ENGLISH NAME	JAPANESE NAME	POKEMOPOLIS NAME	DODGINESS RATING	ANIMATION	STORY	TEAM ROCKET	MORAL LEARNT
732: Caution: Icy Battle Conditions!	738: Sekka Jimu Sen! Kori no Batorufirudo!	Boss-Gator vs. Kung-Fu Polar Bear			Ash battles for his 7th Gym Badge	Gone again but not (yet) forgotten	To defeat a Kung Fu Polar Bear, stab it with stone knives!

Last episode the twerps met retired action star Brycen and his co-star Beartic and helped him save a Volcarona from a truly horrible man. At the end of the episode, Ash discovered Brycen was actually the Icirrus City Gym Leader, something that even his #1 fan Cilan didn't know somehow. Brycen was eager to accept Ash's challenge, having seen his quality as a trainer, and Ash and his Krokorok are eager to get into it as well. But having seen the power of his Beartic, how can Ash possibly defeat the powerful and highly trained polar bear? His chances don't look hot, in fact if anything it is....



They arrive at the Gym, which seems to be built into the ground. Ash shouts out his challenge and the massive doors open, and in he goes. Once inside however he and Cilan start shivering uncontrollably, the place is freezing cold and they were completely unprepared.... but Iris wasn't! Beaming at them in a big coat with mittens, a scarf and ear-muffs (and Axew wearing a woollen hat and scarf as well!) they're both warm and toasty. Iris explains that Joy told her that Brycen's Gym is an Ice-Gym, so she dressed accordingly. She doesn't explain why Joy didn't tell them or why she didn't pass on the information either, but Ash has already forgotten he is cold, fired up by his lust for BATTLING. He tells her that he'll warm her up with a battle and rushes on ahead, slipping and falling on his face with Pikachu and Krokorok as he enters the arena and discovers it is an Ice Field.

Brycen greets them from a raised podium on the other side of the arena; dressed in the same robes he was wearing in the forest in the previous episode (his exposed nipple must hate him). He explains that the Ice Field suits him and his Pokémon, but Ash remains confident despite his disadvantage. Brycen comes down to the ice-field and introduces his student/referee, and the battle is on! It's a 3-on-3 battle with only Ash allowed to make substitutes.

Ash sends out Krokorok which waves a happy hello to Iris and Axew, while Brycen notes that Krokorok is at a big disadvantage and he's not sure why Ash would make such a decision. Ash explains that Krokorok has fighting spirit and this makes up for its type-disadvantage, which pleases Brycen. Will that be enough however? The only way to find out is to fight! Brycen sends out his first Pokémon.... an Ice Cream Cone!



It's a Vanillish, the evolved form of Vanillite. Iris is surprised that he didn't open with Beartic, but Cilan isn't, knowing that you save the best for last. Ash figures the best way to fight an ice-cream is to eat it, but Krokorok's attempted Crunch is stopped in its tracks by Astonish, the Ice-Cream Cone suddenly taking on a demonic cast and sending out a wave of red light that causes Krokorok to collapse to the icy ground. He gets back up and is apparently undaunted, while Iris' sweat is coming more from terror than the heat of her warm clothing.

Brycen explains that in battle you cut your opponent off and put them off-balance, and that Krokorok doesn't stand a chance if that one move has thrown him for a loop. Ash responds by doing what he does best - attacking! He orders a Stone Edge, but the move is blocked by an Icicle Spear, shards of ice smashing into the rocks with one large one getting through and slamming (but not stabbing!) into Krokorok's belly. Brycen immediately orders Blizzard and Krokorok starts digging to escape, but the ice is too hard and he can't make progress fast enough, getting caught up halfway down, his tail and back legs frozen. Hauling back out, Krokorok angrily punches at the ice around his lower body to break it free, and gets his wish the wrong way when Vanillish uses Mirror Shot and smashes him onto his back.

Realising things are going badly; Ash recalls Krokorok to his Pokéball and sends out... Scraggy! Axew and Iris are delighted, and Brycen ponders the choice of a Fighting Type and notes that Ash might have shifted to a more predictable path. Ash orders a Hi Jump Kick but Vanillish dodges with surprising speed (it's a floating ice cream!) and Scraggy slams knee-first into a large ice-boulder, falling backwards clutching at his knee in agony. He shakes it off though and gets back into the battle, charging at Vanillish which dodges out of the way again, leaving Scraggy to skid in alarm across the ice. Brycen takes the opportunity to go on the offense, ordering another Icicle Spear, and Scraggy.... hauls up his loose skin/pants and bounces the icicles off of him, before bravely posing for a delighted Ash!

Brycen is shocked and pleased at such an unusual defence, but immediately follows up by ordering a Blizzard. Ash calls for a Focus Blast as Cilan, Iris and Axew shiver at the blown up cold air. Scraggy releases the Focus Blast and it wavers off-course as usual and wobbles about, causing Brycen to laugh... till it turns around and smashes directly into Vanillish's back! The Ice Cream is sent wobbling through the air in pain, eyes squeezed shut which means it doesn't see Scraggy coming right at it with Headbutt, and this time it doesn't dodge!



Vanillish goes down and is out, meaning that Ash is 1-0 up against the world's greatest martial-artist!

But Brycen has more than one Pokémon, and while the next one out isn't Beartic, it's perhaps even MORE intimidating... because it's Cryogonal!



Jesus fucking Christ!

Yes the bizarre Pokémon that inspired The Cryogonal Man is Brycen's second Pokémon, and it's terrifying. Ash figures to stick with Scraggy, and sends it in immediately to attack with Headbutt... and bounces off of Cryogonal's face as it uses Rapid Spin, before going after Scraggy and smacking him around the field. Ash orders a Focus Blast but while it bends towards Cryogonal, the aim is off and simply breaks up a large shard of ice instead. Brycen orders Aurora Beam and Scraggy tries to defend with his pants again, but the massive blast of concentrated light is far too much for a pair of pants to stop! Scraggy is down and it's now 1-1 between Ash and Brycen.

Ash gathers up Scraggy and checks he is okay, and the scrappy little bastard has recovered enough to give Ash an affectionate headbutt. He recalls him to his Pokéball, then calls out his third Pokémon - Pignite!

The fat little teen-piggy gets sent in immediately with Flame Charge, but while it scores a direct hit and drives Cryogonal back, it does less damage than Ash was expecting. Brycen explains, he had Cryogonal use Reflect to halve the damage, and now that Pignite has been drawn close he orders Rapid Spin again as he tries to use Flamethrower. Pignite is knocked back and Cryogonal heads high into the air before using Frost Breath on the piggy, which doesn't like the cold. Cryogonal comes in again with Rapid Spin, and as it does Ash has another of his battle-savant moments, realising that he can direct Fire Pledge at Cryogonal's center. Pignite happily slams his paw into the ground and blasts up massive pillars of flame, one of them smashing hard directly into Cryogonal and... down it goes! The inscrutable, unknowable, alien monster is down, and that means Brycen is down to just one Pokémon! Ash has this in the bag, it's going to be an easy wi-



Oh yeah. That's right.

Brycen compliments Ash on his battling so far, but now he's facing the power of Beartic, and we all saw how unbelievably powerful it was last episode. Ash isn't backing down though, ordering a Flame Charge from Pignite. Brycen is prepared though, ordering a Brine which smashes directly into the charging Pignite and puts the flames out! As Pignite struggles to get back up, Brycen orders Icicle Crash, and Beartic breathes out a blast of icicles which smash right into Pignite's face.... and he still gets back up ready to keep fighting!

So Brycen orders a fucking Aerial Ace!

The twerps are horrified, Beartic knows fucking Aerial Ace!?! They watch, shocked, as the big bear soars just above the ground and smashes into Pignite, knocking him down for good at last. This is Brycen's talent, to develop strategies and moves for his Pokémon specifically to counter type disadvantages they might face. Ash - who has faced more than his fair share of unique battles in the past - takes it all in stride though, telling Pikachu that it's come down to Krokorok vs. Beartic and bringing out Boss-Gator to throw down with the flying polar bear.

You have to love this ridiculous show.

Krokorok opens with Stone Edge but Beartic immediately uses Icicle Crash to breath out a wall of icicles into the ground, forming a shield that block the stone shards and knock a few back at Krokorok. Ash tries to keep on the move by ordering a Crunch, and Brycen uses offense as defence by having Beartic use Icy Punch and literally punch Krokorok in the mouth!

Both Pokémon are knocked back by the clash, but Krokorok finds his snout now blocked up in ice! Brycen asks Ash how he'll react and orders a Brine, which Krokorok dodges by using his tail to leap into the air, then bounce off of the icy rocks. Shaking his head, he breaks the ice off of his snout, then uses Stone Edge to smash into Beartic. Brycen looks on, impressed by what he is seeing, while Iris and Axew wildly cheer. But Cilan is concerned, surely the already hurt Krokorok can't have much more to give the still mostly fresh Beartic.

Ash has Krokorok use Dig to get beneath the ice, Beartic looking about to try and pick where the attack will come from. Shockingly enough it comes from where it ALWAYS comes from - directly beneath the opponent! Krokorok emerges and smashes Beartic in the face with an uppercut, but this has also brought him far too close to Beartic's grasp. It grabs Krokorok by the tail and begins swinging him around, then releases him to crash into one of the big jutting ice spikes. But this just pisses Krokorok off! He smashes out of the ice, forcing the sunglasses firmly into place and slapping the sides of his own face to get fired up. Ash is ecstatic, declaring to Brycen that Krokorok wants to be as strong as Beartic, and that neither of them are going to give up the fight. Cilan is delighted, of course, as is Brycen who wants just this type of fire from his challengers. Beartic lets out a roar of defiance while Ash eagerly looks for an opening, and then suddenly spots just what he was looking for in yet another example of his skills as a battle savant. Cilan and Brycen both notice the sudden difference in his body language and the increase in his confidence, but when Ash orders his next attack it's just yet another Stone Edge?

Brycen has Beartic use Icicle Crash to block the attack as before, but this is just what Ash wanted. As the stone shards hit the icicles and bounce away, Ash has Krokorok jump into the air and grab the shards out of the air, and now it is falling straight towards Beartic clutching two stone spears! Cilan gasps as he realises that Ash is borrowing the attack that Bianca's Emboar used during the Clubsplosion, while Brycen immediately notes the danger his polar bear is in and orders an Aerial Ace. Both Pokémon come sailing by the other and make their attacks, ending on opposite sides of the arena with their backs facing each other. There is the traditional pause and then.... Beartic falls!

ASH'S BOSS-GATOR JUST STABBED A KUNG-FU POLAR BEAR INTO UNCONSCIOUSNESS!

Krokorok poses bravely as Ash roars with delight, and then collapses from the Aerial Ace on top of all the damage it already took. Ash rushes to his side, but Krokorok is okay, just exhausted. Brycen approaches with the already recovered Beartic and congratulates Ash on a battle well fought, saying how impressed he was by the obvious bond between Ash and his Pokémon. He happily hands over the Freeze Badge, noting that now Ash has seven badges... so where will he go for his 8th Badge? Ash - of course - hasn't thought that far ahead, so Brycen suggests that he go to Opelucid City. It's nearby, and the Gym Leader and their Pokémon are very powerful - it'll be the perfect place for Ash to go for his 8th and final Gym Badge. Ash agrees, eager to move on to the next challenge as always - but something isn't quite right. As he and his Pokémon celebrate and Brycen, Beartic and Cilan look on happily - Iris and Axew share a nervous look. What? Why? We won't find out today, this development is...

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