History Recap / PokemonS1E9TheSchoolOfHardKnocks

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Pikachu wins the match against Cubone by hurling Cubone's Bonemerang back at it after managing to stun it.

* WithFriendsLikeThese: Quoted almost verbatim by Brock when Joe explains that the other students are his friends and are trying to help him learn (via intense bullying).

** That aspect (along with standard Pokémon battles) gets deconstructed with Ash's Pikachu vs Giselle's Cubone. Ash is relatively new rookie while Giselle is relatively an advanced student. Ash ends up winning by having Pikachu do improvised moves and tactics as opposed to the standard by-the-book method employed by Giselle, which ends up causing Cubone to be knocked out by its own Bonemerang.

* BagOfHolding: Brock's backpack is somehow able to carry an entire dining table set, complete with fine china, silverware, and candles.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

** Giselle stands out as the ''one girl'' that [[ObliviousToLove Ash]] shows any attraction towards[[note]]Aside from ''[[ShipTease possibly]]'' Serena or Misty[[/note]], as well as the one time Brock shows that much attraction towards a younger girl.

** Giselle stands out as the ''one girl'' that Ash shows any attraction towards, as well as the one time Brock shows that much attraction towards a younger girl.

** Giselle stands out as the ''one girl'' that Ash shows any attraction towards.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Brock's response to Giselle after seeing a photo of her.
-->'''Brock:''' She can violate my rights.

* MeaningfulName: In Japanese, Giselle's name is Yuto Seiyo, which when pronounced in proper Asian order with the surname coming first becomes a reference to "honor student," fitting given that she is the top student at Pokémon Tech.

** Giselle intentionally establishes herself as a highly skilled trainer by beating Misty's water Pokemon with a rock type.
** Misty less intentionally demonstrates her talents as a Gym Leader when she easily beats a grass type with her water type Pokemon.

** One of the very few early episodes the reference Pokémon learning certain moves at certain levels.

* PercussiveTherapy: After Pikachu falls off Joe's treadmill, a FunnyBackgroundEvent sees him angrily kicking it. [[DidntThinkThisThrough He ends up hurting his foot]].

*** To look at things from another perspective, it's true that grass moves are strong against water type Pokémon, but Weepinbell is Grass/Poison and Starmie is Water/Psychic. Psychic moves are strong against poison types and if Misty had used a psychic move against Weepinbell, it would've taken much more of a beating than what was shown.

** When asked how long he has been traveling, Ash replies "two months". Most answers to that question provided in later episodes are much vaguer.

* AlphaBitch: Giselle, although she is shown to be a LovableAlphaBitch by the end.

* BreakTheHaughty: Downplayed. Giselle is dumbfounded when Pikachu defeats her Cubone, and acts ''slightly'' more modest from that point on.

* VillainDecay: Team Rocket manages to enter Pokémon Tech... only to get booted out by Giselle.

Ash, Misty, and Brock encounter a thick fog while traveling. They come upon a group of children in school uniforms drilling a smaller student on Pidgey while forcing him to run a treadmill. Ash interferes with their bullying, only to be told all about Pokémon Tech, the première Pokémon school that lets you enter the Pokémon league without badges. The fog clears up, apparently an artificial effect caused by the school. The boy introduces himself as Joe. Joe inadvertently insults Misty's gym, and she challenges him to a fight. Even though Joe uses a grass type Pokémon, Misty beats him with her greater experience. An attractive girl named Giselle shows up to berate Joe and make fun of Ash. She beats Misty using a rock type, despite the type disadvantage and then faces Ash with Cubone that uses "cheap" bone related moves. Ash pulls her own trick on her by beating her with Pikachu, by ordering him to do cheap moves.

Ash, Misty, and Brock encounter a thick fog while traveling. They come upon a group of children in school uniforms drilling a smaller student on Pidgey while forcing him to run a treadmill. Ash interferes with their bullying, only to be told all about Pokémon Tech, the première Pokémon school that lets you enter the Pokémon league without badges. The fog clears up, apparently an artificial effect caused by the school. The boy introduces himself as Joe. Joe inadvertently insults Misty's gym, and she challenges him to a fight. Even though Joe uses a grass type Pokémon, Misty beats him with her greater experience. An attractive girl named Giselle shows up to berate Joe and make fun of Ash. She beats Misty using a ground/rock type, despite the type disadvantage and then faces Ash with a ground type Cubone. Ash pulls her own trick on her by beating her with his electric type Pikachu, by ordering him to do non-electrical attacks.

** The ElementalRockPaperScissors advantage is deconstructed when Misty's Starmie (Water-type) defeats Joe's Weepinbell (Grass-type), and later Giselle's Graveler (Rock/Ground-type) defeating Misty's Starmie. At first it seems to be based on the level experience of the Pokémon and trainer but...

** Giselle intentionally establishes herself as a highly skilled trainer by beating Misty's water Pokemon with a rock/ground-type.

** The ElementalRockPaperScissors advantage is deconstructed when Misty's Starmie (Water-type) defeats Joe's Weepinbell (Grass-type), and later Giselle's Graveler (Rock-type) defeating Misty's Starmie. At first it seems to be based on the level experience of the Pokémon and trainer but...

** Giselle intentionally establishes herself as a highly skilled trainer by beating Misty's water Pokemon with a rock-type.