Having finally reached Petalburg City, where he hopes to earn his fifth Hoenn badge, Ash wastes no time challenging the gym leader, Norman, to a rematch. Meanwhile, May and Max watch from the sidelines, conflicted as to whether to root for their father the gym leader, or Ash, their friend and traveling companion. Though Ash gets off to a strong start, he quickly learns that there is more to the gym leader's strategy than meets the eye. By alternating between vastly different Pokémon, Norman confuses and exhausts one of Ash's Pokémon after another.