Why do Cilan's Pokemon always learn new moves off screen?

[L-05308]

First we had Dwebble use rock slide magically, considering the battle it was in and the fact Dwebble learns it by level up, it would have been understandable if it only lerned it then and there.

In the next episode Stunfisk knew Scald, rather than it being a move it had known from the start, Cilan mentioned that Stunfisk had only recently lerned it.

And now Pansage can use Rock tomb inexplicanly, and with Rock tomb being such an obscure move for pansage, you'd expect he went through some sort of special trainning to learn it.

Why do we never see Cilan's pokemon lern atacks on screen, would it have been to much to ask for the three of them to recieve a little focus and an episode to show them lerning their moves? We always see ?Ash and Iris's pokemon learn new moves, e.g. Pikachu's Electro ball, Tepig's Flame charge, Oshawott's Aqua jet, Swadloon's energy ball, Axew's outrage, scraggy's Hi jump kick and Excadrill's Focus blast
Why do Cialn's pokemon use random new moves whenever their in a big battle?

 

[JennaJayfeather]

Because his Pokemon train inside their Poke Balls they are just awesome like that XD

Honestly there is no answer. I can't say it's my FAVORITE thing but it's not like we haven't seen it before. *May's Beautifly using Morning Sun comes to mind*

 

[HumanDawn]

Because you don't always need an entire episode dedicated to a Pokemon learning a new move.

 

[L-05308]

Because you don't always need an entire episode dedicated to a Pokemon learning a new move.

But is it fair that Cilan's pokemon are always the ones to miss out?

 

[Aestivate]

I think it also has to do with the fact that, unlike Satoshi/Iris, that Dent's goal doesn't require proactive training. It's a bit more vague and ambiguous, but consistent tests and shows of strength only seem to be peripheral requirements.

 

[Sweet Veil]

Um...err....Just choke it up to shoddy writing. You would think Yanappu would train to learn such a strong move, off type move. Dento's Pokemon, learn moves off-screen with no real training, hard work, or development required then reveal these new moves in big battles. No one cares if they pull new powerful moves outta no where. Nothing ever changes.

 

[Winterdaze]

Lazy writing, plain and simple. However as others have mentioned, because battling isn't as important to Dent's profession as it is to the other main characters, it isn't such a big deal. I actually like the variety the extra moves bring without having to be bogged down in whole episodes dedicated to mastering them like in DP. Not to mention, it kind of confirms the suspicions of many that most of the training in BW is happening off screen anyway.

 

[Cybersai]

Why does it matter? Is Cilan going to be in a league? No.

 

[Feenie]

Cilan's Pokemon aren't SO important that we have to see them learn a different move. I mean, most of the Pokemon aren't. They're all boring and we probably wouldn't care to waste an entire episode of Pansage or Dwebble learning a new move. It would be a bigger deal if we saw that Oshawott learned something off screen. Now THAT wouldn't make sense.

 

[Grave-E]

Whether his 'mons battle prowess is inconsequential or not, it is still incredibly lame to have his team randomly able to pull new moves out of their collective arses, especially impressive looking stuff like the two rock moves.

I also have to disagree with the notion that we'd need full episodes dedicated to them learning the moves were they not handling things the way they are now. They could just as easily have the pokemon in question hanging out with the gang for an episode, and have it learn the basics of a new attack by solving some problem during the story or through observation of a PoTD. That way, at least we'd see these new attacks being learned AND get some screentime/potential personality expansion out of pokemon who sorely need it.

 

[Hellion]

I also have to disagree with the notion that we'd need full episodes dedicated to them learning the moves were they not handling things the way they are now. They could just as easily have the pokemon in question hanging out with the gang for an episode, and have it learn the basics of a new attack by solving some problem during the story or through observation of a PoTD. That way, at least we'd see these new attacks being learned AND get some screentime/potential personality expansion out of pokemon who sorely need it.

I totally agree and this is what I would like to see with Dent's Pokémon (not just with them). It would be better than Dent just calling out attacks and we'd see more of Dent's Pokémon. I don't care about Maggyo and it can diaf as far as I'm concerned but both Yanappu and Ishizumai had killer personalities in their debuts and the writers have kinda underused them a lot since then, which is partly what made today's episode so refreshing and interesting since we got to see a lot of personality from Yanappu.

That being said, am I bothered by Yanappu knowing Rock Tomb, Ishizumai knowing Rock Slide or Maggyo knowing Scald? No, I'm really not. For one, Dent's goal isn't battling or to turn his pokémon into super battlers, so it's not like I feel that anything is taken away from Dent's story, that he's being cheated out of development or that the writers are throwing these moves at him to give him wins and prestige he hasn't earned. All his pokémon were previously shown to be able to handle themselves and so it's not totally implausible they could learn these moves.

 

[Almonds]

It's Ash's pokemon that matters, not Cilan's.

And if they made episodes of Cilan's pokemon learning new moves... then we'd have to deal with more fillers than we already have.

 

[L-05308]

It's Ash's pokemon that matters, not Cilan's.

And if they made episodes of Cilan's pokemon learning new moves... then we'd have to deal with more fillers than we already have.

I'm not saying we should have whole episodes, but how come Dwebble couldn't of lerned rock slide durring the battle, it would have made perfect sense.

 

[Idon'tcare]

As people before have said, in the end why does it even matter? Nobody cares about when Cilan trains his Pokémon. It's only Ash that people want to see training from, to see the Pokémon who don't get much screen time be in more battles. For Cilan the only thing people care about is seeing him working more on becoming a better Pokémon Connoisseur and more of his Pokémon Connoisseur skills (just like what we got to see in BW058 for example).

Also not every single new move needs to be learned from hard work and struggling, just regular training is enough and this must clearly be the case for Cilan. As Cilan is/was a Gym Leader he can train his Pokémon to be strong enough to learn new moves the normal way. Besides we've seen plenty of Pokémon who have learned moves off screen before, so I don't see the problem with it happening with Cilan's Pokémon. Although maybe it would be nice to see one of his Pokémon learn a new move on screen just once.

 

[Playerking]

Because you don't always need an entire episode dedicated to a Pokemon learning a new move.

It doesn't have to be an entire episode. It could just be a tiny section of the episode, where a Pokemon uses a new move and the trainer is shocked.

But is it fair that Cilan's pokemon are always the ones to miss out?

It's not just Cilan's.

Oshawott's Tackle and Razor Shell and Snivy's Leaf Blade randomly used as well.

I think it also has to do with the fact that, unlike Satoshi/Iris, that Dent's goal doesn't require proactive training. It's a bit more vague and ambiguous, but consistent tests and shows of strength only seem to be peripheral requirements.

Well, training could tie in with bonding and the more bonding with his Pokemon, the better, because he could see more types of bonding with other trainers and their Pokemon. He does capture and battle Pokemon like a trainer, so I don't see why his Pokemon all have to have at least one move that is randomly used.

Um...err....Just choke it up to shoddy writing. You would think Yanappu would train to learn such a strong move, off type move. Dento's Pokemon, learn moves off-screen with no real training, hard work, or development required then reveal these new moves in big battles. No one cares if they pull new powerful moves outta no where. Nothing ever changes.

What do you mean, how do you think they learned those moves. It is possible Cilan does a lot of offscreen training and he does do some training on screen, recently with his battle with Ash at the beginning of BW058.

Why does it matter? Is Cilan going to be in a league? No.

No, but he could still have Pokemon that learn some moves randomly.

Cilan's Pokemon aren't SO important that we have to see them learn a different move. I mean, most of the Pokemon aren't. They're all boring and we probably wouldn't care to waste an entire episode of Pansage or Dwebble learning a new move. It would be a bigger deal if we saw that Oshawott learned something off screen. Now THAT wouldn't make sense.

But Iris's and Ash's are compared to his?

To you they're boring.

It doesn't have to be an entire episode, for them to randomly use a new move, even with Cilan being shocked to see the Pokemon's new move.

It's Ash's pokemon that matters, not Cilan's.

And if they made episodes of Cilan's pokemon learning new moves... then we'd have to deal with more fillers than we already have.

No, it's not just Ash's.

No, that would mean less fillers if there were episodes dedicated to Cilan's Pokemon learning a new move. and he only have several fillers in BW, so it isn't much of a worry.

I'm not saying we should have whole episodes, but how come Dwebble couldn't of lerned rock slide durring the battle, it would have made perfect sense.

Exactly.

As people before have said, in the end why does it even matter? Nobody cares about when Cilan trains his Pokémon. It's only Ash that people want to see training from, to see the Pokémon who don't get much screen time be in more battles. For Cilan the only thing people care about is seeing him working more on becoming a better Pokémon Connoisseur and more of his Pokémon Connoisseur skills (just like what we got to see in BW058 for example).

Actually, some people wouldn't mind Cilan training his Pokemon and them using a new move for the first time.

 

[Sweet Veil]

What do you mean, how do you think they learned those moves. It is possible Cilan does a lot of offscreen training and he does do some training on screen, recently with his battle with Ash at the beginning of BW058.

Except in story writing your suppose to "show" not "tell". Yet another move learned off-screen, is just poor writing. Fact of the matter is it's cheap. Dento's goal of being a sommelier does not excuse his Pokemon pulling new moves out of no where. Dento should have worked and trained for Yanappu, Maggyo, and Ishizumai to learn those powerful moves. But, the writers just gave them all new moves *poof* with no training, or hard work behind it. And Dento is a A-Class sommelier so he should very well be able to train and raise his Pokemon, and work on new moves with them, as well as bond with them it would also connect back to his goal of being a sommelier. They use their knowledge and experience to diagnose the bond between Trainer and Pokemon, and from there give advice on how to strengthen that bond, so Dento teaching and raising his Pokemon and training and bonding with them, wouldn't be so far'fetch'd anyway, since that's pretty much what his whole goal is about. But, BW disappoints once more with there piss poor writing.

 

[Iteru]

Note, this should strictly be about Dent's Pokémon and training, not about his role or sommelier aspirations. We have http://bmgf.bulbagarden.net/f555/do-you-like-dents-role-best-wishes-109378/ for that kind of stuff.

 

[Shinneth]

While it would be nice to see the work involved with Cilan's Pokemon learning new moves, I don't think the lack of it is so severe that it actually damages Cilan's character or his Pokemon, especially Pansage, who we know is Cilan's signature Pokemon. And given Cilan's background experience as a Gym Leader, I don't really think it's necessary to have lengthy scenes of Pansage "struggling" to improve, because I honestly don't believe there would be much of a struggle to make for engaging entertainment like it usually is for Ash's Pokemon and should be for Iris' Pokemon. Cilan's very experienced and knows what he's doing, so his "development", so to speak, shouldn't be treated like how the other two of the trio should develop. But since Cilan is a sidekick and BW's writers have suddenly lost their talent to make good episodes for the most part, I've grown accustomed to not expect too much, even though seeing more active development for Cilan would be nice. I just have a feeling because he's in the mentor role that he won't experience as much as he deserves, but enough to placate me.

And honestly, if they really are gonna go with this "they all do their training off-screen" bullshit excuse, then I'd rather it be Cilan's Pokemon that have their move-learning shoved off-screen because he's the one who needs development the least, IMO.

It just may be me here, but I think learning a move off-screen is better than a baby Pokemon who can't hold its own in a real battle learning a stupidly powerful move that should be far out of its range of ability that instantly wipes out its opposition which otherwise would have, and should have, defeated said baby Pokemon.

But when all's said and done, I'd say Cilan's mentor sidekick role is why his Pokemon's new moves are relegated to the off-screen realm.

 

[Hellion]

It could just be a tiny section of the episode, where a Pokemon uses a new move and the trainer is shocked.

The difference is? I mean, the whole argument here is that learning move off screen is poor writing because there hasn't been any training. There's no more training or hard work in the situation you're describing. Take Pikachu learning Elecball pretty much out of nowhere, how is that any more training and hard work than what the writers did with Yanappu? The only difference is that what they did with Yanappu implies training while what they did with Pikachu implies nothing. But was Pikachu learning Elecball cheap? No. Why? Because it had been in battles, won some, lost some, it was shown to be able to handle itself so even if Satoshi didn't specifically train him to use that move, much like Yanappu. Learning a move off screen or randomly in an episode has the exact same value and problems.

What would make either situation cheap is if the new move was something that really came to solve an unsolvable issue and magically get a character over their character flaw, taking the struggle away from a clear hurdle in their way. Like say, if a Pokémon was shown not to be able to hold its own in a trainer battle before, gets into another battle and you see that there's no difference, no improvement that the flaw is very much still present and that the trainer should lose the battle were it not for this new move that comes out of nowhere and that really makes said previous flaw, previous hurdle irrelevent. Did it take anything avay from the narrative of those episodes? No.

But in this case, did it give Dent accomplishments he couldn't have gotten had his pokémon not learned these moves? No. Did it hurt Dent's overall story? No. Could all of Cilan's pokémon learning move offscreen could have been written better? A thousand times yes. Was it cheap for them to do so? Not really, no.

 

[Cybersai]

I don't get why anyone cares about this? Cilan is not competing in anything and although we see him battling often its not a big deal.

He's a sidekick character, albeit a very properly used one, so his pokemon getting speedy development makes no difference.