Preview JN104: Hyper Class! VS Dracaena of The Big Four!!

[Articfoxgamez]

It seems to me that Dracovish is learning Dragon Rush.

That or it knew it all along and ash just never told them to use it. Dracovish has only shown 3 moves so far right?

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

That or it knew it all along and ash just never told them to use it. Dracovish has only shown 3 moves so far right?

Yes. But I think it'll learn it during the training session in episode 103.

 

[MimeyTheKeeper]

Since couple of days ago I have already written a behemoth of post elsewhere about how PWC, power-levels and whole narrative are handled and how it could be done IMHO more gracefully in my blueprint, I will abstract from that now on.
So OK, let's ride with the perspective Ash has advanced so much as Trainer, that he can (besides his job as researcher at Lab) assemble completely new team of misfits, outcasts and hatchlings and train them in short time to level comparable with best trainers of world, who's aces have been with them usually from start of their Pokémon careers and are usually carefully adding one powerful Pokémon to the roster (like Cynthia seems to have Kommo-o) in same time. And therefore, he could afford to sent the least experienced, most lately evolved/acquired duo from that team to beat 12th best Trainer in the world, Elite Four member. Which is something, that even his most proficient teams and aces literally did not manage to come even close before. Although to be fair, they seem to be achieving some memorable wins that are comparably difficult, but not Elite Four directly.

Fair enough, my personal problem with this particular episode/fight is, even with accepting everything above, that I could not get myself to worry about result. There is simply not any excitement or worry for me, because with him using Sirfetch'd and Dracovish

A. He either narratively "must win", because those two are late for some impressive win, especially Sirfetch'd

B. Or in case he loses, not only it is further botching of characters and abilities of those two Pokémon, Ash would also look incredibly silly - coming in to the match of quality and opponent-caliber he literally never won before, taking his two least proficient Pokémon...and losing

C. Draw is somehow possibility, but since it does not move PWC rankings, it would seem as great waste of time here, so I am not expecting it at all

So there you have it...either it will make some narrative sense and then result is inevitable win (and to extension to Master Class, because logically, for Dragonite, Lucario and Pikachu be believable to put down Gyarados, Duralodon, Garchomp and Monarchzard, Sirfetch'd and Dracovish must be able to take care of these two Drasna's dragons) or we get unexpected loss and that will automatically continue character botching (Ash's and his Pokémon).

Yep, that will make someone not-breathing with expectations at the edge of seat.
It's same like with Marnie last time - with only Gengar, either predictable outcome or catastrophe.
Making it 3v3 and inserting Dragonite into the mix would at least open SOME options of open ending of possible loss without wrecking Sirfetch'd especially.

It may be even over-the-top with Drasna been teased to mega-evolve her Altaria. Which makes sense her having that ability and being from Kalos. But Ash is, if I am not mistaken, left without gimmick here. He cannot mega-evolve either one, Dynamax is out of question in Kalos (and he had not trained it with those two anyway). That leaves only Z-Move, but I do not remember those two having ANY move that Ash posses appropriate crystal to enhance to Z-Move.
So the win maybe even coming reverse-Volkner style with Ash beating Elite Four member using power-up and him not.

Hopefully, they will come with some way to spice it up and make it good episode.

 

[Lightning Flame Blast]

We got the Dragon Rush, folks!

And Meteor Assault too, apparently!

 

[Turbo]

It's interesting in the preview Drasna kinda intimidates Ash with that interview she was in as he's hasn't reacted like that in a while

She looks like someone who wins with low effort or at least acts that way so it'll be cool if Ash gets her to exert more effort/energy
And maybe this is what makes Ash want to train with Clemont

Sirfetch’d learning Meteor Assault and Dracovish learning or revealing Dragon Rush looks good

Sirfetch’d going to become the knight that slays dragons lol

 

[Sai]

I don't see the problem with Drasna losing. I get the feeling she also won't be portrayed as strong as some of the other Elite 4 too. DP made Flint and Bertha too strong whereas Ash's earlier losses was because he was a beginning trainer.

 

[Turbo]

I don't see the problem with Drasna losing. I get the feeling she also won't be portrayed as strong as some of the other Elite 4 too. DP made Flint and Bertha too strong whereas Ash's earlier losses was because he was a beginning trainer.

From what I can tell the problem people have isn't that Drasna might lose it's that it would be Sirfetch’d and Dracovish that defeat the E4 member

Which is a whole different discussion lol

And yeah I do remember DP (and AG iirc) making the E4 and Cynthia almost untouchable so when stuff changes like Ash being able to challenge champion Diantha in XY, it's treated more as Greninja being stronger vs Ash has improved as a trainer and can do better than he did in DP

I think this battle can help reaffirm the idea that Ash battle skill wise is around E4 level

 

[ShashaR]

First time Ash beats a champion? Let’s make it a former traveling companion, a new champion and have it be a 2 v 2. First time someone catches a legendary? Let’s have it occur in the easiest way possible with a single, unobstructed toss. First time a main character gets a fossil Pokémon? Let’s have it never really appear again. First time Ash beats and Elite 4 member? Let’s have him use 2 Pokémon who have either barely been used or have worst win:lose ratio of the entire team.

Journeys’ motto might as be: If it can be done for the first time, we’ll be sure to half ass it.

These are the reasons journeys is the worst series . Yes, I consider it below BW and that's saying something . Atleast they tried new stuff to the fullest with Club battles, Junior world championships and Delecore islands .

 

[ShashaR]

Ash's Pokemon's development, Ash's time in the super class and bouncing back from his losing streak

It's so sad that I now have to wish for episodes of them just train and talk . Something we all detested in the past .

 

[ShashaR]

Kinda unrelated but I saw some people who never watched journeys in thier life talk about how Journeys is the best by a MILE . Their points ? All the returns, travelling all regions, Ash having a strong team, how Goh is so cool that he easily catches legends, how the company is trying a new thing by having Chloe no particular interest or dream .
I wanted to laugh in a sad sort of way

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

These are the reasons journeys is the worst series . Yes, I consider it below BW and that's saying something . Atleast they tried new stuff to the fullest with Club battles, Junior world championships and Delecore islands .

I personally wasn't into any of those, because in the end, they didn't mean much for the overall story of the series. The returns and battles in Journeys contribute to the overall plot, and aside from one or two hickups, Ash actually knows what he's doing in Journeys, unlike in BW.

 

[Rath]

The new moves are definitely Meteor Assault and Dragon Rush

Spoiler

For Sirfetch'd, I predict that Night Slash is the move being replaced; they're pretty much the same animation-wise, and Brutal Swing has utility for the shield toss

 

[Sai]

These are the reasons journeys is the worst series . Yes, I consider it below BW and that's saying something . Atleast they tried new stuff to the fullest with Club battles, Junior world championships and Delecore islands .

I literally made a post above explaining why Ash beating Iris first makes sense because she's the newest/youngest champion. Fossil pokemon also aren't really anything special in the anime given they're revived all the time.

Ash was actually ready to beat Elite 4 by the end of AG. Maybe not all of them, but the Elite 4 being untouchable all these years never made sense.

 

[Daren]

Ash was actually ready to beat Elite 4 by the end of AG. Maybe not all of them, but the Elite 4 being untouchable all these years never made sense.

I'm still sort of annoyed that DP reversed Ash's development from AG by making E4 and Legenaries godlike again.

 

[Lightning Flame Blast]

The new moves are definitely Meteor Assault and Dragon Rush

Spoiler

For Sirfetch'd, I predict that Night Slash is the move being replaced; they're pretty much the same animation-wise, and Brutal Swing has utility for the shield toss

Maybe Fury Cutter?

 

[Sai]

I'm still sort of annoyed that DP reversed Ash's development from AG by making E4 and Legenaries godlike again.

DP definitely made the mistake of showing Flint and Bertha to be too strong. Even when Ash lost to Drake and Agatha it's not like he did terribly, he just lost a decent battle against them. In Kanto he only battled Lorelei and he was a rookie at the time so it made sense. Ash never battled Bruno or Lance in the OS.

 

[Soniman]

These are the reasons journeys is the worst series . Yes, I consider it below BW and that's saying something . Atleast they tried new stuff to the fullest with Club battles, Junior world championships and Delecore islands .

Very inspired of the anime to have a 30 episode island hopping filler arc, they truly broke new ground there

 

[Sai]

Also the Junior cup was the same thing as the Don battle tournaments just with a different name, lol.

 

[Soniman]

Also the Junior cup was the same thing as the Don battle tournaments just with a different name, lol.

This is pedantic but one could say the Unova League was just a Don tournament on a slightly larger scale because it did very little to separate itself from them

 

[Kurolegacy]

Very inspired of the anime to have a 30 episode island hopping filler arc, they truly broke new ground there

They should have even put in a mini competition that happened in that set of islands; a League of sorts. Now that would truly be new.