DP035: An Elite Meet and Greet!

is the 35th episode of , and of .
==Synopsis==
Dawn and Ash are hoping a friendly battle with Turtwig will help Dawn's new Buizel warm up to its new companions. But Buizel wants to play rough, and it won't even listen to Dawn's commands! Our heroes head to a Pokémon Center after the battle and that's where they meet Lucian, a Trainer who specializes in Psychic Pokémon. He's also one of Sinnoh's Elite Four, a top group of Trainers—and Buizel is itching to have a battle with him!
Lucian agrees to the match and sends out his Bronzong. Buizel ignores Dawn's commands again and continues to battle its own way, but Bronzong is just too tough. Buizel is soon knocked out of the match, but it's so used to winning that it has difficulty accepting this defeat. Later Lucian tells Dawn that this loss could be very important: if Buizel doesn't learn how to overcome this setback, who knows what might happen?
What happens, however, is that Team Rocket takes this opportunity to trap Buizel in a cage so they can steal it. Lucian thinks this is actually a good thing! Indeed, Buizel is so angry at being captured that it forgets about its defeat and breaks out of the cage. Then, Lucian shows Dawn how to adapt to Buizel's style so they can work together to beat Team Rocket. After the villains are defeated, Dawn and Buizel go one more round with Lucian and Bronzong, and they're already demonstrating improved teamwork! Before he leaves, Lucian encourages Dawn to keep training and says he'll see our heroes again someday.
==Episode plot==
Dawn brings Buizel out to meet the other Pokémon. Buizel just shakes its head. Piplup wants to see it, but this causes a fight between them. Dawn does not understand why it's behaving like that. Brock and Ash remind her Buizel trained before she caught it, marking it wants a battle. Ash sent Turtwig to battle. It starts by Razor Leaf, but misses. Dawn orders Buizel to use Water Gun, but it uses Aqua Jet, but still hits Turtwig. Turtwig bites Buizel (despite Dawn's order to dodge). However, Buizel uses Sonic Boom to throw it away. Turtwig is defeated by this attack And causing major injury.
Dawn is angry at Buizel for such a reckless attack, though Buizel does not care. Brock tells there is a Pokémon Center nearby. Dawn is depressed, as she cannot control Buizel. Dawn calls it back, but Brock stops her and she accepts the idea to communicating it for a while and lets it stay. They came to the Center and Joy accepts Turtwig to be healed. Brock flirts with her and gets jabbed by Croagunk. As Croagunk drags him away, he spots Buizel and they act aggressive. Dawn goes to stop them, though Croagunk goes away.
Dawn scolds it, while a man overhears this. The heroes see a show of a Pokémon fight, where Lucian, a member of Sinnoh's Elite Four, has a battle. After some turns, Lucian's Girafarig defeats the opponent's Scizor with a Psybeam. The heroes are impressed by the battle, though the man tells he has still a lot of win. The heroes compare the man from the TV and are shocked to see the man is actually Lucian. The heroes introduce themselves while Team Rocket spies on them. They are impressed by Lucian and Meowth and James remind Jessie the Elite Four are a very powerful group with powerful Pokémon. As always, they plan to steal his Pokémon.
Lucian tells them the Sinnoh League needs to be passed so that trainers can challenge the Elite Four. Lucian tells them the Sinnoh Elite Four are him, Aaron, Bertha and Flint. To challenge the Champ, Cynthia, the trainer needs to defeat them first. Buizel is interested - Lucian tells it wants a battle. Ash wants to battle first. Lucian recalls he wants to conquer the Sinnoh League, but Buizel asked first and he will battle Dawn. Team Rocket hear this and will get to business while they are battling.
Dawn's Buizel is ready and Lucian sends Bronzong. Dawn orders Buizel to start with Aqua Jet, but uses Water Gun instead. Bronzong protects itself via Iron Defense. Dawn still wants Aqua Jet, but Buizel uses Sonic Boom, but fails because of Iron Defense. Bronzong uses Gyro Ball and despite Dawn's orders to dodge, Buizel charges with Aqua Jet, but gets hit. Bronzong prepares itself for Flash Cannon and fires. Buizel tries to stop it with Water Gun, but fails and gets hit. The attack causes Buizel to dim its vision and falls in defeat. Lucian apologizes for such an attack and advises Dawn to have Buizel treated. Team Rocket are impressed, but Meowth tells the boss would not know what to do with it.
Buizel gets treated and recovers it strength. It comes from the bad to a corner, sad about the defeat. Pikachu tries to cheer it up, but fails. Nurse Joy made a soup which should give the confidence back. Brock flirts with her and gets jabbed (again). Croagunk passes and sees Buizel sad, then continues to drag Brock. Dawn blames herself for the trouble, but Ash has an idea - he tries to get Buizel to swim at the nearest river, but fails. Lucian approaches them and sees Buizel. Lucian tells them Buizel has a choice - to accept the defeat and battle like before or not.
Buizel gets captured by Team Rocket. Lucian is told that Team Rocket is going to give it to the boss, but is not upset and stops Ash and Dawn from interfering - this is an opportunity Buizel has to make its choice. They see Buizel begins to fight and uses Sonic Boom to get free, but fails. Dawn inspires it to continue battling and manages to get free. Team Rocket are angry and send Carnivine and Dustox. Dawn goes to order, but Lucian wants to order it for a while, so she allow him. Dustox goes to tackle and Carnivine bite, but get repelled by Water Gun. Carnivine uses Bullet Seed and Dustox Psybeam, but miss. Carnivine gets defeated by Sonic Boom and Dustox by Aqua Jet. Lucian advises Dawn to find Buizel's unique battle style and use it. Buizel blasts them off with Water Gun.
Buizel asks Lucian for a rematch and he accepts. Bronzong uses Gyro Ball, but Buizel evades and retaliates with Aqua Jet. Bronzong protects itself via Iron Defense, so Buizel uses Water Gun, but again Bronzong uses Iron Defense. Lucian calls Bronzong back, as he thinks he done what he needed - Buizel begins to respect Dawn. Lucian wants to see their progress in the future and leaves them. Ash also wants to battle Lucian and promises to get the second badge.
==Debuts==
===Characters===
*Aaron (memory)
*Bertha (memory)
*Flint (memory)
*Lucian
*Cynthia (memory)
===Pokémon===
*Bronzong
===Moves===
*Gyro Ball
*Flash Cannon
==Trivia==
*The opening and ending animations are updated to include Dawn's Buizel.
*The concept of needing to defeat all the members of the Elite Four before battling the Pokémon Champion is explained. This is similar to what happens in the games.
*Due to a possible error, the first English dub title was revealed as "The Bells are Bronzing!" and later on "The Bells Are Bronzong!"
*Music from Jirachi: Wish Maker and Pokémon Heroes, and the ballad version of By Your Side ~Hikari's Theme~ and Pokémon Symphonic Medley are used as background music.
*Professor Oak's Pokémon lecture: Cranidos
*Pokémon senryū: ズガイドス かせきではっけん ずがいこつ Zugaidosu, kaseki de hakken, zugaikosu
*The Brazilian name of this episode is based on the Brazilian film Tropa de Elite.
*With the exception of the first couple of seconds, Dawn's Buizel remains outside his Poké Ball throughout this episode.
===Mistakes===
When Lucian is talking to the group, Ash's gloves are missing.
===Dub differences===
In the Japanese version, a cold open intro is shown, then the opening theme, a scene where Dawn introduces her Buizel to others, and the title card. For reasons unknown, this episode shows the cold open intro, and then the Buizel introduction before the opening theme and the title card in the English dub.
==Gallery==
==References==
Category:Episodes focusing on Dawn
Category:Episodes featuring Elite Four members
Category:Episodes featuring Champions