Japanese Title: The Hoenn Region, Site of Fierce Fights! The Battle Frontier Challenge!!
Original Airdate: December 29, 2019
US Airdate: June 12, 2020
Are you feeling like yourself, Mimey?
Ash and Goh heads for the Hoenn region to compete in the Battle Frontier Flute Cup. Among the competitors there is Hodge, a tough trainer who easily knocks Goh out of the contest.
- Bait-and-Switch: Hodge's character. He appears riding his Hariyama, dressed in clothes resembling a Garchomp and looking like a regular street punk who demands Ash to move out of the way...because he wants to have Hariyama lean down and he can put his water bottle in the recycling bin.
- Beware the Nice Ones: This episode proves that Mimey really can fight. Presumably, this is why Ash has always left him at home with Delia - would you come after her with that as a line of defence?
- Bookends: Hodge appearing to Ash on his Hariyama.
- Chekhov's Skill: Mimey's Barrier practice at the beginning of the episode are what it uses to fight off against Hodge's Hariyama.
- Continuity Nod:
- Pikachu defeats Mightyena with the same Electroweb/Iron Tail combo he used against Gladion's Silvally during Manalo League.
- It's worth noting that Ash's easy tournament domination is a testament to his battle prowess and skill as the inaugural Alola Champion. This also implies that his abilities have remained intact and on par since his last championship win.
- Crazy-Prepared: Goh catches three Wurmple to have a better chance of getting both branched evolutions.
- Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Mimey! It may look like a mime and dedicated houseworker, but it can fight off a Hariyama like it was nothing!
- Curb-Stomp Battle:
- Hodge's Mightyena wastes Goh without suffering a single hit.
- Ash dominated the tournament by solely utilizing Pikachu and Mimey, the latter seemingly chosen to demonstrate to Goh that any Pokemon can claim victory with some effort. This was done to resurrect Goh's battling spirit after his demoralizing loss to the same trainer. The reaction of everyone, including the announcer, implies that Ash only used Pikachu throughout the tournament and kept Mimey as a surprise for the finale.
- Dark Is Not Evil: Hodge has a Face of a Thug and the Dark-type Mightyena, but he's a Graceful Loser and only just asked Ash to move aside so he can throw his water bottle away properly.
- Didn't See That Coming: Ash chooses Mimey as his second party member for the tourney. Even more, it manages to put up a pretty good fight against Hodge's Hariyama!
- Face of a Thug: Hodge has shark teeth and a huge pompadour, and is introduced cast in dark shadows. However, he quickly proves to be a pretty nice guy and a Friendly Rival to Goh and Ash.
- Foil: This episode shows a distinction to Goh and Ash as trainers. Goh is a newbie who uses the stats of his Pokémon along with type effectiveness and Status Buff to fight. Unfortunately, Hodge's Mightyena uses a Fire Fang on Scyther and knocks it out in quick succession. Ash, on the other hand, has much more experience in battling, can use unorthodox Pokémon (like Mr. Mime) and use his surroundings (use Electroweb on a hole in the ceiling so Pikachu can slingshot his way to fight Mightyena) and trusts his gut instinct alone.
- Foreshadowing: When Goh is selecting his second party member, Pinsir is meek while Scyther immediately steps up. Goh's cocky attitude reflects Scyther's.
- Mythology Gag:
- The flutes that are offered up are the soot flutes that can be made in Route 113 in the Hoenn games.
- Mimey also starts to look and act like the shady Mr. Mime from Pokémon Detective Pikachu.
- Naïve Newcomer: New trainer Goh, despite his preparations, isn't in-sync with Scorbunny and Scyther enough to get far in the competition nor does he have any training to go off against Hodge.
- Psychotic Smirk: Mimey gives off a mean one when preparing to battle in the Flute Cup.
- Rage Quit: Goh immediately goes "SCREW THIS!" after his loss against Hodge and proclaims that capturing Pokémon is better than battling. It takes having to see Ash win to make him change his mind.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: While Mimey is willing to take on Hariyama, the minute Mightyena appears, it decides to quit.
- Sore Loser: After Goh loses in the first round, being dealt a Curb-Stomp Battle, as soon as his Pokémon are healed he runs off, declaring that catching Pokémon is better than battling.
