Ash's Bayleef: Difference between revisions

Chikorita made her gym battle debut in ''[[EP131|Fighting Flyer with Fire]]'', where she took on [[Falkner]]'s {{p|Hoothoot}}. Ash showed that he believes in Chikorita by defending his choice to a disapproving Falkner, but Chikorita was outclassed by the {{type|Flying}}, who dodged her {{m|Vine Whip}} and {{m|Razor Leaf}} and then knocked it out with a {{m|Peck}} and a {{m|Tackle}}.

Chikorita's jealousy of Pikachu and resentment towards Ash arose in ''[[EP136|Chikorita's Big Upset]]''. Ash tried to withdraw Chikorita for Pikachu in a battle with a Trainer's {{p|Raticate}}, but Chikorita would not allow this and the battle was suspended by the time Ash caught her. She later ran away during the night and stumbled into the territory of a group of urban Pokémon. Lashing out at the {{p|Primeape|leader}}, she knocks it out and becomes the new leader. Team Rocket tries to take her and the other Pokémon with their robot made out of tires, but Ash risks himself to save her, and Chikorita returns the favor by catching him when he falls. The two then take down the robot and Chikorita forgives Ash and becomes friends with Pikachu.

[[File:Ash Bayleef affection.png|thumb|left|220px|With Ash, upon evolution into Bayleef]]

In ''[[EP199|Current Events]]'', Chikorita evolved into Bayleef to protect Ash from Team Rocket. However, it took a while for the amorous Pokémon to realize that she had grown so much - she continued to act as though she was still small enough to leap into Ash's arms for quite some time. This problem was addressed in the [[EP200|next episode]], where she ran away after Ash scolded her to "get away and stay away". Bayleef then came across [[Haruno]] and her Pokémon, and she and Ash made up in the process of taking down Team Rocket's giant Bayleef mecha. She learned {{m|Body Slam}} at the end of the episode.

She was briefly sent back to [[Professor Oak's Laboratory|Professor Oak's lab]] in ''[[EP216|Duelling Heroes]]'', in exchange for his {{AP|Kingler}}, who Ash needed to compete in the [[Whirl Cup]]. She did not warm up to Oak well, and Oak called Ash to inform him that Bayleef was restless. Finished with Kingler, Ash returned Bayleef to his team in the [[EP217|next episode]].

In Ash's Gym Battle against [[Chuck]] in ''[[EP209|Machoke, Machoke Man!]]'', Bayleef single-handedly won Ash the badge after Pikachu's defeat to {{p|Poliwrath}}. She bested Poliwrath in a display of strength, slamming Poliwrath to the ground with a {{m|Vine Whip}} and then using {{m|Body Slam}} to knock it out. She then fought Chuck's powerful {{p|Machoke}}, taking damage from {{m|Karate Chop}} and {{m|Submission}}, but showing good strategy by restricting Machoke's arms with her vines to block his {{m|Cross Chop}}, and then using her own Submission-induced momentum to in turn slam Machoke to the ground. She then used Body Slam and a point blank {{m|Razor Leaf}} to take out Machoke and win the battle.

It was the only member of his then-current team to make up Ash's team of six against [[Gary Oak]]. In ''[[EP270|Can't Beat the Heat!]]'', she was sent out to give Ash a type advantage over Gary's powerful {{TP|Gary|Blastoise}}, managing to use {{m|Vine Whip}} to jump above {{m|Hydro Pump}}. However, her aerial {{m|Razor Leaf}} was deflected by a {{m|Rapid Spin}}, and she was knocked out when Blastoise [[Bite (move)|bit]] her leaf and tossed her aside.

She redeemed this loss in ''[[EP271|Playing with Fire!]]'', in a battle with {{jo|Harrison}}'s {{p|Houndoom}}, again showing innovativeness by clamping Houndoom's jaw shut with Vine Whip and then using {{m|Body Slam}} to take it down. She put up her best efforts against {{TP|Harrison|Blaziken}}, but was unable to overcome another type disadvantage and was defeated by a {{m|Fire Punch}}. She was left at Professor Oak's lab before Ash departed for Hoenn.

===Hoenn===

She was reunited with Ash in ''[[AG133|The Right Place and the Right Mime]]'', where she rescued him from his stampeding {{AP|Tauros}}, who had carried him off in their excitement.

==Personality and characteristics==

[[File:Ash and Chikorita.png|200px|thumb|right|Chikorita showing affection]]

In the early part of the series, Bayleef developed what seemed to be a crush on Ash, constantly fighting for his attention and trying to get his approval. Her personality is stubborn, passionate and sometimes violent. She easily gets jealous of the attention Ash's other Pokémon receive - especially {{AP|Pikachu}}. However, some of her more extreme personality traits seemed to have mellowed with evolution. She has proven to be a powerful and tactical battler, often using her vines to restrict opponent's moves (clamping Houndoom's jaw and Machoke's arms) or even as a propeller to become airborne, a tactic later copied by Gary's {{p|Nidoqueen}}.