ENGLISH NAME	JAPANESE NAME	POKEMOPOLIS NAME	DODGINESS RATING	ANIMATION	STORY	TEAM ROCKET	MORAL LEARNT
546: A Crasher Course in Power!!	551: Nomose Jimu! Bui Esu Makishimamu Kamen!	Crashermania!			Ash battles for his 4th Gym Badge	Muddy Funsters	Why get your ass kicked when you can chill out in some mud!

Today finds Team Rocket settled down in the Pastoria marsh enjoying a mudbath, including Wobbuffet rubbing mud over a bikini wearing Jesse's nude back (hooray!). Meowth pops up demanding that they get to work but they're more interested in a little bit of luxury, James - in a Speedo! - grabbing at Meowth's paw joined by Mime Jr and Carnivine as they try to get him to take a mudbath off his own. He struggles back and ends up being flipped through the air and landing face-first in the mud, struggling and ranting with his head stuck in the dirt while the not-quite naked Jesse grins that now he sees that it feels good, right?

But all of that is unimportant (well, apart from Jesse almost being naked) because today is the day that Ash challenges for his fourth Sinnoh Gym Badge at Pastoria City. But to win it, he must defeat the massively muscled pro-wrestler Crasher Wake, and while wrestling might be fake, that doesn't wrestlers can't kick your ass! If Ash isn't careful, he'll be getting....



The Buizelster is hard at work training, throwing punches and practising kicks as it prepares to lay the smack down on that jabroni, Crasher! Ash points out to the others that Buizel's last match ended in a draw and this time it wants a clean win, brother! The others get into their training, using Dawn and her Pokémon for practise. Pikachu blasts a Thunderbolt at Piplup which dodges, and the blast.... hits Buizel! It takes the shot full force in the back and gets pissed, meaning to make a heel turn and blast Pikachu with a shot from a loaded fist, but Turtwig gets in the way and shoves it back. The Buizelster lays down for no one brother, leaping up and trying a Sonic Boom, but Ash leaps into the way and.... takes the shot!

Oh no, if pro-wrestling has taught us anything, this will lead to a series of misunderstandings culminating in a cage match!

But instead of being blasted or angry, Ash congratulates Buizel on his power, while Brock says he is worried by the lack of teamwork between Buizel and Ash's other Pokémon.... which is a lie, he's really worried that nobody has said anything about his new Croagunk themed jacket!

And then Crasher Wake bursts in screaming!

Having "woken" up the kids, Crasher explains (via shouting) that he figured he'd come to them in case they were still exhausted from partying the previous night. Ash is eager and ready, but his Pokémon seem less enthused, and Dawn explains to Crasher what happened. He strides up to the Buizelster like he was Superstar Billy Graham, wanting to help the young kid but unaware that this will probably lead to his gimmick being stolen and turned into a multi-million dollar money spinner without him. He tells Buizelster that today he's going to face a good buddy of Crasher's.... Floatzel!

Oh shit, it's the gay Hulk Hogan! It's Hollywood Hogan!

They head to the Gym for the battle; the arena itself is a pool with floating surfaces, surrounded by raised seating for thousands, as Crasher can't get over his wrestling roots. The Judge introduces Ash and Crasher, who whips off his cape to reveal his massive pecs and bigger gut, and the rules are announced. As normal, it's three on three with only the challenger allowed to use Substitutions, and Crasher sends in Gyarados first against Ash's.... Pikachu!

Pikachu blasts Thunderbolt directly into Gyarados and it takes the shot full on while sitting in water and..... and it doesn't give one fuck! Crasher grins and explains that Ash's technique and strategy is correct, but it'll take more than that to beat him! Gyarados dives under the water and comes up with Dragon Rage, but Pikachu smashes through it with Iron Tail, so Gyarados tries a Bite as Pikachu falls through the air. Ash is ready for this though and orders Volt Tackle, and Pikachu plummets through the air burning with energy as it smashes directly into Gyarados and BLOWS IT'S FUCKING HEAD UP!



Goddamn!

Crasher can't believe it, but Gyarados is out, crashing into the water unconscious with its tongue hanging stupidly out of its mouth. Crasher recalls Gyarados and thanks it for being knocked the fuck out by a tiny yellow mouse, then sends out Quagsire!

Quagsire!

Ash calls Pikachu back due to Quagsire being part Ground Type and sends in Turtwig. Crasher is impressed by the choice, and Ash orders an Energy Ball. It only scratches Quagsire which leaps into the water, so Turtwig bounces across the "islands" and around the wall to confuse Quagsire, impressing Crasher.... but now HE has a plan. Using Quagsire's enhanced hearing, it blasts Sludge Ball at Turtwig, then Ice Beam, then another Sludge Ball. Ash recalls Turtwig before it can be knocked out, and Brock points out to Dawn that Crasher was prepared for challengers using Grass Types by teaching Quagsire Sludge Bomb. Ash goes for water on water and brings out his big gun - the Buizelster!

It comes out and tosses a hostile look at Pikachu, which tries to tell him to pay attention. This causes it to get angrier until Ash tells it to focus on Quagsire, which sneers at him and thus guarantees Buizel will want to kill it. But for some reason Sonic Boom does nothing, and Crasher orders Ice Beam.... but Ash and Buizel were hoping for this! Using Aqua Jet, Buizel smashes into the ice and is turned into a HARPOON OF DEATH that smashes directly into Quagsire's throat!

OUCH!

Quagsire is out and Crasher is down to his last Pokémon - Hollywood "Floatzel" Hogan!

Crasher congratulates Ash on excellent battling and a great challenge and then brings out the campy Floatzel, while Brock does his "hmmmm I don't know about this" look. Buizel tries an Aquajet but Floatzel uses the power of "no-selling" to completely dismiss the attack. Apparently it's "sack" is so big that nothing can hurt it!

Welp.

Ash orders a Water Pulse but Floatzel simply punches it into beads of water, then blasts Buizel with Razor Wind, smashing Buizel into the water. It crawls back up and Brock notes that Ash is at a disadvantage as long as Buizel stays in, but Ash refuses to give in, saying that Buizel is more than just moves. It takes a leap at Floatzel which leaps aside and smacks it down into the water, Brock growling that against a Gym Leader Ash can't just try to power his way through.

Floatzel leaps into the water after Buizel, Razor Wind clashes with Sonic Boom and causing an underwater blast upwards. Ash yells to Buizel to use the water to its advantage, and as it swims away from Floatzel, it inflates it's sack (GETCHA MINDS OUTTA DA GUTTA!) which slows it down so Floatzel swims by, then headbutts it and Water Pulses it up out of the water and hard against the roof. Brock is impressed, as is Crasher.... who also points out that it ain't over yet, ordering an Ice Fang from Floatzel as it falls from the ceiling. Ash tries to get Buizel to use Sonic Boom, but Floatzel dodges, fangs gleaming before elongating and sinking in to Buizel's belly!

Ash is determined though and orders a Water Pulse, but Floatzel takes it with its inflated sack (snicker) and knocks it back. Buizel staggers up but its eyes are glowing pink and it simply turns to face Ash as he orders an Aqua Jet, and Brock explains that it is Confused (or there was too much chlorine in the pool!). Ash gives Buizel a rest and sends Pikachu in, telling it that Buizel did a lot of damage so now it is time to finish this. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt and Floatzel blasts it with Whirlpool, causing a rain of electric water to come down over Ash and Buizel.... knocking Buizel out of its funk. Pikachu tries Volt Tackle but Floatzel blasts the ground in front of it with Razor Wind and then leaps up to hit a blast of Ice Fang, knocking Pikachu down hard. Pikachu staggers back up as Buizel watches, obviously hurt as they notice a chunk of water attached to Pikachu's back.

Crasher laughs that Floatzel isn't any ordinary Water Pokémon, it is in fact the.... STRONGEST of all Water Pokémon! Ever! None is stronger, none!



........

WELL LET ME TELL YA SOMETHING, BROTHER!

Buizel wants to get in finish things up, and it leaps past Pikachu in exchange, both of them having a pretty lame ass "white-guy high 5" before Buizel squirts the ice off of Pikachu's back.

Buizel kicks off with Aqua Jet and Crasher laughingly counters with Ice Fang and then orders Razor Wind, just as it did with Pikachu. But this time when the smoke clears, Buizel isn't being sent hurtling into the air for a waiting Floatzel, leaving Hollywood high and dry as Buizel leaps out of the water and blasts Water Pulse directly into Floatzel's belly!

Floatzel is sent blasting back and crashes onto the floating island and..... doesn't get back up!?!?! Floatzel falls that easily? Buizel wins! THE BUIZELSTER HOLDS STRONG, BROTHER!

Crasher is impressed by the teamwork between Ash and his Pokémon (even more so by the fact that he didn't knock out a SINGLE one of Ash's Pokémon). As the sun sets, Pikachu and Buizel have made up, and Crasher steps up full of compliments as he hands over the Fend Badge.... Ash has his Fend Badge!

Wow, that was.... really easy.

As the narrator points out though, what happened to Team Rocket? Not seen since the start of the episode, as Ash celebrates his victory and the night creeps on, we return to find Team Rocket... still chilling!



Yes rather than interrupting and getting brutally beaten and sent hurtling through the air, they figured... fuck it, they'd just chill out, enjoy the mudbaths, and let Wobbuffet massage Jesse's eyeballs!

Oh like you wouldn't.

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