ENGLISH NAME	JAPANESE NAME	POKEMOPOLIS NAME	DODGINESS RATING	ANIMATION	STORY	TEAM ROCKET	MORAL LEARNT
762: New Places... Familiar Faces!	768: Araragi Kenkyujo! Aratanaru Tabidachi!	Team Rocket and the nobody cares what else it's Team Rocket!			The twerps renew their old rivalry with Team Rocket	A blast(ing off again!) from the past!	Sometimes you just gotta go with your first instinct

The twerps are back on the way to Nuvema Town, right back to where Ash started in Unova but with nothing to show for it - he didn't win anything other than 8 extra badges to go on the pile. He seems cheery enough though, and Iris and Cilan are eager to see Professor Juniper again. They reach a solid looking bridge over a river, where a young girl with glasses is freaking out, telling them she's too terrified to cross it. In school she learned you should tap on a bridge before crossing it to make sure it is safe, so she did... but now she's worried that maybe she tapped TOO much and now it is going to fall down the moment she steps onto it. Losing her goddamn mind and clutching at her head, she explains that she can't stop her mind from working, she's constantly imagining all kinds of bizarre worst-case scenarios and situations.... basically she's the opposite of Cameron! The twerps head across the bridge to show her it is safe, but that just freaks her out even more because what if the bridge WAS safe until after they crossed over it? Oh God oh God she's going to die OH MY GOD THIS IS IT IT'S ALL OVER! Sighing, Ash crosses back over and a quick wipe later we see her now on the other side, having apparently been brought over by Ash. Heaving for breath, she thanks Ash for helping her, and he happily tells her that it's good to think things through but sometimes you just have to make a decision and go with it. They head away, leaving the bizarre, frantic little girl behind. But as they leave, they're watched by a small remote camera. Can it be? Yes it is! Team Rocket are back, observing the twerps and rededicated to what was once the guiding obsession of their lives - they want to capture Pikachu!



The twerps arrive at Juniper's Lab, where she makes tea for Iris and Cilan while Ash puts through a phone-call to his mothe... HAHAHA, to Professor Oak! Oak says he watched Ash's performance at the Unova League on television and Ash admits that he's not too pleased with only making it to the Quarter-Finals this time. Oak is still proud of his idiotic bastard-child though, saying Ash was quite excellent. Ash cheers up immediately and tells Oak about how he has captured so many Pokémon in the Unova Region, and asks how his other Pokémon are doing at Oak's reserve. Oak says they're all doing well, and indeed at least one of them is as Oak is suddenly forced over by the amorous attentions of that slimy old rapist - Muk! It beams with pleasure as it wraps itself over Oak's protesting form, and Ash says a blissfully innocent hello.

Joining the others on the couch with Pikachu on his lap, Ash ponders what he is going to do now. Cilan and Iris remind him they are still pursuing THEIR goals too - Cilan wants to be a top Connoisseur and Iris wants to be a Dragon Master, so both need to continue to travel and train. Ash seems to realise for the first time that they're not just along for the ride (I mean hell, it's not like they're BROCK for God's sake!) and they all agree happily to keep their little team together and keep on traveling. It seems that Ash really was strongly considering returning to Kanto and saying his goodbyes to them both, but his poor result in the Unova League has shown him he still has a long way to go as a Trainer, so he'll continue working on it here in Unova while HE goes along for the ride with Cilan and Iris for a change.

A familiar voice gets their attention, the little girl has arrived at Juniper's Lab. She is calling from outside the main doors, too afraid to go in without being invited. When nobody immediately replies she freaks out, becoming convinced in her hyperactive mind that this is one of the abandoned buildings she hears so much about... why it's probably filled with Galvantula and they'll capture her in a web and electrocute her! She begins screaming, clutching at her head as she is wracked by indecision, but then the twerps step out the door and say a cheerful hello. Tears in her eyes, she is relieved to see them and comes inside where she introduces herself to Juniper. Her name is Nanette, and she has come to receive her first starter Pokémon.... she heard that she'll be given a Pokémon for free? Is that really real? REALLY for reals real? Juniper agrees, this is true, but Nanette freaks out - there's ALWAYS a catch. Her imagination runs wild, seeing a cruel Juniper smacking a riding crop into the palm of her hand while a weeping Nanette is forced to polish Pokéballs (lots of inner-city girls end up in that situation, sadly), Juniper cackling that she'll have to work here in the lab without pay... forever! Tears stream down Nanette's face as she cries out how unfair it is for Juniper to make her stay forever and work without pay. Juniper calms her down, but then does the absolute worst thing possible - she wants Nanette to make a decision! Three Pokémon are called out of their Pokéball - a cute Tepig, a bleary-eyed, red-cheeked Oshawott and a self-confident Snivy who seems to be a male.

Nanette looks them over and freaks out, imagining sleeping in a bed with her Snivy which evolves and (lovingly!) wraps her up tight and crushes her! Or what if she chooses Oshawott and gets an accidental face-full of Water Gun that then fills the entire room with water!?! Or what is she chooses Tepig and..... Iris screams for her to stop, telling her to just pick one! Ash agrees, she just needs to make a decision, and Cilan - a Connoisseur, remember! - suggests she go with Tepig - its lively attitude will make a good contrast with her timid nature. Tepig is delighted by the idea, wagging its little curly tail and giving her great big yearning eyes. She agrees, picking the Pokémon up and laughing as it licks happily at her face. Juniper gives her five spare Pokéballs, a Pokédex, a badge case and finally a Pokéball for Tepig. She recalls Tepig to its Pokéball for the first time, but when the twerps suggest she have a Pokémon battle she freaks out. What if she screws it all up? What if... Iris cuts her off, and Ash has a pleasant compromise in mind - he'll team up with her for a tag battle against Cilan and Iris. They're all enthusiastic about the idea, and Juniper agrees it is a good way to ease Nanette into Pokémon battling, she'll happily act as the judge. They head outside to her facility's battle arena, where she gets them started.

They can each use one Pokémon each - Pikachu and Tepig against Stunfisk and Emolga. Ash asks Nanette if she is ready to open the battle but she's paralyzed by indecision, so he shows her how it is done by ordering a Thunderbolt. The attack hits Emolga in mid-air and earths itself by running through Stunfisk... which bellows with glorious retarded laughter!



I love you, Stunfisk :)

Ash tells Nanette to follow up, so Nanette does by ordering Tepig to use.... THUNDERBOLT! Tepig perhaps has its first moment of doubt over being chosen by Nanette, and Ash carefully explains that Tepig can't use this move, so why not use the Pokédex to learn what moves Tepig CAN use? She does and calls for an Ember, and a wide-eyed Stunfisk gets a face full of the hot stuff, which it doesn't like anywhere near as much as the earlier Thunderbolt. Nanette is delighted, but now it is Cilan and Iris' turn to go on the offensive, and Cilan orders Stunfisk to use a Mud Bomb. Tepig finds itself covered in what feels more like ash than begins sneezing (yay sneezy pig!) and then Emolga lets rip with Discharge, blasting Pikachu (who is hurt for some reason) and Tepig... and getting Stunfisk too, though it seems to be absolutely LOVING it, haha!

Pikachu and Tepig leap back up and Pikachu uses Quick Attack, crashing into Emolga's belly. The fight isn't just being observed by Juniper though, Team Rocket are also enjoying the show from the treeline and decide the time has come to strike. With a hit of a button, a robot bursts out onto the scene, followed by Team Rocket and... and.... and.... YES! YES!

"Prepare for trouble, we're back for more!"
"And make it double using words of yore!"
"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To unite the people within our nation!"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!!"
"It's Jesse!"
"And James!"
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"
"Meowth, dat's right!"

They went OLD SCHOOL!

Ash demands to know what they want this time, and Jesse and James throws in some old school punning and alliteration - they're still semi-serious but no longer the dreary stick-in-the-mud types that plagued much of Unova so far. They're here for Pikachu, and they've brought two new Pokémon to help them do the job - Frillish for Jesse and Amoonguss for James. Frillish uses Mist and Amoonguss uses Stun Spore, and clouds of spores rush over the twerps and their Pokémon - and only Nanette is smart enough to recall her sneezing Tepig to its Pokéball.

The others just stand trying to protect their eyes and mouths as they couch roughly. Stunfisk and Emolga are knocked out and Pikachu disappears into the mist, while the assembled Team Rocket leer on from outside of the cloud of mist/spore, waiting for the right moment to strike.

James - using a mouth-breathing device - orders Amoonguss to use Bodyslam and it smashes Pikachu deep into the ground. Jesse then orders Frillish to use Psychic, and the KO'ed Pikachu is lifted eerily into the air. Meowth activates a button and the robot opens a hatch in its stomach for Frillish to put Pikachu into. Ash isn't just standing around though, he finally gets the idea to call out Unfezant, and has her sweep away the mist/spore combo with Gust, revealing Pikachu's predicament.

Nanette is panicking, of course, terrified that this is even worse than the multiple crazy scenarios she comes up with in her head. But then she remembers Ash's advice - sometimes you have to stop thinking and just DO something. Taking firm, decisive action for perhaps the first time in her life, she calls out Tepig again and orders an Ember on Frillish, which flaps frantically at its face as it feels the heat. Pikachu drops to the ground as Psychic is interrupted, startling him back awake, and Ash thanks Nanette for her help, much to her delight.

But Team Rocket are aware of her now, and especially her Tepig. They order Frillish - with support from Amoonguss - to capture Tepig, and as Pikachu and Unfezant dodge attacks sent their way as a distraction, Frillish heads straight for the little pig. Nanette makes another quick decision, calling for a Tackle, but Tepig just zooms straight through Frillish. Why? Juniper explains, Tackle is a Normal-Type move and these have no effect on Frillish, which quickly wraps up the piggy in its fin-arms and tosses it into the waiting hatch. Bubble Beam and Hidden Power from Team Rocket's Pokémon blast right at Pikachu and the twerps... but when the explosion clear, they're completely unharmed. How? Because Unfezant flew down and took the complete brunt of the blow... and held up to it! Team Rocket are shocked at its resilience (so am I considered how quickly she went down in the Unova League!) and Ash is pleased as punch, ordering first an Air Cutter and then an Aerial Ace to smash Amoonguss and Frillish respectively into the ground, knocking them out.

Team Rocket beat a quick retreat, rushing away with their robot into the bushes and emerges from the tree-tops in.... THE HAPPY BUDDHA FACE MEOWTH BALLOON! They didn't get what they came for but its early days yet, and they at least have a Tepig to show for their work. They begin to head away, but surely they've realised by now that Ash isn't just going to sit back and ignore the plight of a kidnapped Pokémon. He asks Unfezant to go after them, and Pikachu wants to go along too, so Ash suggests they hit a long range Electro-Ball. They head into the air, but Meowth kicks their Turbo-Jet into gear and it looks like they're going to quickly outdistance the pursuing Unfezant. Pikachu scowls and leaps high into the air, surprising Team Rocket who are sure they're out of range, but there's a reason they've long been obsessed with Pikachu! He blasts out Electro-Ball and it quickly closes the long distance to the balloon, hitting the Turbo-Jet and blowing it up.

This is the moment of truth, where we learn just how old school Team Rocket have gone. And it's good news, as instead of being coldly competent and utterly boring and making their escape by jetpack.... they're sent blasting downwards towards the trees! They don't declare,"WE'RE BLASTING OFF AGAIN!" but they do disappear into a glint of light - it seems Team Rocket have managed to bridge the gap between incompetent comedy-relief and highly competent but boring villains.

But there is still the problem of Tepig falling through the air, as well as Pikachu ALSO plummeting to his death elsewhere in the sky. Unfezant steps up again, zipping through the air and catching first Pikachu and then Tepig on her back. Tepig, realising it isn't going to die, smiles happily at Pikachu and enjoys the ride back down to the ground.

Back outside Juniper's lab, Nanette is reunited with Tepig and Ash congratulates Pikachu on an awesome job (what about Unfezant!?!) who replies by flexing his pudgy little biceps! Shortly after, they say their goodbyes to Nanette who is ready to set off down the road, now convinced she is no longer going to be wishy-washy but a woman of action and decision! She waves goodbye as she leaves, she and the twerps giving each other "Best Wishes" just like the name of the show in Japan!

One of Juniper's assistants steps outside to tell her that her father has made a call through to her. She seems surprised and heads inside to take the call, the twerps quite rudely listening in openly to the call between father and daughter. Daddy Juniper (who looks like a missing member of Brock's family tree) says he's at Dragonspiral Tower near Icirrus City. Near there, something called the "White Ruins" have recently been discovered, and they believe the ruins will give them all kinds of information on Reshiram. Ash recognises the name, and Iris reminds him there is a statue of Reshiram at the Village of Dragons. Ash wants to see Reshiram for real, which of course EVERYBODY would like to do, but being Ash you can pretty much guarantee it IS going to happen. Professor Juniper rather presumptively offers these children the chance to go visit the ruins and be the responsibility of her father, and they ask him if that is okay. He replies quite justifiably that there is no way they can see a thing..................................... until they get there!

They pratfall at the terrible joke, and he says he has no problem with at least two uneducated kid-bums to have to look after. Soon they're down at the docks to get on the boat, Juniper saying she can't come along because she needs to watch her Lab (Stern Professor Rowan would approve!). She belatedly remembers that the boat will be pulling in to Aspertia City, where a new Gym Leader named Cheren has just set up shop, and suggests that Ash challenge him. Ash of course is always eager for a chance to battle, and they board the boat, excited to set off with a new short-term goal in mind at last.

There are a couple of ways to introduce concepts/characters from the video games into a television show. The first way is the best way - Cheren is one of the main rivals/friends alongside Bianca from the Black and White videogames. So to hear that he is appearing in the show will be exciting for fans of the games, while those who have never heard of him/have no idea who he is will be excited at the idea of seeing a new Gym Leader - Cheren's origins are unimportant, they can enjoy the character/concept without feeling lost or confused.

The second way is the worst way. As the episode ends, on a boat (the same one the twerps are on?) a shadowy figure moves slowly down the steps onto the deck. His face is obscured by his hand as he adjusts his hat, pulled down tight over loooooong green hair. Who is this mysterious figure? That mystery is revealed when he lowers his face and we see....



WOAH! IT'S SOME GUY WHAT WE DON'T KNOW WHO HE IS!

For fans/users of the video games, this is (probably) an exciting, "holy shit!" moment. But devoid of context, the reveal of this mysterious and seemingly sinister person is.... well, kind of flat? I mean, as far as we know, it's just some dude! Who is he? For now we'll just give him a codename like... oh, I don't know - X! Yeah, that'll do until we find out his actual name, which will be far more appropriate than just a single letter from the alphabet!

That final joke, Gentle Dodgers, is another example of needing context to make something work! See you all next episode!

BEST QUOTES

"The profound possibilities your Pikachu possesses prompt us to pinch it and present it to the Boss!" "Your loss."

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