An Explosive Operation (910)

[DatsRight]

The plot is starting to get serious and Team Rocket joins the fray. This is a refreshing development to the story and I really hope Team Rocket decide to get properly stuck in and not just have Jessie, James and co attempt to deal with it.

You're going to be disappointed with the next dozen or so episodes.

 

[Pikachu52]

What the hell are you talking about with the whole "attacking the pokemon while its down in order to capture it" mentality being evil when the freaking trainers like Tyler in DP and Ash himself back in the OS did the exact same thing. In BW, Ash tried to do that to Snivy.

Ash fought Snivy with one Pokémon at a time after challenging it to a battle. Snivy at the end more or less consented to be capture. When Ash captured he was trying to befriend her, which in eventually did. In cannon this is not considered unethical, but rather is what trainers are supposed to do. Team Flare's actions however very different, to the extent that I don't think they can be compared. They had several Pokémon attack Zygarde at once and they were using weapons. Once they captured Zygarde they caged it and gave it Xerosic for experimentation.

 

[U.N. Owen]

Ash fought Snivy with one Pokémon at a time after challenging it to a battle. Snivy at the end more or less consented to be capture. When Ash captured he was trying to befriend her, which in eventually did. In cannon this is not considered unethical, but rather is what trainers are supposed to do. Team Flare's actions however very different, to the extent that I don't think they can be compared. They had several Pokémon attack Zygarde at once and they were using weapons. Once they captured Zygarde they caged it and gave it Xerosic for experimentation.

I do not get why using multiple pokemon at once to capture Zygarde is so immoral. The weapons method is one I get. The cage is also another point of objection because the only time we see a pokeball, it is a dark void with the pokemon in the center. A cage is still more friendly than endless void of nothingness.

 

[Pikachu52]

I do not get why using multiple pokemon at once to capture Zygarde is so immoral. The weapons method is one I get. The cage is also another point of objection because the only time we see a pokeball, it is a dark void with the pokemon in the center. A cage is still more friendly than endless void of nothingness.

Because several on one isn't a fair fight. As for the Pokéballs - It's never suggested that they are uncomfortable or distressing for Pokémon and I've read that they are designed to make the Pokémon inside them feel comfortable. And the Pokémon inside aren't caged, but are free to leave as they please. Oshawott, Wobbufett and Chespin are always letting themselves out of their Pokéballs.

 

[DatsRight]

Attacking with more than one can be considered pragmatic, it's unfair in official fights where you're trying to prove your worth as professional and individual, but when there's big things at stake you have to question it.

I mean do you think the heroes look less creditable when they try to stop Team Rocket with just the same amount of Pokemon as them, or use fuller resources to ambush them and make sure they can't cause harm?

 

[U.N. Owen]

Because several on one isn't a fair fight.

Tell that to horde battles. The anime's done it before it was in the games.

 

[Pikachu52]

Tell that to horde battles. The anime's done it before it was in the games.

There's still a difference between a horde of Pokémon appearing or attacking someone who comes into their territory, and a groups of villains who's goal is mass geoncide (assuming TF's goal in the anime is the same as the games) attacking a legendary Pokémon for no reason other than to steal it's power, preform experiments on it and use it to power the ultimate weapon (presumably). Neither Team Flare nor Alain is acting honourably here.

Attacking with more than one can be considered pragmatic, it's unfair in official fights where you're trying to prove your worth as professional and individual, but when there's big things at stake you have to question it.

I mean do you think the heroes look less creditable when they try to stop Team Rocket with just the same amount of Pokemon as them, or use fuller resources to ambush them and make sure they can't cause harm?

True, but what is at stake here. Team Flare isn't doing anything benevolent or acting in self defence, which is often what the heroes are doing when they fight Team Rocket. They're villains with a presumably violent and immoral motive. As such they're tactics were underhanded and cruel. I don't see the difference between what happened in this episode and what Team Galactic did to the Pokémon of the lake in DP.

 

[Zoruagible]

This episode proves more than anything that the TRio NEED more than one Pokemon each. Heck, there are Kalos mons who were never given to anybody of importance(Phantump.....) yet they decide to pull another BW and make them go through an entire region with one each. Hopefully Inkay and Gourgeist at least get to go to Alola as there is NO reason they shouldn't this time.

And a good episode until Alain showed up. 8/10

 

[DatsRight]

This episode proves more than anything that the TRio NEED more than one Pokemon each. Heck, there are Kalos mons who were never given to anybody of importance(Phantump.....) yet they decide to pull another BW and make them go through an entire region with one each. Hopefully Inkay and Gourgeist at least get to go to Alola as there is NO reason they shouldn't this time.

And a good episode until Alain showed up. 8/10

Well they might have to pull the same stunt with Giovanni that they did with their BW Pokemon, since they've done even less in Kalos than they've done in Unova.

It is starting to look ridiculous that even just one of the twerps on their own could now outnumber the trio.

True, but what is at stake here. Team Flare isn't doing anything benevolent or acting in self defence, which is often what the heroes are doing when they fight Team Rocket. They're villains with a presumably violent and immoral motive. As such they're tactics were underhanded and cruel. I don't see the difference between what happened in this episode and what Team Galactic did to the Pokémon of the lake in DP.

But Team Flare still have a motive they are dead set on. Unless they are just THAT suicidally smug and overconfident, they would use their full forces to ensure the job is done. It's ruthless and underhanded but for logical reasons rather than just pure malice and cruelty.

 

[Soaring Pikachu]

I am pleased to see Giovanni get more screen time. Makes me wonder what could have happened if TR had been able to befriend and keep the second Squishy.

 

[Alexander18]

I quite like this episode. Good plot and it ended quite well. I give it a 9/10 for me.

 

[roguedr4g0nite]

So those machines were draining machines right? It's weird and I'm surprised Alain would allow them to use machines to capture Z1. Well I guess the laws of the Pokémon world still escapes me.

 

[the1stpkmnfan]

I was wondering when Giovanni would show up, especially when he was given artwork for the XY anime. Glad to see him and Matori again.

Having Team Rocket focused in this episode was a nice change of pace, and the focus was well deserved. Jessie, James and Meowth had a lot of good moments against Team Plasma, and go out of their way to help Z2, even if they were only doing it for their benefit for TR.

Bonnie's song for Squishy was cute and had a lot of good vibes. Nice plus <3

 

[Alloutℯ]

The TRio are members of an evil team but their actions in this episode showed how caring they really are as individuals. Charizard should have KO'd or at least knocked down Zygarde before TF caught it however.

 

[Wednesdayz]

I am pleased to see Giovanni get more screen time. Makes me wonder what could have happened if TR had been able to befriend and keep the second Squishy.

Even with Giovanni making a cameo, it wasn't even worth it. Like, he did nothing of consequence compared to Alain here.

 

[LilligantLewis]

In relation to a post that has come up when I'm typing this: I believe all the Zygarde formes are Ground/Dragon. Well, I think they are. But it knew Dragon Pulse in 10% as it's part of the moveset it has, which is further buffed by going 50%. Seems weird for a dog to be a Dragon-type, even though dinosaurs are. *shrugs*

Yes, all the forms are Dragon and Ground, but obviously when you posted this we had no way of knowing for sure since all the remaining Zygarde forms weren't available until the Generation VII games

I think at best Alain is a cautionary tale

"at best" is right. Because really, AZ was the cautionary tale. Alain should have learned from it

The TRio are members of an evil team but their actions in this episode showed how caring they really are as individuals. Charizard should have KO'd or at least knocked down Zygarde before TF caught it however.

This is copied from ii kanji at bmgf

 

[Leonhart]

I was pleasantly surprised to see the Flare-dan be so active, as well as seeing the Rocket-dan trio encounter the other Zygarde Core. Alain and his Mega Lizardon X fighting Zygarde was neat as well, even though it made Alain seem like a villain in the process.

 

[FullmetalJackie]

I'm surprised they kept Squishy's song in the dub, because I thought there's a license issue for that like the rest of the anime's OST. And wait, the dub still has Team Rocket's XY motto theme even though they made their own version of it and are played within the same episode? I'm hoping this would hint that Giovanni would get involved in foiling Team Flare's plan revealing that Lysandre literally did nothing wrong just like in the games, and that Giovanni is still the true villain.