The Pokemon anime just gave fans something they didn't know they actually wanted until they received it. Dalia's Mr. Mime not only knows how to fight but can do so at a level that allows him to contend with Battle Frontier-level trainers.

Mr. Mime has spent basically all of his anime appearances happily doing household chores for Dalia as repayment for her giving him lunch once (something she did out of a bizarre belief that he was her son, Ash, at the time). Mr. Mime's never really given off the vibe that he wants or even knows how to battle, but the latest Pokemon episode changed that in a big way.

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It sees Mr. Mime in his battling debut with Ash as his partner. Battling in a new Battle Frontier tournament held in Hoenn, the duo takes on a powerful Hariyama, and Mr. Mime, for lack of a better phrase, mops the floor with it. The fight's over after only two successful blows from Mr. Mime: a focus Punch to Hariyama's chest and a Psychic attack delivered after trapping Hariyama in a series of Reflect barriers. Despite having the chance to fight back, Hariyama fails to land any successful hits of its own, unable to keep up with Mr. Mime's unorthodox movements.

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Pokemon fans' reaction to Mr. Mime's battling prowess ranges from conspiracy theories concerning Dalia training him in secret to just plain-old surprise at the Pokemon's duality. Even beyond Dalia's Mr. Mime, the Pokemon isn't exactly the most intimidating one around. Being a Pokemon based off of "silent clowns" doesn't help its reparation either.

The anime even recognizes this through its characters. No one except seemingly Ash (of course) believes that Mr. Mime can battle. They simply know him for his ability to make barriers and appear dopey.

That said, the episode didn't turn Mr. Mime into a complete badass. When Ash asks him if he wants to battle again, the Pokemon whole-heartedly refuses, obviously shaken up by his fight with Hariyama (despite it being a flawless victory on his part). Still, the fact that Mr. Mime can do what he does in this episode gives his species as a whole a nice bump to their reputations. And Mr. Mime being a little scared after the battle, gives his surprising win a bit more believability. Hopefully, the anime will explore Mr. Mime some more now that it's created interest in him.

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