A Pyramiding Rage! (Japanese: バトルピラミッド！シンジVSジンダイ！！, Hepburn: Battle Pyramid! Paul VS Brandon!!) is the 24th episode of Pokémon: DP Galactic Battles.
Synopsis[]
Not long after Ash won his Icicle Badge at the Snowpoint Gym, his rival Paul challenged Gym Leader Candice to a battle! Once the match is set for the next day, Paul silently walks away. But he’s not alone for long—his big brother Reggie is in town, and once Reggie stops to talk to Paul, Ash and his friends catch up too! To top it all off, the Battle Pyramid flies right over their heads. Ash has already beaten this Kanto Battle Frontier facility, but Reggie admits he lost his own Battle Pyramid challenge.
Brandon, the Battle Pyramid boss, is here to meet Maria, a maiden from the Snowpoint Temple. Paul has other ideas: he challenges Brandon to a battle, and Brandon accepts! Paul was a novice Trainer when he witnessed Reggie’s defeat at the Battle Pyramid, and it made a deep impression on him. Now he’s determined to beat Brandon in a full 6-on-6 battle and do what his brother couldn’t! Faced with Brandon’s Regirock, Paul swaps his Magmar out for Hariyama, but Regirock easily defeats Hariyama and then Electabuzz. Brandon sends in Registeel so Paul sends in Magmar, but Magmar isn’t even making a dent on Registeel. Paul switches in Nidoking instead, and Registeel scores an easy win.
Paul is quickly losing his cool; once Brandon’s Regice wipes the floor with Paul’s Lairon and then paralyzes Paul’s Ursaring, Paul gives up and lets Brandon’s Regirock knock his Ursaring out. Magmar is all Paul has left, but Regirock easily defeats Magmar too. Brandon is disappointed, but he promises they’ll battle again once Paul learns to control his emotions. As everyone files out of the Pyramid, Reggie suggests that Paul should battle Ash, and Brandon thinks it’s a good idea. The two rivals will battle in 10 days’ time—but just as that’s decided, Maria rushes up in a panic. Something terrible has happened at the Snowpoint Temple![1]
Episode plot[]
Paul challenges Candice to a Gym Battle. Candice refuses, as she has just had her battle with Ash and instructs Paul to come tomorrow. Ash shows Paul his seventh Badge and asks him how many he has, but Paul leaves, not wanting to tell him. Candice knows Dawn and Zoey are rivals, but their rivalry is nothing compared to the one between Ash and Paul. Later at the Pokémon Center, Zoey is told about Ash and Paul's rivalry, while Dawn wonders where Ash is. Ash thanks Paul for having his Torterra show Grotle the new style of battling, while Paul asks Ash "If you won the Badge, why do you need Torterra to hold your hand?"
Zoey stops Paul and attempts to lecture him, but Dawn pulls her to herself. Paul passes by, making Zoey wish that "Miss Senior" defeats him. The next day, Reggie drives his car and spots Paul in Snowpoint City. The heroes come out and meet Reggie again. Reggie tells them he is about to leave a Pokémon he has been watching over to its trainer. Reggie asks Ash if he is to challenge Candice, though Ash tells him he already won the Badge. Reggie asks his brother if he can watch the battle. Paul responds that he can do whatever he wants. Zoey now notices that Reggie and Paul are different from each other. The ground begins to shake and the gang spots the Battle Pyramid pass overhead, Ash immediately recognizing it. Reggie ask Ash how he know about it, Ash tells that it took time, but he crossed over the Battle Frontier Facility and got the Frontier Badge for it, much to Paul's shock.
Team Rocket is also surprised to see the Battle Pyramid passing by. Ash contacts Brandon, and they all go towards the point where it landed. Dawn asks about the Battle Frontier and Brock explains that they are a bunch of people like Gym Leaders, but much more intense and Brandon is the most powerful of them, as such, everyone calls him "The Pyramid King". Brock asks Reggie if he challenged them, Reggie said he did, but he never got the Brave Symbol, which was prove at winning at the Battle Pyramid. Ash asks why he stopped and Reggie responds "Because I have learn one thing, and I have a lot more to learn." They meet up with Brandon, who recognizes Ash, Brock and Reggie, he even recognize Paul as Reggie's younger brother. Paul, surprisingly, challenges Brandon to a battle.
Candice comes on her Dodrio to see the Pyramid and meets Brandon, who introduced himself, as well a Candice. A jeep comes by and a woman comes out and tells Brandon she expected him - her name is Temple Maiden Maria. Brock flirts with her and gets hit by his Croagunk's Poison Jab. Dawn asks Zoey if there is a temple and Zoey confirms, as there is some history associated with it. Brandon tells he came to study the temple and asks his referee, Samuel, to go with her, as he goes to battle with Paul. Paul wants to challenge him as he goes to finish "what his brother couldn't". Ash wants to watch, though Paul does not care. Brock goes to act as a referee, but Paul tells him to back down, as he wants a full 6-on-6 battle, substitutions are allowed and that the battle will be over when one side of all 6 Pokémon are unable to continue. Paul sends Magmar and Brandon his Regirock, to which Paul remembers.
Reggie tells them that he remembers when Paul was watching when he along with his Pokémon were defeated by Brandon, he explain that when he challenged Brandon, Paul got his Turtwig and they went to the Battle Pyramid, so that Paul could watch the battle. Reggie was defeated and Brandon asked him where is his true inner strength is, which caused Paul to be the way he is now... rough. Paul calls Magmar back and sends Hariyama, who has an advantage over Rock-types. Regirock starts with Stone Edge, but Hariyama easily blocks it with its hands. Hariyama uses Arm Thrust on Regirock, but Regirock holds Hariyama, then uses Shock Wave at point-blank range, causing major damage to the Pokémon. Hariyama tries to use Force Palm, but it misses, and Hariyama gets hit and defeated by Regirock's Focus Punch.
Meowth thinks it would be good to climb the pyramid and Jessie says that they should go to the temple. Jessie remembers how horrible it was the last time they climbed the pyramid while Meowth thinks the temple is too far away. They turn to James and ask him what he thinks, but he does not ally with either side. Both Jessie and Meowth decided to play rock, paper, scissors. If Jessie wins, then they go to the temple, whereas if Meowth wins, then they climb up the pyramid. Neither side wins and they continue to play.
Paul sends Electabuzz, Candice was confuse as to why Paul choose an electric-type, though Ash knows why, as Paul tells Electabuzz to use Brick Break, which is a fighting-type move. Reggie says that Regirock is a high-level Pokémon, and Paul knows it, so he is using the move that would be effective. Regirock uses Stone Edge, Electabuzz uses Protect, but Stone Edge was too powerful and negates Electabuzz' Protect and wounds it, much to the slight anger of Paul. With a Hyper Beam, Electabuzz is defeated.
Brandon calls Regirock back (as it has to recharge after using Hyper Beam) and sends Registeel, Paul then send his Magmar, who has the advantage over steel-types. Magmar starts with Flamethrower, making a direct hit on Registeel, but Registeel does not seem to be hurt and easily defects it. Registeel then uses Iron head, Paul tells Magmar to block it, and then use Will-O-Wisp, Magmar does, but Registeel's Iron Head is too strong, it crushed through Magmar's defenses. Magmar got scared by this attack, so Paul calls it back and sends Nidoking. Dawn was confused as to why Paul chose Nidoking, who is a Poison-type Pokémon, and Poison-type moves have no effect on Steel-types. Zoey explains that while Nidoking is a Poison-type, it is also part Ground-type, whose moves are effective against Steel-types, Registeel uses Flash Cannon, hitting Nidoking in the head. Nidoking uses Earth Power, causing damage to Registeel. Brandon is impressed, Nidoking then uses Double Kick, pushing Registeel back, but it got up quick. Nidoking then uses Thunderbolt, but Registeel uses Iron Head to negate the attack and defeats Nidoking.
Brandon asks Paul if he thinks that he wants to defeat him, if he wants so much to "avenge" his brother's defeat. Paul responds he told that one must find its strength, but unlike Reggie, his power comes from will. Brandon says that is not what he means, as it was all wrapped up in the past, he then asks Paul why does he battle, but Paul ignores him, becoming far more angry and sends Lairon. Brandon calls Registeel back and sends Regice. Lairon uses Iron Defense, Paul is trying to hang in so he can get a chance to counter strike, though it gets frozen by Regice's Ice Beam and with a Zap Cannon, Lairon is defeated (much to Paul's shock and anger). Paul sends Ursaring, who uses Hammer Arm, though gets in collision with Regice's Focus Punch. Ursaring was about to use Focus Blast, but Regice then uses Zap Cannon, hitting and paralyzing Ursaring, which prevented her from using Focus Blast. Brandon calls Regice back and sends Regirock (Paul was so infuriated that he did not call out an attack for Ursaring). With Stone Edge, Ursaring is defeated.
Despite everyone knowing that the battle is almost, Paul sends Magmar. The Spitfire Pokémon uses Flamethrower, but Regirock blocked the attack with ease then uses Shock Wave to defeating Magmar. Since Paul has used all his Pokémon, Brandon wins (much to Paul's solemnness). Brandon sees the Pokémon are very well trained, but notices the emotions clouded Paul's mind. Brandon promises to battle once he controls his emotions, so Paul bows his head. Team Rocket stops playing and see everyone going out of the Pyramid.
Paul tells Candice to prepare herself for the Gym Battle, so Candice tells him she is looking forward to it. She sends Dodrio and wishes Dawn luck in her next Contest. Zoey and Candice leave them. Paul starts to leave, but Reggie asks if he and Ash could have a battle. Brandon thinks it is a good idea, so Ash and Paul agree. Reggie tells them that, in ten days, near Lake Acuity they should be there. Suddenly, Samuel and Maria come out and report to Brandon that a really bad thing has happened in the temple.
Debuts[]
Pokémon[]
Trivia[]
- There is no Professor Oak's Pokémon lecture following this episode.
- This is also the first time when a Frontier Brain appears after the Battle Frontier arc.
- This is the first episode in which both Paul and Reggie appear in person together.
- The battle between Paul and Brandon has many callbacks to the three battles between Ash and Brandon:
- The first Pokémon used by Brandon is Regirock.
- A Pokémon gets knocked out by Regirock's Hyper Beam (Ash's Sceptile, Paul's Electabuzz).
- The Trainer has a fire-type Pokémon (Ash's Torkoal, Paul's Magmar).
- The Trainer has an electric-type Pokémon (Ash's Pikachu, Paul's Electabuzz).
- Registeel gets hit by a fire-type Pokémon's fire-type attack, but easily deflects it (a Heat Wave from Ash's Torkoal, a Flamethrower from Paul's Magmar).
- A Pokémon gets frozen by Regice's Ice Beam (Ash's Pikachu, Paul's Lairon).
- A Pokémon gets paralyzed by Zap Cannon (Ash's Torkoal, Paul's Ursaring).
- A Pokémon gets knocked out by Zap Cannon (Ash's Torkoal, Paul's Lairon).
- The final Pokémon gets knocked out by an electric-type move and is a fire-type (Registeel's Zap Cannon on Ash's Torkoal, Regirock's Shock Wave on Paul's Magmar).
- The Sinnoh map shown on TV is similar to the one in-game.
- If the collision of Regice's Focus Punch and Ursaring's Hammer Arm isn't counted as a hit, all of Paul's Pokémon were knocked out with two hits.
Mistakes[]
- Regirock's Stone Edge was somehow able to hit Electabuzz through Protect, though nothing except Feint and Shadow Force can do this under normal conditions.
- During three scenes Zoey's eyes are colored orange.
- Paul's Ursaring did not look paralyzed when it got hit by Regice's Zap Cannon. Plus, Ursaring's Guts ability wasn't shown activating.
- The Cycling Road is absent on Kanto's map.
- While on his way to the Battle Pyramid, Ash says that Brock told him about Reggie's loss to Brandon, though Brock just asked about it.
Dub edits[]
- In the Dutch dub Brandon tells Regirock to use Rock Smash (Steen Knal) instead of Stone Edge (Steen Rand).
Gallery[]
References[]
- ^ (n.d.) . "A Pyramiding Rage! | Pokémon TV (pokemon.com)". From The Official Pokémon Website | Pokemon.com. Archived from the original on February 1, 2024.
