Ash's Lapras

**Ash's Lapras** (Japanese: **サトシのラプラス** *Satoshi's Laplace*) was the first Pokémon caught by Ash in the Orange Islands, and his thirteenth overall.

## History

### Original series

#### Orange Archipelago

Ash first met Lapras in *The Lost Lapras*. It had become separated from its family and washed onto the shores of Tangelo Island, where it was being abused by three boys. Pikachu's Thunder Shock quickly sent the trio running. Tracey examined Lapras and realized it needed help. He gave Ash some medicine for it, but Lapras refused to take it. Afterwards, they took Lapras to the local Pokémon Center, where Nurse Joy explained that Lapras was afraid of humans. Soon, Ash gained Lapras' trust after he saved it from Team Rocket. Lapras later decided to become a part of Ash's team after Ash promised to reunite it with its family.

Lapras was used extensively as a means of transportation. Ash, Misty, and Tracey rode on its back as it carried them through the seas from one island to another.

Thanks to Lapras using Ice Beam, Ash won a wave ride race in *Fit To Be Tide* against Cissy and her Blastoise, gaining his first Orange League Badge in the process.

In *Navel Maneuvers*, Ash used Lapras against Danny when competing for his second Badge. It had to use Ice Beam to freeze a geyser, but it lost to Danny's Nidoqueen.

Lapras was also used against a Gengar in the final battle against Drake in the Orange League. The cliffhanger of *Hello, Pummelo!* was the collision of attacks between the two. *Enter the Dragonite* began with the revelation that the collision had knocked out both Pokémon.

In *Viva Las Lapras*, Ash and his friends found the herd that Lapras had become separated from. However, its school wanted nothing to do with Lapras, as it was accompanied by humans. They gained a hatred towards humans because of Captain Crook, who hunted the Lapras. After Ash and his Lapras defeated the Captain's Tentacruel, the Lapras began to trust humans, and Ash's Lapras was able to rejoin the school, as well as its mother. Ash and Lapras went their separate ways from that point on.

#### Johto

Ash was briefly reunited with Lapras in *Lapras of Luxury*, during which it was revealed to have matured into an adult. It eventually became the leader of its herd when the original leader stepped down in favor of Ash's Lapras, after witnessing it rescuing the herd from Team Rocket. Lapras led its herd away from the Johto coast to continue their migration.

### Pokémon Journeys: The Series

In *Partners in Time!*, Lapras appeared as a vision to Pikachu during his battle against Leon's Charizard.

In *Heroes Unite!*, Lapras appeared in a fantasy while Ash reminisced about the Pokémon he'd caught on his journey.

In *Ride, Lapras, Ride!*, Lapras was reunited with Ash when it sought his help in freeing a trapped Wailmer. Despite Wailmer evolving into a Wailord and getting stuck again, they were able to free the Float Whale Pokémon. In the process, however, Ash ended up getting stuck in a cave as the tide began to rise. Working with Wailord, Lapras froze the water while Wailord carved a path through it with Weather Ball. Lapras then slid through to find Ash and bring him back to safety. With everyone now secure, Lapras said its goodbyes to the group and returned to its herd.

## Personality and characteristics

Lapras was particularly afraid of all humans, namely because of the actions of three boys who quickly attacked it after it washed up on Tangelo Island. Ash and Lapras quickly formed a strong bond after Ash saved it from Team Rocket in *The Lost Lapras*. Lapras' speed was critical to Ash's success during his Orange League campaign, as it was used in many of his Gym Leader matches.

It is an empathetic and reliable Pokémon who gained confidence during its time with Ash. Its more playful personality outshone its initial shyness. Lapras was hesitant to rejoin its family in *Viva Las Lapras*, though Ash convinced it to do so. When Lapras later appeared in Johto, it was shown to have grown more mature, eventually even taking the leadership of its herd after helping to defeat Team Rocket and save the other Lapras they had stolen.

## Moves used

 A **†** shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves.

## Trivia

* Lapras is the first Ice-type Pokémon owned by Ash.
* Lapras is Ash's only Pokémon:
	+ With fins.
	+ To be consistently used as a means of transportation.
* Out of all Pokémon to have been released by Ash, Lapras is:
	+ The only one to not be part of an evolutionary line.
	+ The first to have reunited with Ash, as well as the only one to have done so in more than one series.
* Lapras is tied with Muk for having used the least amount of moves out of any Pokémon that Ash has owned for longer than one episode, at two.
* Lapras is the only non-temporary Pokémon caught by Ash during the original series to have not used a Normal-type move.
* In *Lapras of Luxury*, Lapras was shown to have matured since it was released in *Viva Las Lapras*, to the point of Ash initially not recognizing it when they reunited. As such, Lapras is the only character to have been shown indisputably aging during the anime's time frame.
* Lapras made a cameo appearance in the tenth Japanese opening theme, Spurt!. However, it did not return in any episodes aired with the opening.