JE018: Charizard's Burning Ambitions

Charizard's Burning Ambitions is the 134th episode of Pokemon overall, and the 18th in the Johto Journeys.

Episode Summary
It's a regular day in Johto and the gang feels like they've been walking forever. Everyone, including Team Rocket, feel like they've gone through a loop; Team Rocket steals a Pokemon, Ash and friends try to get it back, Pikachu blasts them off. Team Rocket doesn't stand a chance with the gang's 12 Pokemon, including Charizard. As long as Ash has Charizard, everything's fine. The gang meets Liza who takes care of wild Charizard and her very own named Charla at the Charicific Valley. Brock, Misty, and Liza are carried by Charla and Ash and his Charizard have to ride by themselves. Due to never having experience flying with Charizard, they hit a few bumps. It is explained that Charicific Valley that it isn't a tourist attraction and those people would go to jail. When they finally made it, Charizard's exhausted. The gang enters Charicific Valley with gargantuan Charizard! Charizard picks a fight with a random one, being Flamethrowered. Then he fights with the most gentle one while being tail-slammed multiple times. Team Rocket watches all this. Charizard is flung into the water by Charla before losing. After thinking overnight whether to stay or not, he stays. Ash and friends say good-bye.

Trivia

 * Despite Charizard's tail being submerged underwater, Charizard did not die, unlike what Pokedex entries state.
 * Despite saying he never rode Charizard, Ash rode Charizard in Charizard Chills.
 * While counting Pokemon, Snorlax was seen in James's imagination and was never counted.

Quotes

 * "It's got a lot of heart, Charla."

Liza about Ash's Charizard.