AG158

Queen of the Serpentine! (Japanese: 熱闘バトルチューブ！VSチューブクイーン・アザミ！！ Fierce Fighting at the ! VS !!) is the 158th episode of the, and the 432nd episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on January 5, 2006 and in the United States on October 21, 2006.

Blurb
Ash heads for the Battle Pike ahead of his friends, and finds himself at a facility staffed by three suspiciously familiar faces and their Wobbuffet. Ever trusting, Ash challenges their "Pike Queen Lucy" to a battle. In the meantime, the real Battle Pike crew has come to meet the new challenger, and they're displeased when Ash doesn't show. Brock is instantly smitten by Lucy, the real Pike Queen, who comes to the rescue when Team Rocket reveals their fake Battle Pike and tries to run off with Pikachu. She bursts their bubble and defeats Jessie's Seviper with a powerful Seviper of her own.

Now the real Battle Pike challenge can start! First, Lucy's Seviper battles Ash's Donphan. Even without using defensive moves, Seviper and its Flamethrower attack are tough to beat! Scott explains that Lucy's style is to forget about defense and just hit as hard as possible, but this strategy works against Lucy when Donphan uses a fiery Rollout to defeat Seviper.

Next up is Milotic, who knocks Donphan out with a one-shot Hydro Pump. Pikachu enters the field, only to take the brunt of Milotic's powered-up offense. Ash has to think quickly and figure out how to use Milotic's strength against it, ordering Pikachu to take advantage of Milotic's moves to boost its own attack. This does the trick and knocks Milotic out, earning Ash the Luck Symbol. Ash and his friends are now headed for the Battle Palace and May's next Contest... but before they leave, Brock manages to make a sweet impression on Lucy after all!

Plot
The episode starts with, and Max stepping outside of the Pokémon Center. Ash is eager for his upcoming battle with the next Frontier Brain. However, begins to cry uncontrollably, startling Ash, and Brock tells them it's feeding time, asking them to go ahead without him. Ash agrees, then wonders where is. Max tells him that she did say she wanted to show her the ocean. Seeing Ash's bewildered look, Max tells him not to worry and leaves to find May. Ash and continues to the  without them.

At the nearby shore, May was showing Eevee the ocean. The two talk about the ocean for a while, before May changes the subject to Pokémon Contests. The two are interrupted when Max runs up to them and tell them to hurry up and go to watch Ash's battle.

Meanwhile, Ash and Pikachu arrive at the Battle Pike. The doors open to reveal James, and  disguised as three servants. James and Meowth escort Ash in. As Ash enters the Battle Pike, Meowth pulls a curtain revealing Jessie, disguised as Pike Queen Lucy, the Battle Pike Frontier Brain. Jessie welcomes Ash and accidentally calls him a 'twerp' but quickly corrects her words. Failing to notice it, Ash challenges her to a match. But before the match could begin, James holds up a container which he calls the Pikachu Power Purifier, and instructs Ash to place Pikachu inside.

While that was going on, Brock has managed to calm Bonsly down after feeding it. May and Max run up to him and apologized for keeping him waiting. Brock says it wasn't a problem, but they should head to the Battle Pike. Before they have a chance to move, three girls came up to them - the blonde, Barbara, asking which of them is Ash Ketchum. Brock replied that Ash already left for the Battle Pike some time ago. Outraged, Barbara tells them they came to greet Ash on behalf of Queen Lucy. May asks if Ash was expecting them, with Barbara answering that she couldn't care less if he was. Fortunately, Scott comes in the nick of time to stop the arguing. Brock, May and Max greet Scott. He says that the Battle Pike is closed today and he was coming to greet the girls. May asks Scott if he means he was here to greet Lucy, when Barbara yells to address her as Queen Lucy.

Just then, a red rose projectile shoots off from the distance and lands in the ground near their feet, revealing Pike Queen Lucy. She apologizes towards the protagonists for Barbara's rudeness. As usual, Brock flirts with her but is quickly pulled away by Barbara while Lucy blushes. She snaps out of it when Scott asks her if she's alright.

Meanwhile, Jessie places Pikachu inside of the container for Ash. After the lid is closed, a net suddenly falls down on Ash and reveal themselves. Making their escape, the walls fall and the real Battle Pike is revealed behind the fake one. Team Rocket flies away in their balloon with the trapped Pikachu, while Ash struggles to free himself. Ash tells Pikachu to use but it has no effect inside the box. Lucy comes running in, throwing her red rose projectile at the balloon and causing a puncture. Team Rocket's balloon tumbled to the ground with the box holding Pikachu falling out and opening. The rest of the gang met up with Ash while Scott tells him about Lucy, surprising Ash and Team Rocket. Not too happy, Jessie sends out her. While Ash is preparing to battle her, Lucy tells him to let her deal with Jessie and sends out her own. The gang is surprised about Lucy's Pokémon but Barbara commented that Lucy's Seviper is stronger than Jessie's. Angered, Jessie tells Seviper to use. Lucy tells her Seviper to do the same. The two clash, and a few seconds later Jessie's Seviper is knocked back towards Team Rocket. To finish them off, Lucy's Seviper used, sending Team Rocket blasting off. Scott re-introduces Pike Queen Lucy. Ash asks Lucy to battle her, but Brock tells him that the Battle Pike is closed today, so they would have to come back tomorrow. Hearing those words, Lucy blushes, then said that the Battle Pike is open for good friends. The gang realizes that Ash can challenge Lucy now while Brock flirts with her again only to be dragged away by Max.

Inside the real Battle Pike, Ash analyzes the water and land battlefield. The referee announces the battle will be two-on-two. Lucy calls out her Seviper and Ash calls out his. Scott is impressed that evolved and mentions that Ash will have the upper hand in the battle with Donphan being resistant to Poison attacks.

Donphan starts the battle by using, and Seviper defends itself with Poison Tail. Max comments that the two Pokémon look evenly matched. Lucy commands Seviper to use, but Donphan quickly uses to make Seviper's attack less powerful. It then takes advantage of that previous Defense Curl and uses, causing Seviper to take double the dose of damage. Donphan uses Rollout again, but Seviper dodges and lands a Poison Tail from behind. Donphan is sent rolling towards a wall, but Ash tells Donphan to use the energy from the roll to jump. Donphan obeys and uses Take Down directly at Seviper. Lucy closes her eyes, bewildering Ash and the gang. Scott tells them that it's just her battle style and to their surprise, Seviper uses Flamethrower at the exact moment Lucy tells it to, knocking Donphan down. Donphan begins to charge its attack, even with Seviper's Poison Tail coming at it. Donphan maintains its stance and uses Hyper Beam at Seviper, but Seviper uses Poison Tail towards the water to make a huge veil of smoke. Seviper uses Flamethrower at Donphan, but Donphan dodges and used Rollout. Seviper re-directs the Flamethrower, hitting Donphan and turning it into a ball of fire. Ash tells Donphan to head toward where Flamethrower is coming from. Seviper jumps up, about to use Poison Tail, but Donphan uses a rock to catapult itself up in the air, hitting Seviper and knocking it out before it could. The referee announces Ash as the victor of the first battle. May and Max talk about how great Ash and Donphan were, while Barbara and her gang whine over Seviper's defeat. Barbara cheers Lucy on, closely followed by Brock, making Lucy blush again. May stares at Brock, asking him whose side he is on. Brock stands and yells that he's rooting for both of them, but Max grabs his ear and pushes him back into his seat.

Lucy sends out her second Pokémon,. Donphan quickly goes for a direct Take Down attack, despite Ash knowing he's leaving himself open for a counterattack. Lucy smiles and tell Milotic to use, knocking Donphan out with one hit. Ash sends Pikachu in as his second Pokémon. Brock says that if Milotic has any defensive move, this could be tougher than Ash expects. When Pikachu uses Thunderbolt on Milotic, Lucy lets the attack hit, shocking Ash. Milotic disperses the attack with its tail and hit Pikachu with Hydro Pump. Scott and Barbara explain that Lucy prefers offense moves rather than defensive moves. Brock displays his love speech towards Lucy again and said they make a perfect couple. Barbara shouts at Brock and her two friends pouted, but Lucy blushed happily. Impressed at her battle skills, Ash tells Pikachu to use, but is pushed away by Milotic's own Iron Tail attack. Pikachu then used, but Milotic used and Hydro Pump consecutively, repelling Pikachu. As Milotic was about to use Iron Tail again, Pikachu used, with a direct hit. Before Pikachu could use Quick Attack to finish it off, Milotic used and knocks Pikachu back. Ash tells Pikachu to uses Thunderbolt on himself while Barbara claimed that he can't win so he is taking himself down. Lucy commands Milotic to use Twister, but Ash said that this was what he was waiting for. Ash tells Pikachu to head into the Twister and use Volt Tackle at maximum power. Pikachu headed down the Twister and collided into Milotic's tail, causing an explosion. Milotic falls to the ground, surrounded by static and knocked out. The referee renders Milotic unable to battle and victory goes to Ash. Brock and Scott reminisced over what happened at the end and why it was so powerful. Lucy and Ash shake hands and thank each other for a great battle. For winning, Lucy awards Ash the Luck Symbol.

Scott reminds Ash that his next battle will be at the. May tells them that they haven't traveled across water for a while now. Brock grasps Lucy's hands and asks if she would consider joining them. Ash announced they have to leave. Scott, Barbara and her friends wave them goodbye.

Meanwhile, Lucy arrives back to her house where she is greeted by various Pokémon including Skitty, Snorlax and several others. She hugs them and blushes, saying how she met someone today with eyes that reminded her of them. The episode ends with the gang on a ship heading for the Seafoam Islands, contemplating what the next Frontier Brain will be like.

Major events

 * and arrive at the  and meet Pike Queen Lucy, the fourth Frontier Brain.
 * Ash battles Lucy and wins, earning the Luck Symbol.
 * Ash learns that the next facility, the, is on Metallica Island near Seafoam Islands.

Humans

 * Max
 * Jessie
 * James
 * Scott
 * Barbara
 * Female referee
 * Two female students
 * Barbara
 * Female referee
 * Two female students
 * Two female students

Pokémon

 * (Lucy's)
 * (Lucy's)
 * (Lucy's)
 * (Lucy's)
 * (Lucy's)
 * (Lucy's)
 * (Lucy's)
 * (Lucy's)
 * (Lucy's)
 * (Lucy's)
 * (Lucy's)
 * (Lucy's)
 * (Lucy's)
 * (Lucy's)
 * (Lucy's)
 * (Lucy's)

Trivia

 * May's Eevee was added to the opening credits.
 * The L·O·V·E·L·Y ~Dream-Seeing LOVELY BOY~ instrumental and Pokémon Symphonic Medley is used as background music.
 * At first, Barbara does Max's usual job of dragging 's ear in this episode, while Max does it himself later.

Errors

 * In the scene in which 's students were congratulating her after blasting off, Barbara's belly button is stretched down.
 * The first time uses  on, it attacks from the left. However, after it makes contact, it appears as if it attacked from the right instead.
 * Right before Donphan fires at Seviper, the underside of Donphan's trunk is colored the same as its skin.
 * The student with the yellow tank top's shirt straps disappear during the close up shots of her and the other students in the Battle Pike.
 * However, it may be hidden by her hair.
 * gets by 's, even though the move couldn't cause paralysis until Generation IV.
 * Max states that will increase in power if Pikachu uses Volt Tackle again. However, since Milotic was already paralyzed, it wouldn't matter.

In other languages
Flotte Lotte EP435 AG158 AG158 AG編第158話 精灵宝可梦 超世代 第157集