Haywire is Emile/Blair's Zebstrika in Pokémon White. She was the second Pokémon to join his team.
Pokémon Black & White
Episode 6: Blitz and Blam
Blitzle and Ottawa, by [https://twitter.com/yamadora_arts/status/944253528792535040 Yama-Dora
On Route 3, shortly after Ottawa evolved, Blair/Emile began searching for a Blitzle to add to his team. After an hour offscreen, the third one he encountered was a Level 10 female. He captured it in a Heal Ball and backtracked to Striaton City to check its Ability. Seeing that she had Lightningrod, he added her to his team, putting Salsa in the PC to make room for her. He then moved her to the front of his party.
On his second trek to the Wellspring Cave—having had to double back to heal his PP-depleted starter—Ottawa switched in from Blitzle and defeated a wild Audino. The resulting experience caused Haywire to grow to Level 11 and learn Shock Wave.
Blitzle's first solo battle was against a Team Plasma Grunt in Wellspring Cave. The Grunt's Patrat annoyed Blitzle with Detect and took out a rough third of her HP with Bite, but when it left itself wide open by using Bide, Blitzle knocked it out with three consecutive Shock Wave attacks.
Immediately afterward, Blitzle battled another pair of Grunts alongside Cheren's Snivy. Haywire used Shock Wave against one of the two Patrat, which had just used Bide, knocking out roughly half of its HP. The other Patrat stalled Blitzle until the first could unleash the energy it absorbed, knocking her out.
Episode 7: Day Care of You
Emile began the episode by looking over his now-healed Blitzle, expressing how grateful he was for catching one of her Nature and Ability and expressing his hopes of many good times with her in the future.
She grew three levels to Level 14 while battling against several trainers on Route 3. She then grew to Level 15 by defeating a wild Audino in a long (but offscreen) battle and learned Thunder Wave in place of Tail Whip, much to Emile's pleasure. After that, she won a few more battles against wild Pokémon and a trainer for Emile, including the first instance of showing wild Pokémon attacking in pairs.
Episode 8: Nacrene Puff
Emile measured Bliztle's tameness with the NPC in Nacrene City, finding that she was a little friendly towards him.
Throughout the episode, Emile trained in the outer area of the Pinwheel Forest. Haywire ultimately grew 4 levels to Level 19 and learned Flame Charge in place of Charge.
Episode 9: Lenora Valkyrie
Blitzle dominated the second battle against N, effortlessly defeating his Pidove and Tympole and winning unscathed when his Timburr used Bide. She grew to Level 20 from this battle.
She then defeated the first two opponents in the Nacrene City Gym with relative ease; she emerged briefly against the third, but Emile switched to Ottawa. He healed his team offscreen after the battle and, before beginning the fight against the Gym Leader, Emile gave Blitzle a Chesto Berry to hold.
Blitlze proved to be as lucky as Ottawa as she battled Gym Leader Lenora, starting against her Herdier. To Emile's surprise, Haywire proved faster than the evolved Normal-Type and struck with a Thunder Wave. Stunned, Emile wondered why Blitzle was as lucky as Ottawa as Herdier failed to break through the paralysis even once. Emile decided against using Flame Charge, and so the zebra used Shock Wave attacks to knock Herdier out, growing to Level 21 as a result.
Lenora then sent out her last and strongest Pokémon, Watchog. Fearful of its Retaliate attack, Emile had Blitzle use Thunder Wave again. To Emile's shocked joy, Blizle proved faster again and the paralysis prevented Watchog from using Retaliate at full power. Emile gushed about Bliztle's luckiness even as she attacked again. Watchog's Retaliate attack, however, proved powerful even without the boost, wiping out most of Haywire's HP in one shot. Blitzle's last Shock Wave brought Watchog to half health, ensuring an easy time for Ottawa before another Retaliate knocked her out.
Episode 10: Running with Pinwheels
Blitzle battled against many trainers and wild Pokémon in Pinwheel Forest, growing to Level 22 as a result. Emile debated on teaching her Pursuit but ultimately decided against it since the trainers in the game never switched out.
Episode 11: Making a Name
Before crossing the Skyarrow Bridge, Emile gave Blitzle a Quick Claw to hold, despite the redundancy of such an item.
In Castelia City, Blitzle got a massage from an NPC, increasing her happiness. Not long after that, Emile met the Name Rater and gave Blitzle her nickname: Haywire.
Episode 12: In Good Company
Haywire trained against several wild Pokémon on Route 4, growing to Level 23 as a result. The first one Emile showed was against a Level 15 Sandile that he intended to capture. Unnecessarily, Haywire's Quick Claw activated, ensuring that she attacked first with Flame Charge to wipe out almost half of the Sandile's HP, but its retaliatory Sand Tomb did a surprising amount of damage, and combined with the sandstorm raging on the route and Sand Tomb's secondary damage, Haywire fainted.
Emile healed Haywire in the prefab house on Route 4, then emptied Route 4 of its hidden items before heading to the Battle Company in Castelia City. Haywire took part in two cut battles against trainers, including Scientist Steve, and grew to Level 24 as a result while losing most of her HP. She then emerged briefly against Janitor Geoff before switching out for Terrabite.
Emile healed his team offscreen, and then Haywire battled against the other trainers in the building. She subsequently grew to Level 25 and learned Spark in place of Quick Attack, and after that, Emile switched Ottawa to the front of the party in her place. Moments later, Emile took Haywire's Quick Claw and gave her his newly acquired Scope Lens instead.
Episode 13: Full Day of Sightseeing
Haywire took part in the battles against Dancer Mickey and Dancer Edmond, switching out from Terrabite due to his disadvantage against their Pansage and Panpour. She defeated Pansage with relative ease using Flame Charge but lost most of her HP during the offscreen battle against Panpour. Emile subsequently healed her with a Super Potion.
Episode 16: The Ham, Burgh
Haywire defeated one of the Harlequins in the Castelia Gym offscreen, switching in from Terrabite when he grew low on HP. She took little damage in the battle.
Offscreen, Emile backtracked to heal his team and gave Haywire the Eviolite in place of the Scope Lens in preparation for the battle against Gym Leader Burgh, wanting to boost her defenses since her Flame Charge was the best weapon for taking out Burgh's most dangerous Pokémon.
Haywire battles Burgh's Leavanny
Subsequently, she entered the battle against Burgh's Leavanny after it knocked out Terrabite. Emile ultimately decided to paralyze it before attacking, wanting Ottawa to have a chance of taking it down if Haywire fell. His fears proved pointless, however; Leavanny fell to two Flame Charge attacks without damaging Haywire, causing her to grow to Level 26. She then took out Burgh's last Pokémon, his Dwebble, with two Shock Wave attacks, taking some damage from its Smack Down attack but earning Emile the Insect Badge.
In the cut battle against Burgh, Haywire took the field against Whirlipede after it knocked out Terrabite. A critical Flame Charge took it out, and then Burgh sent out his Dwebble; the battle against it was identical to the one described above. Leavanny took the field last, and Haywire's Flame Charge took out roughly two-thirds of its HP, but its retaliatory Razor Leaf finished Haywire off.
Episode 17: Famous Rock Couple
After battling Bianca, Emile switched Haywire to the front of the party, and she subsequently began the next battle against Cheren. She knocked out his Pidove easily, but his Servine proved to be a more even match; with high defensive stats, HP restoration, and the sandstorm raging on the battleground, it barely managed to defeat Haywire.
Emile healed his team at the prefab house, then Haywire defeated a wild Sandile. Later, she defeated Doctor Jerry at the Desert Resort. Later still, Emile took her Eviolite and gave it to his newly obtained Archen, Roc (as named in Episode 21), giving her back the Scope Lens a few moments later.
Episode 18: Resorting to Violence
While training in the Desert Resort, Emile switched in Haywire from Terrabite when the opposing trainer sent out a Maractus. Emile attempted to defeat it with the type advantage, but Haywire's Nature held her back, allowing the opposing Grass-type to defeat her with Mega Drain. Emile healed her and the rest of his team with the help of the Doctor on the route.
Later, Haywire took part in battles against a pair of Fishermen, fainting once again in the second battle.
Episode 21: The Train Going Nowhere
Haywire battles Zoroark
Emile switched Haywire in from Roc (the newly nicknamed Archen) as he began the battles on Route 16, remarking on how close she was to Level 27. Emile began praising her for what she had done for him, only for the Herdier she was fighting to take her down with Take Down. She took no further part in the battles, remaining one victory away from evolving while the rest of Emile's team grew one level each.
Later, Haywire took the field against the Zoroark in the Lostlorn Forest, paralyzing it with Thunder Wave. Emile failed to catch it before it knocked Haywire out with repeated Fury Swipes, but he apologized profusely to her for what happened, saying she didn't deserve it.
Pokémon Black & White - Episode 22: Queen Elesa
Haywire took the field against the first trainer in the Nimbasa City Gym, using her ability to defeat her two Emolga with ease. With this, she finally grew to Level 27 and evolved into Zebstrika.
Haywire evolves into Zebstrika
Emile then gave her the Amulet Coin in place of the Scope Lens, allowing him much more money from the Gym's junior trainers. She emerged against each of the remaining trainers in aid of this, switching to Terrabite against anyone who sent out Blitzle. She defeated only one more trainer, as only one more had Emolga; collectively, the experience caused her to grow to Level 28. Emile traded her items back and switched Roc to the front of the party in Haywire's place before challenging Gym Leader Elesa.
Haywire and Terrabite, by Auden
After Roc defeated Elesa, Emile used the TM72 he won to teach Haywire Volt Switch in place of Shock Wave.
Why Emile Chose Zebstrika
Emile found Blitzle and its evolution cool, cute, and one of the better of the Unova Pokémon. Both of its Abilities give it immunity to Electric attacks and it has high Speed as well. He thought it would have good synergy with his starter despite thinking its Attack and Special Attack stats should have been switched given its move set.
Stats
Haywire has a Modest Nature, improving Special Attack while hindering Attack, and the Characteristic "Proud of its power", meaning that her highest IV is in Attack.
Moves
Current Moves
- Spark (Episode 12—Present)
- Thunder Wave (Episode 7—Present)
- Flame Charge (Episode 8—Present)
- Volt Switch (Episode 22—Present)
Former Moves
- Tail Whip (Pre-Episode 6—Episode 7)
- Charge (Pre-Episode 6—Episode 8)
- Quick Attack (Pre-Episode 6—Episode 12)
- Shock Wave (Episode 6—Episode 22)
Nickname Origin
Hay is a common food for grazing animals and wires carry electricity; the full word fits well on many levels for Emile.
Compared to the other options, few people suggested Haywire as a nickname; the first one to do so was Samantha Clayton @Fuyuko_Yuki, and Emile later gave a mention to Shayne Francis Soltis who suggested it within a couple of minutes of Clayton[1].
Honorable Mentions
- Seabzzcuit, a pun on the champion Thoroughbred racehorse Seabiscuit and electrical crackling. Among others, Matt Storrs suggested this name.
- Jouliet, a play on the word Joule as well as a common female name. Among others, Ninterd suggested this name.
- Spot, for irony's sake. Among others, Emma Davey suggested this name.
- Éclair, the French word for "lightning" and a reference to the pastry. Among others, Axolotine suggested this name.
- Funnily enough, in Japan 'Éclair' is the real first name of Final Fantasy XIII's protagonist Lightning. In the U.S. versions it was changed to 'Claire' because of the pastry reference.
- Circuit, a reference to both electricity and horse races. Among others, TrueBreidisc suggested this name.
Trivia
- Haywire is Emile's second Electric-type Pokémon team member, the only other being Voltaire.
- Haywire is the fifth of Emile's Pokémon team members to evolve in the same episode as another one, the first four are Bulbapedia, RK9, Vui, Roary. The sixth is Terrabite, who evolved in the same episode as Haywire.
- From Episode 16: The Ham, Burgh to her evolution in Episode 22: Queen Elesa, Haywire was Level 26 (one level away from evolution) for seven consecutive episodes.
- Haywire is the first Pokémon team member in White to not be immediately nicknamed.
- Haywire is the first of Emile's Pokémon team member in White to evolve fully.
- Despite his like of Zebstrika, he loathes its back sprite due to the clear view of its overly defined backside.[2]