Ash and friends have arrived at the first Facility of the Battle Frontier: the Battle Factory. After meeting Noland: the Factory Head, Ash was given the choice of which Pokémon he would like to battle for a Knowledge Symbol. Ash considered his options and then made his choice: to battle Noland’s friend Articuno with his Charizard.
The next morning, Ash decides to go out with Charizard and see what it can do. As they fly, Ash orders a steep dive followed by a steep climb. Charizard pulls it off beautifully and then unleashes an amazing Flamethrower as May, Max, and Brock watch from the Factory. Max comments that it is more powerful than it was in the Johto League Championships. Next, Ash orders a Dragonbreath and Charizard creates a huge hole in a cloud with it. Finally, Ash tells Charizard to practice its high-altitude flying.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket watches from a nearby hill. Meowth pulls out some sandwiches that James made but Jessie says they can’t stop to eat. She tells them that she’s got a new plan: let Charizard tire out Articuno and then steal it. Meowth interjects that Articuno might win, in which case Jessie says that they’ll steal Charizard.
Sergio leads Ash, Scott, and the others into the Battle Factory’s Main Arena: a huge room with a curved ceiling. Ash runs onto the platform near the door, where he’ll be commanding from. Noland enters the room from a door on the other side and says that it’s been a while since he’s had a decent opponent and he won’t hold back. Noland calls Articuno in and Ash releases Charizard. Both Pokémon land on their respective sides; Jessie, James, and Meowth climb to the roof outside. Jessie says that they’ll cut a hole in the roof and wait for one of the Pokémon to fly past it, grab it, and make their getaway before anyone realizes what happened. Inside, everyone looks to the ceiling as it begins to open up, allowing Flying Pokémon to use their full abilities. Outside, Team Rocket begins to slip and they fall right in.
After reciting their motto, Team Rocket decides to take Articuno by force. Before they can do much, however, Noland orders an Ice Beam from Articuno and it obeys, freezing the three “villains.” They ask for someone to turn the heat up, and Ash obliges, sending Charizard’s Flamethrower at them. Pikachu finally blasts them off with a Thunderbolt. With Team Rocket gone, Sergio starts the battle. Both Charizard and Articuno take to the air. Charizard fires a Flamethrower; Articuno counters it with an Ice Beam. The Ice Beam is no match for the Flamethrower and Articuno gets blasted.
Articuno gets back into the air as Charizard launches another Flamethrower. This time, the Freeze Pokémon dodges and flies past Charizard. It turns around and dives at Charizard; Charizard charges up at it. As they get closer, Articuno releases a Mist Attack and Charizard can’t find it. Articuno smashes into Charizard and it hits the ground hard. Articuno comes out of the Mist to find a barrage of Dragonbreath Attacks coming at it. It dodges the first two, but then gets hit by the third one. Ash orders Charizard to grab Articuno. Articuno dodges and then uses Ice Beam. However, the attack has no effect at all and Charizard launches another Flamethrower.
Articuno dodges the Flamethrower and uses a Steel Wing attack on Charizard. Charizard plummets to the ground and lands hard.
Articuno quickly launches a Water Pulse attack on Charizard, and Charizard slams into the wall. In the stands, Scott says that Water Pulse does the most damage if it is a direct hit. He also says that he thinks Noland was waiting for the opportune moment to fire Water Pulse while dodging all of Charizard’s attacks with its speed and agility. Back at the battle, Ash thinks hard about using an attack that he had only just learned that Charizard could use that morning during their training.
He and Charizard were flying in the clouds when Ash thought they were done, and Charizard began shining a brilliant red. Ash exclaimed that he didn’t know Charizard knew that attack. Back in the present, Articuno uses Ice Beam. Charizard flies alongside the wall to dodge the attack. A long strip of ice remains where Charizard flew. Part of the ice also hits Charizard’s wing. Articuno launches a Water Pulse onto the ice strip on the wall, and it breaks into tiny shards, which pelt Charizard. Charizard flies back into the air, followed by Articuno. Charizard begins flying slower than normal, and Brock figures out why: its wing tips are frozen. Scott explains that Noland knew all along that Ice Beam wouldn’t do anything but kept at it anyways so it would freeze its wing tips.
Articuno fires an Ice Beam, which creates a ball of ice. The Freeze Pokémon then fires Water Pulse at the ball of ice, and it creates more shards. Charizard attempts to melt the pieces with a Flamethrower but some bypass it and his Charizard. Articuno climbs above Charizard, and Ash decides it’s time for his secret attack. He orders Charizard to use Overheat. Charizard begins to glow again as the ice melts off of its wings. Charizard flies straight at Articuno. May is surprised that it knows Overheat, and Max comments that it didn’t know it in the Johto League. Brock says that it must’ve learned it during training in the Valley. Scott says that Ash has to hit it the first time because Overheat will lose its power afterwards.
In the air, Charizard launches the Overheat attack at Articuno as Articuno fires a Water Pulse at Charizard. The two attacks collide and create an explosion. Articuno flies out of it and hits Charizard with a Steel Wing. Charizard hovers, having taken a lot of damage. Noland tells Articuno to finish it up with another Steel Wing. Articuno charges for Charizard who grabs its wings at the last second. Charizard takes Articuno into a Seismic Toss. Both Pokémon land hard on the ground. When the smoke clears, Charizard lays on the ground while Articuno stands on its claws. Sergio is about to declare Charizard unable to battle, but Noland tells him to wait until the match is decided beyond a shadow of a doubt. Suddenly, Articuno falls over and Charizard stands up. Articuno does not get up again so Sergio declares it unable to battle. Charizard celebrates its victory with a Flamethrower.
Everyone gathers in the arena for Ash to get his Symbol. Ash thanks Charizard for fighting for him. Noland thanks Articuno and says that he likes Ash’s style. He calls Sergio over and Sergio holds out a Gold Symbol. Noland takes it from the box and tells Ash that it is a Knowledge Symbol. Ash and Charizard do their victory pose; Noland also hands Ash a Frontier Folio to hold his Symbols in.
Later that evening, Articuno flies off as Charizard gives Ash a last Flamethrower. Scott tells Ash that he should try the Battle Arena next; Max tells them that it isn’t too far from there. Scott adds in that he can’t lose if he battles the same way he did in the Factory. Ash thanks him as the group heads off for the Battle Arena.
