PS420

← PS419 : Getting the Drop on Gallade I

Platinum arc

PS421 : Clobbering Claydol →

Getting the Drop on Gallade II
Careless Butler

VS エルレイドII

VS Erureido II

Info

Shogakukan full volume	Chapter 420 in Vol. 38
VIZ Media full volume	Adventure 83 in Vol. 9
Series	Pokémon Adventures

Other

Location

Battle Castle

Getting the Drop on Gallade II (Japanese: VS エルレイドII VS Gallade II), titled VS Gallade II in the Chuang Yi translation, is the 420th chapter of the Pokémon Adventures manga, and the fourth chapter of the Platinum arc.

It is subtitled Careless Butler (Japanese: 執事の油断 The Butler's Negligence) in the VIZ Media translation and The Butler's Carelessness in the Chuang Yi translation.

Plot

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

Platinum resumes her match against Darach by calling forth her Rapidash in place of her Empoleon. Rapidash is ordered to protect itself, but Darach's Gallade cuts through the protection with Feint and knocks Rapidash out.

Looker, who is watching the match from one side, wonders why Darach is the Frontier Brain of Caitlin's facility. Darach decides to answer Looker's query, stating that even though Caitlin herself is extremely skilled as a Trainer, other factors stopped her from being able to assume the duties of a Frontier Brain, so Darach took her place instead. Darach resumes the battle by switching Gallade for Houndoom, and Platinum responds by calling out her Lopunny.

Houndoom survives its opponent's Focus Blast by using its Focus Sash. It then charges forward to deliver a Fire Fang, but Platinum is able to switch Lopunny out for Empoleon to take the hit. Platinum then commands a Hydro Pump which instantly defeats Houndoom.

Darach responds by calling out his Staraptor. It immediately dodges Empoleon's Blizzard with a Double Team. Darach states that his Staraptor can also easily Roost away any damage. Unfortunately, Darach runs out of luck as Empoleon intensifies the snowstorm, causing Staraptor to become unable to avoid becoming a chunk of ice. Looker gets ahead of himself, telling Darach that he is down to one Pokémon.

As Gallade takes the field once more, Platinum again switches for Lopunny. While Looker tries to encourage Platinum with her numerical advantage, Darach smirks that both of Platinum's remaining Pokémon are easy pickings for his Gallade. Gallade delivers proof of that by a Night Slash on Lopunny which makes it unable to stand up. Looker desperately reminds Platinum that they will be kicked out of the facility if she loses, therefore they must seek the mandate with which they can obtain Darach and Caitlin's knowledge of the information they seek.

As Caitlin continues to watch, Lopunny does manage to stand up, but its next attempt at an attack is so weak that it collapses onto the ground instantly afterwards. Darach cannot contain his laughter at this point. As Platinum brings Empoleon out one last time, Gallade is ordered to deliver the final blow. However, Darach is baffled at the course of action Gallade takes: instead, it turns its elbows through its chest.

Platinum seizes the opportunity to order a Drill Peck from Empoleon - the attack is enough to knock Gallade out and hand victory to Platinum. Looker is equally as shocked at the outcome. At that moment, Caitlin gets off her throne and walks towards Platinum, correctly guessing that her Lopunny has Cute Charm.

Caitlin further explains that when Gallade used Night Slash on Lopunny, it, as a male Pokémon, became attracted to Lopunny which is female, therefore made no attempt to respond when Lopunny tried to attack. It used a Dizzy Punch which Darach clearly missed, and while it didn't do much damage it managed to leave Gallade confused.

Platinum then thanks Looker for what he said. She reveals that she used Castle Points to know Darach's lineup before the battle started, and also saved up 270 Castle Points for a Focus Sash to put on her Empoleon. Darach then apologizes in front of Caitlin, but Caitlin treats his apology with contempt, and orders him to reward Platinum accordingly. Darach bows in acknowledgement, and proceeds to give Platinum a commemorative print of herself, Darach and Caitlin in front of the Battle Castle.

Upon Platinum's request, Caitlin explains the purpose of a commemorative print. Looker then answers Platinum's next query by showing her the Vs. Recorder, although Looker misleadingly announces it as an International Police gadget. Looker confirms his position within the International Police, and explains his current investigations of Team Galactic and the Distortion World to Darach and Caitlin.

Darach claims to have seen Team Galactic lurking around Stark Mountain, and at that moment, a young red-haired boy interrupts their conversation.

Major events

• Platinum defeats Darach and wins the Castle Print.

For a list of all major events in the Pokémon Adventures manga, please see the history page.

	Spoilers end here.

Characters

Humans

• Platinum
• Looker
• Caitlin
• Darach
• Buck
• Team Galactic Grunts (picture)

Pokémon

• Rapidash (Platinum's)
• Empoleon (Platinum's)
• Lopunny (Platinum's)
• Gallade (Darach's)
• Houndoom (Darach's)
• Staraptor (Darach's)
• Claydol (Buck's)

Trivia

• Platinum partially quotes from Sun Tzu's The Art of War after beating Darach: "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles."

In other languages

Language		Title
Mandarin Chinese		VS 艾路雷朵II
French		Un majordome inattentif
German		VS. Galagladi (Teil 2)
Italian		VS Gallade II
Korean		VS 엘레이드 II
Spanish	Latin America	VS Gallade II - El descuido del Mayordomo
	Spain	Contra Gallade (2ª parte)
Vietnamese		VS Erureido II - Sự lơ đễnh của quản gia

← PS419 : Getting the Drop on Gallade I

Platinum arc

PS421 : Clobbering Claydol →

This article is part of Project Manga, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each series of Pokémon manga.