Did Gary get weaker after becoming a researcher?

[Paulisthebest]

Gary has not been seen in actual combat since his battle with Ash at the Silver Conference (aside from one episode of Pokemon Chronicles but even then it was a battle with TR-Butch and Cassidy).

The next time we see him battle is at the end of the BF series against Pikachu with his new Electavire, against J’s henchmen while trying to protect the Shieldon, tag teaming with Ash against J herself (which is one of my favorite battles because we see Gary and Ash fighting as a team), and against Saturn’s Toxicroak.

Some say that since he became a researcher Gary has lost some of his skills as a trainer, but I beg to differ. I think that his loss to Saturn has most viewers thinking that he has lost his edge.

When you think about it the writers may be trying to add a connection between the game and the show. In the game, the main character faces off in the final TG battle with his/her main rival (Barry), but in the show the main character is Ash and he is assisted (in a sense) by his main rival (Gary). The rival (Barry) loses to Jupiter at Lake Acuity, and is defeated very easily according to Jupiter and the same goes for Dawn/Lucas being defeated by Mars at Lake Valor.

Gary’s Pokemon were easily defeated by Toxicroak with one hit (X-Scissor on Umbreon and Poison Jab on Electavire). I think that it has a Jolly nature if it was faster than these two Pokemon, but that is just my opinion. I understand the writers trying to demonstrate the power of TG’s commanders, but it just tarnished Gary’s reputation. His Umbreon was debuted in an awesome battle with an Alakazam (Power Play) and not to mention as an Eevee it defeated Pikachu (The Rivalry Revival), but has not lost a battle until Toxicroak. Electavire easily beat Pikachu, but was beaten with ease in one hit.

If he was really weaker then how come he easily beat Pikachu or used the environment to his advantage to distract J’s henchmen? I think that his skills have actually improved because he now has more intelligence on using the area to his advantage given that he knows about the battlefield (having Umbreon lead the Golbat to attack a Beedrill’s nest for a quick getaway). Then like his grandfather by working with and researching different species of Pokemon he learns more about them (like their strengths and weaknesses).

Don’t think that his battle with Ash at the end of BF saga shows that he was weaker. Having Electavire dodge or counter Pikachu’s Thunderbolt and having it use Protect against Volt Tackle. I think that the writers did not want to debut the Motor Drive ability at that point (not to mention if it will be put into effect during Ash’s battle with Volkner’s Electavire, but in the intro to one movie Pikachu’s Thunderbolt was doing damage to one). Gary obviously did his homework because it seemed that he knew a Volt Tackle was coming from Pikachu when he had it use Protect.

What would be a real treat to the viewers is to have him make a surprise visit to the Sinnoh League. I think that he will show up to watch Ash, but what I really want is for him to show up to compete. Having him earn the badges during his journeys working with research and stopping by gyms to polish his skills, and the real icing on the cake is an encounter with Paul and the two battle to show who is Ash’s #1 rival!

Does anyone think that Gary has gotten weaker or just that the writers used him in the galactic plot similar to the game?

 

[MisterUrban]

I always thought Gary was strong, only relative to Ash. To everyone else, no.

 

[Paulisthebest]

Yeah, when I think about it he did lose to Melissa in the Indigo League...

I do give the guy credit for the battles that we do see him in because he proves to have some good tactics up his sleeve. He rotates his team all the time so they all level up while Ash sticks with the same 6 in a region and pump them up as much as possible.

That's one way of looking at it.

 

[Sombra29]

Well,if you don't constantly train your abilities will eventually rust...

 

[Falconwing]

Well, every time we see him he certainty doesn't do very much. I was shocked how in the Galactic Finale he stood around and didn't even try to escape.

 

[CommanderPigg]

His skills are probably still there, but is buried in a pile of "I don't give a crap." He's moved on, the poor laddie.

If he ever did want to go back to pokemon training, I think he could do so easily, but right now, he seems content with his research. sigh

 

[MisterUrban]

Lets face it, this Gary stinks. A cocky Gary from an alternate universe should slap some sense into this school marm Gary.

 

[ShinyFlareon]

Gary is currently suffering from a case of "not being Ash's 'rival' anymore." Thus, he displays the symptom of plot-induced weakness.

 

[Chaosblazer]

Well Saturn's Toxicroak did battle quite often (more so in the anime than his fellow commanders pokemon.) so it's no suprise that it was so powerful and tough.

 

[maxh303030]

Toxicroak was pretty powerful in the anime.. atleast in my opinion. he gave everybody a pretty rough ride. but i think he hasn't lost his edge by much. he probably hasn't gotten much better, but he's still pretty good. i wouldn't mind seeing him a few more times. he is ashey-boy's childhood buttbuddy.

 

[LonelyTrainer]

If your name Isn't Ash, Dawn, Paul, Barry, Zoey or Cynthia you are seen as weak these days.

 

[MisterUrban]

If your name Isn't Ash, Dawn, Paul, Berry, Zoey or Cynthia you are seen as weak these days.

Barry is just wacky. Cynthia is overrated. Zoey is not as great as she thinks she is. Ash is average. Dawn has probably reached her limit. Paul is above average.

But now Gary is like Brock, IMO.

 

[Ampharos King]

It's not like he got "weaker."
Here is how I see it- the plot dictates a character's strengths in battle. Unless the plot requires Gary to overcome his opponent (as was the case during his last battle with Ash back at the end of Advanced Generation), I don't expect Gary to win.
The only reason as to why Gary was defeated by Saturn was because he was not necessary for the finale, and that Saturn's Toxicroak had to stay around so that Croagunk could *inevitably* defeat it and settle their rivalry.
It's not certainly helping that Gary and his pokemon have only been seen battling in two, maybe three episodes over the past 170 or so.

 

[ARC-1300]

did he get weaker? or is he just facing guys out of his league? i think that's the question we should be asking

 

[maxh303030]

Gary already found waldo, why would he care about battling monsters anymore?

 

[Hellion]

Where's the why do we care option ?

 

[Dorothy LaRouge]

I don't think he did.

 

[FireMeowth]

Gary, weak? No way.
Saturn, incredibly strong? WAY.

That is all.

 

[Godzillawolf]

Technically speaking, Gary didn't lose the fight. Nether of his Pokemon were knocked out, just badly hurt. Saturn left before a real winner was decided. While Toxicroak probably would've won, Saturn never really finished the battle.

Also, I'm disappointed that Crogunk easily beat Toxicroak in the end with one hit, and an ambush at that. In my opinion it should've had a bigger fight.

Another thing I was exspecting was Paul or Berry to team up with Ash for the final battle, like teaming up with your rival in the game.

 

[Paulisthebest]

Yeah, I think I may have overlooked that fact that in a sense Ash and Gary were always on par with one another, but it always seemed that Gary was one step ahead of the game. This was mentioned by his mother at the Silver Conference when she was talking to Oak during the match.

I mean just look at their battle, if it wasn’t for Charizard then Ash would have lost even if he put Pikachu in the match. Gary could have used Golem because at that point in the series the only attack Pikachu had that would actually damage a Golem would be Quick Attack (unless the authors made it so electric moves would affect it but since it was the league I don’t think that would have happened, but it was K.O. by Dragon Rage does that mean that Golem only had 40 HP? lol).

Charizard was trained in the valley with Liza and the other Charizard I think it’s safe to say that if it stuck around with Ash through Johto it would not have been at a level high enough to pull out a win. Going back to Jupiter, I don’t think that Ash could do any better than Gary. Considering that it was able to take out 2 of Gary’s top Pokemon (based on type it could be that Electavire has surpassed Blastoise similar to Magmortar exceeding Paul’s Torterra), given his Sinnoh team Ash would have a hard time.

Toxicroak almost impaled Pikachu when it was going to use Volt Tackle, but Chimchar knocked it aside to take the blow. I was sure that Toxicroak would be beaten by Croagunk eventually, but that was a pitiful way from Croagunk to win. It was epic to see that powerful shockwave come from it slamming it on the head with Brick Break, but the me the victory seemed rather sour. It caught it completely off guard because it just emerged from its Pokeball and was unable to defend. Though it did owe it one because remember that it knocked it through a glass ceiling and even thought Croagunk was defeated it slammed it in the chest with a Poison Jab just to be cruel.

So, Gary really hasn’t fallen off the trainer game he was just up against a giant.