XY006
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Battling on Thin Ice!
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First broadcast
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English themes
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Japanese themes
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Credits
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Battling on Thin Ice! (Japanese: 氷上決戦！ピカチュウVSビビヨン!! Decisive Battle on the Ice! Pikachu VS Viviyon!!) is the sixth episode of the XY series, and the 805th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on November 14, 2013 and in the United States on February 22, 2014.
Blurb
After his defeat at the Santalune City Gym, Ash is having doubts that he can defeat the skilled Gym Leader Viola in a rematch. But Serena (who, it turns out, met Ash at Pokémon Summer Camp when they were younger) reminds him that he’s always been determined not to give up until it’s over. This reminder snaps Ash out of his self-doubt and inspires him to do some serious special training with Pikachu and Fletchling against Alexa’s Noivern!
Standing up to Noivern’s Gust is hard work, but soon Ash feels like they’re ready. He also has an idea about how to deal with the ice battlefield if Viola uses that trick again, but he’s not telling anybody what it is. And since they also had trouble with Surskit’s Sticky Web, Clemont shows off one of his inventions: a machine that reproduces Sticky Web exactly! The machine shoots a couple of webs so Pikachu and Fletchling can practice dodging, but when Clemont tries to turn up the intensity, it blows up. Undeterred, Ash asks Froakie to throw its gooey Frubbles to simulate Sticky Web attacks, and Ash and his team seem to be as ready for a rematch as they can be...
The next day, it’s obvious right from the start that their intense training is paying off. Pikachu digs in with its tail to stay upright on the icy battlefield and defeats Surskit! Ash then sends Fletchling out for a rematch against Vivillon, but Viola’s Pokémon has another move they didn’t know about: Sleep Powder! The snoozing Fletchling can’t avoid Vivillon’s powerful Solar Beam, and Viola evens the score at one Pokémon each. Ash has to call Pikachu back in, even though it’s worn out from beating Surskit. Vivillon uses Sleep Powder again—but Ash’s voice cuts through Pikachu’s sleepiness, telling it to use Electro Ball on itself! This shocking strategy wakes Pikachu up so it can defeat Vivillon with a final Thunderbolt, and Ash wins the match and the Bug Badge!
Alexa suggests the Cyllage City Gym for their next destination, and after a few farewells, Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie head off—along with Serena, who isn’t yet sure where she’s going...
Plot
The episode starts with Ash training with Alexa. After saving his Pokemon from being swayed by Gust, Ash ponders on how he can beat Viola with so many different things to deal with. As he does so, Serena walks over and hands Ash a cloth to clean himself with. Hesitantly, Serena asks Ash if he remembers her. She reveals that the two of them met at Professor Oak's Summer Camp, and Ash remembers going there, much to Serena's pleasure. Unfortunately, however, Ash does not remember Serena specifically, which immediately disappoints her. Despite this, she instantly cheers up and tells Ash that his training is more important. She then starts raving about battles, and when Ash says that what she saw back at the gym was a total flop on his part, she reminds him how he once told her to not give up until it's over, and that he hasn't changed at all since. Ash laughs, and regains his spirit to win. He thanks Serena for her help, and tells Alexa to get Noivern to use Gust one more time. Pikachu and Fletchling stabilize themselves in the middle of the attack, and the process repeats until evening.
In the Pokemon Center, as everyone is eating dinner, Ash states that his countermeasure for Gust is now complete, and Bonnie says that now he only needs to deal with Sticky Web, Psychic, and the ice battlefield. Ash says he has an idea for the ice battlefield, and Bonnie is excited to know, but is disappointed that Ash is keeping that a secret. Clemont says he can help with handling Sticky Web, and Ash says it's right back to training after they all eat, with Pikachu and Fletchling agree to. As they continue eating, Serena admiringly stares at Ash.
On the battlefield, Clemont presents and elaborates on his new invention, a cannon that fires artificial Sticky Webs, which he names the "Sticky Web Sticky Wicket Whacker Wonk". Bonnie and Serena are confused about the name, while Ash takes an infatuation to the device. Clemont fires artificial Sticky Webs at Pikachu and Fletchling, which they dodge. Everything seems to go all and well, until Clemont sets his machine to maximum level and tilts up wards, causing sticky globs of webbing to be lodged in the barrel, malfunction and explode, giving everyone an afro. Despite this, Ash still has an idea, and sends out his Froakie and uses its Frubbles in place of Sticky Web. After the training, Bonnie begins to fall asleep, and Clemont puts her to bed. Serena sees Ash's determination, and Ash assumes she may do that someday, but Serena says she still doesn't know what she wants to do. Ash understands, and says that she will find something she likes one day.
The next day, Ash and Viola's rematch is about to get underway, with Alexa telling Serena that she wasn't expecting her of all people to give Ash his much-needed inspiration. After the referee lays out the rules, Viola mentions to Ash that Alexa had told her about his relentless training from the day before. Ash is equally psyched, saying that the aforementioned training is sure to earn him a badge this time. Viola deploys Surskit while Ash sends out Pikachu. At first, neither side does anything (except for Surskit skating from side to side), Alexa pointing out that Ash is waiting for Surskit to make the first move. Surskit does so and fires Sticky Web. Thanks to the previous day's training, Pikachu has no trouble dodging it. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt, which Surskit blocks with Protect. Pikachu then dodges a Signal Beam before landing a hit with Iron Tail. Viola then tells Surskit to freeze the battlefield with Ice Beam, but anticipating this, Ash tells Pikachu to latch on and use Thunderbolt, causing Surskit to blindly fire Ice Beam all over the place. However, Pikachu is unable to do a Thunderbolt in time, and is finally thrown off, allowing Surskit to freeze the entire battlefield the same way as before.
Surskit then starts skating circles around Pikachu, who is having trouble staying on its feet. Bonnie is worried that it's starting to shape up like the last battle, but Serena is optimistic about Ash's chances due to the intense training he put in. Viola orders a Signal Beam, and Pikachu digs its tail into the ice to stay balanced, Clemont realizing that this was Ash's secret plan for the ice battlefield. Pikachu then fires a Thunderbolt, while at the same time Surskit launches the Signal Beam. The attacks collide, but the Thunderbolt pushes back the Signal Beam and hits Surskit dead on, knocking it out.
Viola recalls Surskit, as does Ash with Pikachu. Viola asks him why he did that, and Ash, grabbing a Pokeball from his belt, says that Fletchling wants another shot at Vivillon. They both summon their respective Pokemon, and Bonnie notes that Sticky Web won't be an issue this time, which Serena credits to Pikachu. Clemont adds that as Ash's Gust countermeasure is also down pat, this is nothing like their previous battle.
Fletchling leads off with Steel Wing, but Vivillon uses Psychic to catch Fletchling in mid-air and throw it around and down to the ground. Fletchling gets up and uses Steel Wing again, which hits Vivillon this time. Fletchling then charges in with Peck, which Vivillon dodges before attacking with Gust. Fletchling initially struggles against it, but is quickly able to stabilize itself when Ash reminds it of their training. Ash then orders a Razor Wind, while Vivillon counters with Sleep Powder- catching everyone off-guard and putting Fletchling to sleep- but not before being hit by the Razor Wind. A subsequent Solar Beam knocks Fletchling out. Bonnie is sorry to see Fletchling go down, with Alexa remarking that her sister would still give Ash a run for his money despite his determination to win. Serena isn't worried, and she instills her faith in Ash into the others.
The battle is now down to Pikachu and Vivillon. Vivillon leads off with Gust, which Pikachu struggles against and gets knocked back a few feet, having not fully recovered from the battle with Surskit. Viola then tells Ash that at this point Pikachu would be hard-pressed to defeat Vivillon- however, Ash makes it clear that he has no intention of backing down, echoing what he had said to Serena at camp when they were children. Vivillon uses Gust again, but thinking fast, Ash has Pikachu anchor itself into the ice with Iron Tail. Vivillon and Pikachu then fire Solar Beam and Thunderbolt respectively, both of which cancel each other out. Vivillon then uses Sleep Powder, putting Pikachu into a daze. Viola orders a Solar Beam, while at the same time Ash pleads with Pikachu to wake up. Serena then yells out words of encouragement to Ash, and it is then that he comes to his senses and tells Pikachu to use Electro Ball on itself. It works, as the Sleep Powder is now gone and Pikachu is wide awake. Vivillon then fires the Solar Beam, while Pikachu counters with Electro Ball. The attacks create an explosion upon collision, but the Electro Ball finds its way through and hits Vivillon, knocking it back against the lamps that had been frozen by Surskit's Ice Beam earlier, getting ice on one of its wings and causing it to fly erratically. Ash then orders a Thunderbolt, which puts Vivillon down for the count and secures his first Kalos Gym victory.
Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena congratulate Ash on his win, and he thanks them for their help, saying he couldn't have done it alone. Clemont shrugs it off, saying he had nothing to do with it, but Ash explains that the failure of Clemont's machine the night before inspired him to have Pikachu wake itself up with Electro Ball, and because of that and rest of his training he credits his victory to the whole group, not just himself.
After recalling Vivillon, Viola walks across the battlefield with Alexa to present Ash with the Bug Badge as proof of his victory at the Santalune Gym. Ash takes it from the case held by the referee, and proudly does his badge pose before putting it into his case.
Viola wishes the gang luck in the future, and Alexa tells Ash that the next gym is located in Cyllage City, so he decides to head there next.
Ash then asks Serena where she's planning to go next, and the episode ends there...
Major events
- Serena reveals that she knew Ash from summer camp in Pallet Town, but he does not remember her.
- Ash's Fletchling is revealed to know Steel Wing.
- Ash has a rematch against Viola and wins, earning himself the Bug Badge.
- Ash learns that the next Gym is located in Cyllage City.
- For a list of all major events in the animated series, please see the history page.
Debuts
Pokémon debuts
Characters
Humans
Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?: Noivern (US and international)
Pokémon Quiz: Helioptile (Japan)
- Pikachu (Ash's)
- Froakie (Ash's)
- Fletchling (Ash's)
- Dedenne (Clemont's)
- Vivillon (Viola's)
- Surskit (Viola's)
- Helioptile (Alexa's)
- Noivern (Alexa's)
- Psyduck
Trivia
- Professor Oak's Pokémon Live Caster: Garchomp
- The next episode preview is narrated by Serena, Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie.
- In a previous episode, the gray logo on Ash's Badge case is colored in the dub (red and green is added for the Pokemon Gym logo and the pattern around it respectively). However, this didn't happen to Ash's Badge case in this episode.
Errors
- In one scene, Alexa is missing her earrings.
- In some scenes, Dedenne's tooth is missing.
- When Fletchling has been hit by Vivillon's Sleep Powder and was falling down, Serena's hat is colored purple for a few frames, and a few frames later, Alexa's eyebrows are incorrectly colored the same beige as her skin.
- After Ash recalled his fainted Fletchling and then use Pikachu again, his hair is briefly shown completely black instead of the usual dark cyan tone.
- When Pikachu has woken himself up with Electro Ball, some of the ice around his feet has melted. When he prepares to fire another Electro Ball to counter Vivillon's Solar Beam, the ice that melted is back.
- In one scene for a split frame, the part of Bonnie's hair near her left ear is colored the same way as her skin.
- After Pikachu hits Surskit with Iron Tail, Clemont states that Pikachu didn't land a move in their last battle. This is incorrect, as Pikachu landed an Iron Tail during the battle.
Alexa without the earrings
Serena's hat error
Alexa's eyebows error
Bonnie's hair near her left ear error
Dub edits
- Like in the past five episodes, the title card is lacking the characters's shadows in the dub for unknown reason.
In other languages
| Language | Title | |
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 Dutch
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Gevecht op hard ijs! | |
 Italian
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Una lotta sul filo di ghiaccio! | |
 European Spanish
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¡Batalla en hielo liso! | |
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This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation. |
