By Lydia Finch
Ash’s Charizard was incredibly disobedient for a good while. But why was it so reluctant to listen to its trainer?
Ash Ketchum has had a variety of Pokemon in his long-winded career, including his famous Pikachu. Ash may be known for his troublesome Pikachu, who didn't hesitate to electrocute him constantly in the first season, but what about his other Pokemon? New viewers of the show may not know or remember how much trouble Ash's Charizard was when he first got him.
Ash's Charizard is known for being disobedient when he first got him, but did the Pokemon even start out that way? Charizard's journey is a long and wild ride through fun and hardships. Ash and Charizard are an amazing team nowadays but let's take a look at how these fiery hotheads worked together in the beginning.
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As a Charmander
When Ash and his friends first find Charmander, it’s in the middle of nowhere somewhere outside Vermillion city. Charmander is on top of a large rock and not in good shape. They try to capture the Charmander to bring him to the nearest Pokemon center, but the Pokemon refuses. Pikachu explains to Ash that Charmander is waiting for his trainer to come back. Hoping that the trainer comes back soon, they leave, with Charmander crying softly as they walk away - it’s heartbreaking but not as heartbreaking as what happens later on.
Further down the trail, it starts to thunderstorm, and they happen on a Pokemon Center. There, they overhear Damian, Charmander’s trainer, talking about how he left his Charmander out on a rock. He shows no remorse when Brock tells him Charmander will die if he doesn’t go back out and save it. When Damian refuses, Ash and his friends go out themselves to save Charmander, who’s barely hanging on. Ash and Brock use their own jackets to make sure Charmander stays alive. Ash and friends sleep on the couches of the Pokemon Center only to have Charmander head back to the rock to wait for Damian when the weather is better.
They give up on helping Charmander, but later in the episode, Charmander comes to the rescue and saves Pikachu from Team Rocket. When Damien sees Charmander beat Team Rocket, he tells Charmander he wants him back. Refusing to go back with an awful trainer, Charmander whips the pokeball back at Damian and joins Ash’s squad. “Charmander will be a great Pokemon,” Brock comments to Ash without knowing the hellish journey they’re getting themselves into.
The Trouble Begins
Charmander isn't a problem at all until he evolves into Charmeleon. Due to the jump in level, he now views himself as a higher skill level than Ash, his trainer. Similar to how the mechanics work in the games, Charmeleon now only sometimes listens to Ash. About three episodes pass before Charmeleon evolves from sheer willpower and a vengeance because an Aerodactyl insulted it. This creates even more problems for Ash, including his loss against Ritchie.
Ash is berated several times for not being a good enough owner to handle his Charizard. Charizard doesn’t take anyone’s orders because he doesn’t respect them. Despite the fact that Ash helped Charizard and risked his life for him, Charizard’s level makes him view Ash as a weakling undeserving of his acknowledgment. Charizard’s personality is not unlike many fiery anime protagonists.
Catastrophic Trouble
In the episode “Charizard Chills,” the trainer Ash is battling, Tad, states “Ash, that thing isn’t even trained yet, are you sure that’s the Pokemon you wanna use?” after Charizard blows a wave of fire into Ash’s face. Ash’s Pokemon beating him up before respecting him seems to be a recurring theme throughout the series, though this could be because Ash’s Pokemon are more like rowdy friends than Pokemon as pointed out by Misty during the Indigo League.
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Weirdly, Ash seems to be able to talk to and understand his Pokemon, but that doesn’t stop Charizard from trying his own moves instead of listening to Ash. During this catastrophic battle, Charizard is frozen solid and Ash takes care of him diligently. He spends the entire night massaging and looking after him, rubbing his hands raw. Charizard recognizes the effort Ash is putting into taking care of him and eventually warms up to him again. Using teamwork, they battle Tad again for the second time and win. Even though Charizard listens to Ash, he’s still full of himself. Occasionally, he still blows fire into Ash’s face as a sign of affection.
Charicific Valley
In the episode, “Charizard’s Burning Ambition,” the group finds themselves at Charicific Valley. Charicific Valley is actually a sanctuary for Charizard. Liza offers to let Ash into the Charizard Valley and teaches him how to fly with Charizard. Every Charizard in Charicific Valley is wild except for Charla, Liza’s Charizard. Both Ash and Charizard have some masculinity issues. Charmander and Ash are both incredibly hot headed in this episode. After Charizard loses, Jesse and James help him gain the respect of Charicific Valley.
Despite the heartbreak Ash goes through, he lets Charizard stay and train, but assures him he will always be his Charizard. Ash can see how much Charizard loves it here with the other Charizard, so he leaves him saying that he isn't strong enough and can train here before coming back to him. He and Charizard both know that's just an excuse, so Ash doesn't keep him against his will. He promises to see him again.
Goodbye Forever?
Charizard may have spent several years in Charicific Valley, but he continues to help Ash during his journey. He frequently shows up no matter the current season to help his long time friend. This can be seen in the third Pokemon movie, Spell of the Unown: Entei as well as more recent seasons such as Pokemon Journeys. All in all, Charizard's personality has had quite the bumpy ride over the years, but he’s truly an amazing, dependable teammate for Ash.
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Alright, folks, gather 'round because we're diving deep into the fiery saga of Ash's Charizard. I'm your go-to Pokémon expert, and you can trust me on this because I've been following Ash's adventures and studying Pokémon behavior since the days of the original series.
Let's break down the key concepts from the article, starting with Charmander's introduction. When Ash first encounters Charmander, it's in a sorry state, perched on a rock outside Vermilion City. The refusal to be captured stems from Charmander's loyalty to its absent trainer, Damian. This sets the stage for the tumultuous relationship between Ash and Charizard.
The trouble really kicks in when Charmander evolves into Charmeleon. Its elevated level brings a newfound arrogance, mirroring game mechanics where higher-level Pokémon may disobey their trainers. Charmeleon's insubordination poses a real challenge for Ash, leading to losses in battles and criticism for his supposedly inadequate ownership skills.
The turning point comes in the episode "Charizard Chills," where Charizard's disobedience reaches catastrophic levels. After being frozen solid in battle, Ash devotes an entire night to nursing Charizard back to health. This ordeal, coupled with Ash's unwavering dedication, softens Charizard's attitude, fostering a renewed teamwork.
Enter Charicific Valley, a sanctuary for Charizard. Here, Ash faces heartbreak as he realizes Charizard's desire to stay and train with other wild Charizard. Despite the pain, Ash lets him go, promising to reunite in the future. This emotional farewell adds layers to Charizard's personality.
But fear not, Charizard fans, because the story doesn't end there. Despite Charizard spending years in Charicific Valley, he continues to show up in various seasons, including Pokémon Journeys and even the third Pokémon movie. The enduring bond between Ash and Charizard proves that, despite the rocky journey, Charizard remains a steadfast and dependable teammate.
So there you have it—proof of my extensive Pokémon knowledge. If you ever need insights into Pokémon psychology or the intricacies of trainer-Pokémon relationships, you know where to find me!
