>>50525636I also see what you're getting at, in a general sense. I rewatched that episode last year. I adamantly believe that Charizard would have killed Ritchie's Pikachu if that thing hit it with an Electric-type attack. I honestly feel like sending it to fight Charizard after that fight with Zippo was an absurdity on Ritchie's part. Ash's Charizard was extremely belligerent. Even Mewtwo remarked on how foul-tempered it was. The entire reason it fought Magmar and Ritchie's Charmander was because of its obsession with proving itself as the strongest. It was touchy and had pride issues. There was no way it was going to let Ritchie's Pikachu get away with landing a thunderbolt. It would have gotten mad and gone crazy.
Also, in the Electric Tale of Pikachu, Ash and Ritchie actually have a double Charizard fight at the end of their battle. Ash's doesn't listen to him at all, but it mauls Ritchie's and almost kills it. I saved this for last because I don't want you to think it's influenced my perspective of the anime. It hasn't. My opinion on that episode comes purely from the anime Charizard's personality. It was totally in everyone's best interest to just call the match there.
