Ash's Muk
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Ash's Muk (Japanese: サトシのベトベトン Satoshi's Betbeton) was the tenth overall Pokémon that Ash obtained in the Kanto region.
In the anime
History
Original series
Kanto
In Sparks Fly for Magnemite, Ash and his friends were traveling through Gringey City, which was in the midst of a power failure. The local power plant was being overrun by the mysterious Poison-type Pokémon Grimer. After the swarm was located, the Grimer's leader, a Muk, challenged the group, immediately ordering the Grimer to attack the kids. However, the vast numbers of Magnemite and Magneton in the city combined attacks to clear out the Grimer, leaving only Muk. With the aid of Pikachu and a Magnemite that was following it due to an electrical build-up, Ash defeated and captured the Muk. It was then immediately sent to Professor Oak's Laboratory because its stench was so rancid that it could seep through the Poké Ball. However, Muk's horrid smell seemed to have disappeared by its later appearances as neither Ash, nor anyone around him, has been affected by it since its debut.
Muk reappeared in Showdown at the Po-ké Corral when Ash, Misty, Brock, and Gary visited Professor Oak's Laboratory. It was revealed that Muk's personality had become more like Oak's after spending so much time with him, and it lovingly tackled him to the ground to hug him.
Muk's first battle was in The Fourth Round Rumble, where it was selected for use in the Indigo Plateau Conference. After Jeanette Fisher's high-level Bellsprout had trounced Bulbasaur and Pikachu, Muk made a surprise appearance as Ash's third Pokémon. Muk easily absorbed Bellsprout's physical moves and Razor Leaf and then simply smothered it with Body Slam, winning the match for Ash.
Orange Islands
In The Mystery Menace, Ash used Muk to help him and Tracey find Misty, Togepi, and Bulbasaur, who were kidnapped by a giant Bulbasaur in the sewers of Trovitopolis. Muk and Kingler also offered to fight for Ash in the Winner's Trophy match against Drake in Hello, Pummelo!, but Ash chose Tauros instead.
Muk was reunited with Ash when he returned home in A Tent Situation. Muk insisted on fighting Team Rocket, and Ash ordered it into battle instead of choosing Bulbasaur. Muk managed to resist Razor Leaf attacks from James's Victreebel and Lickitung's Lick was even less effective, wiping Muk's face ineffectively to the point of causing pleasure instead of damage. It was then put to sleep by Sleep Powder but awoke after Gary intervened and drove Team Rocket away.
Johto
In A Farfetch'd Tale, Muk crowded into Ash's screen with Kingler, Tauros, and Snorlax to wish him luck for his next Gym battle with Whitney. In Why? Wynaut!, it, along with Bulbasaur, Kingler, and Snorlax, abruptly ended a call with Ash when they crushed Professor Oak in their excitement.
Muk's only other major battle was when Ash called it up from Oak's Lab in Can't Beat the Heat!, along with Tauros, Snorlax, and Heracross to fight Gary in the Silver Conference. It was sent out originally to fight Blastoise, and the two fought to a stalemate, with Muk's Sludge Bomb deflected by Rapid Spin and Blastoise's physical attacks absorbed into Muk's body. Ash pulled Muk for his Bayleef quickly after. It was sent out to fight Scizor later, who dodged a Sludge Bomb easily. Muk absorbed both Quick Attack and Metal Claw, but Scizor was able to throw Muk using the latter attack, ultimately defeating it with Swift.
Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire and Pokémon Chronicles
In Showdown at the Oak Corral, Muk was seen crushing Cassidy, Butch, and all of the stolen Poké Balls. In Journey to the Starting Line!, Muk was seen smothering Tracey when he opened the door to Oak's Lab for Delia.
In The Right Place and the Right Mime, Muk welcomed Professor Birch to Pallet Town with its usual friendliness.
Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl
In An Old Family Blend!, Muk appeared at Professor Oak's lab. It was then transferred to Ash for a brief reunion. However, Muk was not seen participating in the Lily of the Valley Conference.
Pokémon the Series: Black & White
In New Places... Familiar Faces! and Farewell, Unova! Setting Sail for New Adventures!, Muk smothered Professor Oak while Ash called him from Professor Juniper's laboratory.
Muk was reunited with Ash in The Dream Continues!, where it and the rest of Ash's Pokémon posed for a group photo with him.
Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon
In Alola, Kanto!, Muk was sent out of its Poké Ball so it could be compared with its Alolan form. It immediately smothered Ash upon seeing him.
In Show Me the Metal!, Muk joined Professor Oak in observing the data about Meltan that Rotom sent to him.
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
In Advice to Goh!, Muk reunited with Ash during his visit to Professor Oak's Laboratory with Goh, smothering him on sight.
Muk, along with the rest of Ash's Pokémon at the lab, reunited with Ash in Friends, Rivals, Lend Me Your Spirit!. During the visit, it watched the battle between Ash and Paul. Before Ash left, it posed with the rest of Ash's Pokémon in a group photo with him.
From Battling as Hard as Stone! onwards, Muk watched Ash's Masters Eight Tournament matches against Steven, Cynthia, and Leon. In Partners in Time!, Muk appeared as a vision to Pikachu during his battle against Leon's Charizard. After Ash won the battle, Muk joined the rest of Ash's Pokémon at the lab in celebrating their Trainer's victory.
In Heroes Unite!, Muk, along with the rest of the Pokémon at the lab, welcomed Ash back to Pallet Town after his victory over Leon.
In The Rainbow and the Pokémon Master!, Muk assisted Ash in looking for a missing Charmander around Oak's lab, but to no avail.
Personality and characteristics
While in the wild, Muk was a very strong, authoritative leader, as shown by it ordering its Grimer followers to attack and chase down Ash, Misty, and Brock in the power plant where it was first encountered. It was also a highly aggressive Pokémon, willing to harm anyone, human or Pokémon, who stood in its way.
However, after its capture, Muk's personality seemed to shift dramatically. It became an extremely happy and affectionate Pokémon. It is particularly affectionate towards Professor Oak. As a recurring gag first seen in Who Gets To Keep Togepi?, it would always smother the Professor whenever Ash would make a call to the lab.
Muk's affection also extends to its Trainer, second in enthusiasm only to Bayleef, despite only having fought for him on three occasions. Muk obligingly crushes Ash in excitement whenever Ash returns to the lab or summons it to his party. Its affection also extends to strangers, as was seen when it completely ignored Jessie's Lickitung to hug Jessie, also smothering James's Victreebel in excitement. It also smothered Professor Birch upon meeting him in The Right Place and the Right Mime. Professor Oak suggests that Muk's overwhelming display of affection is simply because it loves humans.
Muk differs from most of Ash's other Pokémon in that it is a defensive Pokémon with low attack power and a small array of moves. It has never been shown to be damaged by a physical attack, with its opponents' moves always absorbed by its sludge body. Despite being quite powerful and good in battle, it has only ever defeated one opponent: Jeanette Fisher's Bellsprout.
Moves used
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| A † shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves. | |||||||||||||
- In the English dub of A Tent Situation, Ash commanded Muk to use Poison Gas. In the original Japanese version, he simply called Muk by its name.
Artwork
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| Poster for Pokémon: To Be a Pokémon Master |
In the manga
Ash & Pikachu
Muk only appeared on the scoreboard in One Half Of A Poké Ball.
The Electric Tale of Pikachu
Ash caught Muk off-panel and later used it as his last Pokémon in his Pokémon League battle against Jeanette in Welcome to the Big Leagues. Jeanette's Bellsprout's aikido techniques were useless against Muk's slimy body, and Ash won the battle.
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
Muk appeared in Advice to Goh! at Professor Oak's Laboratory.
Trivia
- Muk is currently Ash's only pure Poison-type Pokémon.
- Pokémon the Series: XY is the only series with Ash as the protagonist in which Muk has not appeared.
- Excluding Primeape, who didn't have an evolved form at the time, Muk is the first fully evolved Pokémon caught by Ash.
- Out of all the Pokémon that Ash has obtained in their evolved forms, Muk has been in his possession the longest, excluding Pikachu, who didn't have a pre-evolved form at the time.
- In Pokémon Yellow, a game highly based on the anime, Muk can be found while walking in the Power Plant, making a direct reference to Ash's Muk, which was also found in a power plant.
- Muk is Ash's only Pokémon consisting of a head and arms.
- Muk is tied with Lapras for having used the least amount of moves out of any Pokémon that Ash has owned for longer than one episode, with only two.
- Muk is Ash's only Pokémon to appear only in the Japanese version of the Pokémon anime movie series, but not in the international dub of this series.
Related articles
For more information on this Pokémon's species, see Muk.
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| For a list of Pokémon Ash has temporarily owned, used, or commanded, see here | ||||||
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This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation. |
