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Highlights
- Pokemon explores emotional bonds: Relationships between trainers and their pocket monsters elevate the series to a story centered on friendship and loyalty.
- Some trainers mistreat Pokemon: Not all trainers adhere to principles of love and care, casting a shadow on the series. Charmander’s abandonment by its callous owner showcases the darker side of the Pokemon world.
- Charmander’s loyalty and new life: Despite its mistreatment, Charmander’s unwavering loyalty eventually leads it to find a new life with Ash, filled with genuine friendship and love.
Beyond the electrifying battles and Poke Balls, the heart of Pokemon lies in the emotional bonds formed between trainers and their amazing pocket monsters. For many fans, these relationships elevate the series from a mere battle spectacle to a story centered on friendship, loyalty, and the occasional heartache. While trainers like Ash and Pikachu, Misty and her Togepi, and Brock and his Onix embody the beauty of these connections, a darker side emerges as some trainers mistreat their Pokemon.
However, not all trainers in the Pokemon world adhere to the principles of love and care. Some individuals, whose actions border on cruelty, have left a disheartening mark on the series. Mistreatment of Pokemon by these trainers casts a shadow as these individuals are considered the most vile. One such story has fans still upset almost 30 years later – the heart-wrenching abandonment of Charmander by its callous owner, Damian.
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Ash and His Friends Meet a Lone Pokemon
In the 11th Episode of Pokemon: Indigo League, which originally aired in the US in 1998, Ash, Misty, and Brock are on their way to Vermilion City when they encounter a weakened Charmander on a rock. Ash tries to capture it, but it resists. Brock, sensing a deeper issue, suggests that Charmander is waiting for someone. The group decides to leave. As they continue to travel, they seek refuge inside a Pokemon Center as it begins to rain. Their rest is interrupted when they overhear a Trainer named Damian flippantly admitting that he abandoned a Charmander because it was weak. Realizing it is the Charmander that they just encountered on the rock and disgusted by Damian’s heartlessness, the group confronts him, demanding he retrieve his Pokemon. However, Damian doesn’t care.
Charmander’s Loyalty Almost Kills Him
Charmander’s loyalty to its heartless trainer remains unwavering, as he braves the rain by himself, using a leaf to try to shield himself from the pouring rain so as not to let its flame go out and die. The story takes a darker turn when Charmander, left alone on the rock, becomes the target of a Spearow attack. In a desperate attempt to save Charmander, Ash and his friends face the wrath of the Spearow. After successfully fending off the Spearow, the group rushes Charmander to the Pokemon Center, pleading for Nurse Joy’s help.
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Eventually, Charmander pulls through. The next day, the group discovers that Charmander has vanished from the Pokemon Center. Ash is convinced that Charmander has returned to the rock, showing unwavering loyalty to its neglectful trainer. Despite Brock’s desire to intervene once again, Misty points out the futility of trying to change Charmander’s mind.
However, Charmander Does Eventually Get a New Life
Eventually, the group encounters Team Rocket, and Charmander reappears to protect Pikachu and fight them off. Its loyalty and strength shine through as it stands up against those who would exploit and mistreat Pokemon. Damian returns, claiming to have come back for Charmander, but the Pokemon rejects him with a powerful Flamethrower. Charmander then willingly joins Ash on his journey, marking a new beginning filled with genuine friendship, mutual respect, and love.
Charmander’s Tale is a Reminder of Just How Dark Pokemon Can Be
While Pokemon has provided us with countless moments of joy, camaraderie, and excitement, it has not shied away from delving into the darker aspects of the trainer-Pokemon relationship. Although the story does have a happy ending, the tale of Charmander and Damian serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges these adorable pocket monsters face. Even after almost three decades, the image of Charmander sitting on a rock, waiting for an owner who did not deserve him, remains as heartbreaking as the day it first aired.
Pokemon is available for streaming on Netflix.
