Following the Indigo League, Ash's journey continued to the Orange Islands. Despite the heartbreak at the Quartz Conference, he still carried Charizard on his active team.
An ordinary trainer, faced with such a disobedient Pokémon that had cost them a league, might have released it or left it at the lab.
But Ash was determined to reach Charizard, and so he always kept it close.
During the journey to the Orange Islands, another significant shift in the team occurred. Brock became fascinated by the research of a mysterious Dr. Ivy and decided to stay behind on Valencia Island to be her assistant.
The trip then became a three-person journey with Ash, Misty, and Pikachu.
However, their two-person world didn't last. They soon met a dedicated Pokémon watcher named Tracey Sketchit, who joined them.
Tracey was a deep admirer of Professor Oak and, upon learning Ash knew him, eagerly joined the group.
Beyond his talent for sketching, Tracey proved to be an expert cook. And so, the team once again had a dedicated person responsible for rations.
While Tracey was joining, Ash also obtained a new partner: a baby Lapras, whom he saved from some rough young trainers.
This Lapras was likely the same one Ash called for aid during the Masters Eight tournament review.
The presentation also showed Ash subduing a giant Snorlax on the Seven Grapefruit Islands—the very same formidable titan that would later battle Harrison's Pokémon.
The footage glossed over the specific details of Tracey joining or the capture of Snorlax, as the focus remained firmly on Charizard's journey.
Finally, the time arrived for the dawn of Charizard's resurrection.
After an incident that left Charizard badly injured, it lay shivering under blankets, its tail flame flickering dangerously low.
Ash stayed with it day and night, using his own body heat to keep it warm. His unwavering devotion triggered Charizard's deep, buried memory of the little Charmander huddled in the rain.
Finally, Charizard recalled the past. It recalled that this human had been there when it had nothing.
It looked at Ash, really looked at him, and finally recognized him not just as its owner, but as its partner and friend. It stood up, roaring into the night, its tail flame bursting with renewed vitality. It finally listened to orders.
In the Footage —
What followed was the era of Charizard's dominance. In the battle for Ash's fourth Orange League badge, Charizard fought a doubles match with Pikachu.
The two Pokémon initially spent the battle bickering and ignoring each other, nearly costing Ash the fight.
But in a moment of synchronized strategy, they combined their powers and learned to trust one another, forging a deep friendship and securing the Glazed Badge of Kumquat Island.
This led to the ultimate challenge: facing Drake, the Head Leader of the Orange League on Pummelo Island.
The Orange League wasn't considered an international tournament like Indigo or Johto, but its Head Leader, Drake, possessed strength far exceeding standard Gym Leaders.
His ace Pokémon, a formidable Dragonite, was known to have power rivaling that of an Elite Four member's Pokémon.
The battle was incredibly difficult. First, Ash's Pikachu faced Drake's Ditto, with Ash using creative strategies to outmaneuver the perfect copycat.
Next, in the fight against Drake's Onix, Ash sent out Squirtle, who had since learned the powerful Hydro Pump! Seeing this small turtle unleash such a devastating torrent of water was a surprise to all.
Most would not expect a Basic Form to possess such high-output techniques. The giant rock snake was inevitably defeated.
Against Gengar, Ash sent out Lapras, resulting in both Pokémon knocking each other out simultaneously. With Drake losing three of his six Pokémon, the battlefield was swapped.
Ash sent out his Tauros to face Venusaur, which Tauros successfully overcame. Next came Electabuzz, and Ash sent out Bulbasaur, who was defeated by a combo of Thunderbolt and Thunder Punch, despite having a type advantage.
This was when Ash called upon his ace and sixth Pokémon: Charizard! Charizard absorbed an Electabuzz's full-powered Thunderbolt, then retaliated with a Seismic Toss that secured an immediate knockout!
This demonstrated that Ash's Charizard was already incredibly potent, but still, in comparison to the dragons later found in Charizard Valley, it was still lacking a significant foundation.
The battle finally came down to Drake's last and most devastating trump card: Dragonite! The powerhouse dragon tore through Ash's remaining team, defeating Squirtle and Tauros.
When it faced Ash's Charizard, it was a clash of titans. But Dragonite proved too strong. However, Charizard did not fall easily; its final attack, a devastating Dragon Rage, dealt massive internal damage to the Orange League champion.
This critical damage laid the essential groundwork for Pikachu to secure a narrow victory! Thus, Ash achieved his first-ever league victory, a momentous achievement that truly resonated across the world.
In the Footage —
Following his victory in the Orange League, Ash set his sights on the next major challenge: the Johto region! For this journey, Brock returned to the team.
The presentation then arrived at another major milestone: Ash and his friends arrived at Charizard Valley, only for his proud dragon to discover that it was actually the weakest Charizard present! Ash was forced to make a heart-wrenching decision, leaving Charizard behind in the valley to train and properly thrive among its own kind.
The presentation then focused on a small girl named Molly. Her mother had vanished early in her childhood, leaving her father, a renowned Pokémon researcher named Dr. Hale, as her only family.
However, while investigating strange ancient texts shaped like eyes and letters—the Unown—Dr. Hale mysteriously disappeared.
His assistant only brought back a wooden box containing text-like tiles. Driven by intense longing for her family, Molly's wishes resonated with the Unown, causing them to gather in large numbers. The Unown began to crystallize her entire house, covering the landscape in crystal!
Furthermore, the Unown manifested the Legendary Pokémon Entei, whom Molly confused with her father due to the stories he had once told her.
Thus, the powerful Entei became her father-figure—a manifestation of her desire for a complete family. This was the origin of the Legendary Emperor of the Crystal Tower.
[Flint: So the Unown manifested Entei... Do these Unown really possess such magical power?]
[Cynthia: Unown are recognized as one of the world's seven incredible powers. It is said that when they gather in large numbers, they gain reality-warping abilities!]
[Professor Oak: Because Dr. Hale had previously explained the legend of Entei to Molly, the Unown fused those concepts with her wish. Thus, this Entei was manifested as a result of her direct longing!]
[Caitlin: I wonder which is stronger—this Entei manifested by Unown, or the genuine Entei.]
Bruno's assessment was solid; appearance alone meant nothing when facing a Legend. It seemed that Ash's Charizard would inevitably conflict with this "false" Entei.
However, looking at the current progression, it was difficult to see where Ash's team currently stood in their journey.
In the Footage —
Following the manifestation of the Crystal Tower, the presentation returned to Ash Ketchum. He was still traveling with Misty and Brock, confirming they were likely still in the Johto region.
The three of them were shown eating together, while a group of Johto-native Pokémon—a Chikorita, a colorful Hoothoot, and a specific Noctowl—were eating nearby.
The timeline was unclear, but regardless of the specifics, it was guaranteed that Charizard had not been training in Charizard Valley for very long.
This meant the fire dragon shown was not yet fully developed. Was this underdeveloped Charizard truly capable of matching the manifested Entei—even if it was technically a fabrication?
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