Charizard's Burning Ambitions

Plot
A fatigued Ash and his friends hike along a path, followed by a similarly fatigued Team Rocket. Jessie contemplates abandoning the trio's quest to catch Pikachu, while James mentions how many Pokémon Ash's friends have compared to them, using Ash's Charizard as an example. As they walk, Ash mentions that with Pikachu and Charizard by his side, he could beat any opponent, but his friends mention that he uses Charizard excessively, making it unfair for opponents. The group overhears a faint echo, so Brock decides to respond. A woman calls over to them from atop a cliff and introduces herself as Liza, the caretaker of the Charicific Valley. Liza knows that Ash has a Charizard by the scent on him and reveals that she knows about his win in Violet City, before inviting the group into the valley.

Liza calls out Charla, a female Charizard that helps transport Liza, Misty, and Brock in a balloon. There isn't enough room for Ash, but Liza suggests for him to fly on his Charizard. Charla takes off as Ash asks how to ride, which stuns Liza that he never flew on Charizard. Ash summons his Charizard and requests a ride; it refuses at first, but Liza's taunt motivates Charizard to try. Ash and Pikachu hop on Charizard as it stomps and flies off, but it accidentally leaves them behind. After getting them back on, Charizard unsteadily and furiously flies with them on-board. Meanwhile, Liza mentions that the Charizard in the valley are wild, except for Charla. Ash and Charizard catch up, but Charla speeds forward, angering Charizard. Meanwhile, Team Rocket slides down a mountain hill towards the valley.

As Liza, Misty, and Brock reach the Charicific Valley, Liza mentions its history and how the Charizard train naturally without humans by battling each other, with the intense competition making them the strongest worldwide. Misty thinks that it would be too intense for Ash's Charizard, but Charizard tries to prove their strength. However, Charla and Liza note that only weak Charizard show off, suggesting it needs training. Charizard fires a Flamethrower to disprove this, but it briefly sets Ash on fire while he takes her comments as an insult. Ash demands to have a battle with Liza using Charla, but she mentions that she raised it since it was a Charmander. As a result, Ash and Charizard want to battle the ones in the valley, so Liza shows them all of the other Charizard, leaving them stunned at their larger size. One larger Charizard walks by and Liza points out that if Ash's Charizard can defeat it, it may qualify to join.

Charizard marches up behind it and hits it in the face with Flamethrower. However, the wild Charizard literally inhales the attack and retaliates with its own, leaving Ash's burnt, and it collapses. Charizard gets back up and shakes off the dust as Liza points to one sleeping, mentioning that despite it being larger than Ash's, it is still the gentlest of the Charizard. Charizard confronts that one and fires another Flamethrower, but the wild Charizard hardly reacts and simply lashes its tail, tossing Charizard into a wall. Ash tries to console Charizard, that it will always be good enough for him. Charizard refuses to listen and tries to attack again, but another lash from the gentle Charizard knocks it down. Despite the pleas of Ash and the others, Charizard persists but continues to get beaten, eventually getting out of the valley. Charizard struggles to climb up the stairs, but Liza kicks the whole group out of the valley and closes the gates, telling them to return after some training.

Team Rocket, watching from a distance, realizes that they cannot capture any of the Charizard in the valley because they were easily able to beat Ash's Charizard, who always beats them, while the mecha that they bought is inadequate. Meanwhile, after Charizard repeatedly beats the gates, Liza reopens them and repeats her instructions, but Charizard stubbornly refuses. Liza allows Charla to attack, and Charizard is tossed into a lake. Liza then tells Charizard to stay put and reflect before closing the gate. When night falls, Misty notes that Charizard has stayed in place since that afternoon. Ash wants to leave, but Charizard doesn't budge. Team Rocket watches as Meowth translates Charizard's thoughts about wanting to be stronger. Throughout the night, Ash and his friends fall asleep, but Team Rocket tosses rocks at Charizard to keep it awake and prevent its flame from fading. Through the gates, Liza and Charla realize how determined Charizard is to get in.

The next morning, Ash wakes up and sees Charizard still sitting in place. Just then, Team Rocket's mecha shows up and rolls up to the gates, attempting to break in. Charizard confronts the mecha and hits it with Flamethrower, causing it to explode and send Team Rocket blasting off as planned. The gate opens, revealing an applauding Liza, who invites Charizard in, explaining that it finally proved that it wants to enter. Shocking his friends, Ash angrily tells Charizard it should stay in the valley if it wants to, and then adds that he doesn't want a weak Charizard anyway. Ash starts to walk away and points to the valley, telling Charizard that it has a lot to learn there. Then, Ash starts running away, followed by Misty and Brock. Pikachu briefly remains to bid Charizard farewell before following the group as well.

Major Events

 * Ash leaves his Charizard to train at the Charicific Valley.