Indigo League Episode 5: "Showdown in Pewter City"

Season 1, Episode 5, Original Air Date: April 29, 1997 (JP), September 14, 1998

After a brief scene with Team Rocket falling victim to their own use of a pitfall trap (which would become a recurring plan of theirs over the years), we see Ash and Misty finally reach Pewter City. This is the first gym battle of the series, and also introduces Brock, the Pokémon League and many other elements that would become key parts of the series.

Ash meets a man outside the city named Flint, who sells rocks. He asks Ash if he wants any, but Ash declines and asks for directions to the Pokémon Center.

After healing his Pokémon and declining an offer to help from Misty, Ash goes to face Brock at the Pewter Gym.

As Brock is a gym leader, he is much more powerful than most other trainers are. Needless to say, Ash doesn't do so hot; and he doesn't take his defeat well. This isn't the last time this happens either; though they admittedly did get better with time.

After meeting up with Flint again, Ash is taken to see Brock; who is taking care of his 10 younger siblings after his father left them to train Pokémon and was never heard from again. As for Flint's line about Brock's mother passing away... hold that thought until I get to Chronicles. Not looking forward to that.

Anyway, Flint decides to help Ash and Pikachu train for their rematch against Brock; using a hydroelectric plant to help supercharge Pikachu's attacks. Interesting, my strategy was to use Butterfree and spam Confusion attacks; and it still works in my copy of Let's Go Pikachu.

The next day, Ash goes to face Brock again; and Pikachu is much more powerful than he was before! Though Brock's Geodude is KO'd in one strike, Onix still puts up quite a fight! Pikachu's Thunderbolt even ends up destroying some of the lamps overhead and causing a fire! While Brock doesn't want to hurt Pikachu, the sprinklers go off and Onix is weakened by the water! Brock's siblings climb on Ash, and before he can finish Onix, he relents!

Though not a conventional victory, Ash did succeed in convincing Brock that his path was not the one he should be following. Brock, deciding to be a Pokémon Breeder instead of a trainer; gives Ash the Boulder Badge before asking his father Flint to return home and look after his siblings.

So, with Brock joining Ash and Misty on their travels; we close on all of them continuing on their journey as they trample Team Rocket while they dig out of the ground!

So, that's "Showdown in Pewter City." What do I think about this one? Well, it's another key episode given how long the series has been going on; so I definitely recommend watching it. It's also a big example of how Brock was portrayed before he became the character we all know and love. He would become a big part of the series as it went, and is still well-known today. Next up is "Clefairy and the Moon Stone!" To be continued...