>>34504700Yeah, it still doesn't count.
First "strong trainer": Water gun shooting contest and swimming race
Second "strong trainer": Mountain climbing. Ice bobsled race.
Third "strong trainer": Target practice. 3 1-on-1 battles between Pokemon with the same type
Fourth "strong trainer": Double battle
Only the last two battles actually qualified as some sort of "Elite Four."
And that Orange Island "champion" Drake was such a flake. His Ditto lost to Pikachu, who was nowhere as powerful as it was now. His Onix lost to Squirtle. His Gengar tied with a baby Lapras with no battle experience. His Venusaur lost to a Tauros that rarely battled. His Electabuzz lost to an inexperienced Charizard (at least in the scope of Charizard being shitty when Ash releases it in Johto).
His Dragonite really was the only decent Pokemon Drake had, and it still lost to 4 tired out Pokemon. Hell, the exhausted and inexperienced Charizard alone tired out Dragonite.
