TB075: Bad to the Bone

Bad to the Bone (Japanese: ガラガラのホネこんぼう, Hepburn: Marowak's Bone Club) is the 73rd episode of Pokémon: Indigo League.

Synopsis

Going to the Indigo League, Ash, Brock and Misty encounter Otoshi, who wants to have a battle, but the stakes are the Gym Badges. Though Ash wins, Otoshi did not have Gym Badges because Team Rocket stole them. Though they encounter James and Meowth, they reply Jessie stole the images. Worse yet, Otoshi's Marowak abandons him for not finding the badges. Ash, Misty and Brock go to get Otoshi's badges and get Marowak back for him.

Episode Plot

Ash went to Professor Oak to ask for training, since he hasn't done a lot of it. Oak tells him to quit, surprising Ash, but then responds he should to the Indigo Plateau to train there. Ash and Pikachu run out and Delia gives him the bag. Misty and Brock are thankful to her for the hospitality, while Oak tells Ash to give his best at the League. The heroes wave goodbye to them, as they go to the Plateau.

As they go through a field, a man leaps to them, scaring them. The man introduces himself as Otoshi, who wants to test his strength before going to the League. Ash accepts the challenge, but soon denies, as he hears that the loser will hand the winner his badges. As he goes away, Otoshi tells him he is scared and will have little chance at the League. To this statement, Ash accepts the challenge, despite Brock's and Misty's warnings. Ash knows he will win and the battle begins. Ash sends Bulbasaur and Otoshi a Marowak.

Bulbasaur goes to tackle, but Marowak evades. Bulbasaur uses Vine Whip, to which Marowak boosts itself using Focus Energy and retaliates with Bone Club, defeating Bulbasaur. Ash calls Bulbasaur back and sends Pikachu instead. Marowak uses Bone Club, but Pikachu dodges. Pikachu uses Thundershock and defeats Marowak. Otoshi is ashamed, as Marowak was his strongest Pokémon, plus he does not have any badges to give. Ash thinks Otoshi wanted the badges because he had none, but Otoshi explains that he won the badges in the Gyms and when they were hungry, they came to a pile of fruit. When they came to it, they fell in a hole, while Team Rocket grabbed his badges. Ash promises to get his badges back, as he knows how hard it was to get his own.

James and Meowth are laughing at the theft of the Badges. James wants to see them once more, but Meowth cannot find them. Meowth notices Jessie is not present and James remembers she told she needed to do some shopping and ran away, carrying a bag, so Meowth knows she stole them. Jessie goes on and imagines herself at the League, then laughs. Pidgeotto scouted, as James and Meowth fly off with the balloon, but get their balloon pierced by Pidgeotto's pecking. James and Meowth are asked where are the badges and they reply they have been stolen. Misty knows a way to see if they are speaking the truth. They present the stuff they have and the badges are not present, but junk, though James clarifies it has a sentimental value.

Marowak is mad and Meowth translates Marowak does not want to be his Pokémon, as this incident happened before the League and now he wants to part ways, as Marowak rejects Otoshi. Otoshi shakes Meowth for this act, so the heroes decide to get the badges so Marowak returns to Otoshi. Jessie has disguised herself not to be recognized by Meowth and James. Jessie spots a man and they show each other the badges they have. James spots Jessie and knows that behind the disguise it is her, as he has been disguised several times to know her. She points at a direction, distracting the man and goes to take the badges, but a smoke bomb is thrown and explodes. James chants the motto and Jessie does so as well and undiguises herself.

The man runs away, making Jessie sad she didn't get his badges. James and Meowth tell her she disgraced herself, but can get the badges. Suddenly, the heroes appear. They demand Otoshi's badges, but Jessie responds they will get if they win the battle. Otoshi goes to the battle, choosing a Doduo against her Arbok. Marowak comes to a field and sees some trainers training with their Pokémon for the League. Marowak recalls its adventures with Otoshi, then decides to go back to Otoshi. Arbok damages Doduo and when it seemed Jessie was going to get it (as she threw her Poké Ball), it gets repelled by Marowak's bone.

Otoshi calls Doduo back. Arbok charges with Double Edge, while Marowak uses Focus Energy and repells it using Bone Club, then uses Bonemerang to knock it out. James sends Weezing, but gets electrocuted (along with Arbok) by Pikachu, so Team Rocket retreats to the balloon. With Marowak's Bonemerang, the balloon explodes, Team Rocket blasts off and Misty gets Otoshi's badges. Otoshi thanks Marowak, who promises to return to him. Misty gives the badges to Otoshi, who is grateful. Brock lets Ash know that even if they are late for the League, he knows he helped someone who needed help.

During the sunset, Brock spots the Indigo Plateau, making Ash glad, as they all run downhill to that location.

Debuts

Human

Otoshi

Pokémon

Marowak

Trivia

• This episode title is based on the song of the same name by George Thorogood and the Destroyers.
• This episode features clips from "Showdown in Pewter City", "The Water Flowers of Cerulean City", "Electric Shock Showdown", "Pokemon Scent-sation", "The Ninja Poke-Showdown", "Haunter vs. Kadabra", "Volcanic Panic" and "The Battle of the Badge" not in this order.
• Who's that Pokémon?: Moltres.
• This episode was banned in South Korea due to the usage of smokebombs.

Mistakes

Jessie's Arbok used Tail Whip, a move it cannot learn.

Pikachu's Electric attacks wasn't suppose to work on Marowak due to it being a Ground type.

Gallery

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