EP131

Template:EpisodePrevNext

Fighting Flyer with Fire (Japanese: キキョウジム！おおぞらのたたかい!! Kikyō Gym! Sky Battle!) is the 131st episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on January 20, 2000 and in the United States on December 16, 2000, as part of the Pokémon: The Johto Journeys season.

After the Violet City Gym Leader Falkner foils one of Team Rocket's schemes to steal Pikachu, Ash decides to battle him for a Zephyr Badge.

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

Synopsis

Ash, Misty, and Brock finally reach the Violet City Gym, and Ash is anxious to get his first Johto badge. But before they are able to go inside, Jessie and James appear in disguises. They say they are from the Pokémon Bureau and that they must inspect every Pokémon before anyone can enter the Gym. They take Pikachu and remark that it's "buggy, bleary eyed, and blubbery". Then they run off with it. Soon afterwards, they're floating away in their balloon while revealing their real identity and holding Pikachu in an electric-proof glass case.

Ash sends out Heracross to save Pikachu, but Meowth drops a jar of sap to distract Heracross. Then, Ash and friends notice there is someone hand-gliding next to Team Rocket's balloon. Then, the hand-glider signals for his Hoothoot to take Pikachu. While the hand-glider is trying to land, Jessie calls for Arbok to use Poison Sting to poke holes in his sail. Next the hand-glider sends out his Pidgeot to save him from falling. Then he has his Pidgeot poke a hole in their balloon to send them flying away.

After Team Rocket has blasted off, the hand-glider finally lands and gives Pikachu back to Ash. Misty remarks about how fast his Pidgeot is, and Ash is reminded of his own Pidgeot and that one day he'll see it again. The hand-glider mentions about how much he loves riding on Flying Pokémon and that they are his favorite type. Brock asks why he loves them so much, to which he responds that it's because he's always wanted to fly through the sky since he was a little boy. Then he says he learned how to hand-glide in order to understand his Pokémon better. He also mentions how mad he gets when people always say that Flying Pokémon stand no chance against Electric Pokémon. Misty quickly agrees with him, but instead with the sense of Water Pokémon. Finally, Ash introduces himself, and the hand-glider introduces himself as Falkner and that he is the gym leader.

Once, they are inside the gym, they go up to the roof where there is a stadium set up for Ash and Falkner to battle. They are told that they can use three Pokémon each. Once the match begins, Falkner starts with Hoothoot, and Ash decides to start with Chikorita. Falkner scolds Ash for sending out a Pokémon that is weak to Flying Pokémon. Ash defends himself by saying that not everyone should judge by type. Chikorita starts out with a Vine Whip, but Hoothoot dodges it by Flying into the sky. Chikorita still tries hitting Hoothoot with a Vine Whip, but Hoothoot still dodges and attacks Chikorita with Peck. Chikorita uses Razor Leaf, but Hoothoot dodges and takes down Chikorita with Tackle.

Ash decides to use Pikachu next. Pikachu uses Agility in order to avoid getting tackled. Hoothoot is taken down by a Thunderbolt and finished off by a Quick Attack. Falkner then sends out his Dodrio and mentions that no challenger has ever defeated it. Both Pikachu and Dodrio start off the match by using Agility. Although Pikachu tries using Thunderbolt, Dodrio dodges it by jumping up high. Dodrio then attacks Pikachu with Fury Attack and Drill Peck. While Dodrio is using Tri Attack, Pikachu dodges and takes it down with Thunder. Dodrio is cheered on to get up, but it ultimately faints.

Falkner sends out his last Pokémon, which is Pidgeot. Pikachu is really tired by now, and Ash is told by Misty and Brock to give it a rest. Ash asks Pikachu if it wants to take a break, but Pikachu is willing to fight. Pikachu starts it off with a Thunderbolt, but Pidgeot easily dodges it by flying. Pidgeot then takes down Pikachu with a Whirlwind. Ash then sends out Charizard to battle. Both Charizard and Pidgeot are told to fly into the air, then Ash tells Charizard to use Flamethrower, but Pidgeot dodges. Charizard consistently uses Flamethrower and Pidgeot uses Agility to get out of the way. Pidgeot then sends out a Whirlwind to hit Charizard with its own Flamethrower, sending it back onto the ground. Pidgeot starts using a Wing Attack, and Ash commands Charizard to fly, but it's wing is hurt. Charizard is hit straight on by Pidgeot's Wing Attack. Charizard is also hit with a Quick Attack, which leaves Ash wondering what he should do. Falkner tells him to forfeit, but Ash refuses to.

Charizard soon becomes strong enough to fly and dodges a Quick Attack. Pidgeot starts using Agility to appear behind Charizard and attack it with Quick Attack. This happens again, but Charizard doesn't give up. Charizard then flies behind Pidgeot, and before Pidgeot can attack, Charizard surrounds it with Fire Spin. Charizard then finishes off Pidgeot by using Seismic Toss. Although Pidgeot is cheered on to get up, it faints, which means that Ash has won the match against Falkner.

Falkner presents Ash with the Zephyr Badge. Falkner has been inspired by Ash to work more and train harder. He also wishes Ash luck in the Johto league. Ash, Misty and Brock wave goodbye as they walk to the next gym in the next city.

The scene cuts off to Team Rocket, who are shown being pecked by a group of Spearow and Fearow in their deflated balloon.

Major events

• Ash and Falkner have a 3 on 3 battle.
  • Ash uses Chikorita, Pikachu and Charizard.
    • This is Charizard's final gym battle for Ash until much later in the Battle Frontier.
  • Falkner uses Hoothoot, Dodrio and Pidgeot.
    • Falkner's Hoothoot knocks out Ash's Chikorita with Tackle.
    • Ash's Pikachu knocks out Hoothoot with Agility followed by a Thunderbolt then Quick Attack.
    • Pikachu then knocks out Falkner's Dodrio with Thunder.
    • Falkner's Pidgeot knocks out Pikachu with Whirlwind.
    • Ash's Charizard knocks out Pidgeot with Fire Spin then Seismic Toss.
    • Ash defeats Falkner and earns his first Johto League Gym Badge, the Zephyr Badge.

Debuts

• Falkner

Characters

Humans

• Ash
• Misty
• Brock
• Jessie
• James
• Falkner

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?: Marill (US and international), Pidgeot (Japan)

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Meowth (Team Rocket)
• Togepi (Misty's)
• Pidgeot (Ash's; flashback)
• Charizard (Ash's)
• Heracross (Ash's)
• Chikorita (Ash's)
• Arbok (Jessie's)
• Hoothoot (Falkner's)
• Pidgeot (Falkner's)
• Dodrio (Falkner's)
• Pidgey (flashback)
• Pidgeotto (flashback)
• Spearow
• Fearow

Trivia

• This episode's dub title is a reference to the popular saying, "fight fire with fire".
• An episode from the Diamond & Pearl series has a similar episode title to this one.

Errors

• Ash said that his Pidgeot was protecting a flock of fellow Pidgeot, when it was actually protecting a flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto.

Dub edits

In other languages

• French: L'air contre le feu
• Italian: Un incontro importante
• Latin American Spanish: ¡Combatiendo al volador con fuego!
• Spanish: Combatiendo al volador con fuego

Template:Epstub Template:EpisodePrevNext

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