Ash's Kingler (Tom's Version)

Ash's Kingler (Japanese: サトシのキングラー Satoshi's Kingler) is the fourteenth Pokémon that Ash Ketchum caught in the Kanto region.

Kanto
Ash originally obtained Kingler as a Krabby in Mystery at the Lighthouse, when he became angry at Misty for saying that it was a fluke that he caught all his other Pokémon. Storming down to the beach, he discovered a minuscule Krabby and made fun of it. Krabby challenged Ash, who fought it with a nearby stick and then captured it in a Poké Ball. Ash quickly rang Oak and became horrified as he thought Oak was eating his new Krabby. However, he became relieved to know that Oak was actually eating tofu and that Krabby was quite happy at Oak's lab. However, the happiness he felt at catching his seventh Pokémon wore off as soon as Oak revealed that Gary had also caught a Krabby, although his was far larger in size. Gary later mocked Krabby himself in Showdown at the Po-ké Corral, degrading Krabby in comparison to his own.

Krabby's battling debut came in Round One - Begin!, when Ash used it during the first round of the Pokémon League against Mandi. He reasoned that Krabby would be perfect for a battle on the Water field despite Misty's protests that Ash should borrow one of her Pokémon as Krabby had never battled before. Ash retorted that he still had Pikachu and Squirtle as backups should Krabby fail.

It seemed at first that Misty's forebodings would prove true; Mandi's Exeggutor used Psychic to trap Krabby in a whirlpool. However, Krabby managed to escape and took control of the battle with Vice Grip. It avoided Exeggutor's Hypnosis and took victory with Leer and Stomp. The intensity of the battle caused it to evolve into a Kingler. It was able to finish the rest of the match single-handedly, defeating Mandi's Seadra by slowing it down with Bubble and then knocking it out with Crabhammer, and then taking out his Golbat with a Hyper Beam. This was despite Misty and Brock's real concerns about Kingler's ability to prevail against Seadra's speed and Golbat's air attacks.

Ash also used Kingler in his battle on the Ice field in Fire and Ice, where Kingler defeated Pete Pebbleman's Cloyster by hammering repeatedly on its shell with Crabhammer until it fainted. It then fought his Arcanine, but its Bubble was dodged by the Fire-type Pokémon, and then it was knocked out by Dragon Rage.

Gallery
Ash_Krabby.png|As a Krabby Ash_Krabby_Harden.png|Using Harden as a Krabby Ash_Krabby_Vice_Grip.png|Using Vice Grip as a Krabby Ash_Krabby_Leer.png|Using Leer as a Krabby Ash_Krabby_Stomp.png|Using Stomp as a Krabby Ash_Kingler.png Ash_Kingler_Water_Gun.png|Using Water Gun Ash_Kingler_Crabhammer.png|Using Crabhammer Ash_Kingler_Vice_Grip.png|Using Vice Grip Ash_Kingler_Hyper_Beam.png|Using Hyper Beam