XY006: Battling on Thin Ice!

Battling on Thin Ice! (氷上決戦！ピカチュウVSビビヨン!!) is the 6th episode of Pokémon the Series: XY.

Synopsis
After losing to Viola, Ash decides to take in some special training in order to try and counter her slippery/sticky strategy, with help from Alexa, Clemont and Froakie. Will he be able to beat her this time around, and does Ash remember the new girl he just met?

Episode Plot
(Events continue from the previous episode.)

Serena hands Ash her handkerchief which with to clean himself, which he accepts. Immediately after handing it to him, Serena ask him if he remembers her from Professor Oak's Pokemon Camp years ago in Pallet Town. To her dismay, Ash does not recall. He apologizes for not remembering her, but Serena says it's fine and tells him to focus on his training. She expresses her amazement at Pokemon battles, and when Ash tells her that what she saw back there in the Gym wasn't how it usually goes, Serena tells him of something he once told her: "Don't give up till its over!" Ash starts laughing, saying that he had forgotten about what she said. He thanks her, handing her back the handkerchief and telling her they're saved thanks to her before calling Alexa over for another round of training. As her Noivern bombards his Pikachu and Fletchling with Gust, Ash tells them to hold onto their fighting spirit. Pikachu plants its tail into the ground to maintain its footing while Fletchling adjusts to the wind. They launch attacks which Noivern dodges. Alexa tells Ash that while it seems he's gotten the hang of it, they still have more to do before telling Noivern to launch another Gust.

Hours later around sunset, Ash, Serena, Clemont and Bonnie are eating an evening meal. While Ash notes they've perfected the Gust countermeasure, Bonnie asks about what he'll do against Psychic, Sticky Net and the ice field situation. Ash says he has an idea of what to do about the ice field, which Bonnie's eager to hear, but doesn't, much to her (comical) disappointment. Clement offers he has something to help them with Sticky Net, which Ash appreciates, telling Pikachu and Fletchling that after they eat, it's time for more training.

After the meal, everyone's back out on the battlefield where Clemont reveals his latest invention: a sticky gob-shooter, the "Sticky-Web-Sticky-Wicked-Whacker-Wonk". The idea behind this invention is for Ash's Pokemon to dodge the gobs, which will stand in for Viola's Surskit's Sticky Net. The machine shoots two gobs out which Pikachu and Fletchling dodge. Pikachu tentatively touches one of the gobs, and hurriedly dislodges it, revealing Clemont was right about how it perfectly replicating Sticky Net. After Pikachu and Fletchling dodge the gobs for awhile, Clemont offers the device isn't even at its full potential, so he turns it up to maximum. The machine stalls, and he goes to see what's wrong with it, hurriedly turning it up when the device is about to shoot gobs in his face. He turns the machine's shooter up in time, only for the gobs to fall back down and clog the machine, making it explode. As Clemont bemoans his machine's failure, Ash calls out his Froakie to use its mousse in place of Sticky Net. As Froakie throws its mousse, Serena takes note that Ash has one. Bonnie tells her it's the same Froakie that came from Professor Sycamore's laboratory, and Serena notes that's where she got her Fennekin.

As Ash and his Pokemon finish up, Clemont takes Bonnie to bed as it's getting late. Ash talks to his Pokemon for a bit, telling them they've got to give their all against Viola tomorrow. Serena walks over and marvels about how Trainers are, noting she'll have to put on all her effort to get that Gym Badge. Sharing his experience, Ash tells her it doesn't happen immediately and that he'll continue to catch Pokemon after the Gym Battle. He asks her what her journey is and she admits that she and Fennekin haven't decided yet. Ash tells her she'll come to a decision eventually and she thanks him.

The next day at the Gym, Alexa notes to Serena that Ash seems all fired up and asks if it's because of her. Viola remarks that she heard her sister helped Ash with his training. As Ash responds they'll definitely get that badge this time, Viola retorts that victory will surely be a shutter chance before sending out her Surskit to battle. Ash sends Pikachu to go against it.

Surskit starts moving about and Viola remarks that just as how you can't take a picture if you don't close the shutter, you can't win a battle if you don't attack. She orders Surskit to use Sticky Net. Ash tells Pikachu to dodge, which it does, reaping the benefits of yesterday's training, which Serena takes note of. Ash has Pikachu use Thunderbolt, which Viola's Surskit counters against with Protect before jumping up into the air and using Signal Beam. Ash has Pikachu side step and use Iron Tail, which lands a direct hit.

Viola orders Surskit to use Ice Beam and prepare the ice field. To stop it, Ash orders Pikachu to latch onto it and use Thunderbolt again. Viola orders Surskit to use Ice Beam while trying to throw Pikachu off, which results in Surskit freezing most of the surrounding trees. Nevertheless, it finally manages to throw Pikachu off before freezing the entire field with Ice Beam, as it did the last time. Viola comments that they can now "release the shutter" and orders Surskit to use Signal Beam again. In response, Pikachu plants its tail into the ground to anchor itself, as it did during training. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt to counter Signal Beam. The two attacks collide, producing a small explosive cloud. To Viola's surprise however, Pikachu's Thunderbolt reaches through and hits Surskit, knocking it out. As Ash's crew rejoices, Viola recalls Surskit: likewise, Ash recalls Pikachu. For the next round of battle, Ash sends his Fletchling and Viola sends her Vivillon. Serena notes that Ash won't have to worry about Sticky Net anymore and Clemont offers that since the Gust countermeasure has been perfected, this won't be a repeat of last time.

Ash has Fletchling start off the battle by using Steel Wing. Unfortunately, Viola has Vivillon stop it with Psychic, as is what happened last time. Vivillon sends Fletchling to the ground and Ash tells it to release its fighting spirit and orders another Steel Wing attack. This time, Fletchling successfully lands a hit. Ash orders it to follow up with Peck, but Vivillon dodges and uses Gust. Ash orders Fletchling to ride the wind, just as it had with Alexa's Noivern. Fletchling successfully rides the wind to the delight of the spectators, and Ash orders it to use Razor Wind. Viola counters it by revealing a new bother, one they haven't expected: Sleep Powder. Just as Vivillon takes a small hit from Razor Wind, Fletchling falls asleep... and out of the sky. Viola seizes her chance and has Vivillon use Solar Beam. Fletchling is knocked out. Ash recalls it and sends Pikachu back out.

Vivillon starts with Gust, which Pikachu endures by planting its tail into the ground. However, due to the damage it endured against Surskit, it struggles. Viola points out that they can't win against Vivillon in that condition. Ash points out that they'll never give up until the end, which Serena remembers him saying to her long ago. The really epic music plays and Viola has Vivillon use Gust again, but Ash has Pikachu use Iron Tail to anchor itself to the ground. Viola has Vivillon use Solar Beam and Pikachu counters with Thunderbolt. As the two attacks collide and explode, Viola has Vivillon use Sleep Powder which lands another hit. Before Vivillon launches another Solar Beam, Serena yells out to remember its training with everyone, which gives Ash the idea to have Pikachu use Electro Ball on itself, undoing the effect of Sleep Powder. Vivillon launches its Solar Beam, which Pikachu counters with another Electro Ball. As the two attacks collide, Vivillon is suddenly hit with another Electro Ball, which sends it flying into each of the lamps Surskit froze with Ice Beam. To this end, Vivillon's flying becomes slower to the ice on its wing. To finish it off, Ash has Pikachu use one last Thunderbolt, knocking out Vivillon and leaving Ash the winner. Viola hands Ash his Bug Badge and his friends come over to congratulate him. As Clemont praises him, Ash tells him it was his invention that helped with the idea for Pikachu to use Electro Ball on itself to wake it up from Sleep Powder.

Outside the Gym, Alexa tells Ash to head to Cyllage City as that's where his next Gym Battle is. As everyone walks away, a picture of Ash and the gang is seen in the Gym. After the ending narration, Ash asks Serena what she plans on doing now. The episode ends as Serena reacts.

Trivia

 * This episode is the second one in which Ash earns a badge after a Gym Leader's debut. The first was in BW006: Dreams by the Yard Full!.
 * It is revealed in this episode that Serena knew Ash from the time they were at Professor Oak's Pokémon Summer Camp way back when they were little in Pallet Town.
 * "Who's that Pokemon?": Noivern (US)
 * "Pokemon Quiz": Helioptile (JP)

Mistakes

 * After Pikachu realized this fake Sticky Web is a super glue from Clemont's Training Sticky Web Cannon, the pupil in Clemont's left eye is missing, only leaving a circle there, although his pupil appears later. The same error repeats five times, when Clemont is launching his Sticky Web Cannon.
 * In one scene for a split second, Fletchling got two circles on its right eye.
 * During several scenes throughout the episode, Helioptile's pupils are light-blue instead of blue.
 * In one scene,  Alexa is missing her earrings.
 * In some scenes, Dedenne's tooth is missing.
 * Alexa's eyebrows are incorrectly colored the same beige as her skin.
 * After Ash recalled his fainted Fletchling and then use Pikachu again, his hair is briefly shown completely black instead of the usual dark cyan tone.
 * When Fletchling has been hit by Vivillon's Sleep Powder and was falling down, Serena's hat is colored purple for a few frames,
 * In one scene for a split frame, the white circles on Alexa's pupils disappears.
 * When Pikachu has woken himself up with Electro Ball, some of the ice around his feet has melted. When he prepares to fire another Electro Ball to counter Vivillon's Solar Beam, the ice that melted is back.
 * In one scene for a split frame, the part of Bonnie's hair near her left ear is colored the same way as her skin.
 * After Pikachu hits Surskit with Iron Tail, Clemont states that Pikachu didn't land a move in their last battle. This is incorrect, as Pikachu landed an Iron Tail during the battle.
 * When Alexa is telling Ash where the next Gym Leader is, his eyebrow is connected with his hair when he is turning right.