Ep. 81: Ash Chooses to Rescue Pikachu Over Ritchie's Battle

81

Ash promised Ritchie the best battle of his life, but Team Rocket attempted to steal Pikachu during the event. Ash refused to let the theft force him to break his promise, successfully rescuing Pikachu and arriving at the stadium in time for the match. Despite his efforts to keep his word, Ash ultimately lost the final stretch of his battle against Ritchie. This defeat occurred because Ash deliberately sent out Charizard, fully aware that the Pokémon would allow Ritchie to advance to the quarterfinals instead of fighting seriously.