AG149

Wheel of Frontier (Japanese: バトルアリーナ!　格闘対決！！ Battle Arena! Fighting Showdown!!) is the 149th episode of Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire, and the 423rd episode of the Pokémon animated series. It was first broadcast in Japan on October 27, 2005, and in the United States on September 16, 2006.
==Blurb==
Ash is about to reach the Battle Arena, but Team Rocket has gotten there ahead of him! They're pretending to be students of Greta, the Arena Tycoon, but the curriculum is a little too tough for them. Will this trick really let them get their hands on Ash's Pikachu? Meanwhile, Ash runs into Scott, who tells him that Greta prefers Fighting-type Pokémon. This gives Ash an idea...
Scott and Ash show up at the Battle Arena, where Greta has Ash spin a wheel to determine how many Pokémon they'll battle with. Ash spins a two, so Greta's Hariyama and Medicham will face off against Ash's Grovyle and Snorlax, who Ash brought back just for this battle. Grovyle is fast, but Hariyama uses its speed against it and Grovyle is soon knocked out. Ash sends out Snorlax and uses a defensive strategy to defeat Hariyama, whose powerful punches aren't as damaging to the big Pokémon. Greta's Medicham could be a different story, though!
Team Rocket is accidentally revealed during the Pokémon battle, but Pikachu zaps them before they can do anything. Then it's right back to the battle, where Medicham's attacks are proving to be pretty dangerous to Snorlax. After some close calls, Ash hits on a novel idea: have Snorlax use Hyper Beam to propel itself into the air and land on Medicham! This wins Ash the battle—and a shiny new Frontier Symbol! Greta tells Ash that the next stop on the Battle Frontier is the Battle Dome, and he's soon on his way!
==Plot==
 is in a Pokémon Center preparing for his Battle Arena match when Scott calls to him from across the room. They talk for a few seconds, and Ash vows to get his next Frontier Symbol. At the Battle Arena, dozens of students are being trained in martial arts moves by Arena Tycoon Greta. is amongst them as a part of ’s latest scheme to nab . The trio pause after becoming fatigued from doing so many arm thrusts. An assistant yells at them because they stopped moving. For the next exercise, the group has to crouch with bowls balanced on their heads and shoulders. However, the Rocket trio falls over and breaks their bowls, so Greta orders them to do further cleaning to make up the difference. One of the attendant informs Greta that they have a received a message from Scott regarding a new challenger. Greta is unfazed and certain she’ll easily crush her challenger.
Meanwhile, Scott reveals to Ash and that Greta will likely battle with two of her Pokémon, and . He points out that she is tough and her idols are fellow type experts, Brawly and Chuck. The group exits the Pokémon Center, but Ash pauses for a moment and contemplates Greta's . He orders everyone to go on ahead before running back into the Pokémon Center without any explanation. 
Later, the group reaches the Battle Arena, and Ash yells "Hello." This doesn't work, so Scott goes up and shouts "We wish to have a battle". The giant doors open, and Greta and her students welcome their latest challenger with fighting enthusiasm. Suddenly, a giant roulette emerges from the ground that is meant to determine how many Pokémon will take part in the battle. Ash pulls the roulette lever, and the spinner lands on two. Greta declares that they’ll have a two-on-two match. A gong rings, and Ash and Greta prepare for their battle. The training group sits along the sidelines of the field, watching. Team Rocket pokes up behind them. Greta sends out Medicham and Hariyama, and Ash sends out and , who he retrieved from . and Max are surprised to see that Ash has a Snorlax. Scott observes that Ash picked odd types of Pokémon to use against Fighting types.
Grovyle and Hariyama fight first. Grovyle approaches with a before launching into a , though Hariyama blocks the barrage with . Greta orders Hariyama to charge in for an Arm Thrust attack, but Grovyle jumps into the air and shoots another Bullet Seed. Hariyama dodges and grabs Grovyle's leg to throw it to the ground before shoving it backwards, making it land on its back. Ash tells Grovyle to use Quick Attack and Hariyama goes to dodge, and Grovyle uses twice. The first time knocks Hariyama back, but then Hariyama responds with a that sends Grovyle flying back before it can attack. Grovyle hits the ceiling, falls to the ground, and faints. remarks that even Grovyle's speed wasn't enough to defeat the strong Hariyama. While Scott adds that Greta used a classic Fighting expert technique, using an opponent’s speed to magnify their own physical power.
Ash’s supporters have their doubts as he calls Snorlax onto the field. Hariyama strikes its opponent repeatedly with Arm Thrust, though Snorlax s itself and is eventually pushed back to the end of the field, uninjured. Hariyama attacks again, but Snorlax dodges and hits Hariyama with a , which pushes Hariyama back. Hariyama uses Focus Punch, but Snorlax uses Protect again; however, it fails, and Snorlax falls back on its stomach. Greta orders Hariyama to use another Focus Punch, but Snorlax jumps up to dodge, so Hariyama's fist hits the ground, injuring it. Ash tells Snorlax to use , which s Hariyama, defeating it.
Medicham jumps into play and shows off its prowess. Greta tells Medicham to use Focus Punch, and Snorlax Protects itself again, but it doesn't work so well and it falls back after the punch and a kick. Greta orders another Focus Punch, and Ash orders . Snorlax misses its mark and Medicham strikes it from behind, hurling it into the crowd of trainees. As the onlookers flee, Team Rocket is struck, causing their disguises to fall off. Now revealed, the trio decide to put their scheme into motion, launching into their . They jump to grab Ash's Pikachu, but he s them into the sky.
The match continues, and Ash tells Snorlax to use Ice Punch while Medicham is told to do the same thing. Snorlax is hit and freezes, making it immobile. Ash suddenly remembers a counter strategy and tells Snorlax to use . It falls asleep, and Greta orders more Focus Punches to reach Snorlax through the ice. The ice breaks away, and just as Medicham is about to strike, Snorlax wakes up in time to dodge. As a result, Medicham suffers crash damage from its failed . Ash orders a Hyper Beam, though Medicham dodges and strikes back with a Focus Punch. Another Hyper Beam is ordered, but Snorlax is still recharging. Greta orders more Focus Punches, which hit Snorlax repeatedly. However, it charges its Hyper Beam, and just as Medicham is about to finish it off, Ash tells Snorlax to direct the Hyper Beam to the ground blasting it up near the ceiling. Snorlax plummets with a full power which crushes and defeats Medicham. Ash hugs Snorlax as he is declared the winner of the match. Outside the Battle Arena, Greta awards Ash the Guts Symbol. Scott tells Ash that the next facility is the Battle Dome, south of Lavender Town.
==Major events==
* temporarily returns his back to his team from 's .
* Ash and arrive at the Battle Arena and meet Arena Tycoon Greta, the second Frontier Brain.
* Ash's Snorlax is revealed to have learned and .
* Ash battles Greta and wins, earning the Guts Symbol.
* Ash learns the next facility is the Battle Dome, located south of Lavender Town.
===Debuts===
====Humans====
* Greta
====Pokémon debuts====
==Characters==
===Humans===
* 
* 
* 
* Max
* Jessie
* James
* Nurse Joy
* Greta
* Scott
* Chuck (flashback)
* Brawly (flashback)
* Referee
* Trainees
===Pokémon===
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* (Greta's)
* (Greta's)
==Trivia==
* The opening animation is updated to include Brock's Marshtomp. Greta, however, remains a silhouette.
* was played during Greta and 's battle in the Japanese version.
* This is the first episode dubbed by Pokémon USA to use 4Kids background music.
* In this episode, Ash and all say the title together in order to emulate the opening of the game show , which includes the entire crowd saying it.
* This episode was originally believed to be titled "Wheel of... Fortune". This turned out to be incorrect, though the actual dub title remains a play on Wheel of Fortune.
* Greta actually knows who is and what they do.
* In respect to dojo tradition, no footwear is permitted in the Battle Arena. As a result, everyone is barefoot throughout the entire match, including Ash and Greta.
* In the English dub, as Team Rocket blasts off, says, "Who's dumber, the dummy, or the ones who listened to the dummy?" This is possibly a reference to the 1977 film , in which famously asks, "Who's the more foolish, the fool, or the fool who follows him?"
* The Battle Arena has a resemblance to the in , China.
* Ash's Snorlax uses six different moves during Ash's battle with Greta; , , , , , and .
** Snorlax uses Rest while it is . This would be impossible in the games, as Pokémon cannot use any moves while frozen.
** Although Ash tells Snorlax to use Protect, the move animation is similar to that of .
===Errors===
* During Ash's battle with Greta, Greta tells her to "use Dodge", as if it was an attack. Normally in the dodging is simply a battle tactic used to avoid attacks.
* In a couple of scenes during Ash's battle with Greta, Snorlax's feet are the same color as its body.
* Inside the Battle Arena, everyone is barefoot. However, is shown wearing socks in one scene when she should be barefoot.
* In the English dub, Scott mispronounces Cianwood City while telling Ash about Greta.
* In the ian dub, is referred to as Chute Alto e Soco (literally "High Kick and Punch").
===Dub edits===
==In other languages==
149
Category:Episodes written by Masashi Sogo
Category:Episodes storyboarded and directed by Jōji Shimura
Category:Episodes storyboarded by Jōji Shimura
Category:Episodes directed by Jōji Shimura
Category:Episodes animated by Izumi Shimura
Category:Episodes focusing on Ash
Category:Episodes with Frontier Brain challenges
Category:Episodes in which Ash receives a Frontier Symbol
de:Kleider machen KEINE Leute
es:EP426
fr:AG149
it:RZ149
ja:AG編第149話
zh:宝可梦 超世代 第148集