This episode is essential viewing because: Ash tries to win a badge at the Dewford Gym from Brawly the Gym Leader.

Ash is excited to start his gym match so he prepares himself and asks if Pikachu is ready which nods. Max wonders why Ash is up so early and Brock replies while laughing that according to Ash it’s never too early for a pokemon gym match. Annoyed, May comes to the scene and asks what’s going on. Max then remarks that May is still holding her pillow and she starts to blush and tells them that she loves the comfy pokemon centre pillows.

Excited, Ash leaves the pokemon centre and heads for the gym. When reaching the gym, Max remarks that this must be a fighting gym when he sees a Machop and Machamp on the gym arch. Brock then says that it’s correct and that it’s even said that the gymleader trainer with Johto’s gymleader Chuck. Brock tells Ash it won’t be easy but Ash says he can handle it. Then when Ash is about to enter the gym, a stream of surfers comes out of the gym and runs over Ash. One boy, surrounded by women who Brock of course flirts with, apologises to Ash and helps him. Ash asks where he can find the gymleader but the man introduces himself as Brawly, the gymleader. Excited, Ash asks when they can battle, but Brawly says that they will battle later because he is going to surf with his pupils. Ash is angry and that every gymleader should accept a challenge. He also comments that he doesn’t understand what’s so special about him, but May interrupts him and says he’s really cute and follows Brawly. Brock says that there might be some cute girls there and follows May. Ash calls for them but Max suggests to just follow them.

On the beach there are many people, including two people who walk to a drink stand which is owned by Team Rocket. They do their motto which scares the two customers as they nervously order some drinks. Meowth tells them that they should stop scaring the customers when he notices Ash and co. Jessie wants to take Pikachu immediately but James says that they should just stick with selling soda’s. Jessie gets angry but Meowth interrupts her by telling that they will steal Pikachu when the time is right.

May excitedly jumps into her bathing suit as Brock looks at all the girl and drools. Then May notices Brawly who releases his Makuhita which Ash thinks is absolutely cool and checks it with his pokedex. In the meanwhile Brawly and Makuhita are surfing the waves. When looking at the pokemon, he gets excited to battle it. As Brawly teaches Makuhita how to surf, Ash calls from the beach for a challenge. Brawly tells Ash he’s busy but Ash goes into the water and pops up behind Brawly. Then a wave breaks and sweeps over them. Brawly resuscitates Makuhita and they all check to see if Makuhita is okay. Ash pops his head out of the sand and demands a match when Team Rocket pops up and throws a net over Pikachu. Pikachu tries to use thundershock but only ends up hurting itself as Meowth explains that whatever Pikachu does it will only hurt itself.

Brawly wants to know who they are and they do their motto again but Meowth interrupts and tells them they should leave fast otherwise Pikachu would escape. They speed away in their speedboat as Makuhita follows them on their surfboard. Makuhita approaches and slams Pikachu off the boat into the water with its board which also causes many holes in the boat which Team Rocket tries to plug the holes. James gets tired and releases and water spurts out. Jessie and Meowth tell it to hold on but Pikachu is ordered by Ash to use thunderbolt and it blasts off Team Rocket. Then Brawly gladly accepts Ash’s challenge when he asks once again and they head to the gym. Ash is really excited and starts with some exercises as Brock and Max try to think of a strategy to defeat Brawly’s pokemon. Brock says that flying pokemon would be the best choice for Ash and Ash agrees. May then tells Ash that Taillow might not be strong enough for Brawly’s pokemon since it hasn’t been trained yet but Ash says he has confidence in his pokemon and the match starts.

They both can use two pokemon and Brawly sends out his first pokemon, a Machop. Ash starts off with Taillow and the match begins. Ash orders Taillow to use wing attack and its wings starts to glow and it heads for Machop. The attack hits but Machop rises from the ground and Taillow continues to hit it twice with its wing attack but Machop keeps continuing. Brock says that Machop must have used bide and that Ash should watch out. Ash orders for another wing attack but Machop avoids and uses karate chop on Taillow and makes it unable to battle. Brock then tells Ash that Brawly must have learned his pokemon how to dodge while surfing.

Ash then returns Taillow and sends out Treecko. Ash orders it to use slam. The slam attack hits but Machop gets up. This happens a few times in a row when suddenly Machop trips and Treecko uses its quick attack. The attack misses for the first time but the second time it hits and Machop falls upon the floor and faints.Brawly returns Machop and May comments that Ash is doing great. But Brock disagrees as he tells that Treecko looks too tired and probably won’t be able to defeat Makuhita. Then Brawly sends out his Makuhita and the match continues.

Makuhita faces Treecko as Treecko starts its slam attack again. Makuhita avoids it in the same way as Machop and both pokemon do this several times. This really tires Treecko. Ash tells it to use quick attack, it tries but then it stops because it’s too tired. Then Makuhita grabs its chance and slams Treecko upon the floor. Brawly thinks it’s over but Treecko gets up again. Brawly orders for a seismic toss and Treecko is thrown on the floor. Now Brawly really thinks it’s over but once again Treecko arose from the ground. Everybody is shocked, but Ash is excited and wants Treecko to attack but then Makuhita starts to glow. It soon starts to change into a big Hariyama and May checks it on her pokedex. Brock tells Ash to stop the battle because Treecko can’t take it any longer but Ash won’t do it. He tells Treecko to slam Hariyama but Hariyama grabs Treecko and uses mega punch and smashes it against the wall and Treecko is knocked out! Brawly says he should bring Treecko to the pokemon centre and leaves them behind.

At the pokemon centre, Ash asks Joy how Treecko is doing. Joy replies that it’s doing fine but it’s badly beaten up. Brock tells Ash that he’s done a great match but Ash refuses to believe that. Brock then says that they’ll come back later but Ash screams that he will win and runs out the door, followed by Pikachu. Ash tells Pikachu at the beach how this is all his fault that Treecko is beaten so badly until it hears Brawly. He sees Brawly who teaches Hariyama to surf on a board. The first time it falls into the water but the second time it manages to save balance. After some surfing they get back to shore where they are greeted by Ash. Brawly asks how Treecko is doing and Ash says it’s fine whenever he gets some rest. Brawly says that’s good and when he is about to go surfing again, Ash stops him and tells Brawly that he thinks he will never be able to defeat him. Brawly comforts him and tells Ash a little speech as Brock and co approach. When Brawly finishes his speech and goes back into the water, Brock and co head for Ash. Ash says he’s now determined to win and that he won’t leave this island until he has defeated Brawly.

This episode guide has been written by shinymay.

Characters appearing in this episode

Ash

Brock

Max

May

Jessie

James

Meowth

Ash's Pikachu

Pokémon appearing in this episode

• Pikachu belonging to Ash
• Meowth

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