ENGLISH NAME	JAPANESE NAME	POKEMOPOLIS NAME	DODGINESS RATING	ANIMATION	STORY	TEAM ROCKET	MORAL LEARNT
745: Ash, Iris and Trip: Then There Were Three!	751: Satoshi, Airisu, Shuti! Saigo no Batoru!	Ash's Final Trip			The Junior Cup Final takes place	Nor today	Ash simply can't win a final on the mainland

Over the last couple of episodes, the surprisingly disappointing Junior Cup has progressed. While Georgia and Burgundy were round one losers, Dawn and Cilan also eventually followed them in being knocked out of the contest. Trip has made it to the final but his opponent is yet to be decided, as first Ash and Iris must battle to decide who faces him. That's right...



So it's Krokorok the Boss Gator vs. Dragonite the Stubborn Dragon. Alder mentions Dragonite has the type advantage, but they'll see if that makes any difference. Dawn shouts out good luck to them both rather than actually get off the fence and back one of them. Cilan ponders if Dragonite will listen, while Trip smirks to himself that it doesn't matter, he'll beat whoever he comes up again. Georgia claims Dragonite is the one running things in the relationship with Iris, Burgundy agrees and says an evaluation is pointless.

The battle begins and much to everybody's surprise, Dragonite appears to be listening to Iris' commands. It gets the advantage quickly in the battle, but while Freddy the Scoop and even Alder are impressed (as are Cilan and Dawn), Cynthia notes to herself that Dragonite ISN'T actually listening to Iris' commands, it just seems to be that way. Krokorok dodges an attack and uses Dig, but Dragonite is able to dodge at Iris' command... is Cynthia wrong or does Dragonite just happen to think whatever Iris is suggesting is what it was going to do anyway?

Georgia can't understand why Iris and Dragonite seem to be in perfect synch now, and even Trip is paying attention to Iris as a potential threat now - this makes sense, since he thinks power trumps all and Dragonite is clearly the most powerful Pokémon we've seen so far in the tournament.

Krokorok takes a full face full of flamethrower but recovers and dodges the next one with Dig. He emerges from the ground behind Dragonite who tries to dodge Crunch, but Krokorok gets a mouth/snout full of tail and hangs on as Dragonite takes to the air. Dragonite finally manages to shake him loose and crash him into the ground, and tries to use Ice Beam, but Krokorok dodges and scores a direct hit with Stone Edge. Krokorok follows with Crunch but Dragonite dodges and hits a glancing blow to the back with Flamethrower.

Freddy The Scoop and Alder are impressed and Iris is delighted that she and Dragonite are finally working as a team. Cilan and Dawn agree, even Georgia now believes (to her horror) that Iris is on her way to being a Dragon Master. Burgundy tries to remind her that SHE is on the way to being a top Connoisseur and Georgia snaps at her that this is NOT about her. But as everybody gapes in awe at how well Dragonite and Iris are finally working together, Cynthia remains convinced that things aren't all honky-dory.

Krokorok tries Crunch again but is hit right in the face with Flamethrower, followed directly by Ice Beam. Krokorok is caught in a block of ice and is unable to get clear of the follow-up Flamethrower. Ash is concerned, Krokorok seems barely able to stand.... but it struggles and manages to stagger back to its feet, glaring angrily at a startled Dragonite before - oh shit here we go again!



Yes once again one of Ash's Pokémon has evolved at JUST the right point. Still a Boss Gator, Krokorok is now Krookodile, and Alder insists it is down to hearing the concern in his trainer's voice. It charges at Dragonite and leaps high to strike, slashing Dragonite right across the face and knocking it on its ass. Ash is astounded, that was Dragon Claw, and Cilan guesses it learned the move as it evolved. Pikachu and Piplup are impressed too, and Axew is in utter awe.

But Dragonite ain't done yet!

Leaping into the air, it glares down at Krookodile and lets rip with a massive blast of flamethrower into the air, then blasts Ice Beam at the side of the arena, followed by a Thunder Punch to the arena floor before another blast of flamethrower around the arena that puts the other twerps at risk. Freddy the Scoop and Alder are confused as to why it has lost its goddamn mind, the Dragon Claw was super-effective but it shouldn't have had THIS kind of reaction.

Iris screams at it to focus and get its mind back on Krookodile, while Georgia (hiding so she doesn't get blasted) is delighted to see Iris' failure. Ash is concerned to see it all falling apart for Iris but the battle is still on and he ain't gonna stop just because his opponent's Pokémon is throwing a temper tantrum. He sends Krookodile in for the kill, and the angrily flailing Dragonite sees it coming and throws one big club-like claw clumsily in its direction... and right into Krookodile's mouth, which takes him a big ol' bite!

Ouch!

Iris yells that she told him to dodge, but Dragonite shakes Krookodile and lifts high into the air, then lets rip with Dragon Rush. It is its big time move, but the timing is all off and it gives Krookodile plenty of time to dodge with Dig, leaving it completely exposed for a Stone Edge. Shards of rock batter Dragonite constantly, knocking it down and putting it out for the count - Ash wins, Iris loses!

Outside the arena, Iris can't believe why it had to finish that way, and Ash agrees that it is a waste of amazing strength and power. But while Ash is diplomatic enough to not rub his victory in, Georgia and Burgundy are not going to let the chance go by. Georgia calls her the most brilliant failure she's ever seen, and Burgundy once again demonstrates why she is only a C-Class Connoisseur when the best she can come up with is likening Iris to "burned toast". Cilan shows up to tell Iris that things aren't THAT bad, and then Cynthia arrives to lay down some knowledge. She tells Iris she did well, but the reason she lost was that Dragonite doesn't have completely confidence in her yet. She needs to deepen their relationship, even if only a little bit at a time, so that when the time comes, it won't even think about not listening to her.

Suddenly a voice over the PA announces the final battle between Trip and Ash is about to begin, reminding Ash that.... he's supposed to be in the battle RIGHT NOW! He rushes off, and the twerps make their way in to the stands to cheer him on, putting Iris' problems oddly on hold for the time being. Trip uses Serperior once again, while Ash chooses Pignite which has the type advantage. Cilan - who has firsthand experience - tells Dawn and Iris that Serperior isn't going to go down easily. The battle begins and Ash makes the first move, not giving Trip time to use his normal Leer/Solar Beam combo. Pignite tries first a Tackle, then a Flamethrower, but Serperior dodges both with that stunning speed, and when Ash tries to match speed for speed by ordering a Flame Charge, he learns that Serperior's speed really is, well, superior!



Just look at this smug fucker!

Trip goes on the offensive at last, ordering a Solar Beam without the pre-requisite Leer. Pignite dodges, and Serperior tries to follow up with Dragon Tail but Pignite dodges that too, and then uses Flame Charge yet again.. but once again Serperior dodges. But Cilan notes that using Flame Charge is also increasing Pignite's speed, and Dawn ponders if it will be enough to match or surpass Serperior.

Pignite tries Tackle and misses again, as does Flamethrower. Trip tries to go back to the Leer well but Pignite dodges that and another attempted Dragon Tail, and then launches another Flame Charge. It's the fastest one yet, but Serperior is once again able to dodge - it seems it is just too fast for Ash to keep up with. Ash keeps it up though, even though Pignite is clearly getting tired, and tries Flame Charge again. Serperior dodges again and tries another Leer, and while Pignite is able to dodge that it leaves it in the air and open to a sudden blast of Solar Beam that connects!

Pignite hits the ground hard, but isn't knocked out yet. This is the first hit either of the Pokémon has taken so far in this battle, but Pignite has been run ragged to this point and it was a hell of a first shot. Pignite staggers back up and lets out a roar, ready to keep fighting much to Ash's delight and the approval of the other twerps. But it is panting hard, barely able to catch its breath, so Ash decides to finish things with Fire Pledge. Pignite slams a hoof into the ground and pillars of fire burst out of the ground and surround Serperior before closing in on each other and blasting whatever Pokémon is at the center - except there is no Pokémon at the center! Serperior's speed has once again gotten it clear before the move can hit, and Trip orders a Frenzy Plant that slaps a shocked Pignite across the face and finally puts the tough little pig down for the count - Ash loses! Trip wins, making his "power trumps all!" philosophy seem depressingly accurate (it's not) and bringing the rather disappointing Junior Cup to an abrupt end.

Ash recalls Pignite and thanks it for a good job as Freddy the Scoop announces Trip as the winner. Soon Alder heads down to the podium set up in the center of the battlefield and hands over the Junior Cup Trophy, congratulating him. Trip is polite back, with that usual undercurrent of,"Fuck you," in there as well as Alder reminds him that he gets to have a battle against Alder. As he basks in his moment of glory, Ash stands with the other twerps (and Georgia and Burgundy as well, who are still allowed down with the others despite losing in the first round!) dejected that he made it all the way to the final only to lose (again!). Cilan says he did a damn good job though, he fought extremely well but just couldn't keep up with Serperior's speed.

But enough with all that, the Trip/Alder battle is already beginning! A delighted Trip tells Alder that his era is over, Trip is going to prove it. Alder laughs that this will be more fun than he thought it would be, and calls out Bouffalant. Trip uses Serperior of course, opening straight off the bat with Solar Beam as Bouffalant simply stands still and Alder looks completely unfazed. The Junior Cup is almost at an end, but we'll have to wait till next episode to find out if Trip will actually bring an end to the era of the once-great Alder, or if he'll end up as gigantically humiliated as Paul once was by Brandon

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