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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Ash didn’t beat Brock’s Onix by overpowering it in a fair, clean finish. During their rematch in “Showdown in Pewter City,” a damaged Gym’s sprinklers soaked Onix, giving Pikachu an opening. Ash then recalled Pikachu instead of claiming the advantage as a legitimate win; Brock later awarded him the Boulder Badge for his kindness toward Pokémon.
How the sprinklers changed the fight
Ash’s first attempt at the Pewter Gym ended with Pikachu unable to overcome Onix, so Ash withdrew. After Flint helped him prepare, Ash returned for a rematch. Pikachu defeated Geodude, but its electric attacks initially failed to settle the fight against Onix, which trapped Pikachu with Bind. The Pokémon Company’s official episode synopsis identifies the story as Season 1, Episode 5 and notes Flint’s role in preparing Ash for the rematch.
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During the battle, an earlier attack damaged the Gym and accidentally activated its sprinklers. Water sprayed over Onix and weakened it. Pikachu’s next electric attack then put Onix at a disadvantage. The scene-by-scene accounts from Bulbapedia and Serebii describe this turn in the fight.
Did Ash really win?
Pikachu gained the upper hand, but Ash did not finish Onix off or claim a straightforward victory. He called Pikachu back because the accidental sprinkler advantage made the fight unfair. Brock later caught up with Ash and gave him the Boulder Badge in recognition of his kindness to Pokémon. The episode therefore ends with Ash receiving the badge, not with a clean battle win over Onix.
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Which episode is it?
The battle takes place in “Showdown in Pewter City,” Season 1, Episode 5. Bulbapedia lists its Japanese broadcast date as April 29, 1997, and its U.S. broadcast date as September 14, 1998. Those dates refer to the episode’s original broadcasts in those markets.
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