ENGLISH NAME	JAPANESE NAME	POKEMOPOLIS NAME	DODGINESS RATING	ANIMATION	STORY	TEAM ROCKET	MORAL LEARNT
759: Strong Strategy Steals the Show!	765: Dageki Tojo! Satoshi tai Keniyan!	Flying Alligator!			Ash battled Stephan in Round 3 of the Unova League	Nope	Elephants aren't the only surprising fliers in the world of animation!

Last episode saw a breather between the (almost entirely unseen) Round 2 and Round 3, but ended with the first match of that round taking place between Ash and Stephan. Stephan chose Liepard and we were left waiting to see what Pokémon Ash would choose - now wait no longer, because that Pokémon is Boss Gator himself, Krookodile! Cilan and Iris approve, it's a strong strategy and we all know that...



Freddy The Scoop is excited, as he should be since this is clearly going to be the match of the round. The battle opens with a clash of Liepard's Shadowclaw vs. Krookodile's Dragon Claw, with the two moves basically cancelling each other out. Stephan comes back with a Shadowball but Krookodile negates it with Stone Edge, meaning both moves have so far evened out as a draw. Stephan keeps on the offensive with a Hyper-Beam, but Ash has Krookodile dodge by using Dig - so far he has been on the defensive but countering with offensive moves, and something has to give sooner or later.

Stephan finally stops with the direct offense and orders a Double Team from Liepard, and surprisingly Krookodile emerges from the hole he initially dug rather than appearing elsewhere in the battlefield. He leaps at Liepard but finds himself confused by the various illusory images of the Pokémon. As Krookodile panics, Stephan gets back on the offensive by ordering a Shadow Claw, and Krookodile finds himself being attacked from all sides. The fake Liepard's slip harmlessly through but the real one hits hard, and then "they" follow up with Shadowball(s), though of course only one actually hits. Double Team finally fades, but the damage has been done, Krookodile has taken quite a bit of damage. Ash yells for him to keep fighting and Boss Gator responds admirably, fighting off the pain and coming back with Stone Edge which scores direct hits on Liepard and knocks it back.

Recovering from the attack, Liepard gets back up and Stephan goes back to the Double-Team well, since it worked so well last time. Ash doesn't have a strategy to spot the fake ones so he orders Krookodile to use Dig to get out of the way. Stephan was expecting it though, and orders Liepard to aim Hyper-Beam into the hole, blasting Krookodile into the air. Ash yells for Krookodile to recover and use Dragon Claw, and Stephan has Liepard use Shadow Claw, a repeat of their opening attacks. Once again both moves seem to result in a draw despite Krookodile taking a lot more damage throughout the rest of the fight. More surprising still, Cilan guesses that Krookodile might have actually gotten the upper hand as it had the momentum of falling from height.

Both Pokémon are pained but prepared to keep fighting, and once again they clash Dragon Claw against Shadow Claw and do the time-honoured "let's stop and pose on opposite sides" bit. Krookodile drops to a knee and Liepard turns a smug smile in his direction... then goes down! Boss Gator comes out on top, and it's 1-0 to Ash!

Stephan's next Pokémon is Zebstrika, and Ash recalls Krookodile to get some rest and sends out his next choice... Palpitoad! The rarely seen former lake-thug is back and ready to fight, and Cilan is delighted with the choice - he explains to Bianca that Zebstrika's best moves are lightning-attacks, but Palpitoad is a Water AND Ground type which greatly (if not entirely) negates them. Iris even offers the ultimate compliment, declaring that Ash maybe isn't such a little kid after all!

Stephan orders a Double Edge, and Palpitoad tries to counter with Mud Shot, but Zebstrika is too fast and dodges the attacks, smashing hard into Palpitoad's belly and sending him tumbling over. Stephan orders Stomp next, and it's hard to tell if Palpitoad dodges or not, though it seems likely since otherwise his internal organs would be shooting through the air and into the horrified crowd's faces!

Cilan and Iris are impressed at the variety of moves that Zebstrika has, Stephan was prepared in case he came up against a Ground Type. But Ash has apparently been working on some new moves with Palpitoad unseen, and he surprises everybody by ordering a Sludge Wave. Zebstrika is coated in purple goop and poisoned as a status effect, but this doesn't get Stephan down at all. He orders Facade, and Zebstrika glows golden and then smashes into Zebstrika again, smashing it flying into the wall and shattering a hole in the concrete! Facade strengthens the effectiveness of a Pokémon’s moves if it is suffering from a status effect. Stephan really has been thinking ahead and trying to prepare Zebstrika for as many variations as possible - it seems those sauna sessions pay off for more than just multiple opportunities for gay sex!

As Palpitoad recovers (tough little lake thug!), Stephan orders the use of Facade again. But as it charges, Ash has Palpitoad use Super-Sonic, stopping the charging Zebstrika in its tracks. Staggered, Zebstrika becomes Confused and begins to slam its own head into the stadium wall, much to Stephan's horror. Ash decides to finish it off now while it is poisoned, confused and defenceless, and orders a Hydro-Pump. From range, Palpitoad utterly blasts the fuck out of Zebstrika, but when the attack finally ends Zebstrika is hurt but still somehow conscious - the Hydro-Pump seems to have cleared its confusion. Ash still thinks he has this in the bag though, but Zebstrika is able to hit Palpitoad with Giga-Impact and sends him flying. Ash orders a Mud Shot and it blasts Zebstrika against the wall as he himself crashes into the opposite side. The dust settles as Ash and Stephan look on in concern, and discover that BOTH their Pokémon have been KOed - Zebstrika was incredibly tough but finally it was all too much, and now it is 2-1 to Ash.

They recall their Pokémon, thanking them for their efforts. Ash would seem to have the advantage but of the two Pokémon Ash has left, one of them has already taken a beaten, and Stephan's final Pokémon is a real doozy - Sawk! Ash was expecting this but still takes the time to check it out with his Pokédex before bringing out his third choice - another rarely seen one of Ash's squad, Leavanny!

Cilan and Iris like the choice, thought Bianca doesn't see why, look at Sawk's rippling muscles! Surprisingly, Iris' approval is based on a very sweet concept - she figures if Ash knew Sawk would be there and still chose Leavanny, then he must have a plan and it's probably a good one.

Awwwww!

Sawk bulks up, presenting those muscles that Bianca loves so much. Leavanny uses Stringshot, catching Sawk by surprise and wrapping him up. Ash is delighted but Stephan knows this isn't going to be enough to shut down Sawk, having it flex its muscles and tear through the Stringshot easily. He orders Close Combat and it charges in to attack, but Ash has apparently gotten in some more of that unseen special training, and has been working on Leavanny's speed. With a maddening smile, Leavanny gracefully dodges Sawk's rapid thrusting (poor sexually repressed Sawk!), then goes on the offensive with X-Scissor and delivers a shattering blow directly to Sawk's chest, staggering it.

Sawk recovers and comes back with Karate Chops and a Low Sweep, but Leavanny again easily dodges and fires off with Razor Leaf, Sawk having to block with its crossed arms. Next is an Energy Ball and this one catches Sawk by surprise, knocking him onto his ass, a huge embarrassment.

Getting back up, Sawk is in place to catch another attempted X-Scissor, its speed leaving the audience in awe - including a young girl with a Foongus symbolically placed in her lap! With Leavanny caught in one place, Sawk is able to hit a Low Sweep to Leavanny's leg, cutting down its ability to dodge and letting Sawk finally score hits with Close Combat. It looks like things have finally turned Stephan and Sawk's way, but as Leavanny is left battered and bruised, it suddenly glows green. It's Special Ability of Spore has activated, increasing the power and effectiveness of its Bug-Type moves, and Ash sends in Leavanny on the attack. Sawk dodges and uses Bulk Up and Leavanny goes back to String Shot, and this time... Sawk can't break free! Strain its muscles as much as it wants, the String Shot continues to hold it in place, perhaps due to both Spore AND the damage Sawk has already taken.

Leavanny uses X-Scissor multiple times, and Stephan tries to turn it to his advantage by telling Sawk to dodge carefully and try and make use of the X-Scissor to cut through the String Shot. It doesn't seem to be working, though the X-Scissors aren't making direct hits, but when Ash tries to finish things off with one big one, this seems to do the trick. Sawk tears the String Shot apart, panting heavily from the effort and the pain but ready to keep fighting. It tries another Karate Chop and Leavanny blasts it with Razor Leaf as it flies through the air... but it isn't enough! Sawk lands with a crushing chop directly to Leavanny's forehead, leaving it KO'ed on its feet. Staggering in place on auto-pilot, Leavanny finally falls, and it's all tied up at 2-2! An exhausted, battered Sawk vs. a slightly rested but still battered Krookodile!

Cilan and Iris are worried, Krookodile is at a severe type-disadvantage, though Bianca is optimistic despite liking both boys, reminding the twerps that Sawk took a hell of a beating from Leavanny. Stephan insists he is going to win this, but Ash tells him he'll need to do more than talk, both of them getting serious now that it has come down to the wire.

Stephan declares this is just what he is going to do and orders Close Combat, and Ash makes the surprising choice to send his disadvantaged Krookodile directly into the fray with a Dragon Claw. Showing surprising speed and agility, Krookodile hits every swinging limb of Sawk's Close Combat with a countering Dragon Claw. They break off, Krookodile having to drop to all fours to try and keep from fainting, and it looks like the Type-Disadvantage is going to be too much. Stephan orders Karate Chop and Sawk prepares to deliver, but then Ash pulls out some fantastic, patented Ash-style innovation when he orders Krookodile to use... AERIAL ACE!

AERIAL ACE!?!

Before Stephan's disbelieving eyes, Krookodile throws his arms wide, pounds down the battlefield towards Sawk, dodges aside and then leaps into the air. Swinging around in the air using his arms as "wings", he delivers an amazing clothesline to Sawk's neck, knocking the fighter onto his ass again - probably from pain but maybe also from total shock - a flying gator? A flying BOSS GATOR!?!

As a Flying Type move is super-effective against Sawk, who struggles to rise and then... collapses! Sawk is knocked out! SAWK IS KNOCKED OUT! SAWK IS KNOCKED OUT AND ASH WINS! HE'S THROUGH TO THE THIRD ROUND!

Stephan is resolute in defeat, recalling Sawk with thanks despite his obvious emotion at being knocked out of the Unova League. He joins Ash in the middle to congratulate him on a well-fought battle and an excellent surprise strategy, so this is why Ash made sure Krookodile was there for the end of the battle. Ash admits this was his strategy, he knew that Stephan would use Sawk last, and that Krookodile's Aerial Ace was the best bet he had for taking it out. They shake hands, the crowd cheering for what would obviously be the best battle of the Round, and perhaps the tournament itself.

Round Three continues, Virgil and his Umbreon defeating Flora, a young girl who appeared in the Clubsplosion tournament. Cameron defeats Kenton (from the Junior World Cup) to advance as well, and Russet makes it through as well! The others aren't real people who matter even though some have appeared in previous episodes, so we don't see their battles. The Top 8 are revealed and paired off for the fourth round... and wouldn't you know it, Ash has to battle yet another friend, this time Cameron!

If that entertaining novice beats Ash in his debut tournament I will lose my goddamn mind.

The Fourth Round will begin the next day, and the four battles will all be 6-on-6 battles. To celebrate Ash's victory that night, however, Cilan prepares a fancy meal for them all, Stephan and Bianca joining Cilan and Iris at the table. Stephan and Ash's natural competitiveness hasn't been burned out though and they quickly begin scoffing down food to see who can eat faster, as Iris good naturedly bemoans that maybe they are still little kids after all.

Stephan tells Ash he wants him to win the entire Unova League since he is the one who beat him, and Ash happily agrees that he wants himself to win too (well duh!). They continue eating, and later that night Cilan and Iris prepare for bed (separate ones, you perverts!), pondering what Cameron's secret weapon will be. Ash isn't there though, he went for some fresh air and to burn off some of his excess energy ahead of tomorrow's battle.

He heads to the Arena to take in the sight of tomorrow's battle, and to his surprise finds that Cameron and Riolu have set up their tent there. They pop out to say hello, Cameron explaining he wanted to make sure he wouldn't be late for the battle. Ash says he's out for a run because he was too excited to sleep, and they both happily declare they're going to win their battle against each other. Cameron reminds him he has a secret weapon and Ash says he'll be ready for whatever it is (can anything be better than a flying Krookodile!?!), and they clench their fists at each other in a smile, mirrored by a happy Pikachu and Riolu.

The next day, the organisers have once again cleverly put what will obviously be the best match on first when everybody is at their most excited. Ash faces Cameron in the first full 6-on-6 battle, and they face each other from across the battlefield. Cameron reveals his secret weapon at last, calling out his first Pokémon... Hydreigon!

Okay, a triple-headed dragon might JUST beat out a flying Krookodile!

So Ash is into the Quarter-Finals and facing one hell of an opening salvo in a dragon that would probably be too much for Iris to handle, let alone Cameron! Is this going to be a repeat of the Charizard situation from Ash's first debut? Will Ash beat the entertaining but clearly novice newcomer to get into the Final Four? Will Virgil be the spoiler he's apparently being set up to be? Will Ash FINALLY win the big one (the Battle Frontier is different from a Region's top Tournament!)? All those are questions for another episode, but first we have to see how he reacts to the presence of a dragon. The answer bodes well, because he seems absolutely fucking delighted!

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