Preview JN085: Rival Showdown! Satoshi VS Saitou!!

[Ghost Diplocaulus]

A bit depressing that Lucario's getting beaten to a pulp so it has to rely on Mega Evolution to win rather than doing so under his own power

Leon's rubbing off on Ash in all the wrong ways

Eh, to be fair Lucario does have the type disadvantage in these matchups on account of being part Steel.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

I really hope this isn't one of those battles where Ash's team is getting badly beat the whole episode without landing many hits on his opponent, only to suddenly get a critical hit and KO his opponents Pokemon.

This episode has veteran staff working on it, so I doubt that will happen.

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

This episode has veteran staff working on it, so I doubt that will happen.

Is it the dream team working on this one?

 

[Die-Hard Dragon Devotee]

Is it the dream team working on this one?

No, but they are working on the next episode.

 

[feelithard23]

Having seen the preview, either Pikachu or Sirfetch'd is the fall guy. I hope its Pikachu honestly.

Grapploct vs Pikachu - Pikachu switched out
Grapploct vs Sirfetch'd - Sirfetch'd
Machamp vs Sirfetch'd - Machamp
Machamp vs Pikachu - Machamp switched out
Hawlucha vs Pikachu - Hawlucha
Hawlucha vs Lucario - Lucario
Machamp vs Lucario - Lucario wins

This way, both the supposed aces get a win before facing eachother. And yes, i feel like the clips are out of order so that it looks like Pikachu is still around and not knocked out.

i thought Bea wouldn’t use Hawlucha again, i was expecting Pangoro tbh

 

[Reborn Talonflame]

After a loss, then a draw, it would be pretty wasteful if Lucario didn’t beat Grapploct. It just wouldn’t make any sense given that it was the only thing resembling an rival for Lucario.
The only “decent” rivalry we have cannot be crumbled into letting Pikachu break it, because then ultimately, there’s nothing for the Pokemon to seek out to prove.
Infernape v Electivire, Torracat v Incineroar, Greninja v Sceptile/Charizard, Charizard v Blastoise, Buizel v Floatzel, Lycanroc v Lycanroc, etc.
If there wasn’t any determination to have a contest, then why would we get so invested in seeing that Pokemon prevail against another, when there are, at times, several others that could do it? Like, if there wasn’t a rivalry between them, we would just wait until the final match-up, and the rest of the battle wouldn’t matter. Like, if Infernape was knocked out by Electivire, and Ash just sent out Torterra to handle it - wouldn’t feel the same at all.
Same goes for Sirfetch’d with Hawlucha. That began its first battle under Ash, and surely it should seek atonement under its improvement.
I cannot stress this enough, Pikachu has to be the fall-guy.

 

[feelithard23]

I feel like Ash's other pokémon will either be sirfetch'd or gengar.

 

[Ghost Diplocaulus]

Obligatory battle hopes incoming:

1. Lucario vs Hawlucha- Lucario is switched out
2. Sirfetch'd vs Hawlucha- Sirfetch'd wins
3. Sirfetch'd vs Grapploct- Grapploct wins
4. Pikachu vs Grapploct- Grapploct is switched out
5. Pikachu vs Machamp- Machamp wins and is switched out
6. Lucario vs Grapploct- Lucario wins
7. Lucario vs Machamp- Lucario wins

It's not confirmed obviously, but I want Sirfetch'd to be Ash's third Pokemon because it's the only other one that battled Bea before and needs to get even with her again, so I'd rather it be here instead of Gengar. This is especially because I feel that Lucario should get even with Grapploct too since it's battled it twice and never outright beat it, meaning Lucario should defeat two Pokemon here, so a fall guy is all but guaranteed, and if Gengar turns out to be the third Pokemon we all know it's gonna be in that role, and I really don't want that because I'm tired of the poor thing losing. And I obviously don't want Sirfetch'd to lose either not just because I love that ducky knight, but also because it hasn't done anything in ages, so for it to return after a long absence just to lose, and to a trainer it was already defeated by at that, ...it would just suck. So I'm making Pikachu the fall guy. But to ensure that the rodent goes down swinging, I'll make it so that he gives Grapploct enough trouble that Bea's forced to switch it out and beat Pikachu with her Machamp (who is clearly her ace in this fight, and I feel like ace Pokemon should always get one win so that their power is established, so Machamp shouldn't go without a win either). Then Lucario beats both Grapploct and Machamp, though wether it's forced to Mega right away to deal with the octopus or if it'll only need the powerup for Machamp could go either way imo.

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

Honestly, Lucario just needs to be switched out so Ash can save him for Grapploct, and Sirfetch'd needs a win also. These two Pokemon have a score to settle with Bea, which is kinda why I hope the two of them perform the best while Pikachu ends up being the fall guy.

 

[Unireon]

Is there any need to put Pikachu in?

 

[Ghost Diplocaulus]

Is there any need to put Pikachu in?

Honestly, if it had been up to me I would have left Pikachu out of the match entirely, since he's already participated in more than enough battles in this saga as it is and I'd much rather something else get spotlight in his place for a change, but the previews have already confirmed that Pikachu will be one of the Pokemon Ash will use against Bea, so that's why the battle predictions are including him.

 

[Jewel the Quaxly]

Is there any need to put Pikachu in?

There's a part of me that's worried that the reason why Ash's third pokemon hasn't been shown in the preview is because Ash will win with just Pikachu and Lucario...but that's pretty baseless anyway, so I doubt it.

I would much appreciate it if this two-parter made it so Lucario, Pikachu, and hopefully Sir'fetched interact with each other either before or after the battle. Remember when Ash's pokemon would all cheer together when Ash caught a pokemon or won a badge? I miss that...

 

[Unireon]

I wasn't talking about the predictions.

It was a question directed to the staff.

 

[Lightning Flame Blast]

Is there any need to put Pikachu in?

I stand by @BigDocFan ‘s theory that this is all a sneaky ploy of the writers to up Pikachu’s win/loss ratio

 

[feelithard23]

My battle predictions:

1. Pikachu vs Grapploct - Grapploct switched out
2. Pikachu vs Machamp - Machamp wins and is switched out
3. Lucario vs Hawlucha -Lucario switched out
4. Sirfetch'd vs. Hawlucha - Sirfetch'd wins
5. Sirfetch’d vs. Grapploct - Grapploct wins
6. Lucario vs Grapploct - Lucario wins
7. Lucario vs - Machamp - Lucario wins

Has Pikachu ever been the fall guy in any of Ash's battles?

 

[Daren]

Has Pikachu ever been the fall guy in any of Ash's battles?

Yep. Off the top of my head a few times against Paul, and I believe against both Katie and Morrison in the Hoenn league.

 

[Reborn Talonflame]

Yep. Off the top of my head a few times against Paul, and I believe against both Katie and Morrison in the Hoenn league.

How dare you forget about Jeanette and her Bellsprout at the Indigo League.

 

[Ghost Diplocaulus]

To be fair, I don't think Pikachu has been a fall guy in any battles he's participated in since DP, so I can't say I blame anyone for forgetting that he has jobbed.

 

[feelithard23]

Yep. Off the top of my head a few times against Paul, and I believe against both Katie and Morrison in the Hoenn league.

Pikachu is so strong he doesn’t look like fall guy material

 

[Reborn Talonflame]

To be fair, I don't think Pikachu has been a fall guy in any battles he's participated in since DP, so I can't say I blame anyone for forgetting that he has jobbed.

Unless you count the battle against Cress and Panpour, which I don’t personally.