Episode 8 – The Path to the Pokémon League

Episode Summary

Season 1 – Indigo League

After receiving his second badge, Ash sets off triumphantly for Vermilion City. Along the way, they hear of a trainer named A.J. – a fierce pokémon trainer who has never lost a match. Full of self-confidence from his own record of ten victories in a row, Ash heads directly for the gym to find his new opponent. When they arrive, a huge bulletin is in front of the gym with a neon sign declaring “98 Consecutive Victories” appeal to Ash’s over-confidence. A.J. is on the brink of achieving his goal of 100 straight victories, after which he will embark on a journey to gather badges. Will victory fall on the side of Ash and his 10 straight victories or with A.J. and his string of 98? In the process, will Ash learn some important lessons about the bonds between pokémon and trainer?

Full summary

At the beginning of the episode, Ash is walking along a path when he runs into a Pokemon trainer who challenges him. Ash accepts and wins easily. After the match, Ash starts showing off his badges to the trainer and he is so impressed, that he says that Ash could even beat A.J. Ash asks him who A.J. is and the trainer says that A.J. is a trainer who has never lost a match in his life and even has his own gym (not sanctioned by the Pokemon League) just over the hills. Ash says that he wants to battle and defeat A.J., so Ash and his friends start on their way.

When they arrive, A.J. greets Ash and asks him if he wants to be his next victim. Ash isn�t intimidated and says that if A.J. is so great, then why doesn�t he have any badges. A.J. tells him that he will start competing for badges when he gets his 100th win and so the match begins.

A.J. starts by choosing his Sandshrew and Ash follows by choosing Pidgeotto. Sandshrew goes first and does Defense Curl and knocks Pidgeotto out of the sky. Ash calls back Pidgeotto and chooses Butterfree. Butterfree tries to hit Sandshrew with its stun spore, but before it can, Sandshrew uses dig. When it comes up from the ground it jumps up at Butterfree knocking it out. Ash tries to make Pikachu battle, but Pikachu electrocutes him instead.

A.J. is happy because now he is only one win away from 100 wins and competing for badges. Ash doesn't understand how a ground type could ever beat a flying type (or two) and accuses A.J. of cheating. A.J. says that he might give him a rematch when Ash grows up and with that, he goes into his tent, but Ash hears some yelling and goes in to investigate.

Ash sees A.J. hit his Sandshrew with a whip and knock him into a pool of water. They start wrestling around in the pool until Ash asks A.J. why he�s abusing his Pokemon. A.J. responds that he doesn�t hurt his Pokemon, but that�s just his way of training, but on the way out of the pool, A.J. insults Pikachu, thus starting up the fight again. But while Ash and A.J. are wrestling, Pikachu tries to use a strength intensifier and gets stuck in the shape of a ball. Sandshrew thinks Pikachu is funny and copies it, but Team Rocket sneaks up behind them and put Sandshrew in a bag (thinking that they caught Pikachu) and run off.

When A.J. and Ash get out of the pool, they notice that Sandshrew is gone, but while that�s happening Sandshrew manages to escapes, bringing Meowth with it by the mouth. Sandshrew then burrows back to A.J.�s gym and jumps right into A.J.�s arms, leaving Meowth lying on the ground unconscious.

When Meowth finally wakes up and it thinks that it�s in a heap of trouble, but Jessie and James come to the rescue. James says that they want Pikachu, not a second rate Pokemon like a Sandshrew. A.J. is furious and challenges them to a match, but it isn�t very long at all. Sanshrew wins by using fissure sending Team Rocket blasting off again (they actually just run away). A.J. has finally won his 100th match and Ash congratulates him as he continues his quest for the Pokemon League.

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