This episode is essential viewing because: Jessie and James free Arbok and Weezing to save captured Ekans and Koffing. James catches a Cacnea.

On their way to Rustboro City, May drops on the ground saying she needs another break. But Ash comments that they just had one. Then Max mentions that there is a pokemon centre nearby which catches Brock's attention and he wants to drag May with him to get to the pokemon centre. May has no need to rush to it and she is set backward against a tree. She feels something in her back and she shows Ash and the others that there is something in the tree. They then notice that all of the trees are damaged. They take the object with them and head for the pokemon centre.

At the pokemon centre, they are greeted by Nurse Joy. Of course Brock immediately starts to flirt with her. May then pushes Brock away and asks Nurse joy if she recognises her from before but the Joy doesn't know what she mean. She explains that every city has its own nurse Joy and that everybody looks alike. Max shows May a picture that shows that. Brock then mentions that they're being stupid since he can clearly see a difference between the joys and starts flirting again. Then Officer Jenny drops by and of course Brock starts to flirt. May wonders if it's the same with Officer Jenny and Max confirms this by showing a picture of a group Jenny's as well. Jenny asks if there are a lot of wounded pokemon in the pokemon centre. But Nurse Joy replies saying there aren't. She asks why Jenny is asking this and she shows a picture of a guy named Rico who hunts down pokemon. Ash then shows the object they found a bit earlier and she says it's a part of a net and askes if they could show her where they found this and they can.

In the meantime, Team Rocket lures once again and they want to use a net to capture Pikachu but Meowth think it's a bit unoriginal. They always do nets and holes but then Meowth slips and rolls down a hill. There he hears some noise and finds a cage with something covering it. Meowth pulls the cover away and he reveals a cage full of hurt Ekans. He askes why they are in the cage and they say it's from a hunter. Meowth wants to help them but then is being shocked when touching the cage. Then Team Rocket slides down the hill and Meowth explains what's happening and they feel sorry. But they want to steal them from the hunter and they all find that a good plan. Arbok is send out and is confused when he sees what's happening and nearly starts to cry. Meowth explains that Arbok most probably doesn't want the Ekans to be in pain but Jessie tells Arbok that they won't be hurt and Arbok turns happy right away. Jessie explains they'll build an Ekans army which shocks James and Meowth. Arbok then fires its acid on the cage but it doesn't have any affect. Weezing wants to use its sludge but a Fearow appears and tackles Weezing. A man appears, the owner of the Fearow, and Team Rocket tell their motto. The man asks what they want and Weezing notices a group of hurt Koffing in the truck. The man introduces himself as Rico and explains he wants to have as many poison pokemon as he can get. Rico wants Arbok and Weezing since he's getting a bonus for evolved pokemon but Jessie and James don't want to loose their pokemon and a battle begins.

Fearow starts off with an agility attack but Arbok uses its Poison sting and Weezing fires its sludge at Fearow. Fearow easily avoids both attacks and uses fury attack and sends them back to Team Rocket. Fearow is about to use drill peck until Arbok wraps its tail around Fearow's beak and Rico returns Fearow. Pupitar is now send into the battle and uses its sandstorm attack to blast Team Rocket off once again. The Ekans and Koffing sadly look at how Team Rocket get blasten off.

Along with Jenny, Ash and co are on the place where they found the piece of the net. Max notices some car trails and Ash decides it's time to use some air support.

With Team Rocket on the ground again, Jesse is mad at Rico and they agree that they want revenge. They then notice some Beedrill and Kakuna and start to run. They shout at a Cacnea to get out of the way but Cacnea uses pin missile to hit the Beedrill and to put Team Rocket into safety. They thank Cacnea and Jesse decides to cut Rico's path. Arbok lies on the floor and starts to listen carefully to see if it can hear where Rico is. In the meanwhile James gives Cacnea some cookies as a thank you. Arbok then hears a car and they say goodbye to Cacnea and run off.

Taillow is flying through the air and finds the hunter with his Ekans and Koffing and flies back to Ash and co and leads them to the hunter.

Rico is driving but is being stopped by Arbok who is jumping out of the ground, stopping RIco. Rico thinks it's sad that Arbok tries again but then Weezing uses it's smog attack and covers the area in smoke. Team Rocket show themself and the Ekans and Koffing are happy. Rico sends out Fearow to blow away the smoke. Meowth in the meanwhile tries to unlock the cage and comments that this shock is nothing compared to the shocks he gets from Pikachu. Rico tells Fearow to stop Meowth but Arbok uses headbutt and smashes Fearow against the cage and it's being shocked. Meowth unlocks the cage and the Ekans and Koffing become free. Rico wants to stop them but Weezing and Arbok tackle him and he falls on the floor. Team Rocket want to take all the Ekans and Koffing with them but Rico sends out Pupitar. And the minute it's released it starts to glow white and turns into Tyrannitar. Rico knew it was time for Pupitar to evolve and Team Rocket become afraid.

Meowth comments that it's really big and Meowth wants to run but Tyrannitar uses its hyper beam causing a hole to avoid Team Rocket's escape. Rico demands to have the Ekans and Koffing back along with their own pokemon but Jesse doesn't want to give up since they've got Wobbuffet. With full confidence she sends out her pokemon but Tyrannitar fires a hyperbeam at it to quickly that it doesn't have time to use its counter attack and a big explosion is being heard.

Ash and co hear the explosion and decide to head out for it. Rico wants all the pokemon now and wants to crush Team Rocket but Arbok and Weezing are mad. Then Team Rocket makes a decision and tells Arbok and Weezing to leave with the Ekans and Koffing so they can escape. They don't want them to be caught by Rico and they comfort Arbok and Weezing by telling them that they will be okay. Team Rocket wants them to leave but Arbok and Weezing don't want to. They do leave eventually and RIco calls them an idiot. Tyrannitar fires a hyper beam but Meowth fury swipes Tyrannitar but the hyper beam still hits Meowth. He does another fury swipe and Jessie and James also do their own fury swipes. Arbok and Weezing look at how Team Rocket is being beaten up and with tears in their eyes they leave. Team Rocket are beaten up once more and they lie on the floor and Rico returns Tyrannitar.

Rico walks up but Team Rocket doesn't give up but they have to less strength to stop him. Rico starts to search in the woods but can't find them. He runs into Ash and co and officer Jenny. He sends out Fearow but Ash lets Pikachu use thunderbolt which hits Fearow and faints him. Rico wants to send out Tyrannitar into the battle but Jenny tells Growlithe to grab the pokeball and so he does. They ask where the pokemon are but he says somebody else made him loose the pokemon. Ash and co are glad that there are people who do good things, unlike Team Rocket. Jenny arrests him and they head back.

In the meanwhile, Team Rocket wonders how Arbok and Weezing are doing and Meowth says they will be fine. Then Cacnea appears again with the cookies. James gives him the cookies and he loves them. James then asks if he wants to join them and he does. Cacnea starts to hug James and James starts to scream when it's needles are pinning into James' body as the episode ends.

This episode guide has been written by shinymay.

Characters appearing in this episode

Ash

Brock

Max

May

Jessie

James

Meowth

Ash's Pikachu

Pokémon appearing in this episode

• Pikachu belonging to Ash
• Meowth

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