AG068

A Double Dilemma (Japanese: パパはアイドル！？いつわりのジムリーダー！！ Papa is Idol!? False Gym Leader!!) is the 68th episode of the, and the 342nd episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on March 18, 2004 and in the United States on March 5, 2005.

Blurb
The friends arrive in North Petalburg and stop by the Pokémon Center, where May and Max are quickly recognized as the children of Norman. The siblings are swamped by an adoring crowd. Ash and Brock manage to escape and wander off.

Team Rocket arrives in town and they decide to disguise themselves as Norman's family (Norman, Caroline, May, and Max) to conduct an autograph-selling scam.

When Ash mentions that he's planning to take on Norman in the Petalburg Gym, a whole crowd of Norman-devotees challenge Ash to battles. Ash easily beats them all, exhausting his Pokémon (and himself). Word gets around about how good he is, so the crowd with the siblings pressures May to battle Ash in order to teach him a lesson. Her Torchic uses Ember on Ash, and he falls over.

The still-disguised Team Rocket disappears, causing another crowd of people to search them out. The two crowds meet, and begin to argue over which version of May and Max is the real thing. May uses Ember to burn away Team Rocket's costumes, and Pikachu sends their balloon blasting away with Thunderbolt.

The crowd is impressed with the defeat of Team Rocket—by Pikachu. Though Ash is dejected, the kids set off for Petalburg City.

Plot
arrives in North Petalburg, a suburb of the main Petalburg City, and go straight to the Pokémon Center. Once they arrive, Nurse Joy recognizes and Max. A woman called Rose, who is delivering vegetables to Nurse Joy, overhears their conversation and runs off to tell other people. Our heroes leave the Pokémon Center, when they see a crowd of people running towards them. Apparently, Norman is an idol for North Petalburg's residents, and May and Max are soon mobbed by Norman fans, along with a North Petalburg News reporter named Dee Dunstan. Max encourages May to show the crowd her Contest ribbons, she nervously agrees. The crowd is impressed by May's two Ribbons, stating her progress is amazing given the 'short' period of time. interjects and tries to impress them with his four Badges, but they are unimpressed and push him outside of the mob.

Meanwhile, arrive at Petalburg as well, but tired and hungry. A giant advertisement with Norman's and Caroline captures the trio's attention. Initially they don't recognize them at first, but then Jessie realizes it's Norman, the Gym Leader and Caroline, his wife. They look around and see everyone with Norman memorabilia including shorts and a stall selling dolls. Jessie decides to disguise themselves as Norman's family, and stand by a water fountain. James dresses up as Norman, Jessie as Caroline, as Max and  as May. Once done, everyone rushes to see them but begin doubting and Wobbuffet are Norman's true children. However, a man claiming to have lived almost all of his life next door to Norman comes and evaluates them to see if they're the real ones. He notices "Max" is blue, and how May hasn't grown, but fails to realize the fake son and daughter, though, and tells everyone who has gathered that there's no doubt they aren't lying.

Back to the gang, May and Max have had enough, and the woman from before,, says that she'd like to see May's Contest appeals, and May agrees, sending out. She orders a dazzling, and the crowd cheers for her, causing May to develop overconfidence in her skill--and Max tells her about it. As Beautifly continues, two young guys confront Ash and and ask them why were they there. Ash answers he has come to challenge Norman and the boys quickly deny Ash's skill because of their blind faith in Norman, and end up challenging Ash to a battle. They go to a park, and the guy uses while Ash uses his. Golduck performs, but Grovyle dodges and uses. Golduck uses and Grovyle receives the attack, leaving Golduck to perform, but Ash orders Grovyle to use , which successfully connects; afterwards, Grovyle finishes the match with a.

Back again with Team Rocket, James, dressed up as Norman, sells fake autographs while Jessie sells Norman souvenirs to everyone, who are obsessed with the merchandise. At the same time, Ash defeats the trainer and his Golduck. Though more young male trainers emerge, forming a line, to challenge Ash. At one point, he decides to send out. May, on the other hand, is delightfully showing 's ability to juggle. As time passes, Ash, Grovyle, Corphish and are exhausted after tons of battles, and the Trainers keep on coming and provoking Ash, who responds by letting them use all of their Pokémon at once. They send a, a , an , a , and an , but are quickly knocked out by 's massive. However, they send more Pokémon, tiring out Ash again. He isn't the only one, however. May is worn out, as well as Skitty, which has been performing a long time.

The same two boys who first challenged Ash run to May's location to tell Rose and the crowd that they've been battling Ash, but he's far too powerful and, at this rate, he'll think he might have a chance against Norman. Rose, with both the reporter and crowd's glee, suggests May take on this Trainer and exhibit her battling skills by the way. May, crouched on the ground, is reluctant given her exhaustion. Everyone cheers again. The scene turns its attention to Ash, it looks like he has beaten even more Pokémon including a and, when he and Pikachu realize that tons of people are heading towards them, the crowd is carrying May and Max in an open , decorated with several red lanterns with a Balance Badge motif on them. May, unaware of what she is doing, tells Ash she has come to teach a lesson to a rude Trainer, and when Ash asks who is it, it turns out to be him even though he did nothing wrong in the first place! Tired but willing to battle, Ash accepts the challenge, and, upon the cheers from the crowd, May develops overconfidence again.

About Team Rocket, they've disappeared from Norman's fans and run with all the money they've won. However, Norman's fans have found them, and Team Rocket has to escape from them. Meanwhile, the battle is about to begin. May thinks Skitty and Beautifly are very tired, so she sends out. Ash tries to call Pikachu, but the Pokémon collapses from exhaustion. Ash sends outs and the battle begins. Ash orders a and it hits Torchic, but the crowd begins booing Ash. He tries to ignore them and tells Taillow to use, which scores a clean hit. The crowd starts booing again, and Ash can't stand it, leaving himself wide open for an attack. May, unaware again, over-enthusiastically orders Torchic to keep going with Ember and the individual embers combine into a massive flame which burns Ash and causes him to collapse. Rose declares Ash unable to battle, and thus, May is announced as the victor, much to her appreciation. Following May's victory, Dee Dunstan begins interviewing her. In that moment, a guy arrives at the park saying that Norman is giving autographs for money and that his children are by the fountain. He is shocked to see May and Max are right in front of him. Rose declares the individuals by the fountain must be impostors, the crowd makes its way to the fountain, carrying May and Max again.

Finally, Team Rocket is cornered by the fans following them and the other fans that were with the real May and Max. May and Max are surprised to see their parents are in town, though their attention quickly turns to Wobbuffet and Meowth. Rose and her husband (the guy who claimed to have lived almost all his life next door to Norman) begin discussing which duo are the real ones. It is also revealed Rose and her husband run a fresh produce store together, Ash and Brock appear on the scene, and ask what's going on. May tells them that Wobbuffet and Meowth (disguised, of course) claim to be them, and Team Rocket reaffirms that May and Max are the fake ones. Upon hearing this, May orders Torchic to use Ember and the attack singes Team Rocket's disguise.

With their disguises burnt to a crisp, Team Rocket launch into their motto and send out and. Cacnea uses, but Pikachu counters it with. Seviper uses, which gives Team Rocket enough time to escape and grab Pikachu though they nabbed Torchic instead. Pikachu climbs up a tree and Ash orders him to use Quick Attack, freeing Torchic and the stolen money. An large crowd scrambles to catch Torchic from its fall, though the Pokémon lands safely in May's arms. Rose and her husband capture the sacks of money. Ash then orders Pikachu to use Thunderbolt, and Team Rocket is blasted off again. Rose and Dee compliment Ash and he tells them it was nothing, but it turns out they were complimenting Pikachu instead. The episode finishes with the gang bidding farewell to the city, Ash is thrilled to think about his next Gym battle against Norman.

Major events

 * and arrive in Petalburg City.

Humans

 * Max
 * Jessie
 * James
 * Nurse Joy
 * Norman (flashback and photo)
 * Caroline (photo)
 * Dee Dunstan
 * Yaohei
 * North Petalburg citizens
 * Dee Dunstan
 * Yaohei
 * North Petalburg citizens
 * North Petalburg citizens

Pokémon
Pokémon Trainer's Choice:
 * (Norman's; flashback)
 * (Norman's; flashback)
 * (Norman's; flashback)
 * (Norman's; flashback)
 * (Norman's; flashback)
 * (Norman's; flashback)
 * (Norman's; flashback)
 * (Norman's; flashback)
 * (Norman's; flashback)
 * (Norman's; flashback)
 * (Norman's; flashback)
 * (Norman's; flashback)
 * (Norman's; flashback)
 * (Norman's; flashback)

Trivia

 * Advance Adventure is used as background music.
 * This episode marks one of the rare occasions that a member of refers to one of the main protagonists by name, with Meowth mentioning May and Max after putting on his disguise.

Dub edits

 * When 's Badge case is seen in the original, there is a Poké Ball design on it. In the dub, it is painted over with a red line.

Pokémon Trainer's Choice

 * Question: Trainers, which one of these Pokémon is the best choice to battle ?
 * Choices:, ,
 * Answer: Ok, Trainers! If you chose, you were right!

In other languages
Norman-Mania! EP344 AG068 AG068 AG編第68話 精灵宝可梦 超世代 第68集