DP085: Fighting Fear with Fear!

is the 33rd episode of Pokémon: DP Battle Dimension.
==Synopsis==
As Ash heads back to Hearthome City for his long-delayed Gym battle, he's concerned about his own Gligar's battle woes. Even though Ash gives Gligar lots of special training, it just can't get its act together. Gligar finally gives up and flies away, only to run into Gary Oak. Gary offers to help with Gligar's problem, starting by having a friendly battle between Gligar and Gary's Umbreon. Once the battle starts, Gligar panics, and Gary realizes what the problem is: Gligar is overcome by fear whenever it tries to fight.
Gary thinks Gligar should use a Razor Fang to evolve into Gliscor, and Gary just happens to have a Razor Fang he can give to Ash. Once Gligar is a powerful Gliscor, its fear will be a thing of the past! Gligar loves this idea, but Ash says no; he wants Gligar to conquer its fear before it evolves. Poor Gligar gets another shock when Team Rocket springs an ambush with their giant Gliscorbot, snatching Gligar and making a getaway. Ash manages to leap onto the Gliscorbot before it escapes, but that just means Ash and Gligar end up stuck in the same cage!
While Team Rocket celebrates their catch by eating themselves into a stupor, Ash coaches Gligar to break them out of the cage with X-Scissor. With Gligar's help, the two of them then escape across a chasm, and Gligar's confidence begins to build. Just in time, too, because Team Rocket has caught up with their escaped captives! Ash tosses Gligar the Razor Fang and it evolves just in time to save them both from Team Rocket's clutches. In fact, by the time Gary and the others catch up to Ash, Gliscor has Team Rocket pretty well beat! Gary says his farewells and our heroes get back on the road to Hearthome City, now accompanied by a confident new Gliscor!
==Episode plot==
The heroes are just about to have lunch and they call their Pokémon. When Swinub does not have any food left, it goes to Piplup's, but Turtwig interferes to stop. They spot Gligar is not present. Ash calls Gligar, who swoops down on him. Gligar wants some training after it did battle Paul's Gliscor. Gligar is depressed by these words, but Ash promises it to train after lunch. Later, Buizel is about to fight Gligar. Buizel yells at Gligar, causing it to start begging and crying. Ash orders Gligar to use X-Scissor, which Buizel dodges. Buizel uses Aqua Jet, causing Gligar to be even more frightened and goes on Ash's head. Ash yells at Gligar, causing it to be more depressed, so Dawn encourages it.
Ash admits to Brock he does not want Gligar to be spoiled, but does not want to yell at it. Ash sends Turtwig to battle Gligar. Turtwig uses Energy Ball, but Gligar dodges. Gligar uses Steel Wing, but seeing Turtwig be prepared, Gligar fails and goes after Ash. Gligar cries and flies away. Team Rocket spied and Meowth thinks the boss would have the Gligar covering his eyes to not wake up in the morning. The heroes search for Gligar. Staravia found it and Dawn recognizes the boy as "the poetry guy's grandson"; in other words, Gary. Gary tells them he is going to Lake Valor to see the Legendary Pokémon Ash saw, per Prof. Rowan's request. Gary knows this Gligar he found was Ash's, who flew away in the middle of the training. Gary offers his help for Gligar. Despite his reluctance, the others convince Ash to accept the help.
Gary sends out Umbreon. Gligar uses Steel Wing, but flies to Ash's head as soon as Umbreon uses Shadow Ball. To conquer the fear of the opponent, Ash thinks concentration should work, but Gary has other methods. Gary advises before using Steel Wing, Gligar should use the tail to spring before attacking. As it does that, Gligar sees it is too high and falls on Ash. Gary thinks a bit and concludes that Gligar needs to evolve - using the Razor Fang. Gligar wants to evolve immediately, but Ash tells it needs to conquer its fears before evolving. Suddenly, Team Rocket appears and take Gligar with them. Ash grabs the Gliscor-Bot's tail and sends Staravia to stop them. Jessie sends Seviper and Yanmega, who use Haze and Silver Wind. This causes Staravia to be blown away and Team Rocket disappears.
Ash and Gligar have been caught in a cage. To celebrate the victory, Team Rocket eats canned food. Brock, Dawn and Gary search for Ash and Gligar. Gary believes there are some places that the balloon could've come down, so they go. Ash believes this is the chance, so Gligar uses X-Scissor. It fails to do so, so Ash tackles the cage, but fails as well. Still, Gligar is inspired by such courage and tries again. Ash notices the bars are lowered, so he tackles the bars and Gligar uses X-Scissor and come out. Ash and Gligar slip unnoticed, but face a hanging bridge. Out of options, they are forced to walk over. The bridge breaks, but Ash and Gligar hang on the rope and manage to climb up. James wakes up and is shocked to see the twerp and Gligar get away, so he wakes Meowth and Jessie up.
Ash notices that a giant tree can be used as a bridge. Gligar uses Steel Wing, but get knocked back. Trying once more, Gligar uses Steel Wing and manages to knock down the tree. Ash and Gligar are very happy about this, as it may now be the time to use the Razor Fang. However, Team Rocket came. They fire the Gliscor-bot's tail, but Ash manages to capture himself and lets Gligar go. Ash falls down and passes by Gligar. Still, he throws the Razor Fang and Gligar evolves into Gliscor. Gliscor swoops down and saves Ash before he fell down. Team Rocket still wants Gliscor, but Gliscor uses X-Scissor to knock the balloon tail back. Brock, Dawn and Gary arrive. Meowth launches some claws to get Gliscor, but Gliscor uses X-Scissor to destroy them. Gliscor uses Steel Wing and the balloon does the same, but Gliscor is stronger and cuts the balloon in half. Still, Gliscor is so happy it still swoops down on Ash.
Pikachu uses Thunderbolt to blast Team Rocket off. The sun rises up and the heroes are about to go. Ash thanks Gary for the assistance, but Gary confesses it was Ash who should be thanked for. Gary wants to take a break at the lake, causing Dawn to be impressed by the grandson's poet. Gary leaves and the heroes depart as well.
==Debuts==
===Pokémon===
Ash's Gliscor
===Item===
Razor Fang
==Trivia==
*Instead of Professor Oak's Pokémon lecture, the end of this episode featured a special trailer for Giratina and the Sky Warrior.
*Music from Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea is used as background music.
*Dawn narrates the next episode preview.
*During the Diamond & Pearl series, Ash, Dawn, and Brock each have owned a Generation II Pokémon; however, this episode, the previous episode, before Gligar evolved, and after Swinub was captured, are the only times in the series in which all three have a Generation II Pokémon with them: Ash has Gligar, Dawn has Swinub, and Brock has Sudowoodo.
*This is the second time that Gary appears in Sinnoh, the first time being exactly forty episodes ago. Coincidentally, both times Ash and his friends were on their way to Hearthome City.
*This episode first aired in Japan in the same week as the dub of Riding the Winds of Change, the episode in which Gligar was caught, first aired in the U.S.. This happened again with Swinub.
*Both an earlier episode, and a later episode had similar episode titles to this one. All three are a pun on the phrase "fighting fire with fire".
**Interestingly, the later episode also featured an evolution.
*In the English dub, when Meowth is about to explain what Team Rocket could use Gligar for, Jessie says, "I'm sensing a scene change," possibly providing an example of breaking the fourth wall.
*This is the first time one of Ash's Pokémon evolves using an item.
==Gallery==
==References==
Category:Episodes featuring a main character's Pokémon evolving
Category:Episodes in which a main character's Pokémon masters a move
Category:Episodes focusing on Ash
Category:Episodes focusing on Gary
Category:Episodes focusing on Team Rocket