Gym Leader: Difference between revisions

A Gym Leader's job is not just to test upcoming Trainers. They must oversee how their respective Gym is run and to maintain it. Great care must be taken to make sure that their Gym reflects the best environment for the Pokémon [[type]] and playing style of choice, usually an environment that suits that type of Pokémon used there (like pools in a {{type|Water}} Gym or flowers and plants in a {{type|Grass}} Gym). According to [[Morty]], teaching young people how to battle with Pokémon can also be the job of a Gym Leader.

It has not exactly been made clear how Gym Leaders attain their position, but it appears that it varies for each Gym. Some of them founded their Gym and are self-appointed<!--who?-->; others, such as [[Whitney]], are chosen by the other members of the region's Pokémon League. A few appear to be passed on through families: [[Janine]], [[Falkner]], and [[Flannery]] all take over their respective Gyms from a close family member. However, Gyms do not necessarily belong to a particular family; [[Roark]] and his dad [[Byron]] are both Gym Leaders at the same time, in different Gyms. Leaders can also choose to vacate their position; examples include [[Koga]], [[Giovanni]], and [[Wallace]].

*In ''[[EP005|Showdown in Pewter City]]'', Brock ''gives'' Ash the {{badge|Boulder}} after Pikachu's Electric attack caused a fire, ultimately setting off the Gym's sprinklers and weakening {{TP|Brock|Onix}} enough to allow Pikachu to fight back with another Electric attack.

*Misty's sisters ''gave'' the {{badge|Cascade}} to Ash in ''[[EP007|The Water Flowers of Cerulean City]]'' after Pikachu's Thunderbolt saved the Gym and its Water Pokémon from Team Rocket's giant vacuum machine.

*''[[EP014|Electric Shock Showdown]]'' is the first episode in which Ash can actually be considered as having ''earned'' a badge. His Pikachu struck Lt. Surge's {{TP|Lt. Surge|Raichu}} in the stomach, hammering it with what can be described as an electric Slam attack, thus earning Ash the {{badge|Thunder}}.

*Sabrina's {{TP|Sabrina|Kadabra}} was defeated in ''[[EP024|Haunter versus Kadabra]]'' only as a result of Haunter making Sabrina and Kadabra laugh so much as to render the latter unable to battle. Thanks to the Haunter Ash met in the [[Pokémon Tower]], the {{badge|Marsh}} was ''given'' to him by Sabrina's father.

*The {{badge|Rainbow}} was ''given'' to Ash after he saved Erika's {{TP|Erika|Gloom}} from her burning Gym caused by Team Rocket's blaster bomb in ''[[EP026|Pokémon Scent-sation!]]''.

*Ash ''earned'' the {{badge|Soul}} in ''[[EP032|The Ninja Poké-Showdown]]'' after his Charmander defeated Koga's {{TP|Koga|Golbat}} with Ember and Fire Spin.

*In ''[[EP059|Volcanic Panic]]'' Ash's Charizard delivered a devastating defeat to Blaine's {{TP|Blaine|Magmar}} by using an aerial Submission followed by a Seismic Toss. Thus Ash leaves Cinnabar Island having ''earned'' the {{badge|Volcano}}.

*Ash's eighth and final Gym Badge was ''given'' to him after Jessie, James and Meowth accidentally rigged their own platform to explode, blasting themselves off in ''[[EP063|The Battle of the Badge]]''. The {{badge|Earth}} is then seen falling into Ash's hands as the Viridian City Gym collapses.

*Double Battles were introduced officially for the first time in ''[[EP108|Pokémon Double Trouble]]'' in Ash's fourth and final Orange Crew Gym battle against Luana, who specializes in them. Here Ash used Pikachu and a newly-obedient Charizard to defeat Luana and earn the {{badge|Jade Star}}.

In the [[Johto]] region, one needs to earn eight badges in order to participate in the [[Johto League|Silver League]].

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