XY044

←	XY043 : Origins of Mega Evolution!

Showdown at the Shalour Gym!

XY044

EP843

シャラジム戦！ピカチュウVSメガルカリオ！！
Shara Gym Match! Pikachu VS Mega Lucario!!

First broadcast

Japan	September 25, 2014
United States	November 15, 2014

English themes

Opening	Pokémon Theme (Version XY)
Ending

Japanese themes

Opening	メガＶ（メガボルト）
Ending	ピースマイル！

Credits

No additional credits are available at this time.
Animation	Team Kato
Screenplay	冨岡淳広 Atsuhiro Tomioka
Storyboard	冨安大貴 Daiki Tomiyasu
Assistant director	冨安大貴 Daiki Tomiyasu
Animation director	志村泉 Izumi Shimura

Showdown at the Shalour Gym! (Japanese: シャラジム戦！ピカチュウVSメガルカリオ！！ Shara Gym Match! Pikachu VS Mega Lucario!!) is the 44th episode of Pokémon the Series: XY, and the 843rd episode of the Pokémon animated series. It first aired in Japan on September 25, 2014 and in the United States on November 15, 2014.

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

Blurb

Ash's Shalour City Gym battle against Korrina is under way! The battle begins as Ash's Hawlucha faces off against Korrina's Mienfoo. He tries to use the rhythmic battle style he learned from Tierno, but it's not going so well. Finally, he remembers Serena's observation that he has his own unique style, and decides to battle like himself instead!

With this change of tactics, Hawlucha wins. Ash then sends in Fletchinder, who quickly takes down Korrina's Machoke. The Gym Leader has just one Pokémon left, and of course it's her partner Lucario, who Mega Evolves and knocks out Fletchinder and then Hawlucha in short order. But our hero's unique battling style shines, and in the final matchup, Pikachu defeats Mega Lucario!

Ash wins the Rumble Badge, and the gang is off to Coumarine City for his next Gym battle!

Plot

After arriving at Shalour City, Ash is ready to battle Korrina and get his third Kalos Gym Badge. Froakie and the others watch the match unfold from a viewing platform. Gurkinn is the referee and says that this battle is three-on-three and only Ash is able to make substitutions.

Ash facing Korrina

Korrina selects Mienfoo as her first choice, to which Serena checks it on her Pokédex. Ash sends out his Hawlucha to battle Mienfoo. Ash tries to use Tierno's strategy but Hawlucha gets hit by a High Jump Kick despite using a rhythm to avoid it. Mienfoo uses Drain Punch next, which Ash tells Hawlucha to block, but he still gets hit, getting his energy sapped in the process. Ash tells Hawlucha to fight back with Karate Chop, but Korrina has Mienfoo block it with a kick. Ash is wondering why the rhythm strategy didn't work despite that Tierno's Squirtle had no problem moving around. Korrina tells Mienfoo to use Force Palm, scoring a direct hit on Hawlucha. Hawlucha is still okay to battle, so Ash calls for a Flying Press attack. Korrina tells Mienfoo to counter with Swift, which hits its mark, and Hawlucha crashes onto the battlefield.

Ash has no idea how he is going to win and while looking up towards Serena, has a flashback about the dancing practice from the other day. Following Serena's advice, Ash decides to use his own strategy and in the middle of the fight, Mienfoo uses a High Jump Kick as Hawlucha waits for the right moment to lure it in. On Ash's orders, Hawlucha perfectly dodges Mienfoo's High Jump Kick, with the latter suffering crash damage as a result. Hawlucha follows on with Karate Chop and it hits Mienfoo. Korrina tells Mienfoo to fight back with Force Palm but Ash has Hawlucha use Flying Press to dodge Mienfoo's oncoming Force Palm before coming in for the finishing blow, knocking Mienfoo out.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket shows up and is planning to steal Pokémon while the others are distracted during Ash and Korrina's battle. As Korrina recalls Mienfoo, she sends out Machoke. Ash calls Hawlucha back and sends out Fletchinder, starting things off with a Flame Charge. Machoke manages to avoid it and attacks Fletchinder with Brick Break, which sends it tumbling to the ground. Fletchinder manages to get up but also gets hit by Machoke's Low Sweep. Still hanging in there, Fletchinder uses Steel Wing, but Machoke blocks it. Machoke manages to throw Fletchinder, but it holds on and launches a Razor Wind which damages Machoke a little. Fletchinder attacks again with Flame Charge, striking Machoke down and out as it prepares a counter Focus Blast attack.

Now, Korrina sends out her last Pokémon, Lucario and promptly Mega Evolves it to raise the stakes. Ash decides to keep Fletchinder in since it has the type advantage over Lucario. Fletchinder attacks with Flame Charge while Lucario uses an ear-deafening Metal Sound. Fletchinder struggles against the frequency but still manages to score a hit on Lucario. Lucario uses Aura Sphere, but Fletchinder managed to block with Steel Wing. While the smoke clears, Lucario comes up behind Fletchinder and uses Power-Up Punch, knocking Fletchinder out.

Ash recalls Fletchinder and sends Hawlucha again to battle Korrina's Lucario. Ash tells Hawlucha to use Karate Chop. As Ash's friends cheer for him and Hawlucha, Team Rocket is running down the hall, attempting to steal Pikachu. However, as they are about to go further, Froakie sees them and uses its Frubbles to stop them in their tracks. The friends also notice them and ask them why they're here. Team Rocket states that they are just doing their job and tells the twerps to stay out of their way. The evil trio wastes no time, sending out Pumpkaboo and Inkay to battle. As Team Rocket's Pokémon launch Shadow Ball and Psybeam attacks, Froakie steps in and uses its Frubbles to block the attacks, much to Team Rocket's shock. Quickly, Clemont sends out Chespin and Serena sends out Fennekin. By their Trainers' orders, they use Pin Missile and Flamethrower to send Jessie, James, and Meowth blasting off again, saving the Shalour Gym. Ash, however, was too involved in the Gym match to notice Team Rocket. He calls for Hawlucha to use Flying Press. Lucario batters Hawlucha away with a Bone Rush before defeating him with a powerful Aura Sphere.

After recalling Hawlucha and remarking that Korrina and Lucario have gotten much stronger from training, Ash sends Pikachu onto the field as his last Pokémon to battle Lucario. After a pause, Serena asks why neither Ash nor Korrina are making a move yet, to which Clemont replies that their Pokémon can't afford to lose the battle and that they’re being extra careful. Starting off, Ash tells Pikachu to use Quick Attack as Korrina tells Lucario to draw it in. Still running, Pikachu prepares to use Electro Ball while Lucario uses Bone Rush. Pikachu manages to strike but Lucario's Bone Rush deflects the attack toward the ceiling. Pikachu tries an Iron Tail next, but Lucario blocks it and sends Pikachu flying with a kick. Ash tells Pikachu to use Thunderbolt while in mid-air, which hits his opponent much to Korrina’s surprise. Lucario retaliates with an Aura Sphere, though Pikachu returns to his feet following the attack. Korrina calls for a Metal Sound, immobilizing Pikachu. Thinking fast, Ash has Pikachu use Thunderbolt to stop Lucario's Metal Sound. Lucario also uses Aura Sphere, but Pikachu manages to deflect it with his Iron Tail, as Clemont states that's the same Draco Meteor Climb strategy from the Cyllage Gym battle with Grant. Korrina tells Lucario to use Bone Rush as Ash calls for another Iron Tail to block. During the collision, they’re both hurt but standing. Lucario follows on with Power-Up Punch, which clashes with Pikachu’s Iron Tail. Pikachu goes for an Electro Ball next while Lucario uses Aura Sphere, again the attacks collide. Finally, Pikachu uses a Thunderbolt that hits Lucario which it wasn't able to dodge, knocking Lucario out and returning it to its normal form. While Korrina is defeated, Gurkinn finally admits his granddaughter put up an excellent fight. Korrina picks herself up and gives Ash the Rumble Badge in recognition of the victory.

Ash wonders where he should go next, to which Gurkinn replies that he should go to Coumarine City where another challenging Gym Leader awaits. Serena takes a moment to check her guide and is excited to learn the city has a monorail. Before the group sets off for Coumarine, Korrina bumps fists with Ash and tells him to come back soon and Ash agrees. Pikachu and Lucario also exchange a fist bump hoping that they will meet again someday.

Major events

Ash holding the Rumble Badge

Korrina is revealed to own a Mienfoo and a Machoke.
Ash has a Gym battle against Korrina and wins, earning the Rumble Badge.
Ash learns that the next Gym is located in Coumarine City.

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

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

Characters

Humans

Pokémon Quiz

Ash
Serena
Clemont
Bonnie
Jessie
James
Korrina
Tierno (flashback)
Gurkinn
Summer Camp Trainers (flashback)

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Mienfoo (US and international)
Pokémon Quiz: Machoke (Japan)

Trivia

The title card segment focuses on Korrina for this episode

Mairin's Mega Evolution Journal: Mega Metagross
Clemont, Bonnie, and Ash narrate the preview for the next episode.
Music from Genesect and the Legend Awakened is used in this episode.
This is the first episode to show Korrina's Lucario in its Poké Ball.
This is the first time where Focus Blast was not portrayed as a light blue ball of energy. Korrina's Machoke's Focus Blast was instead portrayed as a glowing bright yellow ball of energy, making it identical to how it is portrayed in the games.
Right before Korrina Mega Evolves her Lucario, she poses and says, "命爆発 Life Explosion", spelling the kanji onscreen as well. This is a line taken directly from the games, which she says before the player battles her at the Tower of Mastery. This scene also marks one of the very rare instances after the original series, and the first time in Pokémon the Series: XY, that Japanese text can be seen.
This episode marks the first appearance of a Machoke in the anime since its cameo in A Marathon Rivalry!, 217 episodes earlier.
V (Volt) is used as an insert song during the battle's conclusion.
This is the only time in all of the Brazilian Portuguese dub that Focus Blast is referred to as Carga Focada, its European Portuguese name, instead of Explosão Focalizada, a name used since the move's debut in Glory Blaze!.

Errors

When Pikachu discharges electricity after Ash asks him if he can get up, Gurkinn isn't present when the camera moves behind Korrina to show the entire field.
Just as the camera moves closer to the center of the battlefield as Fletchinder starts battling Machoke, Gurkinn disappears for a split-second.
Hawlucha is hit by Bone Rush, even though Hawlucha is a Flying type, and thus immune to Ground-type moves.
In the Danish and Swedish dubs, just when Hawlucha is thrown into the wall and faints, Ash's English voice can be heard.
The Turkish dub of the anime mistakenly calls the Gym "Showdown Gym" in the episode title.

Dub edits

The kanji 命爆発 (Life Explosion) that appeared during Korrina's poses are removed and replaced with her close-up poses in the dub.

In other languages

Language		Title
Chinese	Cantonese	娑羅道館戰！比卡超對超級路卡利歐！！* 娑羅道館戰！比卡超VS超級路卡利歐！！*
Chinese	Mandarin	娑羅道館對戰！皮卡丘VS超級路卡利歐！！
Danish		Opgør i Shalour-Salen!
Dutch		Confrontatie in de Shalour Gym!
Finnish		Yhteenotto Shalourin salilla!
European French		Danse à l'arène de Yantreizh !
German		Kräftemessen in der Yantara-Arena!
Greek		Τελική Αναμέτρηση στο Στάδιο Σαλούρ!
Hebrew		!עימות מכריע במכון שאלור
Hindi		शलौर जिम मुकाबला! Shalour Gym Muqabla!
Italian		Scontro finale alla palestra di Yantaropoli!
Korean		사라체육관 시합! 피카츄 VS 메가루카리오!!
Norwegian		Oppgjørets time på Shalour Gym!
Polish		Rozgrywka w Sali Shalour!
Brazilian Portuguese		Confronto no Ginásio de Shalour!
Russian		Время боя в гиме Шалур!
Spanish	Latin America	¡Confrontación En El Gimnasio Shalour!
Spanish	Spain	¡La Hora de la Verdad en el Gimnasio Yantra!
Swedish		Kraftmätningen i Shalour-gymmet!
Thai		ศึกชาล่ายิม! ปิกาจู ปะทะ เมก้าลูคาริโอ้!!
Turkish		Showdown Spor Salonu müsabakası!
Vietnamese		Trận chiến nhà thi đấu Shara! Pikachu đấu với Mega Rukario!