After fulfilling Clay’s request for the rare Revival Herbs, Ash is more than ready for his Gym Battle...and finally, so is Clay! They proceed to the battlefield in the Driftveil Gym, located deep underground in one of Clay’s mines. The battle will use three Pokémon per side. Clay starts by bringing out his powerful Krokorok, and Ash realizes that he can’t use Pikachu, who’s been eager to battle, because its Electric-type moves won’t work at all against Clay’s team of Ground types. He picks Oshawott instead, and the battle begins!

Krokorok is powerful indeed, but Ash executes a brilliant strategy to knock it out and give him the lead. Then Clay brings out his Palpitoad, which appears to be much stronger than Ash’s own Palpitoad. Oshawott is defeated with a crushing Rock Smash, and Snivy is up next. Another unusual strategy and an excellent type advantage lead to Palpitoad’s defeat, and Clay is not pleased.

Finally, the Gym Leader turns to his secret weapon—a super-strong Excadrill, whose Rapid Spin keeps deflecting Snivy’s attacks until it’s able to knock Snivy out. Both sides are down to just one Pokémon left, and Ash calls on Roggenrola, hoping its toughness will keep it standing against repeated powerful attacks from Excadrill.

Excadrill’s attacks are unyielding, but sure enough, Roggenrola endures—and then evolves into a powerful Boldore, which turns the tide of the battle considerably! Both Boldore and Excadrill are extremely tough, and the attacks continue to fly—but in the end, Boldore emerges victorious, and Ash wins the Quake Badge! Then, upon Nurse Joy’s recommendation, our heroes set their sights on the Mistralton City Gym, where Ash will vie for his sixth Unova Gym badge!