BW015

The Battle According to Lenora! (Japanese: シッポウジム戦！VSジムリーダー・アロエ！！  Gym Battle! VS Gym Leader !!) is the 15th episode of the, and the 672nd episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on January 6, 2011 and in the United States on May 14, 2011.

Blurb
As the Gym Battle between Ash and Lenora is about to get under way, Ash observes that Lenora keeps a keen eye on all her potential challengers. She quickly judges Ash to be a no-nonsense Trainer, and they launch into a fierce two-on-two battle—it’s Lenora’s Watchog and Lillipup versus Ash’s Tepig and Oshawott.

Right off the bat, Lenora’s Lillipup catches Ash off guard by using Roar, which forces him to switch Tepig out of the battle and send out Oshawott. Lenora decides to switch too, bringing in her Watchog and immediately using Mean Look—which keeps Oshawott from switching out again!

Watchog proves to be a fierce opponent, and Oshawott is quickly defeated. When Ash sends out Tepig, Lenora switches back to Lillipup, and its Take Down attack ends the battle quickly. Tepig is defeated, and Lenora wins!

Upset by his defeat, Ash vows to train hard and challenge the Nacrene Gym again, and Nurse Joy recommends that Ash put in some time at the Pokémon Battle Club. Don George says he is happy to help out, and we leave our heroes as Ash prepares to do some serious special training to prepare for his rematch against Lenora!

Plot
Continuing their visit in Nacrene City, and  are being led through the Museum by Lenora and Hawes. Ash asks where the battlefield is, and remarks that there doesn't appear to be one on the premises. Lenora states that they'll find it soon enough as Hawes opens a door that is off-limits to their regular guests. Behind the door is a huge archive of research papers and priceless books. Cilan is especially impressed at the amount of history books on Pokémon Sommeliers. He then explains to Lenora that he's on this journey to experience different people and Pokémon, and Lenora wishes him luck on his studies.

Lenora then asks Ash if he'd like to learn something about the history of the Unova region. He remarks that he's more interested in his Gym battle than studying, but Lenora mentions that knowledge is just as important in battle as strength. She then knocks on a book and recommends it for Ash, though he's less than interested in reading it. tells him that it might be best that he read it since she's suggesting it to him, and Cilan remarks that it might be a test. Ash then decides he'll do anything for his Gym match so he pulls the book from the shelf and all of a sudden the bookcase rises revealing a hidden staircase leading to the basement. Lenora then confirms that it was all a test, and states that most Trainers just search for a book subject they are proficient in rather than the one she suggests. She then uses this response to define what kind of personality a Trainer has, and states that Ash has a personality she can pester. Iris remarks that Ash has the personality that gets told off all the time. Ash then challenges Lenora to study him carefully during their battle and with that, the five of them head down to the basement.

They enter the basement where a large battlefield is set up, and Ash is eager to start battling. Lenora tells him to be patient and study her Pokémon first. She calls out her and Ash is confident as he's met Watchog before. She then calls out her which instantly makes Iris shriek with glee as she runs over and starts petting it. Pikachu then jumps off Ash's shoulder to play with the Pokémon as he scans it into his Pokédex. Hawes mentions that Watchog and Lillipup serve as guards for the museum when not engaged in a Gym match, and then Lillipup comes over and greets Ash. Ash then picks Lillipup up and it starts licking him on the cheek. Lenora begins giving Ash advice, but he doesn't pay any attention and Cilan is taken by Lenora's strategy of using Normal types to test her opponents. Lenora is flattered by Cilan's statement and asks that Hawes explain the rules to Ash, which is just a two-on-two battle with both Ash and Lenora allowed to substitute Pokémon whenever they wish. Ash returns Lillipup to its Trainer and decides on his Pokémon he's going to use. Lenora also returns Watchog to its Poké Ball and the two of them take their places on each side of the field.

Lillipup's playfulness instantly transforms into fierce competition which surprises Iris. Ash calls out his as his first Pokémon, but before it could do any damage, Lillipup forced Tepig back into his Poké Ball with  and a sleeping  is sent out in his place. Lenora then explains that Roar forces the opponent to switch Pokémon as she recalls her Lillipup and sends out Watchog. Ash pulls out a Poké Ball to return Oshawott, but Watchog stops him with. Everyone is impressed by Lenora's strategy to catch her opponent off guard by destroying their strategy. Ash orders Oshawott to use, however Oshawott is very bitter about being sent out while it was napping so he uses half the force of a normal Water Gun. Oshawott is suddenly knocked off his feet when Watchog unleashes a quick. This infuriates Oshawott who is now confident for battle, as is Lenora who is orders Watchog to use. Ash quickly orders Oshawott to deflect it with his scalchop, which surprises both Watchog and Lenora. Oshawott then charges into the fray, and Watchog attacks with another Low Kick, but before either of them hit, Oshawott jumps up and unleashes a powerful Water Gun. Oshawott charges towards Watchog once more and pulls out a and Lenora orders Watchog to slap the scalchop away with its tail. With his scalchop gone Oshawott is defenseless which Lenora uses to order another Thunderbolt which knocks Oshawott out.

Lenora then returns Watchog and calls out her Lillipup and Ash sends his Tepig back out. Tepig uses which Lillipup easily dodges and counters with a. Tepig manages to stay on his feet and attack with an. But its effort doesn't do much as Lillipup charges in a attack which knocks Tepig out, winning Lenora the match. His confidence shot, Tepig looks sadly at Ash as he is given a bit of encouragement. Ash takes full responsibility for Tepig's loss and he thanks Lenora for the battle. Lenora tells Ash that she wasn't unimpressed by his strategy of facing her head-on, and invites him back for a rematch any time he wishes.

Ash, Iris, and Cilan await Tepig and Oshawott's treatment to be over at the Pokémon Center as Ash rests his head on his Egg's case. Iris mentions that he's not acting like himself. Ash replies that he's upset that he did so poorly in the match. Iris and Cilan then give him a bit of encouraging advice that he should train Tepig and Oshawott a bit first so they can be up to Watchog and Lillipup's level. Suddenly the Pokémon Center doors open and Tepig and Oshawott are brought out by and Nurse Joy feeling fine and more determined than ever to have a rematch with Lenora. Nurse Joy suggest that Ash go train at the Pokémon Battle Club in town for his rematch and that Don George might even know some strategies against Lenora.

That night, James is communicating to Jessie and Meowth that he has hacked the museum's security system and is in control of it. Jessie and Meowth find the Meteonite they were ordered to steal and James turns off the infrared sensors for exactly 20 seconds. Jessie and Meowth dash in, snatch the Meteonite and replace it with the decoy before the sensors come back on with time to spare. They then head back outside and get into James's van and take off into the night.

The next morning the group heads out to the Pokémon Battle Club to ask Don George for advice. He gladly is willing to assist Ash in training and the episode ends with the doors to the arena opening as Don George takes Ash into his training.

Major events

 * battles Lenora in his second Unova Gym match and loses.
 * The Team Rocket trio steal the Meteonite from Museum.

Humans

 * Jessie
 * James
 * Lenora
 * Nurse Joy
 * Don George
 * Hawes
 * Nurse Joy
 * Don George
 * Hawes

Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?:
 * (Lenora's; debut)
 * (Lenora's)
 * (skeleton)
 * (Lenora's; debut)
 * (Lenora's)
 * (skeleton)
 * (Lenora's; debut)
 * (Lenora's)
 * (skeleton)

Trivia

 * Professor Oak's Pokémon Live Caster:.
 * Similar to Shapes of Things to Come!, this episode is the fifteenth episode of its respective series, the first Japanese episode of a new year, and featured a Gym battle.

Errors

 * On Netflix, the "Who's that Pokémon?" eyecatch uses the image intended for BW014 (a ) but the audio still says "It's !" Inversely, the eyecatch from BW014 uses the image intended for BW015 (a Lillipup) and retains the audio, "It's Yamask!"

Dub edits

 * Similar to the previous episode, Lenora's apron was removed from the English dub.

In other languages
Ein ganz spezieller Kampfstil! EP675 BW015 BW編第15話 精灵宝可梦 超级愿望 第15集