Vermilion Gym appears in all games set in the Kanto region, appearing much the same in each: the main room is filled with 15 trash cans, and trainers are scattered about this room. Beyond this room is another, guarded by electric doors in Generation I, and an electric fence in Generation III and Generation IV. The only way to get in the final room, where Lt. Surge is located, was to find two switches underneath the trash cans. If the first switch was found, but the player incorrectly guessed the second one, the traps would reset. In Generation II, these traps are not turned on.
Trainers with a telephone symbol by their names will give their Pokégear number to the player, and may call or be called for a rematch with higher-level Pokémon.
Trainers with a telephone symbol by their names will give their Pokégear number to the player, and may call or be called for a rematch with higher-level Pokémon.
Vermilion Gym's only anime appearance came in Electric Shock Showdown. Its appearance is similar to a warehouse with lightning bolts painted on it, and the arena inside is a dimly-lit boxing ring. The battles are one on one.
Ash challenged Lt. Surge to a battle, hoping for his third badge. However, Surge just laughed when he saw Ash's Pikachu, claiming it could never beat his Raichu. Pikachu decided to prove Surge wrong, and went ahead battling it. However, its evolved form proved much more powerful, as it easily defeated Pikachu.
After some training, Ash and Pikachu returned to the gym. Surge once again felt that the battle was hopeless. What he didn't know was that in between the battles, Ash had taught Pikachu how to use Quick Attack and Agility. This gave Pikachu the advantage, and the victory.
Surge gave Ash his badge, and conceded that Ash knew what he was doing.
In the TCG
The Vermilion Gym was featured in the TCG as both a Japan-exclusive Theme Deck and as a card. The following is a list of cards named Vermilion City Gym.
