Pokemon Company
Airdate: August 1, 2002
Summary: Our heroes are off to Mt. Silver, but Ash is getting flak from Misty and Brock for babying Larvitar. Brock makes a point by saying Larvitar needs to interact with other Pokemon, but right at the moment an Ursaring shows up using Hyper Beam. Larvitar walks away from Ash and stumbles upon Pokemon hot springs with Aipom, Houndour, Houdoom, Swinub, Piloswine, Girafarig, etc. As they step closer to the springs, a boy named Nelson who says he is trying to catch an Entei by using sensors and alarms to alert him. Ursaring shows up to get in the hot springs and calm it down. Nelson tells our heroes the springs will calm them down. Our heroes let their Pokemon out to get into the hot springs, but before Ash introduces Larvitar. Totodile dances with Larvitar, everyone says hi, but the little Rock-type is overstimulated and uses Screech to everyone’s chagrin. Larvitar gets used to everyone slowly and Psyduck almost drowns before finding the sandbath. Totodile hits Larvitar with a sandball causing a massive Screech attack, which Team Rocket sees and schemes to lure in with a fruit smoothie truck. The truck traps Ash and his Pokemon inside, who can’t seem to escape it as it drives away. All of Ash’s Pokemon use their signature moves as sick theme music plays, Ash uses the hot-cold-hot-cold strategy to warp the metal and escape out of the back. They fly out of the back of the truck but Nelson’s Misdreavous catches it. Nelson hints at a cool move this new Pokemon has, so Ash wants to battle him. Ash uses Phanpy against Misdreavous, Nelson uses Headbutt and Phanpy uses Take Down.. which shouldn’t work as a Normal move against Ghost but… Ok? Phanpy rolls out to avoid a Psybeam but is confused as Misdreavous uses Mean Look, not allowing Phanpy to escape. Ash tries to call it back but is unable because of Mean Look. Team Rocket comes back and sucks up all the Pokemon in the hot springs, but the remaining Pokemon aim at the tornado with coordinated attacks. Right when they need it most, Entei comes in with a sick Flamethrower out of nowhere and sends Team Rocket flying. Nelson challenges Entei to a battle, uses Mean Look and Swift to hurt Entei. A Psybeam hits Entei but to little effect, until Entei uses Roar to flee the battle. Goodbye Nelson!
Best Trainer/Pokémon: Psyduck, this duck stole the show, he almost drowns in the pool and then loves a good sandbath… classic.
Worst Trainer/Pokémon: Larvitar, only because the Screech attack is annoying at this point, can we see other dimensions of this Pokemon?
One thing I learned: I knew Mean Look prevents escape, but not that Take Down can hit Ghost-types without Foresight. Do the writers know the game?
Who is that Pokémon?: Tyrogue, super underrated with a very cool stat-based branched evolution. His episode earlier in the region is one of the best of that season.
Best Quote: “The last team we need on Team Rocket is a big screamer” – James… what do you mean here sir?
Best Scene: Entei showing up… always love a Legendary Pokemon showing up to a regular episode.
