XY120

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XY121 : Seeing the Forest for the Trees! →

All Hail the Ice Battlefield!

XY120   EP919 エイセツジム戦！氷のバトルフィールド！！ Eisetsu Gym Battle! Battlefield of Ice!!

First broadcast Japan May 19, 2016 United States August 20, 2016

English themes Opening Stand Tall Ending

Japanese themes Opening XY&Z Ending プニちゃんのうた

Credits Animation Team Kato Screenplay 冨岡淳広 Atsuhiro Tomioka Storyboard 関野昌弘 Masahiro Sekino Assistant director 浅田裕二 Yūji Asada Animation director 岩根雅明 Masaaki Iwane Additional credits

Screenshots on Filb.de Preview thread on BMGf Closed Original review thread on BMGf Dub review thread on BMGf

All Hail the Ice Battlefield! (Japanese: エイセツジム戦！氷のバトルフィールド！！ Eisetsu Gym Battle! Battlefield of Ice!!) is the 120th episode of the XY series, and the 919th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on May 19, 2016 and in the United States on August 20, 2016.

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

Blurb

Our heroes and Sawyer arrive in Snowbelle City, and Ash is fired up to win his final badge at the freezing Gym!

First up is Wulfric’s Abomasnow, whose Ability causes hail to fall on the already-icy battlefield! After Hawlucha fights through it to claim the first victory, Wulfric sends out Avalugg—who slowly recovers from damage when it’s hailing. It’s an icy combo that proves to be very effective, as Avalugg knocks out Hawlucha and Talonflame, and even defeats Greninja after it syncs up with Ash to become “Ash-Greninja” (as Bonnie calls it).

Ash is devastated, and while his Pokémon heal up, he goes off on his own to recover…

Plot

The heroes, along with Sawyer, have arrived to Snowbelle City. Bonnie starts playing in the snow, despite Clemont's warnings that she'll catch a cold. Serena and Sawyer hope Ash will win the eight badge. Bonnie also hopes to see Ash-Greninja, the form when Greninja syncs with Ash, which Bonnie gave a new name to. Serena approves of the idea, even if Clemont thinks the name is a description. Before they arrive to the Gym, as Bonnie, Serena and Clemont speed up, Ash wishes to obtain the final badge and battle Sawyer in the Kalos League, as a rematch from the defeat Ash received. Sawyer approves, but are called by Serena to hurry up. Inside the Gym, Ash requests a Gym match. This causes a mechanism to trigger and reveal five Bergmite. The screen warns the heroes and Sawyer the interior is also very cold. The door opens, revealing a man, who congratulates them for managing to come here so far.

Ash requests a match from the Gym Leader, whose name is Wulfric. Bonnie wonders isn't it cold to sit on ice. Wulfric laughs, thinking ice also has a warm heart, and the temperature suits him. Wulfric notices Sawyer, whom he battled the other day. Sawyer confirms this and thanks for the battle, which Wulfric claims it was "a heated one". Ash introduces himself and tells he has seven badges. Wulfric understands this is the battle for the final badge, one Ash should enjoy. Ash leaves his coat to Serena, ready to get fired up. At the battlefield, Wulfric claims ice can be hard and fragile, meaning his strategy will change, depending on which Pokémon Ash will send and which moves are used. Ash sends Hawlucha, who nearly slips down on the icy field, while Wulfric sends Abomasnow. Abomasnow's presence starts a hail, due to Snow Warning ability.

Hawlucha starts off with Flying Press, landing a hit on Abomasnow. Wulfric recognizes Hawlucha has spirit, but Hawlucha takes damage from the hail. Hawlucha uses High Jump Kick, but gets hit by Abomasnow's Ice Shard. Abomasnow charges head-on with Wood Hammer, but Hawlucha evades the attack and knocks it down with Flying Press. Hawlucha uses High Jump Kick, circles around Abomasnow and hits it in the face, defeating it. For his next Pokémon, Wulfric sends Avalugg. Hawlucha dodges Avalugg's Stone Edge and hits it hard with Karate Chop. However, since it is hailing, Avalugg's Ice Body restores some of Avalugg's health. Hawlucha attacks with High Jump Kick, but gets deflected by Gyro Ball. Hawlucha tries to use Flying Press, but gets distracted by hail; Avalugg attacks and defeats Hawlucha with Gyro Ball. Serena is worried about the hail, but believes that Ash and Wulfric are evenly matched now.

Looking at Sawyer, Ash sends Talonflame, who launches Flame Charge on Avalugg, who recovers itself in hail. Avalugg uses Avalanche, dealing a lot of damage on Talonflame. Clemont warns Avalanche's power is doubled when the Pokémon, using the move, gets attacked. Talonflame manages to fly up and avoid Stone Edge attack. Talonflame hits Avalugg with Flame Charge, but Avalugg uses Avalanche, defeating Talonflame. Ash is frustrated and calls Talonflame back, then sends Greninja. Clemont and Sawyer think the tension in the air around Ash should allow Greninja to transform itself. Greninja charges on and evades Avalugg's Stone Edge and hits it with Cut. Greninja uses Aerial Ace, which gets deflected by Avalugg's Gyro Ball. Greninja fires Water Shuriken, though Wulfric claims it is no use, since Avalugg is spinning. However, Avalugg stops, since its legs got frozen. This allows Greninja to push away Avalugg using Cut. Clemont explains Water Shuriken froze when it hit Avalugg, freezing the legs. Wulfric admits that was a surprise tactic.

Ash urges Greninja to grow stronger, and Greninja syncs its mind with Ash, transforming itself. Bonnie is glad to see Ash-Greninja, but Sawyer notes he saw this form before, being enveloped in water. Ash-Greninja uses Aerial Ace, badly damaging Avalugg. Avalugg retaliates with Avalanche, hitting Ash-Greninja, a pain Ash senses as well. Sawyer is surprised, while Clemont explains Ash and Greninja are one and both will take damage. Ash's deep desire is to win this match, while Ash-Greninja looks at its trainer. Ash-Greninja uses Cut and slices through Avalugg's Stone Edge, then damages Avalugg. Avalugg repeats its attack, which wounds Ash-Greninja, a pain Ash feels as well. Ash-Greninja uses Aerial Ace, attacking Avalugg and pushing it away. Wulfric comments how Greninja has this power, but has Avalugg use Avalanche, pushing Ash-Greninja away. Ash continues feeling the pain and has Ash-Greninja use Cut. Avalugg uses Ice Fang, freezing Ash-Greninja and slamming it away with Gyro Ball. With Ash-Greninja defeated, Ash faints, causing Wulfric to win the battle.

Ash wakes up, seeing he lost the battle. Wulfric points out water can adapt to its environment without changing its essence, something Wulfric can't exactly do. Wulfric points out a trainer can only go so far unless they have deep trust in their Pokémon. Wulfric tells Ash that this is something he and Greninja failed to do, and until he learns how then he can't let him have the gym badge. Later on, in the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy checks up on Greninja and reports Greninja took a lot of physical and mental damage, but will heal it back to normal. During the night, Sawyer decides to go and train for the Kalos League. Sawyer bids farewell to the heroes and promises to battle Ash at the League. While walking, Sawyer believes in Ash's victory, whom he admires, and promises to wait for his arrival. Ash visits Greninja and apologizes, thinking if he were calmer during the battle, he'd manage to draw out Greninja's power. Ash puts on his jacket and tells his friends he wishes to be alone for a minute, even if it is during the night. The next day, Bonnie visits Clemont and Serena, who have been expecting Ash, who has not returned yet. Serena worries, though Clemont thinks Ash will come back during the lunchtime. Ash, however, is sitting in the forest, thinking about his recent defeat.

Major events

• Ash and his friends arrive in Snowbelle City.
• Ash and his friends meet Wulfric, the Leader of the Snowbelle Gym.
• Ash has a Gym battle with Wulfric and loses.
• Sawyer leaves the group.
• Ash goes off by himself into the Winding Woods.

For a list of all major events in the animated series, please see the history page.

Debuts

Humans

• Wulfric

Pokémon debuts

• Bergmite
• Avalugg

Characters

Humans

Pokémon Quiz

• Ash
• Serena
• Clemont
• Bonnie
• Sawyer
• Nurse Joy
• Wulfric
• Apprentice

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Bergmite (US and international)
Pokémon Quiz: Avalugg (Japan)

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Dedenne (Clemont's)
• Greninja (Ash's; Ash-Greninja)
• Talonflame (Ash's)
• Hawlucha (Ash's)
• Wigglytuff (Nurse Joy's)
• Abomasnow (Wulfric's)
• Avalugg (Wulfric's; debut)
• Bergmite (Wulfric's; ×5; debut)
• Zygarde (Zygarde Core; Squishy)

Trivia

File:Title Card XY Ash V2.png

The title card segment focuses on Ash for this episode

• Poké TV: "Pokémon 24 Hours!" focusing on Wulfric.
• Bonnie coins the term "Ash-Greninja".
• This is the first time since Volcanic Panic in Kanto that Ash has lost a second Gym battle in the same region.
  • This also marks the first time Ash has lost a Gym battle against the final Gym Leader.
• The preview of the next episode has no background music playing, no one narrates it, and there is no catchphrase at the end, only Ash quietly mentioning the series name and episode title.
• This is the first time that Pikachu does not participate in a region's final Gym battle.
  • Pikachu does participate in the rematch though.
• This is the first and only Gym battle of the XY series to not be preceded by a VS screen.
  • The rematch does feature one though.
• Music from Genesect and the Legend Awakened is used in this episode.

Errors

• Like in Rivals: Today and Tomorrow! and A Meeting of Two Journeys! for Greninja and An Electrifying Rage! for Noivern, when Ash holds up Hawlucha's Poké Ball, the white center and black band around the white button is much larger than normal.
• After Hawlucha gets sent out to battle and starts to trip on the icy battlefield, the black sclera in Hawlucha's eyes is colored the same as the yellow sclera that is usually next to the black sclera.
• On three different occasions during the battle, Bonnie's ponytail disappears.
• When Nurse Joy enters the room and the group stands up, Ash is shown not wearing his hat, but when Nurse Joy explains about the damage Greninja took during the battle, Ash is wearing his hat. In the close up shot of the devastated Ash, however, he is no longer wearing his hat.

• 

  The Poké Ball error

• 

  The coloring error in Hawlucha's sclera

• 

  Bonnie missing her ponytail

In other languages

Language		Title
Danish		Hagl over Is-Kamppladsen!
Dutch		Het hagelt op het IJs-strijdveld!
Finnish		Myrsky jääottelukentällä!
European French		Une zone de combat glaciaire !
German		Es hagelt in der Eis-Arena!
Italian		Doccia fredda sul campolotta ghiacciato!
Korean		이설체육관 시합! 얼음 배틀필드!!
Norwegian		Det hagler over Is-kamparenaen!
Brazilian Portuguese		Chegamos ao campo de gelo!
Spanish	Latin America	¡Un campo de batalla helado!
	Spain	¡Gran granizada sobre el campo de batalla helado!
Swedish		Det haglar över is-stridsfältet!
Thai		ศึกเอย์เซ็ทสึยิม! สมรภูมิแห่งน้ำแข็ง!!

← XY119 : A Full-Strength Battle Surprise!

XY series

XY121 : Seeing the Forest for the Trees! →

This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.