ENGLISH NAME	JAPANESE NAME	POKEMOPOLIS NAME	DODGINESS RATING	ANIMATION	STORY	TEAM ROCKET	MORAL LEARNT
590: A Pyramiding Rage!	596: Batoru Piramiddo! Shinji Tai Jindai!	Paul The Loser Who Gets Made Fun Of For Being A Loser			Paul gets his ass kicked and Brandon makes fun of him	Locked in an eternal, pointless battle for dominance	Via the transitive property, Ash is better than Paul

Last episode saw Ash win his 7th Gym Badge in surprisingly short time! Triumphant, victorious and delighted, Ash was celebrating when Gym Leader Candice had a surprising and arrogant visitor arrive - Paul! Yes, the jerkfaced jerk is back, and despite Ash's recent success, you can guarantee that we're about to see....



Candice tells Paul that though he obviously came a long way, the battle will have to be tomorrow, as her Pokémon need a rest. He accepts brusquely and starts to walk away, until Ash calls out to him and he stops in place with the barest of disdainful looks. Ash excitedly tells the uncaring Paul that he has won his 7th Badge and is only one badge away from entry into the Sinnoh League, then asks Paul how many he has.

"None of your business!" snaps Paul angrily and walks away.

That would be a number less than seven, then!

Dawn explains to Zoey that Ash and Paul are rivals who tend to end up in fights whenever they meet. Candice notes that Zoey and Dawn are rivals too, but nothing like the animosity between Ash and Paul seems to occur between them.

That night in the Pokémon Centre, Zoey has learned that Paul was Chimchar's first trainer. Brock is telling her that due to Paul and Ash's disparate natures, they couldn't avoid or ignore each other, they were designed to clash. Ash isn't with them as they sit inside in the warmth; rather he has gone running outside into the snow to eagerly and stupidly tell Paul all about his battle while the latter is busy training his Pokémon for tomorrow's fight. Ash tells Paul that Grotle did great in the battle and he wants to thank Paul's Torterra for his help. Paul recalls his Pokémon and walks past Ash as the other twerps come outside, asking why Ash still needs Torterra to "hold his hand" if he was truly serious about winning in Snowpoint City. He grunts as he walks away that using a Grass Type in an Ice Type Gym was "blind faith", but as he tries to step inside Zoey gets in his face. Dawn has to drag her out of the way, and Zoey says angrily that she hopes tomorrow Candice wipes the floor with him.

The next day, the twerps are watching the weather report on television (snow! in Snowpoint City!?!) when they notice a van has pulled up alongside Paul as he heads up the road. Stepping out of it is... Reggie! Yes, the talented brother of jerkface Paul the jerk has come to town to deliver one of the Pokémon he breeds (snicker) and stopped for a chat with Paul. Ash and the twerps rather rudely rush out and start talking to Reggie right in front of Paul, and Ash tells him he won his 7th Badge. Reggie notes this to Paul who still seems unimpressed, but that is all about to change!

The Battle Pyramid soars overhead suddenly, causing the ground to shake beneath it, and everyone stares up at it. Reggie is surprised to learn that the twerps know about it, but not as surprised as Paul is when Ash rather casually mentions that it might have taken him awhile, but eventually he "beat it". It's not a pleasant surprise; Paul is simultaneously horrified, shocked, surprised, jealous and very slightly sexually aroused.

Team Rocket have spotted it as well from further inside the city, and Candice has too watching from her Gym. Inside the Pyramid, Brandon gets a call from Ash inside the Pokémon Centre (and responds to Ash like a friend and equal, which he is!), and the Pyramid lands outside the city near the forest. Reggie drives everyone in his creepy Breeder Van to the Pyramid, the twerps in the back and Paul sitting in the front next to his brother. Dawn asks for more info about the Pyramid and Brock explains that it was the penultimate point of the Battle Frontier. If Paul is further surprised to learn that Ash took on the challenge of the Frontier Brains and won, he's learned to mask it now. Brock mentions that he saw Frontier Symbols in Reggie's trophy mantel, but Reggie notes that he never won at the Battle Pyramid like Ash, and stopped battling because he learned that there was still a lot to learn!

The van arrives at the Pyramid, Paul stopping to stare as Reggie and the twerps go to meet Brandon. When Paul finally joins the others (or rather, stands near where they are) he instantly demands a Pokémon Battle with Brandon, but this is interrupted by Candice showing up on her Dodrio and then a chick in a headdress and white smock called Maria pulling up in a jeep. She is introduced as Maria, a "temple maiden", and Brock's reaction is predictable, as is the end result.

Zoey explains there is an ancient temple in Snowpoint rich with history, and listening from the bushes with a remote mic is Team Rocket, who misunderstand the use of the term "rich".

Brandon tells his assistant Sam to go with Maria to the temple, as it is clear to him from the look in Paul's eyes that he MUST battle right now. Ash eagerly asks if he can watch, and Paul snaps angrily that he doesn't care (what a jerk!) and once inside shoots down Brock's suggestion of reffing (what a jerk!) and angrily proclaims the conditions of battle - a full 6 on 6 battle with Pokémon substitutions allowed! Paul - jerk that he is - wants to do what his brother couldn't, thus proving his superiority to his older, cooler brother.... and not equalling the accomplishments of a dim-witted crackbaby 10 year old doofus who beat the same guy after taking on his entire Battle Frontier.

Brandon is gonna kick his ass.

First up is Magmar for Paul against Regirock for Brandon. Dawn checks out Regirock with her Pokédex, while Paul remembers this is how Brandon opened against Reggie. Up in the stands, Reggie explains that this is what happened to him, he had successfully gone from league to league, region to region, and then taken on the Battle Frontier. But when he had arrived to face Brandon at last, he was defeated without beating a SINGLE one of Brandon's Pokémon. Paul, himself a brand new trainer with a Turtwig, had watched in astonishment as his older brother was destroyed before him, and heard Brandon angrily decry Reggie's skills as standard, unexceptional battling ability with no display of inner strength. The lesson hit hard to young Paul, who was left to wonder what HIS inner strength was.

Brock remembers this is a kid's show and people need a little help, and explains that this is why Paul is such a jerk. Meanwhile, Paul recalls Magmar without a single move being used, and instead calls out Hariyama and has it block Stone Edge and go in with Arm Thrust, smacking the fuck out of Regirock's face as it gets in closer and closer.... and right into Regirock's grip!

Shockwave and Focus Punch put Hariyama down... and out! It's 1-0 to Brandon!

Outside, Jesse is looking up over the Pyramid, saying she is remembering looking for treasure throughout the pyramid... but they're not good memories! She wants to go to the Temple and look for riches there, but Meowth says it'll take them so long to get there they'll forget why they went in the first place! James suggests that the two of them.... fight! He thinks this is the best way to come to a decision, proudly admitting he has no opinion of his own. After a pratfall, Jesse and Meowth agree to go at it, and immediately.... play rock, paper, scissors!

Inside, Paul calls out Electabuzz and is smugly satisfied to see Brandon's surprise. Candice thinks it makes no sense, but Ash at least sees the strategy.

ASH!

Electabuzz uses Brickbreak on Regirock, seeming to score some damage. But Electabuzz's Protect doesn't stop Stone Edge and then Hyperbeam knocks Electabuzz.... out! It's 2-0 to Brandon! Brandon recalls Regirock due to the downtime that comes after Hyperbeam. He calls out Registeel next, and so Paul sends in Magmar. Zoey notes that Fire Types have the advantage over Steel Types, and Paul has Magmar use Flamethrower, and the result is....



Registeel gives no fuck!

Paul can't understand it, and Registeel comes in with Iron Head. Paul tells Magmar to block it, but it is sent stumbling backwards and flinches, unable to follow through with Will'o'Wisp. Paul recalls Magmar and sends out Nidoking, a Poison/Ground Type, the latter half making it effective against Steel Types. Registeel opens with a full to the face blast of Zap Cannon, but Nidoking takes it and uses Earthpower to shake the ground beneath Registeel's feet and then come in with Double Kick directly to Registeel's face. The alien monstrosity stumbles backwards and then... corrects and stands tall! Nidoking tries Thunderbolt but Registeel crashes through it with Iron Head and.... knocks out Nidoking!

And Brandon starts making fun of Paul!

YES!



Haha, he's so angry!

Paul recalls Nidoking as Brandon grunts that he thought Paul wanted to beat the man that defeated his brother. Paul shouts back that he's not like his brother, the truth is that the only meaning a victory over Brandon will have for him is that it will prove that he is capable of something his brother wasn't - the ability to meet Brandon's challenge to find his own strength. He claims that his will gives him strength and he'll show it to Brandon first hand, and Brandon.... snaps back,"NOOOOO!"

He tells Paul he is all wrapped up in the past so why does he walk the path of a Pokémon Trainer? WHY does he battle? Paul yells angrily in incoherent rage and calls out Lairon, and Brandon returns Registeel and sends in Regice, and Paul takes on a different tack, using Iron Defence on Lairon to increase its defence and give him a chance to hold on and find a shot.

Brandon's reaction is to murder Lairon.



AHAHAHAHA, YESSSSSS!

Lairon doesn't get a single shot in, getting frozen in Ice and Zap Cannoned into unconsciousness. Paul has become enraged now and sends out Ursaring in the hopes of raping his opponent to death. Ursaring and Regice go at it full force at each other with clubbing blows and shots.... and Ursaring is left staggered and paralyzed. For some reason, Paul doesn't recall Ursaring, and just stands and watches as Regirock is called back out and knocks Ursaring out.

Only Magmar is left.



Magmar's down!

Paul is left standing shaking and jaw hanging, Brandon calling out to him that he allows his emotions to betray him on the battlefield, and they'll meet again when he finally learns to control them.

Ahahaha, bitchslapped!

Outside, Jesse and Meowth are STILL fighting their Rock, Paper, Scissors battle when they hear the twerps stepping out. Paul tells Candice he still intends to have his Gym Battle with her and she tells him she is looking forward to it, then tells Zoey that it is time for THEM to battle. As they head off on her Dodrio for whatever lesbian sex-fight they're scheduled for, Paul starts to walk away before Reggie calls back to him, saying that he would like to see Paul and Ash battle. Brandon happily declares he'd like to see just that very thing, and Ash is more than eager to take part. Not surprisingly considering he just took an assbeating and wants to get back on the horse, Paul agrees as well, and the time is place is set - 10 days from now at the Pokémon Centre by Lake Acuity!

Just then Sam returns in his jeep wildly proclaiming that something horrible has happened at the Temple. We can assume this will be the subject of the new episode, but who really cares, because soon we get to see Ash vs Paul.... again!

BEST QUOTES

"All right the fate of our future plans is in our hands!" "I got paws!"

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