The time has come for Ash's battle against Drasna! But don't let her sweet demeanor fool you—she's out to win, and she's going to make sure Ash doesn't beat her! Ash has a plan with his Sirfetch'd and Dracovish—but is it enough to win?
This episode contains the following tropes:
- Beware the Nice Ones: Drasna is very much a Granny Classic in every way—polite, sweet, and quite charming to everyone she meets. But that doesn't mean she isn't going to destroy you if she means it. And she's got a very strong grip.
- Call-Back: The episode ends with Bonnie making a declaration—Drasna is to take care of her brother, only for Clemont to drag her away in embarrassment as he reminds her that he told her a million times not to do that. Just like in every XY episode where she pulled that stunt, though this time he's more peeved about it.
- Everyone Laughs Ending: The episode ends with everyone else laughing at an embarrassed Clemont dragging Bonnie away.
- Graceful Loser: Drasna takes her defeat in stride, and congratulates Ash as a Worthy Opponent.
- Heroic Willpower: Both Sirfetch'd and Dracovish take a lot of punishment in this episode, but refuse to give in. Even Drasna was impressed with how tough her two opponents were.
- Nice Girl: Silk Hiding Steel aside, Drasna is really as polite and kind as she seems. When Bonnie tries to get Drasna to marry her brother, she humorously takes it in stride.
- Noodle Incident: Apparently Drasna had soundly beaten Clemont before, but he refuses to discuss what happened.
- Once Done, Never Forgotten: Bonnie lightly ribs her brother for losing to Drasna, something of which he's quite embarrassed about.
- Out-Gambitted: Ash has Dracovish use Water Gun to soak Mega Altaria and make it impossible to use Cotton Guard, then finish it off with Dragon Rush, but Drasna expected it and Mega Altaria tanks the move with no damage—because Mega Evolving changed its typing from Dragon/Flying to Dragon/Fairy. Clemont realized what would happen, but he warned Ash too late.
- Silk Hiding Steel: For all the sweet demeanor Drasna puts on both on and off the battlefield, she quickly demonstrates that she's not an Elite Four member for nothing.
- Tears of Joy: Wilkstrom, upon seeing Sirfetch'd pop out of its Pokéball to cheer Dracovish on, bursts into tears over seeing such a noble gesture.
- Took a Level in Badass: In a first for Ash's career, he successfully defeats a member of the Elite Four. Compare that to his battle against Flint back in Diamond and Pearl, where he got the floor wiped with him
- True Companions: When Sirfetch'd is called back to tackle Drasna's Altaria, Dracovish pops out of its ball to cheer its teammate on—a gesture of which Sirfetch'd returns when it falls and Dravocish is called out to finish the battle.
- Wham Episode: Ash not only defeats his first Elite Four member on screen, but his rank rises to #9, putting him on the cusp of entry into the Masters Eight.
