Brock's Crobat
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 Brock's Crobat | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Brock's Crobat (Japanese: タケシのクロバット Takeshi's Crobat) was the third Pokémon acquired by Brock in the animated series, and the first he caught within the series.
In animation
History
Pokémon the Series: The Beginning
Kanto
Crobat debuted in Clefairy and the Moon Stone as a Zubat flying out of Mt. Moon with many others of its kind. Unlike most captures, this occurred offscreen, as it did not become known that Brock had captured one until he used it in a battle against Ekans and Koffing. Ash was puzzled by its appearance, and Brock explained that he had caught it before they entered the cave, much to Ash's frustration, as he realized that he should have caught one as well. Zubat used Whirlwind alongside Ash's Butterfree to repel a Smokescreen, but Koffing tackled it. It recovered and used Supersonic, causing Ekans and Koffing to turn on each other, allowing Butterfree to send them flying. It was later seen being fed some of Brock's special Pokémon food, perched on his shoulder.
In Tentacool & Tentacruel, Zubat and Squirtle battled a giant Tentacruel, but it was knocked out by Tentacruel's attack.
Throughout its time with Brock, Zubat performed scouting for the group, doing so for the first time in Ditto's Mysterious Mansion. It, alongside Pidgeotto, searched and found Duplica's Ditto after it was stolen by Team Rocket.
Orange Islands
In Poké Ball Peril, when Brock decided to stay with Professor Ivy while Ash and Misty explored the Orange Islands, Zubat remained with him. It was seen, along with Onix, Geodude, and Vulpix, bidding goodbye to Ash and Misty as they parted ways with Brock. However, it returned with him to Pallet Town when he decided to leave Ivy.
Pokémon the Series: Gold and Silver
When Brock returned to the group in A Tent Situation, he brought Zubat with him, as revealed in Roll On, Pokémon!, where it failed to track down Rochelle's stolen Donphan. In The Whistle Stop, Zubat tried to track down a Ledyba but ended up disturbing a group of Golbat.
In Spell of the Unown: Entei, Zubat was called up against Molly Hale. It battled Flaaffy and, despite confusing it with Supersonic and landing a Wing Attack, was taken out by a Thunder Shock.
In Hassle in the Castle, Ash, Misty, and Brock entered a castle where a woman named Dr. Anna used different Pokémon for diagnosing and treating patients. One of these was her Zubat, Mimi, which used its Supersonic move to scan patients. Eager to impress the doctor, Brock sent out his Zubat to assist her. Jessie, James, and Meowth entered the scene, and Dr. Anna, Brock, and the two Zubat pursued them, causing them to become stuck in an underground maze. Dr. Anna had Mimi use Supersonic again to create a map, and with the assistance of Brock's Zubat an entire map of the maze was generated. They wandered through the maze and encountered multiple traps until their Zubat were able to find the exit door. It wouldn't open, however, and Team Rocket were given the opportunity to grab both of the Zubat, only to find themselves stuck as well. They were eventually freed from the maze by Pineco's Self-Destruct, and the two Zubat flew free of the bag they were held in. Team Rocket tried to make off with Ash's Pikachu, but the two Zubat blew away Weezing's Smokescreen, and Brock's Zubat engaged in battle with Team Rocket's Pokémon. During this battle, it evolved into Golbat, and was able to send Team Rocket packing with the help of Pikachu. Brock had hoped to stay and help Dr. Anna but had his hopes crushed when he learned that Golbat was so strong that its Supersonic overloaded Dr. Anna's computer.
In Mewtwo Returns, Golbat was sent out alongside Brock and Misty's Pokémon to stop Giovanni and the rest of Team Rocket from recapturing Mewtwo. Their distraction gave Ash the time he needed to take Mewtwo to the top of Mount Quena so it could be healed.
Golbat and Pineco watched over Brock when he fell ill in Sick Daze. It used Supersonic to prevent him from overexerting himself and keep him in bed. It also helped rescue the stolen Pokémon by destroying the balloon with Wing Attack and attacking Arbok and Weezing, again with Pineco.
In Control Freak!, Brock found and agreed to help a woman who was looking for two artifacts that were supposedly buried nearby and had been used by a queen to control Pokémon. Possibly having learned to do such from his encounter with Dr. Anna, Brock was able to hook up Golbat to her computer and display a map of the underground. They reached the chamber only to find Team Rocket had beaten them there, and Jessie was using the artifacts to control Pokémon. Golbat was the only Pokémon that could resist the effects of the artifacts and countered it using its Supersonic. Jessie turned Brock's Geodude and Onix against him, and it was trapped under the rubble of Onix's Dig. Brock was able to locate Golbat under the rocks by listening carefully for the sound waves, somehow having ears sensitive enough to pick up the ultrasonic waves. They tracked down Team Rocket to find them leaving in a rocket. Golbat and Ash's Noctowl flew after the rocket but could not keep up. Brock called out to Golbat, and this caused it to evolve into Crobat. It easily overtook Noctowl and the rocket and destroyed it with a Wing Attack.
In Espeon Not Included, Crobat was sent out to find Team Rocket and find out where they had taken Sakura's sisters' Eeveelutions.
In Mother of All Battles, when the Pokémon Poacher Brothers stole Larvitar's mother, Tyranitar, Crobat was sent out to chase after them. Crobat tailed them without being noticed and reported their location back to Brock.
Pokémon Chronicles
Brock lent Crobat alongside Onix and Geodude to his younger brother, Forrest, who took on the role of Gym Leader of the Pewter Gym when Brock went to Hoenn in The Family That Battles Together, Stays Together.
Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire
Crobat joined Steelix and Geodude to greet Brock in Grating Spaces!.
Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon
In Alola, Kanto!, Brock sent Crobat out to battle Team Rocket.
Personality and characteristics
Despite its few appearances, Crobat was shown to be very loyal towards its Trainer, due to the training it received and the care Brock gave it. Crobat's loyalty is best shown where it even used Supersonic on Brock if it meant getting him to rest when he insisted on helping out with chores. Its impeccable speed and Supersonic sonar proved useful on many occasions, like finding missing Pokémon or guiding Brock and his friends through otherwise treacherous caverns. It is also competent at scouting, often used when Team Rocket stole a Pokémon.
Appearance
| As a Zubat | As a Golbat |
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Moves used
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- In the dub of Clefairy and the Moon Stone, Brock commanded Zubat to use Double Team, whereas in the Japanese version Brock commanded it to "team up" with Ash's Butterfree and use Whirlwind. However, Zubat used Whirlwind in the dub anyway, despite the dubbing error.
In the games
In the Stadium series
Brock uses a Golbat in Pokémon Stadium's Round 2 battle only.
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In the spin-off games
Pokémon: Catch the Numbers!
Crobat appears in Pokémon: Catch the Numbers! as one of the Pokémon the player needs to get back from Team Rocket.
Pokémon Puzzle League
Zubat was one of Brock's three Pokémon in Pokémon Puzzle League.
In the manga
Movie adaptations
Crobat appeared as a Zubat in Emperor of the Crystal Tower: Entei.
In the TCG
Brock's Crobat was featured in the TCG multiple times. The following is a list of cards named Brock's Zubat, Brock's Golbat or Brock's Crobat.
| Brock's Zubat Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats. | |||||||
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| Card | Type | English Expansion |
Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion |
Rarity | # |
| Brock's Zubat | 
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Gym Heroes | 
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24/132 | Nivi City Gym | ||
| Brock's Zubat |
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Gym Heroes | 
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74/132 | Leaders' Stadium |
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| Brock's Golbat | |||||||
| Card | Type | English Expansion |
Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion |
Rarity | # |
| Brock's Golbat |
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Gym Heroes | 
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39/132 | Leaders' Stadium |
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| Brock's Crobat | |||||||
| Card | Type | English Expansion |
Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion |
Rarity | # |
| Brock's Crobat |
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Theater Limited VS Pack | 002/018 | ||||
Trivia
- Crobat is the first of Brock's Pokémon to evolve, and his first fully evolved Pokémon.
- Zubat took the longest to evolve out of all Pokémon that evolved in the same animated series that it was caught in, taking 159 episodes to evolve into Golbat.
- Crobat is the first Pokémon belonging to a main character that has evolved via friendship.
- Crobat, when it evolved from a Zubat into a Golbat, was the first Pokémon belonging to a main character that evolved during a fight with Team Rocket.
- Crobat, as a Zubat, is the first Pokémon to be captured offscreen during an episode by a main character.
- Zubat's capture marked the first time a main character has caught a Pokémon with a unique type combination.
Related articles
For more information on this Pokémon's species, see Zubat, Golbat, and Crobat.
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This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation. |