Dawn's Possible Gym Battle: Significant?

[Green Cherrim]

Though I realize this would mostly likely be a one-time thing for Dawn, her challenging a gym may have more behind her going to gym from contests than first seen, in the evidence I have gathered:

1. Now, anyone who has been keeping track of the DP Special manga will note that Ms. Berlitz, Dawn's sort-of manga counterpart, does gym battles. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not.

2. None of Ash's friends, save maybe Misty, have ever challenged a Gym before. EVER.

3. Dawn has lost the appeal round of a contest twice, something not even Ash has done.

4. Dawn has already broken the supporting character mold many a time, catching and seeing Pokemon and battling people no other supporting character has.

So, what's this all mean? Who knows, but I say Dawn has a pretty good chance of swaying to the gym side. Though, of course, there is numeral amounts of con-evidence:

1. Dawn realizing she should stick with contests even though she is losing is just the kind of stupid moral the writers would make for this show.

2. Ash has entered his fair share of contests, so there is no rule saying Dawn can't do a battle.

3. Ambipom likes contest, and was traded for these reason. The writers most likely wouldn't make it go back to gym battles.

That's the way I see it.

 

[09MurphyM]

This is some good evidence.

 

[The Outrage]

Saphire, May's counterpart did gym battles, yet May in the anime remained a coordinator.

Nothing in the Pokemon Special Manga influences the Anime. The games on the otherhand do, and yet the anime barely follows the game's plot.

 

[Cybersai]

Nice points, but this here is the deal:

Dawn challenging a Gym is NO different than Ash challenging a Contest. Did Ash suddenly decide to stop doing Gyms and do Contests full time? No, it was a one-time only thing.

This is basically the same thing as when Ash/Brock entered a Contest, it was just a one-time only thing and they went back to their established goals. Dawn doing a Gym will probably result in a one-time only thing before she goes back to training for her next Contest.

 

[Green Cherrim]

This is basically the same thing as when Ash/Brock entered a Contest, it was just a one-time only thing and they went back to their established goals. Dawn doing a Gym will probably result in a one-time only thing before she goes back to training for her next Contest.

mostly likely, yes. okay, yeah, 99.9% yes.
but Dawn has been full of more surprises than other characters, and I back that 0.1% chance this is significant!

 

[09MurphyM]

I also believe that there is a good reason why Dawn is suddenly doing a gym battle.

 

[Cybersai]

We probably already know why. She bombed two Contests in a row and has been depressed about it through the Miltank and Swinub fillers.

She's probably beginning to wonder if Contests are right for her, or if she's only doing them because of her mother...so she tries her hand at a Gym battle. I assume she'll either lose or not do very well against Maylene, which will get Dawn to realize Gyms aren't her thing and then go back to training for the next Contest.

I also assume Zoey is going to magically pop up in the Maylene ep and give Dawn a lecture about doing Gyms when she's a coordinator. Zoey might even get so angry she'd end up slapping Dawn...considering she goes apeshit over stupid things like this.

 

[JB88]

You know, I find Dawn's mom a little strict. That whole "don't call me everytime you win" or something like that really got me. Tough mom. I wonder how she'll feel if Dawn does gyms, or something lesser than those two...wow this totally sucks for Dawn. She needs to get her act together.

I also assume Zoey is going to magically pop up in the Maylene ep and give Dawn a lecture about doing Gyms when she's a coordinator. Zoey might even get so angry she'd end up slapping Dawn...considering she goes apeshit over stupid things like this.

*chuckles* Apeshit...yeah I can see that happening...oh yeah. Dawn's bi guru...

 

[Amazed4587]

I think its awesome Dawn is gonna battle in a gym, I'm liking the way the animators are not just gluing the fact that Dawn is going for contests, u never know, she probably could get a badge or two, but still consider contests. Ash tried a couple contests and he enjoyed it, so now its Dawn's turn. I like how their loosening this whole I going 4 contests and gyms thing, maybe it more interesting.

 

[Nando]

This could be a chance for some good development of both Zoey and Nando....maybe even Kenny too.

 

[Cybersai]

In order for Nando to get character development he'd have to have actual character in the first place, but in his case, the only way he can possibly go is up.

I don't think we'll be seeing the other coordinators in this ep anyway, the only reason I say Zoey is because she tends to magically pop up in any Dawn related episode nowadays.

 

[Yash]

I hope for the sake of irony, Ash switches to contests and Dawn switches to gym battles. Ash excels as a co-ordinator, and Dawn fails miserably. Not that it'll happen - maybe Dawn will win using contest-styled techniques, or maybe Maylene will mop the floor with her.

Either way, Zoey is going to bitch her out for it.

 

[PokeFan4Eva]

Ash will never switch 2 contest pmsl.Dawn wont Win probaly.

 

[Crankyman]

I think this is more of a turning point in character development, so something has to make it significant in some way, other than Dawn battling Maylene.

 

[blixableier]

I hope for the sake of irony, Ash switches to contests and Dawn switches to gym battles. Ash excels as a co-ordinator, and Dawn fails miserably. Not that it'll happen - maybe Dawn will win using contest-styled techniques, or maybe Maylene will mop the floor with her.

Either way, Zoey is going to bitch her out for it.

And then he gets his Ambipom back and Dawn her Buizel or what?
No, I think this swap showed, that Ash preferrs gym battles. If there had been a chance, Ash seriously enjoys contests, he wouldn't have swapped epam with Dawn.

 

[Trainer Lisa]

Sure, Ash did enjoy the two contests that he entered....

Now, I'm not counting the one that he entered with May (because it was unofficial). But about the other one, he only particapated in that particular contest because of Aipom.


So if it wasn't for Aipom's love of contests, and Brock and Dawn being so persuasive, Ash would not have entered his first (official) contest.

Of course, Ash did have fun with that contest. But it's so obvious that he much prefers gym battles over contests. Ash would never change his mind about that either, because he wants to become a Pokemon Master. That's his number one goal in the anime, and no matter what, it will always be his goal.

 

[Piplup]

I can't understand why people act like that
Ash did two contests in a row without a gym between them if you count the unofficial
He tied with May in the unofficial and did well in Jubilife
Did he decide to be a coordinator because of that? no
Brock also participated at a contest... is he a coordinator now? no
Just like how main characters other than May/Dawn could try a contest than characters other than Ash can try a gym too
Ash had his reason (Aipom) to enter one contest
And now Dawn also has a reason to try a gym (because she lost two times in a row at the appeal and probably want to try and see how she is at something different)
Ash will continue with gyms and Dawn will continue with contests

 

[09MurphyM]

I think this is more of a turning point in character development, so something has to make it significant in some way, other than Dawn battling Maylene.

I also believe that there is a very good reason why Dawn is suddenly doing a gym battle

 

[RapidPotential]

I seriously don't get what's wrong if Dawn does Gym Battling. Perhaps this is her way of taking a break of Contests. I wonder if anybody had ever considered this reason yet.

 

[cassius335]

If Dawn switches to Gyms for the rest of the saga, I feel sorry for the remaining Gym Leaders as they're going to have to lose to both Ash and Dawn to keep the progression going. However, if Dawn does try to switch to Gyms, a possible switch-back point is the return to Hearthome, with Fantina helping Dawn rediscover her interest in contests.

Either way, this is not a good saga to be Crasher Wake. Then again, I can see Crasher as the sort of person who might battle Ash and Dawn both at once...