EP237

As Cold as Pryce (Japanese: イノムーとふゆのヤナギ！  and of the Winter!) is the 237th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on February 21, 2002 and in the United States on March 1, 2003.

Blurb
''Finally setting foot in Mahogany Town, Ash is anxious to set about winning his next badge. When he finally locates the town gym leader, Pryce, he is surprised to recognize the man, having previously exchanged differing opinions on the proper nature of relationships between Pokémon and trainer. The embittered gym leader maintains his position that Pokémon must be controlled rather than trusted, must remain servants and never friends. When a natural catastrophe sends Ash and Pryce hurtling deep into the depths of the earth—and equally deep into the recesses of this gym leader's mysterious past—the two confront the Piloswine that loyally served Pryce long ago. In this lost Pokémon Ash recognizes the seed that might bring about a change of heart in Pryce.''

Plot
decides to challenge the Gym Leader Pryce again, but he isn't in there. A lady named Sheila tells Ash and that Pryce goes up to the mountains every morning to meditate under a waterfall. They hurry after her. Meanwhile, Jessie, James, and, who were waiting at the Gym, tail them. After finally catching up with Sheila, they see Pryce. Ash is shocked to see that Pryce is the man who saved them on the bridge in the previous episode. Pryce says that it would be pointless to battle Ash, because his emotional bonds with his Pokémon have dulled their senses. After Ash protests, Pryce sends out his. He tells Ash that if he can beat Dewgong, he will get his Gym battle.

Ash battles him with and quickly loses. Pryce leaves after the battle, with Ash following close behind. , who witnessed the whole battle, follows Ash. Soon, Ash gets separated from, and Team Rocket from one another. Jessie spots Ash and starts the, and when James says his line, they realize that they were both in the same bush. The chase for Pikachu eventually leads to the edge of a cliff, where Ash is cornered. Suddenly, Pryce appears and calls Team Rocket idiots for trying to forcibly steal someone else's Pokémon. launches a, sending Ash, Pryce, and Pikachu over the cliff.

Ash sends out to help Pryce and  to break their fall using. At the top of the cliff, Team Rocket is arguing over whose idea the Smokescreen was, when Misty, Brock, and Sheila appear. Brock asks if they saw Ash, and Jessie and James run away, leaving Meowth to spill the beans. Sheila sees a small gully for them to climb down. At the bottom of the cliff, Pryce makes a spicy herbal medicine to restore Totodile's energy, since it exhausted itself from the Water Gun. Pryce thanks Ash for how his Pokémon reacted under duress, but that as close as he is with them, he must retain strict discipline.

Back up at the top, Sheila explains that Pryce used to love his Pokémon. Because he treated his Pokémon so coldly, and his favoring of the Ice type, people began calling him "Icy Pryce". As she, Brock, and Misty, descend the cliff, Pryce sees an old leg bracelet, which he says belonged to his. Now at the bottom, Sheila explains that Pryce once had a Piloswine, that one day just left. Pryce elaborates to Ash, saying that he and Piloswine were once in a national tournament against a. He and Piloswine were both badly injured, as Pryce ran to protect it.

One night, Piloswine just left the snowbound cottage they were recovering in, and Pryce never saw it again. Ever since, Pryce stopped treating Pokémon as friends. They soon enter a cave covered in a thin layer of ice. Ash sees a figure frozen in the ice. With a shock, Pryce realizes it is his Piloswine, which is holding herbs used to treat burns. Ash deduces that it got trapped after looking for herbs to help his friend. Ash then uses 's and Pikachu's  to revive Piloswine. Piloswine still remembers Pryce, to the old man's delight. Pryce tells Piloswine to use, and explains to Ash what that move does.

They then exit the cave and reunite with Sheila, Misty, and Brock. Sheila is also excited to see Piloswine again. Just then, Team Rocket descends, and starts another battle. Pryce takes and Weezing head on with Piloswine, and beats them both. To blast off Team Rocket, Pikachu finishes off Arbok and Weezing with, and everyone celebrates. Back at the Gym, Pryce tells Ash that he will battle him tomorrow.

Major events

 * and arrive in Mahogany Town.
 * Ash and his friends meet Pryce again and learn that he is the Gym Leader.
 * Ash has an unofficial with Pryce and loses.
 * Ash and his friends help Pryce find his lost.
 * Pryce accepts Ash's request for a Gym battle.

Humans

 * Sheila

Humans

 * Jessie
 * James
 * Pryce
 * Sheila
 * Magmar Trainer (flashback)
 * Pryce
 * Sheila
 * Magmar Trainer (flashback)

Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?: (US and international),  (Japan)


 * (Pryce's)
 * (Trainer's; flashback)
 * (Trainer's; flashback)
 * (Trainer's; flashback)
 * (Trainer's flashback)
 * (Pryce's)
 * (Trainer's; flashback)
 * (Trainer's; flashback)
 * (Trainer's; flashback)
 * (Trainer's flashback)
 * (Pryce's)
 * (Trainer's; flashback)
 * (Trainer's; flashback)
 * (Trainer's; flashback)
 * (Trainer's flashback)
 * (Trainer's flashback)

Trivia

 * Pryce's bitter attitude and haunted past appears to be an allusion to the Pokémon Adventures.
 * The episode's English title is derived from the phrase "as cold as ice".
 * In this episode, uses a  of their motto.
 * Pryce is shown meditating under a waterfall, which is what Chuck is shown doing in the Generation IV games.
 * references the, which was when the US hockey team defeated the Soviet Union in the Medal Round of the at.
 * Music from Mewtwo Strikes Back can be heard in this episode.

Errors

 * During the Who's That Pokémon? segment, the clue says " is composed of three Magnemites," which is the incorrect plural for Magnemite. The correct plural form for Magnemite, as with all Pokémon, would simply be Magnemite.
 * When Team Rocket trips over a rock, 's foot is seen, but in the next shot, Wobbuffet isn't present.
 * When Pryce tells to use  and Ash asks what it is, Pryce says its an "ability that Piloswine can use" when it is actually a move.
 * Despite falling off the cliff first, Pryce was the one further down the hole.
 * When is called out of its Poké Ball, it cries but its mouth doesn't move.

In other languages
Der eiskalte Norbert EP239 EP237 EP237 無印編第237話 精灵宝可梦 第238集