attack or Wing Attack.

Related articles

For more information on this Pokémon's species, see Noctowl.


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