See pictures from this episode - click here!

This episode is essential viewing because: Gary challenges Giovanni and loses to a Mewtwo. Jessie, James and Meowth are temporarily appointed the Viridian City Gym Leaders. Ash defeats Jessie, James and Meowth and earns an Earth Badge.

Ash and his friends are still in Viridian City, where Ash will get his eighth badge. Ash says it's been a year since he started his Pokémon Journey. They see that the Pokémon Center that was destroyed in the second episode is back up. They go to the gym, which looks like a Greek temple of some sort, complete with armor wearing gaurds. Ash says that as soon as he gets another badge, he can enter the Pokémon League! He has to win! Fire appears in his eyes, and Brock says hes all fired up! Misty sees that Pikachu and Togepi have made a little camp fire, and yells to put it out! It sets Ashs shoe on fire, and he hops around to put it out. He tells Pikachu its okay, it was just trying to get him warmed up. Ash says that with a friend like Pikachu, how can he lose?

Just then, Gary and his fan club pulls up in a red convertable! He says that Ash is still playing around. The girls do a cheer. Gary says that he figured Ash would have gien up and gone home, but here he is. Ash says hell show him. Gary says Ash probably doesnt have enough to get in the Pokémon League! Ash says he needs one more. Gary shows that he has ten badges! The Marsh Badge isnt one of them, I noticed. I was wondering how he got past Sabrina, and it turns out he never battled her! And he probably didnt battle her and lose, cause hed be a doll. =)

Gary said hes stopped by at this gym to see if the leader wants to battle a real Pokémon trainer! He tells the guards that he wants to challenge the leader of this gym. they open the doors, and Gary and the girls go in. Ash tries, but the guards say only one trainer at a time. They close the door. Ash says that if he doesnt do something soon, Gary will get way ahead of him! Misty says, reality check, Gary has been ahead of him from the start! Ash gets upset, and crouches down. Togepi walks over to him. Brock tells Misty that maybe she could be a bit nicer. Togepi pats Ash on the back. Ash thinks its Pikachu, and turns around, sayign that Pikachu is the only one who cares. He sees that Pikachu is standing a few feet away, and hes holding Togepi! He freaks out, and tosses Togepi in the air. It bounces off a pole, and right into the mouth of a yawning Fearow! The Fearow freaks out, and flies away! Misty gets mad at Ash, and they all chase after the Fearow.

On top of a building, Team Rocket is looking through binoculars, tring to find Ash and the others. Above, the Fearow flies over, and drops Togepi right onto James. James gets mad, and asks Meowth why he kicked him! Meowth says he wouldnt waste his time kicking James! Then, they see Togepi! Jessie tries to get Togepi, saying that the Boss would want it, and they might get rewarded! She tries to grab Togepi, but it jumps away, and starts walking on the edge of the building, and onto a wodden plank that goes between two buildings. James says it might fall, and Meowth says it going to get scrambled! Jessie goes out onto the board. But it breaks, and she falls! Togepi is safely on the other side. James and Meowth run down to the ground, and try to catch Jessie, but she crashes into the ground. Then Togepi falls, and she catches it!

Back in the Viridian Gym, he girls are all cheering for Gary. Up on a platform, stting on a chair in shadows, is the Gym Leader, also known as the Team Rocket boss, Giovanni! (You should know his name by now) And his Persian. Gary says how hes the best Pokémon trainer. Giovanni says he accepts his challenge. A guard says that theyll use three Pokémon, no time limit! A bell rings, and the battle begins!

Gary sends a Nidoking, and Giovanni sends Golem! He tells Golem to use Tackle, and Gary tells Nidoking to counter with its Tackle! They hit each other, and Golem is sent flying into wall! Nidoking wins! The girls cheer. Giovanni sends Kingler! Giovanni tells Kingler to use Crab Hammer, but Niodking dodges. Gary brings Nidoking back, and sends Arcanine! H has it use Take-Down! It hits Kingler, and it is sent back a bit. Arcanine uses Fire Spin, hitting Kingler! The girls cheer. Gary tells Arcanine to use Fire Blast! It hits Kingler, and Kingler faints! The girls cheer yet again. Giovanni justs smiles. Gary asks if Giovanni wants to stop now, because Gary is obviously going to win. Giovanni steps out of the shadows, and we get to see what he looks like! He says that he wants to test out his most powerful Pokémon. The door beneath the latform hes on opens, revealing...

Mewtwo!!! Hes in his armor, and looks so cool! Mewtwos gets a blue aura around him, and so does Arcanine. The girls are sent flying back, Arcanine is sent crashing into a wall! Gary tries to find out what kind of Pokémon it is with the Pokédex, but there is no data! Giovanni say again that he wants to test his Pokémon. He tells Gary that he can use more than one Pokémon if hes afraid of losing. Gary says that hes not afraid! He sends Nidoking and Arcanine against Mewtwo. Giovanni asks if Gary thinks hes the best. Mewtwo glows again, and lifts Nidoking and Arcanine up into the air. Giovanni says that this is the ultimate Pokémon! Gary looks scared as the screen fades to black...

Later, in Giovannis office, Jessie, James and Meowth are there. Jessie and James says that they got a Pokémon that is even more rare and valuable than that Pikachu! Giovannip pets his Persian and asks what it is. Jessie says Togepi, and holds out the cute little egg. Giovanni says nothing for a few moments, then he asks what it does. Jessie wonder what it does, and so do James and Meowth. What can Togepi do, aside from look cute? Jessie says that it would make a good paper weight! Giovanni gets angry, and Jessie drops Togepi, who tries to leave, but the door is closed. While Giovanni yells at Team Rocket about how they had een searching for months, and bring him a Pokémon that cant do anything, Persian leaves, and so does Togepi.

Giovannis phone rings, and he answers. He says, what? When? Then hangs up. He says there has been an accident, and he has to leave, and Jessie, James and Meowth will be in charge of the gym! He gives each of them a Pokémon to defend the gym. The chair hes in moves back to the wall, which spins around, and hes gone. Team Rocket realizes that theyve just been promoted! Theyre Gym Leaders!

Giovanni and two guards walk through a very dungeon like hallway. There are some Pokémon in cages and tanks. Atthe end, Mewtwo, in his armor, is behind a glass wall, hooked up to machiens by wires. Giovanni says that he has a special assignment for him. The wires unhook for the armor, and Mewtwos eyes glow.

Ash and the others are all looking for Togepi, but with no luck. they all meet in front of the Viridian Gym. Misty says shes worried, what if Togepi is scared and crying right now? She grabs Ash by his shirt, ad is very mad at him. Pikachu hears Togepi! Its coming from the gym! They open the door, and Togepi comes out! Misty hugs it, and Brock wonders how it got in. They look inside, and see Gary and the girls all unconcious on the floor! Ash rushes over to Gary, and helps him sit up a bit. Brock runs over to the girls. =) Gary wakes, and says that its here! Ash asks whats here? Gary says its a Pokémon theyve never seen! He says its different from others. Its not only powerful, its evil! Ash says that a Pokémon cant be evil.

All the girls start crying because Gary lost. Misty yells at them for making such a big deal about one stupid loss! They all stop. Misty says that if she cried like that every time Ash lost, shed be waterlogged! Ash says that shes kidding! Gary aays that no one could ever beat the Pokémon he saw. Just then, a familiar laughter is heard, Jessie! Team Rocket rises up from the ground on a red platform. they say their motto, but Ash and Brock interupt. They get mad at them for not letting them finish, but Misty says that they know what theyre going to say, its never different! Jessie and James say that today its very different! Theyve been promoted, and are the new leaders of this gym! Ash says that theyre the leaders?! Jessie says that theyre in charge of the gym, and the Earth Badge!

Misty and Brock wonder why Team Rocket would be running a gym. Jessie says that they woulndt understand the complex plans of Team Rocket! Ash says to try them. James asks what they sre, and Jessie says that theyre classified. Meowth says that she doesnt know either. James says that they need to defeat Ash, and other trainer box rises on the other side of the gym. Jessie stand on the red one. Brock and Misty say that Ash shouldnt go, its probably a trick! Ash says hes not going to run, and goes on the platform. Jessie says that theyll each use three Pokémon, no time limit! She sends a Rhydon, Kingler, and Machamp! Meowth says something about a secret weapon.

Ash sends Squirtle, and Jessie sends Machamp. It uses Karate Chop, hitting Squirtle! Ash is suddenly shocked on the platform! James says that the platform has been rigged up so Ash will feel any pain his Pokémon does! But Ash refuses to give up! Gary says that Ash cant win, Machamp is too powerful! Ash sends Bulbasaur, and Jessie sends Kingler! Bulbasaur uses Vine Whip, but Kingler uses Harden, and Bulbasaurs attack has no effect! Kingler uses Bubble, hitting Bulbasaur, and Ash is shocked again. Gary says that other other Pokémon are too strong! Ash says he wont quit! Gary says that maybe hell win.

He sends Pidgeotto, and has it use Quick Attack and Double Edge on Rhydon. It hits it, and Jessie gets shocked! She yells at James for rigging up this platform too, and telsl him to turn it off! James says that it never occured to him that they might lose! Meowth gets out a gadjet with buttons on it. He says that he made this just in case. One press of a button, and goodbye competition! Gary says no way, and tackles Meowth, knocking the gadjet out of his paws.

Jessie sends Arbok and Weezing! Misty says thats against the rules! Jessie says that they make the rules in this gym! Ash says that since those are the rules... He sends Pikachu, who shocks all of Team Rockets Pokémon! And Jessie feels it al. =) Machamp, Kingler and Rhydon run away, and Arbok and Weezing crash into Jessie. Ash wins! Garys cheerleaders do a cheer for Ash! =) Gary sayd that he hates to admit it, but Ash is pretty good. But no one will be able to beat the Pokémon he saw before.

Jessie wakes up, and starts hitting James. Ash says he won, and to give him the Earth Badge! Jessie says no! Ash says thats cheating! Meowth looks to see Togepi over by the gadjet. He yells to get awya, but Togepi presses both buttons! The trainer box on Ashs side explodes! (He wasnt on it) Then the one Team Rocket is on explodes, and they blast oof again, but not before Jessie drops an Earth Badge! Ash catches it. But then the gym starts shaking! Gary says to run, its collapsing! They all make it out safely.

Later, Ash and the others are out of Viridian. Brock says he wishes he could see that Pokémon Gary did. Ash says the only thing hes interested in looking at now are his eight badges! Now he can get into the Pokémon League! Misty asks if Ash knows where it is. He doesnt! Brock says that maybe Prof. Oak knows. Ash says theyll pay him a visit, and head to Pallet Town!

This episode guide has been written by flik.

Characters appearing in this episode

Ash

Misty

Brock

Jessie

James

Meowth

Ash's Pikachu

Pokémon appearing in this episode

• Pikachu belonging to Ash
• Meowth

There are currently 0 comments on this story... you could be first!