Ash's Charizard: Difference between revisions

===Kanto===

====With Damian====

Charmander originally belonged to a braggart Trainer named [[Damian]]. However, in ''[[EP011|Charmander - the Stray Pokémon!]]'', Damian grew tired of Charmander being weak and abandoned it, leaving it on a rocky outcrop and telling it that he would come back later. Charmander's health deteriorated, but it was able to resist capture by {{Ash}} twice before explaining to {{AP|Pikachu}} that it was waiting for Damian. Later, Ash met Damian and learned of his plans that he would never return for it. Outraged but mostly concerned for Charmander, who was now stuck out in the rain loyally awaiting Damian, {{an|Brock}}, Ash and {{an|Misty}} rushed to its rescue, with Brock carrying it to the [[Pokémon Center]] whilst Ash sheltered the little remaining tail flame with his coat.

Charmander recovered in ER and promptly left the Pokémon Center to resume its wait for Damian. However, it came across [[Team Rocket trio|Team Rocket]], who had stolen Pikachu. Charmander ordered them to return Pikachu, and when they ignored it, blasted them with {{m|Flamethrower}} to send them running away, leaving behind Pikachu. Ash invited Charmander to join them, but Damian turned up with a bunch of Poké Balls and said that he had abandoned Charmander on purpose in order to allow it to toughen up. Damian throws a Poké Ball at it but the lizard Pokémon deflected the ball. Charmander, having seen Damian's character, staunchly refused and when Damian threatened to crush it with all of his other Pokémon, it attacked Damian with a Flamethrower attack alongside Pikachu. Damian fled and Charmander happily joined Ash's team.

Charmander immediately became one of Ash's main Pokémon, being used in the [[EP012|very next episode]] as a torch to help Ash through the caves. Also, it ganged up with a group of other Charmander on the [[St. Anne]] in ''[[EP015|Battle Aboard the St. Anne]]'' to repel Team Rocket Grunts. In ''[[EP023|The Tower of Terror]]'', Ash sent it out to lead the way through the haunted tower, but was terrified of the {{type|Ghost|ghosts}} and Ash recalled it after it became paralysed by {{TP|Sabrina|Haunter}}'s {{m|Lick}}.

In ''[[EP025|Primeape Goes Bananas]]'', Charmander battled a beserking {{AP|Primeape}} which it finally subdued after learning {{m|Rage}}, which vastly increased its firepower and allowed it to knock Primeape out with a devastating Flamethrower. Charmander made its Gym Battle debut in [[EP026|the next episode]], where it defeated [[Erika]]'s {{p|Weepinbell}} after burning {{m|Razor Leaf}} and then striking a powerful {{m|Skull Bash}}. However, the pure stench emitting from her {{p|Gloom}} caused Charmander to choke and faint.

In ''[[EP032|The Ninja Poké-Showdown]]'', Charmander battled [[Koga]]'s {{p|Venomoth}} briefly before their match was interrupted by Team Rocket. For the official Gym battle, Charmander went up against [[Koga's Golbat]] and defeated it with {{m|Ember}} and {{m|Fire Spin}}. Charmander's power continued to grow, easily defeating a {{p|Golem}} owned by a bikie named [[Chopper]], despite the type disadvantage in ''[[EP036|The Bike Bridge Gang]]''. The flames from Charmander's attack were so powerful that Golem continued to burn and the heat went through the Poké Ball.

The rise in battle experience reached its peak in ''[[EP043|March of the Exeggutor Squad]]'', where it single-handedly stopped a large number of rampaging {{p|Exeggutor}}. Subsequently, Charmander [[Evolution|evolved]] into {{p|Charmeleon}}.

In ''[[EP044|The Problem with Paras]]'', it was revealed that Charmeleon had lost its loyalty to Ash, attacking a {{p|Paras}} when Ash was trying to deliberately lose in order to help {{p|Paras}} evolve. [[Cassandra]]'s grandmother explained that Charmeleon's skill level had exceeded Ash's, and therefore it did not respect him anymore. Ironically a rampaging Charmeleon was stopped when Paras, desperately trying to avoid punishment, jabbed at it with a claw. After evolving into {{p|Parasect}}, it put Charmeleon to sleep with {{m|Spore}} and allowed Ash to recall it. Cassandra's grandmother warned Ash that he needed to learn to control Charmeleon.

Ash stopped using his disobedient Charmeleon, but tried again in ''[[EP046|Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon]]'' to repel wild Fossil Pokémon, which it refused to do. When an {{p|Aerodactyl}} swooped past knocking Charmeleon over, Charmeleon proudly fought back but was unable to do anything. It then jumped up and grabbed the escaping Aerodactly's tail and followed it into the open air, but was shaken off. Angry, Charmeleon evolved into {{p|Charizard}} and flew after Aerodactly to avenge its injured pride. It managed to catch Ash and put him on the ground, but retained its disobedience.  

Charizard's disloyalty began to cost Ash in the business end of his journey, throwing away a round with [[Blaine]] in ''[[EP058|Riddle Me This]]'', as Charizard simply loafed off and allowed {{p|Rhydon}} an easy win with {{m|Horn Drill}}. In [[EP059|the next episode]], Charizard refused to help damn the volcano, but changed its mind after seeing Blaine's powerful {{TP|Blaine|Magmar}} contributing. After working together, the duo were left with a burning desire to test each other's strength. Blaine permitted a battle at the peak of the volcano, and the two seem evenly matched. Magmar drops Charizard into the lava, but Charizard regains the upper hand by dazing Magmar with an aerial submission and then knocking it out with its powerful {{m|Seismic Toss}}.

Charizard's disloyalty cost Ash greatly in the battle against [[Ritchie]] in ''[[EP079|Friend and Foe Alike]]''. Down to one Pokémon, Ash called Charizard into battle against [[Zippo]], and surprisingly decided to battle and force Zippo to flee from a far superior Flamethrower, causing Ritchie to concede the round. However, when [[Sparky]] came out, Charizard condescendingly stomped the ground and flapped his wings against the little Pikachu, before going to sleep, refusing to battle. Ash lost the round and Ritchie advanced onto the next round.

Charizard continued to go off on its own agenda during battles, such as in ''[[EP099|The Mandarin Island Miss Match]]''. Charizard took down a boy's {{p|Tauros}} with a single attack, before flying away and attempting to burn everything. Ash was unable to recall him and only the intervention of [[Prima]] and her {{p|Slowbro}} using {{m|Disable}} allowed Ash to recall it.

In ''[[EP105|Charizard Chills]]'', Charizard battled [[Tad]]'s {{p|Poliwrath}}. It blatantly refused to listen to Ash's commands, continuing to try Flamethrowers despite them having no effect on Poliwrath. Tad and Poliwrath shrugged all of them off until Poliwrath responded with a Water Gun that nearly doused the flame on Charizard's tail. It was then encased in ice by Poliwrath's {{m|Ice Beam}}, much to Ash's horror. Ash managed to smash the ice encasing Charizard's head, and Tad walked away scornfully, telling Ash that they would have a rematch when he could control Charizard.

Ash stayed up all night trying to thaw it out and, in the process, rubbed his hands completely raw. The selfless act reminded Charizard of everything Ash had done for it since it was a Charmander. By morning, Charizard's respect for and loyalty to Ash had returned, and it helped Ash rescue Pikachu from Team Rocket. Ash and Pikachu were knocked senseless during the rescue, and Charizard became so incensed it learned {{m|Dragon Rage}}. In a rematch with Tad and Poliwrath, Charizard learned to dodge Ice Beam and knocked Poliwrath into the air, before defeating it with Seismic Toss.

It participated in Ash's Gym battle against [[Luana]] in ''[[EP108|Double Trouble]]''.  It fought Luana's {{p|Alakazam}} and {{p|Marowak}} alongside Ash's Pikachu in the series' first [[double battle]]. The two Pokémon initially had trouble collaborating, but eventually managed to work together: Pikachu helped to free Charizard from Alakazam's {{m|Psychic}} attack and Charizard caught Pikachu after it was hit by Marowak's {{m|Body Slam}} attack. Charizard's skillfull flying caused Marowak and Alakazam to knock each other out, giving Ash the Jade Star Badge.

===Johto===

Charizard also accompanied Ash on his journey to the Johto region, although it became apparent that it was unfairly superior than most of Ash's early competition. This was shown especially in ''[[EP118|The Double Trouble Header]]'', where [[Casey]]'s {{p|Pidgey}} was beaten by Charizard exhaling and {{p|Rattata}} was defeated merely by bouncing of Charizard's stomach. A single Flamethrower beat {{TP|Casey|Chikorita}} and allowed Charizard to win in the sweep, despite the disapproval of Misty and Brock. Team Rocket later capitulated on Casey's frustration, calling Charizard an illegal choice by Ash.

It participated in Ash's first Johto Gym battle against [[Falkner]], where it battled Falkner's {{p|Pidgeot}}. Due to the latter's impressive {{stat|Speed}}, Charizard was put on the back foot, with Pidgeot's {{m|Whirlwind}} reflecting its Flamethrower back onto it. It was then knocked back down by a combination of {{m|Wing Attack}} and {{m|Quick Attack}}. Falkner tells Ash to surrender but Ash refuses and Charizard gains the strength to fight back and fly above Quick Attack. Charizard then baited Pidgeot, spinning around in midair when Pidgeot flew behind it and hitting it with Fire Spin, before seizing it and hurling it into the ground with Seismic Toss. Pidgeot was knocked out and Ash won the Zephyr badge.

In ''[[EP134|Charizard's Burning Ambition]]'', Misty criticised Ash for using Charizard too often against fresh young Trainers, making him unbeatable but in an unfair way. Ash then met {{Jo|Liza}}, who taught Ash and Charizard how to fly together. After arriving in the [[Charicific Valley]], Charizard was humiliated by Liza's insult and proudly tried to show of its power, but was shown to be smaller and weaker than the wild Charizard who lived there. Charizard continues to pick fights and get beaten until Liza locks them out of the Valley, having [[Charla]] throw Charizard into the lake and telling it and Ash to stay away until they have trained and reflected. Team Rocket sympathises with Charizard and help it to stay awake in the lake, as well as making a false attempt to break into the Valley, allowing Charizard to defeat them and win acclaim from Liza, Charla and the wild Charizard.

In ''[[EP254|Better Eight Than Never]]'', Charizard battled against Clair's Dragonair in his rematch with her by causing the water in the gym's pool to evaporate with its {{m|Flamethrower}} and {{m|Fire Spin}}, thus depriving Dragonair of its protection. It then caught Dragonair with Seismic Toss and used Fire Spin to create a flaming twister to wear down Dragonair's defences before it hit the ground and was knocked out. Ash surprised Liza by sending it back for training, knowing that Charizard belongs in the Valley.

Ash later used Charizard in the [[Silver Conference]] during his fight against [[Gary Oak]] in ''[[EP270|Can't Beat the Heat!]]'', as Brock had made a late night call to Liza requesting Charizard for the battle. [[Gary's Blastoise]] and {{p|Scizor}} cut Ash's team down to only Charizard who had to fight three opponents single-handedly. It managed to match Scizor's speed and took advantage of its significant type advantage, blasting Scizor with Flamethrower. Despite Gary's Golem's weight preventing Charizard from using its Seismic Toss, Charizard overcame it with a powerful Dragon Rage. Charizard struggled against Blastoise, as it had supreme defensive capabilities and could keep Charizard at bay with Hydro Pump. Thinking outside the square, Charizard superheated the field and forced Blastoise to cool the molten rock. This created a huge steamcloud and allowed Charizard to seize Blastoise at close range. Blastoise could still use {{m|Withdraw}} to dodge Dragon Rage, so Charizard hurled Blastoise into the ground with Seismic Toss, taking Blastoise out and leaving Ash as the winner.

===Kanto Battle Frontier===

Charizard can be called upon at any time. In ''[[AG136|The Symbol Life]]'', it returned for Ash's first {{Gdis|Battle Frontier|III}} battle, where it took on [[Noland's Articuno]] at the {{DL|Battle Frontier (Generation III)|Battle Factory}}. Ash and Charizard flew together, where Charizard demonstrated a far improved {{m|Flamethrower}} and that it had learned {{m|DragonBreath}}. In battle it showed that it was a match even for the Legendary Pokémon, using Flamethrower to burn through {{m|Ice Beam}} and strike Articuno. However, Articuno did not take damage from Flamethrower or DragonBreath, flattening Charizard by blinding it with {{m|Mist}} and then knocking it to the ground with {{m|Steel Wing}}. Articuno then inflicted serious damage with {{m|Water Pulse}} and froze Charizard's wing tip, crippling its movements. Finally, Charizard used  {{m|Overheat}}, which it had just learned, to melt the ice, then it caught Articuno as it tried to use {{m|Steel Wing}}; before striking with a Seismic Toss. Charizard collapsed, but managed to get up just as Articuno passed out, giving Ash and Charizard the victory.

The emotional turmoil of being abandoned by Damian defined Ash's Charizard whilst it was a Charmander. Despite the scorn it received from Damian, it remained loyal to him, convinced that it had a good relationship where in fact none existed. Even when made to sit through a rain storm in hunger and fatigue, loyalty never wavered and Charmander almost lost its life doing so. Even kindness from Ash and Brock was not enough to show him Damian's true nature, and only a violent confrontation revealed to him the unhealthy nature of his and Damian's relationship. Charmander struggled with this abandonment, as seen in ''[[EP017|Island of the Giant Pokémon]]'', it became discouraged when {{AP|Bulbasaur}} suggested that Ash had abandoned them all.

Despite being one of Ash's most often used Pokémon, Charmander's evolution saw Charmeleon grow distant from Ash, scorning all of its former friends and seeking power alone. Charmeleon had grown to become like Damian, obsessed with power and reputation whilst ignoring the value of friendship, loyalty and kindness. Charmeleon's battle with {{p|Aerodactyl}} was purely based on a bruised ego, just as Charizard's later battles with {{TP|Blaine|Magmar}}, [[Zippo]] and the clone Charizard were.  

Once Ash made the selfless act to save Charizard from freezing, Charizard finally shook off the poisonous personality traits left by Damian and regained full loyalty to Ash. His ability to work as a team was hampered but when working together with {{AP|Pikachu}} to defeat [[Luana]], he finally fit in with the rest of the team. However, Charizard maintained the rebellious Flamethrower attacks as a sign of affection for his master and whilst Charizard was loyal, his love of power and reputation remained. This was shown significantly in its departing episode, where he brashly challenged each of the wild Charizard at Characific Valley even though he was defeated every time.

===Moves improvised===

*'''Aerial Submission''' was used by Charizard in ''[[EP059|Volcanic Panic]]''. Charizard spins while flying, causing damage to [[Blaine's Magmar]], who was clinging on to Charizard.

*'''Flaming Seismic Toss''' was used in ''[[EP254|Better Eight Than Never]]'' which is a combination of Charizard's {{m|Seismic Toss}} and {{m|Fire Spin}} along with {{TP|Clair|Dragonair}}'s {{m|Dragon Rage}}.