EP208

Fight for the Light! (Japanese: かがやきのとうだい！アサギシティのたたかい！！ ! Battle at City!!), is the 208th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on July 26, 2001 and in the United States on September 7, 2002.

Blurb
Our heroes reach Olivine City and make a beeline for the Gym, where Gym Leader Jasmine accepts Ash's challenge. Jasmine sends out a gleaming Onix that easily defeats Ash's Totodile, even though Onix should be vulnerable to Totodile's Water-type attacks. But then the real Jasmine enters the room—the "Jasmine" that Ash battled is really Janina, Jasmine's apprentice! And as Janina later reveals to Jasmine, she coated her Onix in waterproof wax, a misguided cheat that earns Janina a time-out from the Gym.

Jasmine herself is too worried about "Sparkle" to deal with a Gym challenge. This leaves Ash to wander the city, wondering what to do next. He runs into Janina, who apologizes to him and says that Jasmine is at the Shining Lighthouse on the wharf; since Ash wants to ask Jasmine when she'll be ready for a battle, he heads there right away. Inside the lighthouse are Jasmine, her grandpa, and Jasmine's Ampharos, Sparkle, who provides the light for the lighthouse. Sparkle isn't feeling well and Janina's still on a time-out, so it's up to Ash and the gang to pick up Sparkle's medicine from Cianwood City.

Before they can leave, Team Rocket attacks the lighthouse, catching Sparkle and Brock in a cage. Janina sees the commotion and comes to the rescue; without the wax coating, Onix can't pursue Team Rocket across the water, but it can certainly snag the cage and halt Team Rocket's getaway. Janina climbs up Onix to free Brock and Ampharos, then orders Onix to send Team Rocket for a loop. Janina is now back in Jasmine's good graces, and she gladly accompanies our heroes to Cianwood City!

Plot
and have finally reached Olivine City, and he is off to the Gym right away, and neither  or  follow right behind. spies on them using trash cans as a disguise, but Jessie is blinded by a gleaming light coming from a humongous building. Thinking that it is an office building, the three of them run towards the building in hopes of getting jobs and making lots of money. However, two guards block the entrance and ask for Badges. James shows a collection book, but the guards say Gym Badges are needed. They have unknowingly stumbled onto the.

Ash reaches the Gym and enters it, hoping to just breeze though this. When he approaches the box, a girl comes out, claiming herself to be the leader, Jasmine. Ash seems to believe her and challenges "Jasmine" to a fight. "Jasmine" calls out an which seems to be coated with something. On impulse, Ash calls out to make short work of this. Ash commands Totodile to use. The attack is effective at first but somehow, the Onix breaks through and s Totodile down in one shot, knocking it out. Ash sends out and Pikachu does  but the real Jasmine stops them. The girl is her apprentice, Janina, and Janina explains that she used a lot of sealing wax on Onix, making it impervious to water. Jasmine isn't all too agreeable on that part and tells Janina to scrub it off. Ash challenges Jasmine but it seems that she has some other things to do.

Ash and the gang sit out in a park talking about what they should do now until then. They spot Janina scrubbing her Onix in a sandbox, and she explains that Jasmine has been up to something at the Shining Lighthouse, which is why she's busy all the time. Ash decides they should go check it out.

They get to the lighthouse and upon reaching the top, they find Jasmine, her grandfather Myron, and an that seems to be ill. Grandpa Myron explains that this Ampharos is the source of light for the lighthouse because its tail creates quite a glow. The Shining Lighthouse used to be the main lighthouse, but another lighthouse took over. He says that he ordered a cure from someone at Cianwood City, but neither he nor Jasmine has any time to get it. Ash tells them that he'll go get the medicine.

Team Rocket spies from the outside glass and set their sights on the Ampharos. Jasmine spots them and they quickly get into their blimp and launch a bomb that seems to go towards them but goes straight up and then down. After it lands, pops out and uses. Brock gets Ampharos and carries it downstairs to escape. Just as he gets towards the entrance, a cage forms up on Brock and then is trailed off by Team Rocket. Brock tries to kick his way out, but no luck.

Meanwhile, Janina is walking along the port and sees the smoke from the lighthouse. She catches up with the others and she insists on helping. She gets on Onix and commences to attack, but Jessie sends out and Arbok uses. Onix deflects the pins, shielding Janina. Soon, Team Rocket zips out towards the ocean since Onix can't be in water. Onix gives chase but soon stops at the end of a pier. Then Janina gets a good idea and hops off Onix and then Onix bites onto a tsunami barrier. Onix swings its tail and latches onto Arbok, stretching it. Team Rocket tries to get away, but Onix pulls harder than the balloon can get away, which puts Arbok in an even worse state. Soon, Janina grabs a chipped off piece of rock and climbs up to the cage. She gives the cage a few hits and the lock breaks open, freeing Brock. When they get down, Janina says Pikachu can use any electrical attack, Onix isn't going to be affected. Ash has Pikachu use, which electrocutes Team Rocket, and then Onix tosses them out into the sky.

Jasmine is actually quite impressed with Janina. She gives her another shot and asks of her a favor: to go get the medicine from Cianwood City. Grandpa Myron adds that there is a Gym in Cianwood. Excited, Ash and his friends, along with Janina, go onto the boat headed for Cianwood.

Major events

 * and arrive in Olivine City and meet Jasmine, the  Gym Leader.
 * Ash tries to challenge Jasmine to a Gym, but she refuses, as she needs to care for a sick.
 * The group decides to head for Cianwood City to pick up medicine for Ampharos, and Ash learns that there is a Gym there.

Humans

 * Jasmine
 * Janina

Pokémon debuts

 * (Jasmine's)

Humans

 * Jessie
 * James
 * Jasmine
 * Janina
 * James
 * Jasmine
 * Janina

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


 * (Janina's)
 * (Jasmine's)
 * (Jasmine's; Sparkle; debut)
 * (Janina's)
 * (Jasmine's)
 * (Jasmine's; Sparkle; debut)
 * (Janina's)
 * (Jasmine's)
 * (Jasmine's; Sparkle; debut)
 * (Jasmine's; Sparkle; debut)

Trivia

 * This episode's dub title is a reference to the saying "fight for the right". It shares this trait with a later episode.
 * This episode marks the anime debut of the Pokégear.

Errors

 * The orange pattern on 's shirt changes throughout the episode.

Dub edits

 * Jasmine's was called "Sparkle" in the dubbed version, while its name in the games is "Amphy".

In other languages
Das kranke Ampharos EP210 EP208 EP208 無印編第208話 精灵宝可梦 第209集