ENGLISH NAME	JAPANESE NAME	POKEMOPOLIS NAME	DODGINESS RATING	ANIMATION	STORY	TEAM ROCKET	MORAL LEARNT
747: The Road to Humilau!	753: Seigaiha Jimu Sen! Mantain tai Daikenki!	Cameron: Courtesy Companion			Ash and Cameron get lost; Cameron has his 8th Gym Battle	But gone today!	Carry a map with you, idiot!

Last episode saw the twerps meet a new friend - an endearingly stupid young boy named Cameron who kept getting everything wrong. He arrived too late for the Junior Cup, thought the Unova League was going to be held in Johto, and had no idea he needed 8 Gym Badges to qualify. Having been informed by Jervis that the nearest Gym can be found in Humilau City, Cameron was ready to barrel on down the road with Barry-esque abruptness till he was stopped by an odd request from Ash. Ash wants to join Cameron on HIS journey... at least as far as Humilau, reversing the usual way things work. Will Cameron say yes? And what nonsense will they get up to on...



Apparently he says yes, as we find him and the twerps heading down a winding road on the way to Humilau. Ash and Cameron have really hit it off, gleefully strutting along and sharing their enthusiasm while Iris and Cilan move on ahead of them. Iris tells Cilan that she's not surprised they get along so well, they're both "kids", and they turn to check on them.... and they're gone!

Cilan and Iris freak out and rush back up the road, discovering they passed a crossroads and apparently Ash and Cameron headed on down a different road to them, blissfully unaware that they've gone and gotten themselves completely and totally lost. Of course they're also completely, blissfully unaware as they continue on uphill humming happily to themselves. Meloetta appears and Ash introduces Cameron to the mysterious, usually standoffish Pokémon that has clearly decided that Cameron is okay. But as they say their hellos, Cameron realises there is no sign of Iris and Cilan, and he and Ash panic - maybe Cilan and Iris got lost!?!

Oh you beautiful idiots.

Worried that their buddies have gone and gotten themselves foolishly lost, the two dimwits start walking around in circles calling for them. Ash - genius that he is - manages to walk right over the edge of a cliff and almost plummet to his death. Meloetta is able to grab his hat while Ash gets one hand on the cliff-edge and holds himself inches from falling to his death. Meloetta cries out and Cameron rushes to the rescue, hauling him back up to safety. The two little boys collapse to the ground panting roughly, while Riolu stares at Ash - perhaps wondering if it has finally found somebody as cluelessly dim as its trainer.

Ash figures out that maybe they're the ones who got lost, but Cameron isn't concerned, he has his trusty map! Ash is relieved.... till Cameron realises that his trusty map is actually just a blank placemat!

The two continue on down the path in hopes of finding Iris and Cilan, and reach a fork in the road that creates an amicable disagreement over which was to go. As they insist that they are right and the other is wrong, Meloetta notices that it is starting to rain... and then it comes down HARD!

They rush in a panic under the shelter of Cameron's "placemat" (really a tablecloth, as Ash noted) and find a small cave, rushing inside. Riolu and Pikachu shake their fur somewhat dry while Meloetta is a little more graceful about it. Ash and Cameron agree that there is nothing to do but to wait for the run to stop, and figure they'll have a meal in the meantime. Ash rifles through his backpack and discovers to his horror that he forgot to pack a lunch. Cameron roars with laughter, rifles through his own bag and discovers.... he forgot to pack his too!

Both idiots laugh happily at their foolishness while Riolu (and Pikachu) sighs quietly at what its life has become. Meloetta heads outside while the kids sit inside complaining about the hunger pangs now that the laughter has faded. Meloetta returns with an apple (it's probably called like a Chungbo Berry or something and I'm going to get yelled at) and offers it to Ash, who figures out that she got it from a nearby tree. Using Cameron's tablecloth as an umbrella they rush out into the rain and collect a number of apples, then rush back inside and scoff them all down happily. Sure they'll get the shits in about an hour, but for now they're feeling pretty good about life in general - they've even got a fire going and managed not to burn down the cave. They happily settle down to get some sleep, but just like all little boys before them they end up not being able to sleep without talking happily about their ignorant ideas about the future. Cameron wants to know what Ash plans to do with his future as a trainer, and Ash declares he's going to be the world's greatest Pokémon Master. Cameron means to be the greatest Pokémon Champion, and they do a bizarre variation on a fist-bump as they declare neither of them will give up their dreams to be the very best, like no one ever was.

Finally falling asleep (while Meloetta apparently stands guard at the cave entrance) her voice wakes them up and they realise that the rain is stopped. Cameron is eager to get a move on but Ash reminds him it's still dark. This doesn't stop Cameron though, who pulls out a compass he forgot all about and declares they can follow it north, since Humilau City is to the north. He points the direction to go but Ash is reading the compass differently, telling Cameron that north is the other way. Cameron looks irritated at being questioned, but then notices that the compass needle is waving back and forth, and laughs that it is confused too. Quickly regaining his cheer, he leads them on through the dark anyway saying that he's sure Humilau Gym is near the ocean. He sniffs the air and declares the ocean is in this direction, and takes them OFF THE PATH and into the forest itself. Ash follows eagerly, super-impressed that Cameron can smell the ocean when he can't, and is lead out into... an open field of grass!

He complains that the sky needs to clear up... and it does! The clouds part to reveal the stars in the night sky, and Cameron eagerly shows off Pokémon Constellations, and tells Ash that they can find directions by using the constellations to find north, and leads them in the direction he is sure they need to go. Ash is impressed, telling Cameron that's he's good, and a blushing Cameron laughs that Ash is just being nice... before tumbling directly into a crevasse (almost leaving his face behind!), his life only being saved by a jutting branch he managed to catch hold of.

This time it is Ash's turn to save him, reaching down and grabbing him by the hand to try and haul him up. His scrawny little muscles can't handle it though and Cameron tells him to let go before he's dragged down too. Ash refuses though, reminding Cameron that he needs to be the greatest Pokémon Champion and he can't do that if he's a corpse lying at the bottom of a crevasse. Ash begins to be dragged in and Pikachu and Riolu grab Ash and haul him up - once again the Pokémon prove the only effective ones in the human-Pokémon partnership. Ash admits as much, telling Cameron not to thank him but the Pokémon who "everything".

The sun rises and Ash and Cameron find themselves at the ocean! It seems Cameron actually did get something right, and they race down to the harbour of the town. They're excited to get to the gym, apparently completely uninterested in the whereabouts of Iris and Cilan who might even now be looking for them in the forest. But the Gym is nowhere within a 5 foot radius, leaving them confused as to how to proceed next... which is when the giant Wailord appears out of the surprisingly deeper water nestled right up on the harbour!



Yep, that's a Wailord, all right!

As they stare in shock, the Wailord lowers a happy face down on them to reveal "some body" is standing atop it. Who is it? We need to wait a moment to find out as we quickly cut to elsewhere in Humilau - outside the Pokémon Gym in fact! Iris and Cilan are sitting on the dock, bored out of their minds but not in the least bit worried. They figured Ash and Cameron would find their way there eventually so rather than get lost looking for them, they went to the one place they knew they'd eventually find. But there is still no sign, and Iris rather surprisingly mutters,"Whatever," as if she really doesn't give a fuck one way or the other if they show up or not.

Suddenly Axew spots something in the distance and points in wonder, and Iris and Cilan turn to see the giant Wailord sailing serenely through the surprisingly deep waters towards them. Atop the Wailord is the buff man we saw in silhouette earlier as well as Ash, Cameron, Pikachu, Riolu and Meloetta. The Wailord pulls up beside the dock and the twerps are reunited, before looking up at the tall shirtless man who is the Wailord's pilot. Clutching a fishing net of Pokéballs and wearing TIGHT tights that reveal his surfer's tan thanks to a too-low crotch, he cheerfully introduces himself as Marlon - the Humilau City Gym Leader.

Marlon takes them into his Gym, revealing a battlefield built inside the bay, with floats in the water surrounded by wooden platforms to form the rectangle. The also buff referee for the match - wearing skin-tight spandex shorts and a bathing cap but no shirt declares the match is on, it will be a 2-on-2 battle. Cameron says this suits him and asks Riolu if he is ready to fight... and discovers Riolu isn't there! Ash calls out cheerfully to remind Cameron that Riolu is down with him and the other twerps as observers, and a horrified Cameron moans that he can't believe he forgot his Pokémon, while Riolu stares in horrified embarrassment at Pikachu.

Cilan moans that all of Cameron's energy is going to waste, while Iris sighs that any victory he has will be due to luck (she'd know, based on her performances at the Junior Cup). Cameron moans as he tries to figure out what to do, then snaps his headband to his head and declares he has a brilliant idea.

If Marlon is at all concerned over the blatant stupidity of his challenger he doesn't show it, calling out his Jellicent - a floating jellyfish with 18th Century facial hair. Cameron calls out his Pokémon - Ferrothorn - which can barely stand on its weak tentacle arms on the float in the water. The twerps are horrified, THIS is his brilliant idea?

Marlon declares that Cameron gets the first move as he is the challenger, though perhaps it's more out of pity. Cameron orders a pin missile and Ferrothorn leaps high into the air and uses Pin Missile to blast at Jellicent, which easily just ducks down into the water and avoids all the blasts. It bursts out of the water with Shadowball but Ferrothorn shows surprising speed to avoid the attack, then lets rip with Thunderbolt and blasts Ferrothorn with a direct shot, causing it to shake and pulse pink before collapsing into the water unconscious... except Ferrothorn also shakes and twists about oddly as well for some reason. Cameron is 1-0 up though despite his earlier idiocy, and the twerps are impressed though Iris did note Ferrothorn's odd parallel reaction to Jellicent's.

Marlon calls out his Mantine for his second Pokémon and Ash and Iris are confident (as is Cameron) that it will be an easy victory, but Cilan isn't so sure. Cameron orders a Thunderbolt and Ferrothorn prepares to let rip.... but can't! It shakes and twists and squeezes its eyes as sparks fly but no thunderbolt emerges. What has happened? Marlon explains that Jellicent has the "Cursed Body" Ability, so the Thunderbolt that knocked it out now can't be used by Ferrothorn anymore. For some reason this revelation REALLY creeps out Iris and Axew, who shiver and sweat in terror while Cilan notes that Gym Leaders always have a strategy to cover weaknesses - sure Jellicent was weak against Electric Types, but by taking the shot it made it impossible for it to use that electric attack once more.

Cameron orders a Pin Missile but Mantine scores a Wing Attack on Ferrothorn's body before it can unleash, then lets rip with Bullet Seed and Psybeam for a 1-2 combo that knocks Ferrothorn out - it's 1-1!

Cameron is in a panic, what to do now? Cilan points out that Mantine can also attack from above, it's got the advantage in this battlefield because it can attack under water, on water and above water. Ash shouts out encouragement though, reminding Cameron that he wants to be the world's greatest Pokémon Champion. Cameron agrees, regaining his confidence as he slaps his headband and decides that he can take advantage of the battlefield too, and calls out... Samurott!

Now THAT is a great choice!

The final evolution of Oshawott, Samurott is just as proud as Oshawott but looks far more regal. It dives underwater to avoid Bullet Seed and Mantine follows it, making it hard for the twerps to know what is going on. Cameron and Marlon seem to be able to keep track of things though, ordering Bullet Seed and Hydro-Cannon. The former misses and the latter hits, Mantine left dazed and opened for an attack of Aqua Jet. Samurott bursts forward through the water towards Mantine, exploding out into the air with Mantine all but impaled on its spear-like helmet. Marlon is as shocked as the twerps that Samurott got the advantage over Marlon's Mantine. The two Pokémon drop back down onto the floats, Mantine looking far the worse for wear and leaving Marlon in somewhat of a panic. He orders a Bullet Seed but Samurott blocks that with Razor Shell, then cuts through Wing Attack with Double Razor Shell. Mantine crashes down onto the other float and doesn't even do the standard "pause, then slowly fall" thing, it's just down and out and Samurott has won - Cameron wins his 8th Badge!

Marlon's kinda not that great, huh?

If Marlon is upset he doesn't show it, complimenting Cameron on how he took to the battlefield and made it his own and handing him the Wave Badge, his 8th and final badge.



Ash congratulates him with a bro-hug and Iris compliments him, while Cameron points out that now he can enter the Unova League. Cameron happily agrees and then... up and declares he'll see them at the Unova League and with that he's on his way, the twerps waving a happy goodbye before heading out in their own direction.

That's... that's it? That's the extent of their dalliance with Cameron? One episode and he gets to the gym and wins his last badge in it? And Ash doesn't even ask for a Gym Battle if only for the practise if not for another badge? They just say goodbye and go their separate ways till (presumably) the Unova League?

Well... okay! See you all next episode I guess!

BEST QUOTES

"That's not the ocean, it's a field of grass!"

Previous Episode Next Episode Episode List