DP189: Difference between revisions

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'''The Semi-Final Frontier!''' (Japanese: '''シンオウリーグ準決勝！ダークライ登場！！''' ''{{tt|Shin'ō|Sinnoh}} League Semi-Finals! Enter Darkrai!!'') is the 189th episode of the {{series|Diamond & Pearl}}, and the 655th episode of the [[Pokémon anime]]. It first aired in Japan on August 26, 2010, and in the United States on January 22, 2011.

{{spoilers}}

It's now time for the semi-finals of the [[Lily of the Valley Conference]], and {{Ash}} has found himself up against {{si|Tobias}}, the Trainer who has managed to defeat all the [[Sinnoh]] [[Gym Leader]]s and all the other competitors using only his {{p|Darkrai}}. As battle commences, Tobias unsurprisingly sends out Darkrai to battle first, whilst Ash sends out his {{AP|Heracross}}. {{an|Brock}} comments that it's a good choice to use a {{type|Bug}} like Heracross against a {{type|Dark}} Pokémon like Darkrai. Tobias tells Darkrai to use {{m|Ice Beam}} whilst Ash has Heracross use {{m|Hyper Beam}} and the two attacks collide. Ash then commands {{m|Horn Attack}}, but Darkrai intercepts it with a {{m|Dark Void}} putting Heracross straight to {{status|sleep}}. Luckily Ash is prepared for this and calls out for a {{m|Sleep Talk}}, which turns into {{m|Megahorn}}. The Megahorn slams into Darkrai, who quickly rebounds and knocks out Heracross with a {{m|Dream Eater}} attack.  

Ash recalls Swellow thanking it for trying its best, but fights back tears as the reality of the situation sets in. He only has one Pokémon left to fight and he looks ready to forfeit. Dawn, Brock, and Barry, unwilling to see Ash give up, tell him that he could still make a comeback. Ash looks at the scoreboard, which displays the daunting fact that Ash has only one Pokémon left which Tobias still has Latios and four others. {{AP|Pikachu}} is also upset at the seemingly hopeless situation but Ash tells Pikachu that he isn't giving up yet and Pikachu lets his Trainer know he's ready to battle. Ash pulls back his [[Ash's hat|hat]] backwards and sends Pikachu in knowing that no matter what, he and his Pokémon will always give it their all. Despite having gained respect for his opponent, Tobias is certain that this will be their last bout, and hopes that they'll both do their best.

Latios flies by and arcs up back into the sky, and unbeknownst to it, Pikachu has managed to get onto its back. Latios turns and sees Pikachu hanging on tightly. Pikachu uses {{m|Thunderbolt}} on the flying Latios, causing severe damage. Tobias tells Latios to shake Pikachu off, and Latios flies around trying to shake Pikachu off. However, he is hanging on for dear life and uses Thunderbolt again, causing Latios more damage which is now beginning to take its toll. Tobias then orders Latios to use {{m|Light Screen}}, which cuts the power of Thunderbolt when Pikachu uses it again.

==Major events==  

* [[Ash's Heracross]] is revealed to have learned {{m|Hyper Beam}}.

* [[Ash's Sceptile]] is revealed to have learned {{m|Leaf Storm}}.

{{animeevents}}

* {{p|Pikachu}} ({{OP|Ash|Pikachu}})

* {{p|Meowth}} ({{TRM}})

* {{p|Wobbuffet}} ({{OP|Jessie|Wobbuffet}})

* {{p|Heracross}} ({{OP|Ash|Heracross}})

* {{p|Swellow}} ({{OP|Ash|Swellow}})

==Trivia==  

* Another [[AG190|episode]] has a similar English title as this episode.

* This episode marks the only time {{Ash}} has flipped his {{TP|Ash|hat}} in the {{series|Diamond & Pearl}} during battle.

* This episode's English title is a reference to the phrase ''the final frontier''.

===Errors===

* After Ash told Pikachu to use Quick Attack the first time, he said for Pikachu to use Volt Tackle. When it hit Latios's Giga Impact, it was Quick Attack.

===Dub edits===

|it={{tt|La semifinale!|The semi-final!}}

|no={{tt|Semifinaleslaget!|The semi-final battle!}}

|pt_eu={{tt|A Penúltima Fronteira!}}

|pl={{tt|Półfinałowa przeszkoda!|Semi-final obstacle!}}

|es_la={{tt|¡La frontera Semi-Final!}}

|es_eu={{tt|¡La frontera de las semi-finales!|The Semi-Finals Frontier!}}

|sv={{tt|Semifinalgränsen!|The semi-final frontier!}}

}}

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[[Category:Episodes focusing on Pikachu|655]]

[[Category:Pokémon League episodes|655]]

[[de:Unbesiegbar gibt's nicht!! (Episode)]]

[[ja:DP編第189話]]