Barry's Empoleon

Barry's Empoleon (Japanese: ジュンのエンペルト Jun's Emperte) is a Pokémon owned by and his main battling Pokémon.

History
Empoleon debuted in Barry's Busting Out All Over!. Barry sent it out to battle after they were responsible for setting up a fake  where they could steal Trainers' Pokémon. It managed to send flying. Barry then mentioned that the same exact was the cause for his victory over Gardenia's Cacnea after a long, hard-fought battle, despite Cacnea having the type-advantage. However, this was cut short as the trio was sent flying from Empoleon's with the combined effort of 's and 's attacks.

Later, Empoleon was the last Pokémon sent out during Barry's battle against Ash after both sides lost two Pokémon. Even though Empoleon had the type-disadvantage, it managed to hang in there long. However, Empoleon was defeated by Pikachu's as it couldn't dodge due to the recharge effect of Hyper Beam.

In A Shield with a Twist, it was revealed that Empoleon had trained with Barry in Iron Island before they defeated Byron. It also appeared in Jumping Rocket Ship! where Barry sent it out to get its picture taken along with the group as Barry did not want any of his other Pokémon to have their picture taken, only for it to fall into Team Rocket's pitfall traps as the photographers turned out to be the villains themselves. During the battle after its Hydro Pump and 's collided with Carnivine's and Seviper's  and  which sent them flying, Empoleon got separated with Brock's Happiny, Dawn's Piplup and Ash's Grotle. It along with the other Pokémon eventually got reunited with their Trainers.

Empoleon was seen training with Barry and on Iron Island in Steeling Peace of Mind!. Their training was cut short when Team Galactic's machine caused it to go reckless, due to it being part. It later appeared in Saving the World From Ruins! with its, where it was freed from Team Galactic's control. Empoleon and Barry then bid Ash and farewell.

Empoleon appeared in Stopped in the Name of Love!. In To Thine Own Pokémon Be True!, it competed in the Pokémon Ping Pong Tournament with Barry. Both of them managed to get far in the tournament, until they went up against O and his, whom they lost to. In Challenging a Towering Figure!, Empoleon was used in the Festival Battle Challenge, a tournament marking the end of the Twinleaf Festival whose winner gets a chance to battle Tower Tycoon Palmer. Barry was hoping to have a battle with his father. However, he and Empoleon lost to Ash and his Pikachu in the final round.

After Ash caught a in Gotta Get a Gible!, Empoleon challenged him. It won as Empoleon had the severe advantage against Gible. This gave Barry his first victory over Ash. It appeared again in Fighting Ire with Fire!, where it battled an unnamed Trainer's. Afterwards, Empoleon started a battle with Ash's Monferno after Paul told him to battle Ash. Both sides managed to stay in sync despite Monferno's type-disadvantage. However, Empoleon's Hydro Cannon sent it flying, which resulted in the activating of. As a result, the battle had no conclusion.

Empoleon's next appearance came in League Unleashed!, where it got Barry through the preliminaries of the Lily of the Valley Conference after defeating another Trainer's. In Casting a Paul on Barry!, it was Barry's final Pokémon in his battle against Paul. It battled against Paul's Magmortar, where it managed to serve some damage to Magmortar only for Magmortar to survive the attack. Both sides then recalled their Pokémon. It was sent out again to fight against Paul's Ursaring, where it was able to hit a back to Ursaring before Paul recalled Ursaring for his newly evolved. Empoleon eventually activated after a long battle and then used. However, Electivire used and was soon defeated by a powerful, making Barry lose the battle. It fainted standing up.

Empoleon briefly appeared alongside Barry during the ending credits of Zoroark: Master of Illusions.

Personality and characteristics
Empoleon is considered to be Barry's most trusted Pokémon as it managed to defeat many Gyms that Barry participated in. It has even held its ground against stronger opponents, especially the ones with the type advantage. Since Barry uses Empoleon in almost every single one of his battles, it is used to battling alongside him and is always willing to do so.

Empoleon, while completely loyal to Barry, sometimes shows embarrassment with its Trainer's spastic tendencies, shown when Barry lost his cool over not catching a Gible.

Trivia

 * In Stopped in the Name of Love!, Barry states, "The evolutionary road from to  only gets harder and harder", which is the only indication that he obtained his Empoleon as a Piplup.

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