Ash and co. arrive at the Canalave Gym for Ash's gym battle, but the gym leader, Byron, is busy arguing with his son, who turns out to be none other than Roark, the Oreburgh Gym Leader. It seems that the two of them get into arguments about anything they can think of, especially when it comes to who loves fossils more, and all Roark wants to do is to get Byron to come home for his and his mom's anniversary. Roark laments his relationship with his father and how he originally just up and left to take the position of Canalave Gym Leader, but must put all that aside for the moment when it turns out that Team Rocket has stolen his father's fossil collection. As they work to get it back, Byron is especially interested in saving one particular fossil, which turns out to be one that Roark found and gave him as a child. It also turns out that Byron took the Canalave Gym Leader job so that Roark could take over the Oreburgh Gym and not be stuck as just his apprentice. With the family issues settled, Ash and Byron are now ready to have their gym battle.
Tropes
- Call-Back: Brock can easily sympathize with Roark on the topic of having father issues, considering what his own father is like.
- Comically Missing the Point: During the entire ordeal with Team Rocket, who stole Byron's fossil collection, Byron seems to be fixated on the art of digging holes, how well their holes were dug but also how he thinks they should dig their holes by hand.
- Daddy Had a Good Reason for Abandoning You: It turns out that the main reason Byron took the job offer to be Canalave Gym Leader is so that his son Roark could move up from just being an apprentice and become a gym leader himself.
- Failed a Spot Check: Byron doesn't notice that his fossil collection has been stolen until Roark points it out to him. To make it even sillier, every shelf in the room is (well, was) filled with fossils.
- Internal Reveal: Roark reveals to Ash, Brock, and Dawn that Byron is his dad, which anyone who's played the games will already know.
- Just a Kid: Byron uses this exact phrase when arguing with his son, followed by "You wouldn't know a fossil if it hit you on the head!"
- Large Ham: Byron ("I LOVE THIS HOLE!"). What did you expect from a character voiced by Dan Green?
- Lightning Glare: Roark and Byron do this to each other in the Canalave Gym while arguing about which of them loves fossils more.
- Memento MacGuffin: Byron's most treasured fossil is that of a Sunkern leaf, which Roark found and gave to him as a little boy.
- Parents as People: According to Roark, Byron doesn't really consult other people when making his decisions, though he later learns that his father's decision to become Canalave Gym Leader was also for his benefit.
- Poor Communication Kills: Byron didn't explain to Roark that he was leaving the Oreburgh Gym to him so he could become a proper Gym Leader instead of being stuck in his father's shadow, so Roark thought he was just being selfish and dumping his responsibilities on him so he could run off to hunt for fossils.
- Serious Business: When Ash and friends enter the Canalave Gym, the first thing they hear is Roark and Byron shouting at each other about who loves fossils more.
- Unstoppable Force Meets Immovable Object: The battle between Roark's Rampardos and Byron's Bastiodon emphasizes their roles as perfect offense and perfect defense. The battle is interrupted before a winner is determined.
- Wacky Parent, Serious Child: Throughout the episode, Byron keeps getting distracted by the beautiful holes dug by Team Rocket, with Roark having to keep his mind on track.
