As Ash and friends approach the entrance to the Battle Palace, Spenser and Scott emerge from the old-fashioned stone building and welcome them. Ash and Spenser face each other, ready for the coming match for Ash’s 5th Frontier Symbol: the Spirits Symbol!

Scott explains the rules of the battle: 3-on-3 and only the challenger will be allowed to substitute. Spenser tells Ash that they spend a lot of time battling inside buildings and that it would be better for them to battle outside… and Ash agrees to have an outdoor battle. Scott takes May, Max, and Brock up in a hot air balloon shaped like a Pokéball with a computer screen inside. Ash and Spenser meet at a battlefield atop a high cliff as Scott explains that the whole of Metallica Island will be the battlefield and that the one they’re standing on is only the starting place. A robot appears in front of them and welcomes them. Scott informs everyone that it is the judge and can move quickly to monitor the battle, even underwater.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket watches with their binoculars (Mime Jr. miming them even without binoculars) as the battle begins. Up on the battlefield, Spenser releases a Shiftry and Ash sends out Sceptile. They immediately race off the battlefield and into the jungle, Ash and Spenser giving right behind them. Sceptile uses Leaf Blade and Shiftry counters with Quick Attack. In the balloon, everyone else watches intently. As the battle reaches a waterfall, Shiftry uses Double Team and then aims a Shadow Ball. Sceptile dodges into the water and Shiftry uses Rock Smash as Sceptile reemerges. Sceptile ducks back under the water right away and pops out on top of the waterfall. Sceptile finishes it with Pound and Leaf Blade. The robot declares Shiftry unable to battle.

As Spenser considers his next choice, Team Rocket walks through the woods and Jessie hits a trip wire, and they get caught in their own net. Spenser’s next choice is his Venusaur, so Ash calls back Sceptile and sends out none other than Heracross who immediately begins sucking the sap from Venusaur. Venusaur lazily raises a vine and smacks Heracross off. Venusaur starts off the battle with Tackle as Heracross uses Horn Attack. Heracross then uses Fury Attack and smacks Venusaur around the jungle. Heracross then fires a Mega Horn and slams Venusaur into a tree, knocking small pink bananas into Spenser’s hand. Venusaur begins powering up for a Solarbeam as Heracross uses Mega Horn again. Meanwhile, James hits a trip wire and Team Rocket gets hit by a slew of arrows that pins them to a tree. Once again, they’ve hit their own trap… As Heracross’ Mega Horn connects, Venusaur releases the Solarbeam and sends Heracross flying, knocking it out.

Ash’s next choice is Swellow, but before they battle, Spenser gives everyone some of the bananas that fell and offers a break in the battle to eat and relax. Up in the balloon, Scott and the others each get an apple to eat. Team Rocket, having managed to get un-stuck from the tree, is walking through the forest, Meowth hits another trip wire… but nothing happens. So they continue and fall into a pitfall trap. Meanwhile, Swellow races ahead as Ash chases after it and the beach nears. Venusaur tries Razor Leaf and Vine Whip but misses. They reach the beach and Venusaur tries the same attacks again. Swellow uses Double Team and then Quick Attack to deal some serious damage to Venusaur. Tired, Venusaur charges up a Solarbeam but the sun hides behind the clouds and the charge backs down. Swellow then uses Aerial Ace for the win.

Spenser’s third and final choice is a Claydol. Swellow tries a Quick Attack but Claydol dodges and uses Rapid Spin, sending Swellow spiraling off. Claydol then finishes it with Sandstorm. Ash sends out Sceptile and Claydol begins with Psybeam. It misses Sceptile and hits Team Rocket, who, after managing to escape the forest, is sent blasting off again. Sceptile dodges Claydol’s next attack by jumping up onto a high cliff as dark clouds fill the sky. It begins to pour and Spenser explains that it’s a squall, a sudden rainstorm that is unique to Metallica Island. Claydol uses Sandstorm to damage Sceptile, then combines Psybeam and Rapid Spin for major damage. Sceptile, even after taking all that damage, still refuses to quit. The storm ends, the sun comes out, and the yellow balls on Sceptile’s back begin to glow. Ash remembers when Venusaur used Solarbeam, that it had to charge energy and orders the most powerful Grass Attack.

Spenser tells Claydol to finish it with Hyper Beam and it fires off the attack. Sceptile dodges the attack and fires the Solarbeam, knocking out Claydol and ending the match. As the sun sets on Metallica Island, everyone (including Sceptile, Heracross, and Swellow) gathers on the beach and Spenser awards Ash the Spirits Symbol. He does his trademark pose and Scott mentions that the next Frontier Facility will be much, much harder.

English Official Summary

Ash's Battle Palace challenge against Spenser is about to begin, and it's going to be one big battle when the island itself is the true battleground! Ash's friends take to the skies in a hot air balloon to watch, and since no regular referee can keep up, a hovering robot called Jamero will keep everyone informed of what's going on. The first battle will be Spenser's Shiftry against Ash's Sceptile, and naturally the pair take to the forest to have their battle. Sceptile, back and better than ever after its recent romantic woes, takes a dunking during the fight but comes back to knock out Shiftry. Next up is Spenser's Venusaur. Ash has brought Heracross in just for this match, although Heracross seems more interested in seeing if Venusaur's flower has anything tasty to eat. Speaking of tasty, after Venusaur's mighty Solarbeam defeats Heracross, Spenser takes time out of the battle for a snack break. After that refreshing pause, Swellow battles Venusaur on the beach, where the sun could prove to be an advantage for Venusaur. But the weather is unpredictable and a cloudy sky is no help for Venusaur's Solarbeam. That gives Swellow an edge that wins it the round, and now it's time for Spenser's Claydol. Claydol is packing a powerful Hyper Beam that knocks Swellow out in short order, so now it's up to Sceptile. Things could be tough when a sudden squall blows through, but the clouds part and this time the sun is shining for Ash! The sunlight helps Sceptile charge up and its Solarbeam finishes the match, winning Ash his fifth Frontier Symbol. Next stop: the Battle Tower!

French Official Summary

Le combat de Sacha contre Spenser au Palais Extrême va bientôt commencer, et ce match s'annonce d'ores et déjà épique, car l'Arène n'est autre que l'île elle-même !

German Official Summary

Ashs Kampfpalast-Herausforderung gegen Spencer steht bevor – die ganze Insel ist dabei das Schlachtfeld!

Italian Official Summary

La sfida al Palazzo Lotta in cui Ash sfiderà Spartaco sta per iniziare. E sarà un grandissimo incontro, dato che l'isola stessa è il campo di lotta!

Portuguese Official Summary

É hora do próximo desafio da Batalha da Fronteira de Ash: uma batalha na impressionante arena ao ar livre do Palácio da Batalha, contra o Cérebro da Fronteira Spenser!

Finnish Official Summary

On Ashin seuraavan Battle Frontier -haasteen aika: ottelu ulkona, vaikuttavassa Ottelupalatsissa ja vastassa Frontier Brain Spenser!

Spanish Latin America Official Summary

Es hora del siguiente reto de la Batalla de la Frontera de Ash: una batalla en la impresionante arena exterior del Palacio de Batalla, contra el Cerebro de la Frontera Spenser.

Spanish Official Summary

El reto de Palacio Batalla de Ash contra Aniceto está a punto de empezar, ¡y va a ser un gran combate cuando la isla en sí sea el verdadero campo de combate!

English Great Britian Official Summary

Ash's Battle Palace challenge against Spenser is about to begin, and it's going to be one big battle when the island itself is the true battleground! Ash's friends take to the skies in a hot air balloon to watch, and since no regular referee can keep up, a hovering robot called Jamero will keep everyone informed of what's going on. The first battle will be Spenser's Shiftry against Ash's Sceptile, and naturally the pair take to the forest to have their battle. Sceptile, back and better than ever after its recent romantic woes, takes a dunking during the fight but comes back to knock out Shiftry. Next up is Spenser's Venusaur. Ash has brought Heracross in just for this match, although Heracross seems more interested in seeing if Venusaur's flower has anything tasty to eat. Speaking of tasty, after Venusaur's mighty Solarbeam defeats Heracross, Spenser takes time out of the battle for a snack break. After that refreshing pause, Swellow battles Venusaur on the beach, where the sun could prove to be an advantage for Venusaur. But the weather is unpredictable and a cloudy sky is no help for Venusaur's Solarbeam. That gives Swellow an edge that wins it the round, and now it's time for Spenser's Claydol. Claydol is packing a powerful Hyper Beam that knocks Swellow out in short order, so now it's up to Sceptile. Things could be tough when a sudden squall blows through, but the clouds part and this time the sun is shining for Ash! The sunlight helps Sceptile charge up and its Solarbeam finishes the match, winning Ash his fifth Frontier Symbol. Next stop: the Battle Tower!

Russian Official Summary

Воодушевлённый новостями о том, что Септайл преодолел свои страхи, Эш отправляется в Дворец Сражений, полный уверенности в своих силах. Но Спенсер, Глава фронта и властелин дворца, не станет облегчать Эшу задачу. А его связь с природой оказывается столь мощной, что оставляет нашего героя в полном недоумении. Но Эш всегда умел извлекать преимущества из любой ситуации - боевая философия Спенсера стала дополнением к арсеналу боевых стратегий Эша. Кроме того, Септайл овладел новой атакой - Солнечный луч, которая перевела и покемона и его тренера на новый уровень мастерства и залогом победы!

Dutch Official Summary

Het is tijd voor de volgende Battle Frontier uitdaging van Ash: een gevecht in de indrukwekkende openlucht arena bij het Strijd Paleis, tegen Zone Leider Spenser!

Norwegian Official Summary

Tiden er inne for Ash sin neste Battle Frontier utfordring: En kamp på den imponerende utendørsarenaen ved kamp-palasset, mot Frontier Brain Spenser!

Swedish Official Summary

Det är dags för Ashs nästa Batalj Gränslands-utmaning; en strid i en imponerande utomhusarena, mot Gränslands-hjärnan Spenser!

Danish Official Summary

Det er blevet tid til Ashs næste Battle Frontier-udfordring: en kamp mod Frontier Brain Spenser i Kamppaladsets  imponerende udendørsarena!