Brock's Crobat

**Brock's Crobat** (Japanese: **タケシのクロバット** *Takeshi's Crobat*) was the third Pokémon acquired by Brock in the anime, and the first he caught within the series.

## History

### Original series

#### Kanto

Crobat debuted in *Clefairy and the Moon Stone* as a Zubat flying out of Mt. Moon with many others of its kind. Unlike most captures, this occurred offscreen, as it did not become known that Brock had captured one until he used it in a battle against Ekans and Koffing. Ash was puzzled by its appearance, and Brock explained that he had caught it before they entered the cave, much to Ash's frustration, as he realized that he should have caught one as well. Zubat used Whirlwind alongside Ash's Butterfree to repel a Smokescreen, but it was tackled by Koffing. It recovered and used Supersonic, causing Ekans and Koffing to turn on each other, allowing Butterfree to send them flying. It was later seen being fed some of Brock's special Pokémon food, perched on his shoulder.

In *Tentacool & Tentacruel*, Zubat and Squirtle battled a giant Tentacruel, but it was knocked out by Tentacruel's attack.

#### Orange Islands

In *Pokéball Peril*, when Brock decided to stay with Professor Ivy while Ash and Misty explored the Orange Islands, Zubat remained with him. It was seen, along with Onix, Geodude, and Vulpix, bidding goodbye to Ash and Misty as they parted ways with Brock. However, it returned with him to Pallet Town when he decided to leave Ivy.

#### Johto

When Brock returned to the group in *A Tent Situation*, he brought Zubat with him, as revealed in *Roll On, Pokémon!*, where it failed to track down Rochelle's stolen Donphan. In *The Whistle Stop*, Zubat tried to track down a Ledyba, but ended up disturbing a group of Golbat.

In *Spell of the Unown: Entei*, Zubat was called up against Molly Hale. It battled Flaaffy and, despite confusing it with Supersonic and landing a Wing Attack, was taken out by a Thunder Shock.

In *Hassle in the Castle*, Ash, Misty, and Brock entered a castle where a woman named Dr. Anna used different Pokémon for diagnosing and treating patients. One of these was her Zubat, Mimi, which used its Supersonic move to scan patients. Eager to impress the doctor, Brock sent out his Zubat to assist her. Jessie, James, and Meowth entered the scene, and as Dr. Anna, Brock, and the two Zubat pursued them, causing them to become stuck in an underground maze. Dr. Anna had Mimi use Supersonic again to create a map, and with the assistance of Brock's Zubat an entire map of the maze was generated. They wandered through the maze and encountered multiple traps until their Zubat were able to find the exit door. It wouldn't open, however, and Team Rocket were given the opportunity to grab both of the Zubat, only to find themselves stuck as well. They were eventually freed from the maze by Pineco's Self-Destruct and the two Zubat flew free of the bag they were held in. Team Rocket tried to make off with Ash's Pikachu, but the two Zubat blew away Weezing's Smokescreen and Brock's Zubat engaged in battle with Team Rocket's Pokémon. During this battle, it evolved into Golbat, and was able to send Team Rocket packing with the help of Pikachu. Brock had hoped to stay and help Dr. Anna, but had his hopes crushed when he learned that Golbat was so strong that its Supersonic overloaded Dr. Anna's computer.

In *Mewtwo Returns*, Golbat was sent out alongside Brock and Misty's Pokémon to stop Giovanni and the rest of Team Rocket from recapturing Mewtwo. Their distraction gave Ash the time he needed to take Mewtwo to the top of Mount Quena so it could be healed.

Golbat and Pineco watched over Brock when he fell ill in *Sick Daze*. It used Supersonic to prevent him over exerting himself and keep him in bed. It also helped rescue all of the stolen Pokémon by destroying the balloon with Wing Attack, and attacking Arbok and Weezing, again with Pineco.

In *Control Freak!*, Brock found and agreed to help a woman who was looking for two artifacts which were supposedly buried nearby and had been used by a queen to control Pokémon. Possibly having learned to do such from his encounter with Dr. Anna, Brock was able to hook up Golbat to her computer and display a map of the underground. They reached the chamber only to find Team Rocket had beaten them there and Jessie was using the artifacts to control Pokémon. Brock's Golbat was the only Pokémon that could resist the effects of the artifacts, and countered it using its Supersonic. Jessie turned Brock's Geodude and Onix against him, and it was trapped under the rubble of Onix's Dig. Brock was able to locate Golbat under the rocks by listening carefully for the sound waves, somehow having ears sensitive enough to pick up the ultrasonic waves. They tracked down Team Rocket to find them leaving, appropriately, in a rocket. Golbat and Ash's Noctowl flew after the rocket, but could not keep up. Brock called out to Golbat, and this caused it to evolve into Crobat. It easily overtook Noctowl and the rocket and destroyed it with a Wing Attack.

In *Espeon Not Included*, Crobat was sent out to find Team Rocket and find out where they had taken Sakura's sisters' Eeveelutions.

In *Mother of All Battles*, when the Pokémon Poacher Brothers stole Larvitar's mother, Tyranitar, Crobat was sent out to chase after them. Crobat was able to tail them without being noticed and reported their location back to Brock.

### Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire

#### Hoenn

Brock lent Crobat alongside Onix and Geodude to his younger brother, Forrest, who took on the role of Gym Leader of the Pewter Gym when Brock went to Hoenn in *The Family That Battles Together Stays Together*.

#### Kanto Battle Frontier

Crobat joined Steelix and Geodude to greet Brock in *Grating Spaces!*.

### Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon

In *Alola, Kanto!*, Brock sent Crobat out to battle Team Rocket.

## Personality and characteristics

Despite its few appearances, Crobat was shown to be very loyal towards its Trainer, due to the amount of training it received and the care Brock gave it. Its impeccable speed and Supersonic sonar proved to be useful on many occasions, like finding missing Pokémon or guiding Brock and his friends through otherwise treacherous caverns. It is also very capable at scouting, which often comes into use when Team Rocket steals a Pokémon.

## Moves used

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

* In the dub of *Clefairy and the Moon Stone*, Brock commanded Zubat to use Double Team, whereas in the Japanese version Brock commanded it to "team up" with Ash's Butterfree and use Whirlwind. However, Zubat used Whirlwind in the dub anyway, despite the dubbing error.

## Trivia

* Crobat is the first of Brock's Pokémon to evolve and his first fully evolved Pokémon.
	+ Zubat took the longest to evolve out of all Pokémon that evolved in the same anime series that it was caught in, taking 159 episodes to evolve into Golbat.
* Crobat is the first Pokémon belonging to a main character that has evolved via friendship.
* Crobat, when it evolved from a Zubat into a Golbat, was the first Pokémon belonging to a main character that evolved during a fight with Team Rocket.
* Crobat, as a Zubat, is the first Pokémon to be captured offscreen during an episode by a main character.
* Zubat's capture marked the first time a main character has caught a Pokémon with a unique type combination.