Ash and co. arrive in Sunyshore City so that Ash can earn his final Sinnoh gym badge, but when they arrive at the gym, Ash is offered a free badge because Volkner, the gym leader, doesn't feel like battling! Our heroes also meet Flint, the Fire-type specialist of the Sinnoh Elite Four and a childhood friend of Volkner's. Flint explains that Volkner is notorious for being the toughest gym leader in Sinnoh but he has become bored with his apparent invincibility and instead begun devoting his time to his technology projects. Ash and Flint try to find a way to restore Volkner's battling spirit.
- A Taste of Defeat: Infernape has his only defeat at the hands of Flint's Infernape.
- Character Development: In the past, Ash would've been okay with receiving a badge without properly defeating the Leader. It says something when he's angry about what Volkner did instead.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Flint's Infernape does this to Infernape, Buizel and Pikachu.
- Continuity Nod: Upon realizing the situation, Dawn remembers that Paul basically gave the Sunnyshore Gym a scathing review.Paul: “That Gym is NOT legit!”
- Victory Is Boring: The reason Volkner has given up on battling and is giving away the gym badges is because he has grown tired of winning so much.
