BW067

Cilan Takes Flight! (Japanese: フキヨセジムのエアバトル！挑戦者デント！？  Gym Air Battle! Challenger !?) is the 67th episode of the, and the 724th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on February 23, 2012 and in the United States on June 23, 2012.

Blurb
Ash is surprised to see a long line of Trainers waiting to challenge Skyla, the Mistralton City Gym Leader, and is even more surprised when he’s told he has to make an appointment for their battle! He learns that Skyla has a passion for flying, and to make sure she has enough time to pursue her hobby, she keeps a very tight schedule at her Gym.

And that’s not the only unusual thing about Skyla’s style! As our heroes watch the morning challenges, they learn how Skyla can fit so many battles into a single day: they’re not physical battles, but something she calls "Air Battles," which take place only in her mind! Skyla envisions the outcome of each battle, and within moments, the winners and losers are decided without actually battling.

This infuriates Cilan, who challenges Skyla, Gym Leader to Gym Leader, in an effort to show her what Gym battles should be. She accepts...and wins, much to Cilan’s dismay!

Skyla decides that’s enough for one day, and cancels all her afternoon battles. She’s about to leave when Ash runs up and challenges her, saying that her Air Battles are boring and that Trainers and their Pokémon have to battle for real. Skyla looks over Ash’s Pokémon and declares that she’d beat him easily, so there’s no point in battling, but Ash insists that she has to give him a chance! Can he convince her to battle him for real?

Plot
,, and arrive at Mistralton City, where they are amazed by a plane doing tricks in midair. Ash then runs to what appears to be the Gym, but instead, the sign says Mistralton Cargo Service. Regardless, Ash rushes to the doors, only to be stopped by a who tells Ash that there is a line to battle the Gym Leader. Ash finds out that he has to reserve a time to battle the Gym Leader. Since all morning battles have been taken, Ash will have to battle in the afternoon. As Ash receives his call slip the same plane that flew overhead lands on the landing strip. The pilot jumps out of the plane and removes her headgear. Skyla greets the crowd and reveals that she is the Gym Leader for the Mistralton Gym.

Skyla approaches the crowd of Trainers to see that there are 15 of them waiting. Ash is surprised and wonders if she can really take on all 15 in the morning alone. Skyla sends out her Pokémon, first a, followed by a male , and finally a. The first challenger approaches and sends out his three Pokémon for the battle; a, a , and an. Skyla declares an "Air Battle", which confuses Ash and Cilan. Skyla assesses the situation in her mind, predicting how she thinks the battle will play out. In her head she figures that with the type advantage of all three of her opponent's Pokémon has over hers, she promptly gives up without starting a real battle and awards the boy the. As the boy runs off, Ash stops him to ask about the Air Battle.

Meanwhile, the next challenger steps up and sends out her three Pokémon, a a, and a. At the same time, she assesses her opponent's Pokémon and declares with the Bug- and team she has, there is no way her challenger can win and thus, no Badge for the girl. Ash is utterly dumbfounded by her Gym Battle format since there is no actual battling involved. One after another, all of Skyla's remaining challengers approach. Some are declared victorious while others leave empty handed. The boy tells Ash that Skyla can simulate the battle solely inside of her head, and will give a Badge to those who she thinks she can't win against. Iris can see the merit behind this system, but Cilan does not look pleased. As the final battle for the morning begins, Skyla does her final Air Battle. As Cilan watches, he grows increasingly aggravated by her style of Gym Battles. Finally after finishing her last battle, Cilan and Ash had enough and both of them walk up to Skyla to question her methods. However she ignores them and promptly flies off in her plane until the afternoon comes.

Cilan snaps, refusing to accept Skyla's way. While Cilan vents his frustration, a man walks up from behind. He too questions Skyla's method and introduces himself as who is also Skyla's grandfather. In the past, Miles was the Gym Leader, but he eventually retired and started the cargo company. Skyla took over and when she first started she would battle the traditional way and she has incredible battling skills. However, due to the mass amounts of challengers she received daily, she could no longer fly in her plane as she pleased. Instead she devised her battling system, which all of her challengers seem to accept, whether they win or lose. Cilan objects, but Miles said he has tried in the past to convince her that her method is wrong, but Skyla shrugs it off saying that everyone is happy with this method and it is much easier this way so she doesn't have to work so hard, labeling the traditional Gym Battling system as old school. Ash is told to go and find another Gym instead, but Ash is more convinced to battle Skyla now and, even more so, Cilan wants to battle her as well.

Finally in the afternoon, Skyla returns from her flight. Cilan cools himself down and apologizes to Skyla for his earlier actions. He formally introduces himself to her as one of the Gym Leaders for the Striaton City Gym. Skyla is eager to meet a fellow Gym Leader. Cilan proposes a battle, which Skyla promptly accepts. Cilan sends out his, , and. Skyla does her mental Air Battle once more and deduces that she will win. Cilan, of course, does not think so, stating that they don't know if they don't really battle, but Skyla is confident in her predictions. Cilan convinces her to battle him for real to truly test out her predictions. Inside the gym, Miles, as referee, declares that it will be a 3-on-3 battle. Cilan sends out his Pansage first as Skyla sends out her Swoobat. Pansage starts off with, however Swoobat dodges then attacks with. Pansage shakes off the attack then jumps up to Swoobat, but Swoobat dodges with ease. Swoobat finishes Pansage off with a.

Cilan thanks Pansage as he returns him to his Poké Ball, then Cilan sends out his Crustle. Crustle unleashes a attack which hits Swoobat and instantly knocks it out. Skyla is not fazed since she knew with the advantage of moves over  Pokémon, there was no way for her Swoobat to win. Skyla sends out her Unfezant, confident that the battle is playing out exactly as she thought. Crustle uses Rock Wrecker on Unfezant and scores a clean hit. Unfezant retaliates by using but Crustle retreats into its shell, neutralizing the attack. Cilan proceeds to start his Evaluation Time. He criticizes Skyla for not truly bringing out the full potential of her Pokémon since, although they have strong moves, she does not do her Gym Leader job properly by testing the bonds of her Pokémon against her challenger's. Skyla asks if Cilan ever gets tired of those kind of battles, but Cilan says that he can't get enough, since there is no feeling like giving the Badge to a Trainer who deserves it. Skyla simply says it's only a Badge, but Cilan replies there is more to the Badge than just its physical worth. Crustle leaps out of its shell and uses followed by  which knocks Unfezant out.

Skyla returns Unfezant to his Poké Ball and sends out. Once again, Crustle starts off with a attack but Swanna dodges. Swanna retaliates with a, but Crustle retreats to its shell. Swanna attacks with but Crustle jumps up and leaps out of its shell to prepare another Shell Smash. Skyla predicted that they would use that strategy again, so Swanna attacks with Brave Bird as Crustle attacks with X-Scissor. Both attacks collide and after the dust settles, Swanna emerges unharmed while Crustle is knocked out. Skyla admits that Crustle is good, but in the end it still lost. She continues that it's true that you don't always know what will happen unless you do it, but she also says that there are ways that you can. Cilan snaps, declaring that those words are not something a Gym Leader should ever say.

Cilan sends out his Stunfisk and promptly orders it to attack with which should have done massive damage due to the glaring type advantage the move had over Swanna's Water/Flying-typing, but Swanna comes out okay. Skyla is disappointed that it wasn't a which would have been much more effective. Swanna attacks with. Skyla brags about the power of Hurricane but Cilan reminds her not to be so cocky. Using the Hurricane move to his advantage, Cilan orders Stunfisk to use. With the inertia of Hurricane, Stunfisk's Scald creates a large water dome which douses Swanna and s it as well. Swanna begins to cry in pain from the burn but it gives Skyla a reassuring look and starts to use which cures Swanna of its burn. Stunfisk fires off a few attacks but Swanna easily dodges all of the shots while Skyla states that she won't let Swanna's wings get dirty. Swanna finishes the battle with Brave Bird, knocking Stunfisk out.

Miles unhappily declares that Skyla is the winner as she continues to boast that she was right in the end. Cilan is crushed that not only did he fail to teach Skyla a lesson, he actually helped to prove her point about Air Battles. Iris and Ash both feel sorry for Cilan as he stands in shock. Skyla, feeling that she has done enough for the day, tells all of the Trainers that that afternoon's Air Battles are cancelled and starts to leave. Ash is finally fed up with her cocky attitude and confronts her personally. He declares that he finds her Air Battles to be boring and wishes to fight her in an official Gym Battle the same way she did with Cilan. However Skyla refuses, only to be stopped by Miles who sides with Ash. Ash declares that there are many Battles as there are Trainers and Pokémon, and doing Air Battles is certainly boring. Miles states that earlier, Skyla said she won't let Swanna's wings get dirty, but, in his eyes, they already are. Skyla accepts to battle Ash. Ash sends out his selections for the battle, but they are not displayed for the viewers at this point. Skyla commends Ash on his team balance, but she is confident that she will win. Ash replies that she will never know for sure unless they battle for real.

Major events

 * and arrive in Mistralton City and meet Skyla, the local Gym Leader.
 * Outraged by Skyla's unconventional battling method, battles Skyla but loses.

Humans

 * Skyla

Pokémon debuts

 * Skyla's Swanna

Humans

 * Skyla
 * Mechanic
 * Trainers
 * Skyla
 * Mechanic
 * Trainers
 * Trainers

Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?: ♂ (US and international) (Japan)
 * (Skyla's)
 * (Skyla's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainers'; ×2)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's; flashback)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's)
 * (Trainer's; flashback)

Trivia

 * Professor Oak's Pokémon Live Caster:
 * A appears on Ash's Pokédex which allowed him to make a reservation to see Skyla.
 * The encoded message reads \\afs\d3d\share\proj\PMBW\comp, a possible reference to the production studio's internal containing the  projects.
 * When Skyla made her simulation, she imagined that her would use an attack to  . However, in neither this episode nor in the next did Swoobat show a move that can cause confusion.
 * 's Pokédex displayed both a male and female in this and the next episode at one time. However, it did not display both genders for  or  in previous and future episodes.
 * This episode aired in the US the same day that were released in Japan.
 * There is a girl who bears a striking resemblance to Erica, as in Triple Leaders, Team Threats and Dreams by the Yard Full.

Errors

 * When Skyla is introducing herself, the right part of her belt and her belly button are missing.
 * When Skyla is challenging with the last Pokémon trainer in air-battle, part of her clothes and the right belt's colors are swapped for a few frames.
 * During two scenes in a flashback, Skyla's pigtails hair disappears: when tells Skyla not to give up on Pokémon battle while she decides to do an air battle, and later when Skyla is bidding farewell to her grandpa.
 * In one scene, Skyla's hair accessory is colored reddish-brown instead of dark-blue.
 * When Skyla recalls her Swoobat after it fainted, part of her hair is colored the same as her hair accessory. This error was corrected on the Japanese DVD version.
 * When Skyla is releasing her to battle, part of her clothes and the right belt's colors are swapped, the part of her hair near her left ear is colored the same ways as her skin for a few frames. (The error of her part of her clothes and right belt was corrected on the Japanese DVD version, while the hair near left ear error is the same.)
 * In the scene when recalls his  after it fainted, part of Skyla's right sleeve is colored the same as her skin after appearing.
 * When Miles arrives to tell Skyla that he wants to see her in a real Gym, part of her clothes and her left belt's swap colors.
 * In the English dub, when Skyla introduces her, her Japanese voice can be heard.

Dub edits

 * In the dub, Skyla's name was changed to . This is mainly due to the word  being an offensive word.

In other languages
Benny ergreift die Flucht nach vorn! EP729 BW067 BW編第67話 精灵宝可梦 超级愿望 第67集