BW118: The Fires of a Red-Hot Reunion!

is the 19th episode of Pokémon: BW Adventures in Unova and Beyond.
==Synopsis==
Continuing their journey to the White Ruins, our heroes (traveling with N) come across the Kanto Fair: a festival celebrating the sights and sounds of the Kanto region! Of course, since Ash is from Kanto originally, this takes him right back to memories of his home. And when our heroes see Professor Oak’s presentation on the three Kanto Pokémon available to beginning Trainers—Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle—memories of Ash’s own early Pokémon journey come flooding back.
Ash tells everyone the story of how he first met Charmander. Just like Tepig, Charmander was abandoned by its original Trainer. Ash rescued it, and soon it became part of his Pokémon family! However, when it evolved into Charmeleon, it stopped taking commands from Ash, doing whatever it wanted. But Ash never gave up on his beloved Pokémon, and soon it evolved into an awesome and fearsome Charizard!
The two of them traveled together for some time, until their journey took them to the Charicific Valley, where many Charizard engage in intensive training against each other, and Ash took the opportunity for his Charizard to become stronger. Although the two have reunited on several occasions, Ash now wants to see his old friend again, and everyone else can’t wait to meet it! So a Pokémon exchange is made with Professor Oak, and Charizard comes for a visit!
When it meets Iris’s Dragonite, sparks fly immediately, and the two of them start trying to pick a fight—and rather than trying to stop them, Ash decides to turn it into a proper battle! It’s clear that Charizard has been training hard in the Charicific Valley, and both Pokémon show just how strong they are! N calls the battle to an end, and observes that the two Pokémon have found real respect for each other.
Ash asks if Charizard would like to rejoin him on his journey, and the answer is an enthusiastic yes! So, it’s off once again to the White Ruins, but now with Charizard along, reunited with our heroes once again!
==Episode plot==
The heroes visit a festival dedicated to the Kanto Region. Ash already recognizes some Pokémon, like Squirtle, Charmander, and Bulbasaur. Ash decides to check out this festival, with his friends following him. Passing by a trader wanting to sell Magikarp, the heroes soon see Prof. Oak on the screen, who introduces Squirtle, Bulbasaur and Charmander, the Kanto Starter Pokémon. N asks which Pokémon Ash chose. Iris replies that he chose Pikachu, so Ash explains to N that Pikachu was the only Pokémon left, since he overslept that day. Cilan calls this fate. Prof. Oak logs out, while the announcer decides to show some Kanto region Pokémon. N admits it's his first time seeing such Pokémon.
The announcer shows a Charmander, who walks to the stage and spins around, showing its happiness. Iris admits Charmander's cute, but free-spirited. Charmander spins around and uses Ember, but becomes dizzy and starts wrecking the stage. Later, Nurse Joy heals Charmander, while the announcer replies that Charmander got excited in front of an audience. The heroes ask how Charmander is doing, and Nurse Joy replies it'll be fine soon. Later, Ash admits he was thinking when he caught his own Charmander. Ash still remembers how Charmander's original trainer had abandoned it, claiming it was too weak, and he, Brock and Misty had to rescue Charmander and rush it to the Pokémon Center before its tail flame went out. Ash said he told Charmander to wait on a rock for him, N is correctly certain that the trainer had no intention of coming back for it and is clearly disgusted. The next day, after Charmander was healed and burned Team Rocket with its newly learned Flamethrower attack, his original trainer, Damian showed up. Damian tried to recapture Charmander, but the Lizard Pokémon had seen his old trainer's true colors and refused to go with him. Ash then welcomed Charmander into his team.
Charmander fought well against Primeape (who took Ash's hat) and Koga's Golbat, winning Ash the Soul Badge. Also, when they were stuck in a snowy cave, and Charmander, along with Bulbasaur, Pidgeotto, Squirtle, and Pikachu, shared their warmth with their trainer. Eventually, Charmeleon evolved, but also started disobeying Ash. Cilan states that when a Pokémon evolves, sometimes its personality changes as well. Ash still battled with Charmeleon and when he was kidnapped by an Aerodactyl, who taunted Charmeleon, it evolved into a Charizard. They still went to the top, for Charizard battled Blaine's Magmar and won. Unfortunately, at the Indigo Plateau, Charizard refused to attack Sparky and cost Ash the victory. Iris thinks Charizard was a pain, but Cilan reminds her that she had similar issues with Excadrill and Dragonite.
Everything changed when Charizard fought against Tad's Poliwrath. Poliwrath defeated Charizard by dousing its tail flame and then encasing it in ice. Ash spent that night warming up Charizard and telling it how they will keep getting stronger together. The next day, Charizard recovered and started obeying Ash from that moment on. Cilan is surprised that Ash isn't traveling with such a powerful Pokémon. Ash admits that Charizard is training at the Charicific Valley. After becoming so powerful, it won every battle, but encountered lots of other Charizard and was defeated by all of them. Ash left Charizard there, knowing it would get much stronger by training there. Eventually, Ash used Charizard to battle Clair's Dragonair and won the Rising Badge, the battle against Gary and his Blastoise, even Noland's Articuno for the Knowledge Symbol.
thumb|Charizard meeting everyone, especially Iris' Dragonite...
Ash is certain that Charizard is still in training. The announcer of the festival comes in and apologizes for the trouble. Charmander is okay, so Ash pats Charmander, asking it to be careful. Iris and Cilan want to meet Charizard. Ash admits that he would like to see it as well and decides to bring it back. Ash contacts Prof. Oak and decides to send over Unfezant. Oak replies that Charizard has just arrived from Charicific Valley and is certain that Staraptor and Swellow would be glad have another flying-type Pokémon like Unfezant. Ash comes outside to call out Charizard. Upon release, Charizard lets out a powerful roar, exciting Cilan, Iris and N. Charizard gives Ash its usual Flamethrower face greeting. N already senses that Charizard has a deep history with Ash, proving how great friends they both are.
Ash and Iris bring out all their Pokémon to meet Charizard. However, Charizard has his eyes on Dragonite, as they both have just developed a rivalry. Cilan and N see that the two are drawn to each other. Ash decides that he and Iris should battle so they can test their strength. Iris accepts and both take positions. Dragonite starts with Flamethrower, but is countered by the same move from Charizard. Charizard and Dragonite then fly up. Dragonite uses Thunder Punch, but misses Charizard, who counters with Wing Attack. Charizard then uses Slash while Dragonite uses Dragon Rush. The two moves collide, and Iris boasts that her Dragonite is strong. However, Charizard emerges without so much as a scratch from the attack. It then flies up and hits Dragonite with Dragon Tail. Both descend to the ground, and N calls off the battle, seeing that both sides are very powerful. Charizard and Dragonite agree, fascinating Cilan as they have made new friendships.
Iris wonders why didn't Dragon Rush didn't work on Charizard, claiming it to be a Dragon-type Pokémon. Ash, Cilan, Pikachu, Charizard and Dragonite are surprised, this makes N laugh, and so Ash explains that Charizard is actually isn't a Dragon-type. Iris still insists that Charizard must be a Dragon type since it used Dragon Tail and even looks very much like a dragon Pokémon. When Ash uses his Pokedex to confirm that Charizard is a Fire/Flying type, Iris becomes shocked and a little embarrassed because she had hoped to catch and raise a Charizard, making Axew laugh at her. Ash asks Charizard if it wants to come with him for this journey. The others want this as well, as does Charizard, who accepts the offer.
==Trivia==
*All the characters and backgrounds in the flashbacks are reanimated to fit the art style of the Black & White series.
**These scenes were also re-dubbed by the current TPCi cast instead of recycling the 4Kids voices.
***Instead of Rachael Lillis returning, Michele Knotz, who voiced Misty in Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon, voices her in the flashbacks of this episode.
**This marks the first time Misty and Tracey appear in the Black & White saga.
*Although Team Rocket appears in a flashback, they are barely visible as in the scene they appear that they are being burned by Charmander's Flamethrower, leaving only their weak silhouette visible.
*According to Sarah Natochenny, this is her first time voicing Ash in the original series through flashbacks.
*Who's that Pokémon?: Charmander.
*Although Liza did not have a speaking role, Lisa Ortiz provided the voice of the Kanto Fair Host.
*When Charmeleon finally evolves into Charizard, it is different in both scenes where Charizard in this episode, at the flashback, it roared, while in the original episode, Charizard is seen in a close-up while unleashing its Flamethrower after evolving.
*Unfezant is the 1st Unova Pokémon ever to have been sent to Professor Oak's lab.
*With Charizard's reunion with Ash, this means that its days in the Charicific Valley are over.
===Mistakes===
*During the "Snow Way Out!" flashback, Ash's Pidgeotto had the feathers on its head recolored to yellow instead of pink.
*In the "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon" flashback, one of the legs of Aerodactyl was colored orange like Charizard during a scene.
*When Ash and his Charizard were in the Charicific Valley, there is a time where one of the sleeves on Ash's shirt was blue instead of white.
*Right before Ash exchanged his Unfezant for his Charizard, Professor Oak's eyes were brown instead of black.
*When the episode zoomed in on Charizard's Poké Ball in Ash's hand, the cuff of one of Ash's hands was green, resembling the color of his cuffs during the Hoenn and Sinnoh series.
*When Ash told Charizard that the others are waiting for him, his sleeve was mistakenly colored blue instead of white.
*When Dragonite was first released from its Poké Ball, its antennae were orange like the rest of its body.
*When he gained the Knowledge Symbol after Charizard defeats Noland's Articuno, Ash's blue sleeveless hoodie vest became indigo.
*When Professor Oak introduced Squirtle, Charmander and Bulbasaur, he called Bulbasaur a Grass-type. This is incorrect as Bulbasaur is also part Poison-type.
====Flashback differences====
*Some of the flashback scenes have differences to the actual episodes:
**When Ash and Koga's battle is shown, Charmander defeated Golbat with Flamethrower. In the original episode, it won with Fire Spin.
**When Charmeleon evolves into a Charizard after Aerodactyl taunts him, he was seen roaring angrily to evolve. But in the original episode, Charmeleon is seen stomping its feet several times while angrily roaring in order to evolve into a Charizard after Aerodactyl taunts it.
**When Ash gained the Volcano Badge after his Charizard defeats Blaine's Magmar, he was seen excitedly obtaining the badge. But in the original episode, the Volcano Badge that Ash obtained was given to him by Blaine after his Magmar was defeated by his Charizard.
**When Ash gained the Rising Badge, it's the same scene as when he gained the Volcano Badge.
==Gallery==
==References==
Category:Episodes focusing on Ash
Category:Episodes focusing on Iris