Episode Number: 268 (JP) , 265 (US)
US Episode Name: A Claim to Flame!
Jap Episode Name: Silver League Begins! Shigeru Once Again!
シロガネリーグかいまく！シゲルふたたび！
Events: Ash and co. arrive at the Johto League; Gary returns
Credit: PokéMaster (Summary), Abhishek (Screenshots)
Click here for screenshots
Ash and friends have arrived in Silver Town, home of the Johto League Silver Conference. They exit the Pokémon Center, Ash having registered, and Ash asks Pikachu if it’s ready. Pikachu nods as Misty tells him to stop. Brock asks if Ash has even looked at the guidebook. Ash replies that he hasn’t and turns back around to find Gary in front of him. He says that he’s already figured out which Pokémon he’s going to use and is ready to battle. Brock comments that he’s impressed and Gary announces that it’s “Number 1 or Bust!” Ash tells him that he better get ready for a “Bust!” because he’s going to get the #1 spot.
In the Athlete’s Village, Ash and the others meet up with President Goodsho, who is giving out balloons to little kids. He says that it’s part of his job in greeting the fans. He continues that it’s been a long time and asks if Ash is entering the Silver Conference. Ash responds that he is, so Goodsho tells him to go out and show them what a real battle is like. Meanwhile, at a restaurant, the customers start to get angry with Jessie, James, and Meowth’s service time. A little girl asks Jessie when her hamburger will be ready and calls her an old lady. Jessie gets angry and has to be pulled away by James. In the kitchen, Meowth cooks and says that the customer is always right. Meowth gives Jessie the girl’s hamburger to deliver and Jessie gobbles it up. She, James, and Meowth start gobbling food and they get fired for it.
As Ash, Misty, and Brock walk through the halls of the Pokémon Center, Brock says it’s the largest Pokémon Center he’s ever seen. They enter their room and Misty notices the view of the lake while Ash sits down on the soft couch. Brock tells Ash that he can use the computer to look at data on the other competitors. He also mentions that other trainers are being screened and so Ash, Misty, and Brock go outside to the battlefields to watch the battles. They see a Nidoking and a Feraligatr and a Donphan defeat an Ursaring. Brock tells Ash that during the screening process, they go from over 200 trainers to just 48. He also mentions that you have three battles and might be able to move on with one loss.
The announcer calls for Ash from Pallet Town and Salvador from Cherrygrove City to come to their battle. The computer randomly selects the order in which the Pokémon get sent in and Ash gets chosen first. He sends in Pikachu and Salvador sends out a Furret. Ash orders Pikachu to use a Thunderbolt. Furret uses Double Team and Brock notes that it’s at a high level. Furret then uses Swift. Pikachu uses Quick Attack but Furret dodges with Dig. Furret then uses Headbutt. Furret uses Dig several more times, hitting Pikachu each time. It uses Swift and Headbutt again, both hitting Pikachu, who then jumps on top. Pikachu hangs on for dear life as Furret dives underground. Pikachu fires a Thunderbolt and a huge sandstorm is the result. Furret comes out of the hole hurt, so Pikachu uses a Quick Attack and Furret faints. Ash and Salvador exchange compliments and Ash heads for his other battles. Using Phanpy, Ash defeats a Machoke and with Cyndaquil, he beats an Exeggutor.
At the Pokémon Center, the 48 trainers are revealed. Ash, Misty, and Brock see that Harrison made it through and then they notice Gary along with Ash. Goodsho arrives and tells Ash that it’s a tall order to get through the preliminaries. He says that you must earn more victory points than two other people in your block to move on to the victory tournament which will have just 16 people.
Who's That Pokémon?
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That night, Ash and Pikachu can’t sleep so they head out for a walk along the lake and end up bumping into Gary.
Gary begins talking about when they first left Pallet Town and how Pikachu wouldn’t do a thing Ash said. But then, they became good friends and now Pikachu is Ash’s best friend and Pokémon. He continues about how they might’ve ended up at two different corners of the world with different hopes and dreams and that there are so many dreams that they’ve never even thought of. He finishes that he can beat anyone. Ash says that he better get ready for the #2 spot because he’ll be numero uno.
The next day, fireworks are set off to signify the start of the Silver Conference. The Silver Stadium is shown on TV as Professor Oak, Tracey, Delia, Mr. Mime, and Professor Elm watch. The Torch runner is shown on the screen as, inside, an announcement is made for the trainers to get into a line and proceed into the Stadium. Misty and Brock head for the stand and Ash says that he’ll wave so they can spot him in the crowd. Misty says they know what he looks like and they can find him ok and they leave.
Ash gets in the end of the line as two people (Jessie and James) approach him. They ask him if he has registered for the Silver Footprint Pokémon Panel yet. He says that it must’ve slipped his mind. They tell him that he would disqualified without it, so he goes to get the paperwork. Gary watches the whole scene and wonders why Ash is getting out of line.
Ash ends up getting tied up and thrown into a storage room. Jessie and James reveal their true identities with the motto, take Pikachu, and leave. As everyone watches on TV and from the stands, they notice that Ash isn’t there. Meanwhile, Ash has gotten up and is ramming the door. It opens and he falls out. Ash tells Gary, who opened the door, that Team Rocket got Pikachu and then give chase. As the Torch is arriving in the stadium, Team Rocket runs into the runner, sending Pikachu and the Torch flying and knocking the runner over. Ash lunges for Pikachu and Gary catches the Torch. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt and Team Rocket blasts off again.
Gary tells Ash that the runner is hurt and he can’t continue. The runner gets worried about the Torch getting there on time and Gary gets an idea. Inside the stadium, the announcer tells everyone that there is some confusion about the Torch’s exact whereabouts. He then says that an unfortunate accident has left the Torch runner unable to run. Just then, Ash and Pikachu run into the Stadium with the Torch as Gary helps the runner in. Everyone watches Ash as he carries the Torch up the stairs to the wok. He lights it and Goodsho gets ready for his speech.
President Goodsho tells everyone that made it to the preliminaries to battle with honesty, integrity, and honor and to never regret a moment of what they do. The Johto League Silver Conference has begun!
