Review XY034: Mega Lucario VS Mega Kucheat! The Bonds of Mega Evolution!!

[Neo Blaze]

XY034 - Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia

 

[Mareepy]

I have no idea how that Old Woman is so calm when her Mawile is kidnapped. She is either confident that Korrina's Lucario can snap out of rampage or she can actually break the cage easily even if Korrina failed.

The Korrina and Lucario picking flower together part is hella good... but then, it become very dull when its used as a plot device to make Lucario snap out of rampage. I won't mind their bond doing that (make Lucario back to concious), but putting their bond into a flower circle they just made a while ago? IMHO its dulllllllllll.

That Mawile is so cute! It beat Lucario easily and helped to deliver tea later at the episode. I love Mawile now more than ever. (And that hairpin Megastone!) And that elegant batttle style!

Flower Arrangement is better than I expected. I am glad everyone did it not just Korrina.

And the battle at the start of episode. Mawile just battle so elegantly..... :rs069:

Edit: I forgot! TR is really boring in this episode...... It could be any battle, even a rematch with Mawile that Lucario break out of rampage.... Why TR again? P̶l̶o̶t̶ ̶C̶o̶n̶v̶e̶n̶i̶e̶n̶c̶e̶?̶ If its a rematch with Mawile, I still can see Lucario losing even if its not on rampage. (They don't need a win, no longer going rampage is development already, and its only the first step, no need to over-glorify the success.)

 

[p96822]

Mable has a hover scotter

 

[Lluksonak]

Spoiler

Seems like Korrina doesn't stay with Maple >< she goes back to Shalour City instead

Great episode concluding Korrina's arc.

Was Mawile/Kucheat's moves Iron Head and....Vacuum Wave?

 

[Sakuraa]

This episode was okay I guess.

The battle against Mawile was nothing major, but I was glad to see Mega Mawile that thing beat Lucario much easier than I thought it would. And man I forgot how bit Mawile became after in Megavolved. I thought the little flower arrangement scene was cute. And of course Clemont has to create an invention for this. Did anyone else find it really funny that Clemont just flailed around his arms and did absolutely nothing when his invention was about to blow up. I wonder if Fennekin's fear of getting dirty really did pass. She didn't get upset when she was covered in soot this time.

Anyway, I thought it was cute when Lucario caught Korrina after she recklessly tried to climb that cliff and get the flower and then went up to get it himself. Geez, that old lady didn't even seem to be that concerned that her Mawile was stolen. Ash was more worried than her. And of course, once again Lucario needs to have another mood swing. Ya know, I'm getting really sick of these. My gosh did Inkay's Tackle really do that much damage to this Megavoled steel-type? Geez. Fortunately it looks like this mood swing was the last one. Once again it seems like the trainer just needs to take an attack from their Pokémon, have and conversation with them, trigger a series of flashbacks from the last few episodes and everything is good. I love when Lucario goes ham with that Bone Rush. Ash catches Pikachu and...Serena catches Mawile? Ok...
Anyway, Megavoled Mawile, Thunderbolt, blast off, the end. Oh wait no, one more thing. Lucario...used...Aura Sphere. Why? We almost had it. We almost had one Lucario that didn't use Aura Sphere. Why does every damn Lucario have to use Aura Sphere. I mean I know it like their special move, but c'mon. Can we have a little diversity? If there was anything I actually enjoyed about Korrina's Lucario it was that it didn't know Aura Sphere! Oh well.

Finally, Korrina's leaving. I enjoyed her little arc and I'm really exited for her gym battle, but I've gotten pretty bored with Lucario doing the most and the main cast other than Ash to an extent doing nothing. This was a nice way to conclude it. Minus that Aura Sphere. I'll give this a 7/10.

 

[Gard81]

Spoiler

Seems like Korrina doesn't stay with Maple >< she goes back to Shalour City instead

Great episode concluding Korrina's arc.

Was Mawile/Kucheat's moves Iron Head and....Vacuum Wave?

Fairy Wind.

 

[Alola]

Man when they go a week without an episode, it feels like an eternity.

Anyways, I loved this episode! Even though the subs aren't out yet, I felt as if I gained a pretty decent understanding. Korrina and Co have finally reached their destination, and the elderly Maple w/ Mawile are lovely characters. We waste no time getting straight to a battle in which Lucario, understandably, loses. We also get to see Mega Mawile! Man, I loved Mega Mawile before but the anime makes it incredulously better. And I didn't realize how tall it was. The badass back to back scene it had with Mega Lucario later on was sheer epic. And yay, more Fairy Wind usage. :3 (Too bad they didn't have it use Sucker Punch).

Flower arranging was very nice to see, with everyone participating. It's a pretty neat art. And while we're on topic, can I say how much I love Maple's giant tree house of flower paradise? Also, why didn't Fennekin toast Clemont for the explosion induced dirt/smog/etc? Not good continuity there...

Then the usual Korrina-bonding-with-Lucario, making the notorious popular jackal even more lovable.

And the TR battle at the end! First off, that glass shattering was so realistic and unexpected, that I actually shuddered. Second, Lucario finally has its power under control! The battle, along with the accompanying bgm, was great!!! My word! So much eye candy to go around. Also, the back to back badass stance Korrina did with Mega Lucario was pretty cool. However, I don't know why TR is so hellbent on catching Mega Evolved Pokemon, when they themselves would never be able to Mega Evolve them or keep them in their Mega Evolved state (for obvious reasons).

As a side note, anyone think Serena should catch a Mawile now? After seeing her rescuing Maple's, it just feels so right...

Anyway, awesome episode and a nice way to end to Korrina's arc. I think the groups' departing could have been a bit more heartfelt/substantial though...

 

[EliteTrainerXeos]

This episode was okay I guess.

The battle against Mawile was nothing major, but I was glad to see Mega Mawile that thing beat Lucario much easier than I thought it would. And man I forgot how bit Mawile became after in Megavolved. I thought the little flower arrangement scene was cute. And of course Clemont has to create an invention for this. Did anyone else find it really funny that Clemont just flailed around his arms and did absolutely nothing when his invention was about to blow up. I wonder if Fennekin's fear of getting dirty really did pass. She didn't get upset when she was covered in soot this time.

Anyway, I thought it was cute when Lucario caught Korrina after she recklessly tried to climb that cliff and get the flower and then went up to get it himself. Geez, that old lady didn't even seem to be that concerned that her Mawile was stolen. Ash was more worried than her. And of course, once again Lucario needs to have another mood swing. Ya know, I'm getting really sick of these. My gosh did Inkay's Tackle really do that much damage to this Megavoled steel-type? Geez. Fortunately it looks like this mood swing was the last one. Once again it seems like the trainer just needs to take an attack from their Pokémon, have and conversation with them, trigger a series of flashbacks from the last few episodes and everything is good. I love when Lucario goes ham with that Bone Rush. Ash catches Pikachu and...Serena catches Mawile? Ok...
Anyway, Megavoled Mawile, Thunderbolt, blast off, the end. Oh wait no, one more thing. Lucario...used...Aura Sphere. Why? We almost had it. We almost had one Lucario that didn't use Aura Sphere. Why does every damn Lucario have to use Aura Sphere. I mean I know it like their special move, but c'mon. Can we have a little diversity? If there was anything I actually enjoyed about Korrina's Lucario it was that it didn't know Aura Sphere! Oh well.

Finally, Korrina's leaving. I enjoyed her little arc and I'm really exited for her gym battle, but I've gotten pretty bored with Lucario doing the most and the main cast other than Ash to an extent doing nothing. This was a nice way to conclude it. Minus that Aura Sphere. I'll give this a 7/10.

I saw this coming from miles away.

When it first debuted I was in the battle against Pikachu for the first time, I thought it was nice that her Lucario didn't have Aura Sphere, but then in the games it doesn't have it either. It was a nice change not seeing it have it's previously signature move.

However when it first came to light that it was having problems with controlling it's Aura while mega-evolved, that's when I knew it would get it once it managed to control it. You can't use Aura Sphere without having control of your Aura to begin with can you?

This episode was a nice one to return to, nonetheless.

 

[Sakuraa]

I saw this coming from miles away.

When it first debuted I was in the battle against Pikachu for the first time, I thought it was nice that her Lucario didn't have Aura Sphere, but then in the games it doesn't have it either. It was a nice change not seeing it have it's previously signature move.

However when it first came to light that it was having problems with controlling it's Aura while mega-evolved, that's when I knew it would get it once it managed to control it. You can't use Aura Sphere without having control of your Aura to begin with can you?

This episode was a nice one to return to, nonetheless.

True, I suppose that does make sense. Though, I'm still pretty annoyed that if Lucario is used in the gym battle that Aura Sphere may become his new main move just like almost every other one.

 

[Alola]

I saw this coming from miles away.

When it first debuted I was in the battle against Pikachu for the first time, I thought it was nice that her Lucario didn't have Aura Sphere, but then in the games it doesn't have it either. It was a nice change not seeing it have it's previously signature move.

However when it first came to light that it was having problems with controlling it's Aura while mega-evolved, that's when I knew it would get it once it managed to control it. You can't use Aura Sphere without having control of your Aura to begin with can you?

This episode was a nice one to return to, nonetheless.

True, I suppose that does make sense. Though, I'm still pretty annoyed that if Lucario is used in the gym battle that Aura Sphere may become his new main move just like almost every other one.

Lucario is to Aura Sphere as Pikachu is to Thunderbolt. They're pretty much a species staple in anime movesets. As are Bulbasaurs with Vine Whip, Phanpy/Donphan with Rollout, Eeveelution(s) with Shadow Ball and so on.

 

[Aestivate]

honestly i just wanted more ikebana tbh the rest of the episode was meh but IEKBANA <3

 

[ArvAl]

As far as I can see Korrina's Lucario is getting to be able to control it's wave. However due to the arc was very short I don't see why Lucario is needed to be able to learn Aura Sphere very quickly. People's mega evolution Pokemon always take their time to strengthen the bond then continue to upgrade the moveset IMO

 

[Gabo2oo]

The episode was pretty nice. But I must say they aren't doing Team Rocket any good as characters at this rate.

 

[Moe]

Thinking about it in the absolute most positive sense I can think of - maybe that particular flower was effective because it seemed to emulate a soothe bell, but otherwise, it's disappointing that a potentially interesting way of dealing more thoroughly with the generic 'Pokemon can't handle new-found powers after evolution and goes crazy' plot, ends up falling into one of the plain old sudden realisation it is wrong to attack your trainer (in this case, because flowers) and that problems with Pokemon always resolve themselves by trainers being willing to put themselves physically on the line.

If I were Ash or the Mawile's owner, I'd be quite annoyed that Korrina took the risk of the mega evolution she couldn't control, when it was at the risk of having my Pokemon successfully stolen if Lucario failed.

But it's inevitably successful because the arc needed to end - that this time the realisation is permanent and Lucario's power is now in check. All because they spent some time with flowers? They already spent years together, Korrina grew up with Riolu/Lucario, is a wristband of flowers really more important than that already existing bond?

I look forward to how Ash arbitrarily pulls out a win in their Gym battle. It's inevitably the most disappointing part of this all - we know that Ash is going to defeat Korrina in a Gym battle, so all this hyping up of the strength of a mega Evolved Pokemon gets to be thrown out in a few weeks when a plain old Hawluca or Fletchinder defeats it? Or will Ash get his badge defeating her without defeating Lucario at all, by having her use her game team?

Hopefully once we get to Shalour City there's a nice random episode of Ash trying to figure out rollerskating and there can be a non-Lucario related Korrina episode, because I like her character excluding how the plot with Mega Lucario was handled.

 

[henrymidfields]

I look forward to how Ash arbitrarily pulls out a win in their Gym battle. It's inevitably the most disappointing part of this all - we know that Ash is going to defeat Korrina in a Gym battle, so all this hyping up of the strength of a mega Evolved Pokemon gets to be thrown out in a few weeks when a plain old Hawluca or Fletchinder defeats it? Or will Ash get his badge defeating her without defeating Lucario at all, by having her use her game team?

Hopefully once we get to Shalour City there's a nice random episode of Ash trying to figure out rollerskating and there can be a non-Lucario related Korrina episode, because I like her character excluding how the plot with Mega Lucario was handled.

It may have to be her game team (or some variation with Lucario left out), because I can't really see how Ash's Pikachu is going to stand to a Mega-Lucario without Pikachu undergoing extensive training (thus postponing the Mega-match later). If so, it's perfectly fine for me, because at least that Pikachu's loss wasn't an epic fail like Pikachu vs Trip's Snivy was; Lucario is on OU-tier, and if speculations in and surrounding Smogon indicates, it is possible for Lucario to be sent up to Ubers.

Off topic, but if said tiering becomes true, then it will end up partly justifying why Lucario was featured in one of the past movies. (Google "Lucario", "Smogon" "XY", and have a look at the search results if you don't know what I mean. There are entries outside of Smogon speculating this.) Of course, Kaen Hosha-san, (and any other Smogoners) smite me if I have proven myself wrong! :sweatlol:

The alternative is for Ash to bring in Charizard, which would be a more fitting opponent, but that is risky in terms of plot/script-writing.

 

[EliteTrainerXeos]

The alternative is for Ash to bring in Charizard, which would be a more fitting opponent, but that is risky in terms of plot/script-writing.

We had a Garchomp in Episode 3 and a Noivern in Episode 4, I can't see why the can't bring in the big pokemon, even if it was just for that episode. It'd be a nice change.

 

[Life]

The alternative is for Ash to bring in Charizard, which would be a more fitting opponent, but that is risky in terms of plot/script-writing.

We had a Garchomp in Episode 3 and a Noivern in Episode 4, I can't see why the can't bring in the big pokemon, even if it was just for that episode. It'd be a nice change.

I don't think henry meant that it would be risky because Charizard is a "big pokemon", rather that it would be risky for Ash to bring in a Pokemon he caught previously to use in a gym battle.

 

[henrymidfields]

The alternative is for Ash to bring in Charizard, which would be a more fitting opponent, but that is risky in terms of plot/script-writing.

We had a Garchomp in Episode 3 and a Noivern in Episode 4, I can't see why the can't bring in the big pokemon, even if it was just for that episode. It'd be a nice change.

I don't think henry meant that it would be risky because Charizard is a "big pokemon", rather that it would be risky for Ash to bring in a Pokemon he caught previously to use in a gym battle.

Yo, original poster here! What I meant was it may be risky writing because at that time, I thought bringing in Charizard would run the risk of coming off as a Deux Ex Machina - although it does makes sense gameplay-wise. I initially thought that not everyone remembers Ash's Charizard...until Charizard's last appearance was in one of the last episodes of BW. Now that ETX mentioned it too, that may not be a bad idea, because that opens up the possibility of Ash and Charizard with a Mega-Evolution episode afterwards.

 

[ArvAl]

I don't really think Ash should bringing Charizard here. It feels kinda awkward to use an old glory pokemon to be used in the Gym Battle. If I had to choose which Gym leader needed to face it I would probably suggest Korrina since it's very interesting to see her battle with Ash's mega evolution Pokemon against Lucario. But that's not highly chance possible since he left his Charizard in the last episode of BW series though.

P.S.: I'm not a Charizard hater. I always being a fan of it since season 1

 

[JacobYBM]

Given Lucario has been with Corni since they were much younger it would be rather suspect if anyone other than an experienced and powerful Pokemon defeated him, unless we are looking at a four-on-one battle for the gym badge. That would make the battle with Zakuro look like some clever set-up.