The Pokemon Crystal Jasmine fight is next, and we are not ready for it. Five badges down, three to go. Jasmine runs the Steel gym in Olivine and her strongest Pokemon is level 35. So Episode 15 had one job. Get Jack to 36.
We did not get Jack to 36.
Why level 36 before Pokemon Crystal Jasmine
Jack is our starter and he came into the night at level 30. Level 36 puts him one above the best thing Jasmine has. It is also where he gets his final form. Fire is supposed to beat Steel, which I only know because Jess told me. I have been told almost nothing else about Steel types, and I think that’s on purpose.
Last week went fast. Fenris handed our save back with a Gengar and a Golem. We beat Chuck, learned Fly, and cured the sick Ampharos at the top of the lighthouse. This week was the opposite. This week was walking in grass.
The Umbreon plan
Fenris had homework for us. Put Break Girl X at the front of the party and leave her there. She’s our Eevee, and we picked Umbreon for her last episode. That takes friendship, and friendship takes time in the lead spot. It also has to happen at night, which works out since we stream at 6.
She learned Quick Attack along the way. She did not evolve. Not yet.
Jack learns Flame Wheel
The best moment of the grind came early. Jack learned Flame Wheel, which is the first Fire move he’s had that feels like it could hurt something made of metal.
Then the levels slowed down. Late in the night Jack was only level 32, and Jess walked me through how split experience works. Leading with Break Girl X means she takes a share of every fight. Good for the Umbreon plan. Bad for the Jack plan. He hit 33 right before we signed off.
What we talked about instead
A grind episode is mostly a talk show with a Game Boy running. We spent a long stretch on the Ocarina of Time remake, including the cucco puzzle, going home to Kokiri Forest, and the fact that ReDeads run now. Jess pointed out that Impa sends a nine-year-old to handle all of it.
We also covered the worst live-action Pokemon casting we’ve ever seen, our game of the year picks, and Dokapon Kingdom. Then it turned into confessions. Who’s the most competitive. Who has bitten a controller. Who has thrown one. Fenris offered to fix my stick drift, and he also wants a Sonic arcade cabinet.
Next week
Jack is at 33. Three more levels and we walk into the Steel gym. The open question is whether Break Girl X evolves before the fight or after it.
I had never played a Pokemon game before this series. Jess has loved Crystal since she was a kid, and she’s teaching me live, one gym at a time. If you want to read up on what we’re walking into, here’s Jasmine’s page on Bulbapedia. I’m not allowed to look at it.
The full episode is on the BreakmanX YouTube channel. Pokemon Crystal streams Mondays at 6 PM Central. The Game Show is Wednesdays at 9 PM Central.
