Farewell, Unova! Setting Sail for New Adventures! (784)

[Sprinter1988]

Contests were only an excuse to put Dawn in as many costumes as possible (and TR helped ruin them, too), Paul was a color-by-numbers stereotype of an 'edgy' rival whose entire story was obvious the moment he released Chimchar, there was only one non-required tournament arc, and Team Galactic was handled in the most predictable way possible.

Say what you will about contests and extra tournaments, but you have to admit that they are a far better way to showcase various pokemon (as well as introduce new ones) than what we got a thousand times in the Johto series, which was - This is >instert generic name here< and these are his/her pokemon >insert 1-6 individuals of one kind of pokemon here< Ash and his friends meet and talk with the trainer, TR tries to steal them, Pikachu uses Thunderbolt, Ash says goodbye to his new friends hoping to see them again on day, even though everyone involved knows that it will never happen...

Paul may have been a stereotype, but he was a decent rival to Ash at the very least. Gary existed to give subtle teases and little more besides, and Trip was just a disappointment.
You'll get no arguments from me on the handling of Team Galactic. They and all other villainous teams have been handled poorly.

 

[Virgil134]

They have so many horrible episodes its hard to say that in my opinion, I can't wait to leave this series behind.

BW is actually my favorite series minus DA. I know it's to early to say but it seems like DA is gonna be even worse than DP in my opinion

Writers making Team Rocket back to being comical and fun, I missed that side to them, al this time I thought they forgot to write Jessie and James

They haven't been comical and fun since OS. Also, I think they were more in character during BW (again minus DA) than in AG or DP.

 

[Pokegirl Fan~]

This episode was pretty bland imo. I didn't enjoy seeing Team Rocket regress from what they were in BW, but oh well I can't change the writers being lazy XD
I also found it stupid how Ash and co. would just hand their Pokeballs to anyone, but it was funny too in a way lol. Oh well at least Charizard is still here, even if he isn't doing anything lately. I rate this episode a 4/10

 

[matt0044]

Paul may have been a stereotype, but he was a decent rival to Ash at the very least.

Plus, I felt his jerkiness was refreshing compared to the happy-go-lucky twerps.

 

[Hikatoshi26]

Plus, I felt his jerkiness was refreshing compared to the happy-go-lucky twerps.

i like paul as a rival. A rival is meant to push you and beat you not be your best friend. At best be an anti-hero.

 

[Shneak]

I actually liked this episode. I thought it was pretty funny, especially when Amoonguss tried to plug the hole itself but ended up blasting off the TRio. Also, props for the obvious trolling at the beginning of the episode with the two dragons.

 

[matt0044]

Maybe the dream wasn't a dream but a vision...

 

[1rkhachatryan]

What did Giovannie say to TR??

 

[dman_dustin]

Yeah I have no idea why I woke up to watch this episode, there was nothing redeemable, and no Iris using Excadrill to dig on a boat, doesn't make up for the entire episode.

And I guess Oshawott was okay. evolve already

Oh ok, that's a shame that he probably still has a full team.

To be honest, it sounded too good to be true for this horrible saga!

EDIT: It is definitely the case that Ash still has a full team of 6, since after he spoke to Oak, the team give their Pokemon to Team Rocket (which obviously they get back) and in the tray there are 11 Pokeballs: 5 of Ash's, 3 of Cilan's and 3 of Iris' (Since they don't use them from Pikachu or Axew). That isn't to say he won't rotate them off at all, but I'm not expecting much now...

But that's like saying that Ash is going to be in Kanto and calling up Professor Juniper to switch out Pokemon.

He's heading to Kanto, so it makes sense for Oak to have all his Pokemon, he'll just rotate them out using Oak instead.

Juniper was used mostly for convenience, which can no longer be the case since we're gearing up for 6th generation.

 

[The Great Butler]

Dogasu says Giovanni praised them for defeating Team Plasma and told them to keep doing their best. That's it - as if BW up until Operation Tempest never even happened.

Also, there was a reference to the radio show in one of James's lines, which means their little pet project is actually affecting the main series after all.

Say what you will about contests and extra tournaments, but you have to admit that they are a far better way to showcase various pokemon (as well as introduce new ones) than what we got a thousand times in the Johto series, which was - This is >instert generic name here< and these are his/her pokemon >insert 1-6 individuals of one kind of pokemon here< Ash and his friends meet and talk with the trainer, TR tries to steal them, Pikachu uses Thunderbolt, Ash says goodbye to his new friends hoping to see them again on day, even though everyone involved knows that it will never happen...

I liked the Don George tournaments because every character got something to do. Contests were garbage overall because all they did every time was force fanservice of the female sidekick while Ash and Brock constantly repeated how pretty everything was.

And that's to say nothing of how poorly Jessie was treated by getting turned into an infantilized self-parody who only wasted time in Contests - she was never going to be any kind of competition for either May or Dawn, only won a single Contest that was fully done onscreen (the other two were mostly-offscreen sideplots), entered the Grand Festival with two Ribbons she didn't win, and ultimately got eliminated in a one-minute montage battle like a complete joke, meaning all that time she took up was wasted.

Contests were only interesting for the side characters.

 

[diakyu]

Dogasu says Giovanni praised them for defeating Team Plasma and told them to keep doing their best. That's it - as if BW up until Operation Tempest never even happened.

L-O-freaking-L. The situation I said was the least likeliest actually happened.

 

[Sayho1234]

I liked the Don George tournaments because every character got something to do. Contests were garbage overall because all they did every time was force fanservice of the female sidekick while Ash and Brock constantly repeated how pretty everything was.

This.

10char

 

[Pepsi_Plunge]

To answer a few people's questions:

- Araragi-Hakase told Orchid-Hakase that she will be sending the reserves Satoshi has at her lab over to his.

- Sakaki praised the Rocket trio for taking down the Plasma-Dan (they're taking credit for that too) and told them to keep up the good work. The trio was super happy to be praised by their boss and vowed to capture Pikachu so they can continue being praised.

- They're still just using the Best Wishes! BGM.

So yeah all the pokemon are at Oak now besides the ones Satoshi has in hand obviously.

 

[Blue Saturday]

I liked the Don George tournaments because every character got something to do. Contests were garbage overall because all they did every time was force fanservice of the female sidekick while Ash and Brock constantly repeated how pretty everything was.

And that's to say nothing of how poorly Jessie was treated by getting turned into an infantilized self-parody who only wasted time in Contests - she was never going to be any kind of competition for either May or Dawn, only won a single Contest that was fully done onscreen (the other two were mostly-offscreen sideplots), entered the Grand Festival with two Ribbons she didn't win, and ultimately got eliminated in a one-minute montage battle like a complete joke, meaning all that time she took up was wasted.

Quoted for the complete truth.



Seeing TR use their Pokemon as plugs was pathetic.

 

[(P.O.K.E.M.O.N)]

So flipping happy to see the old team rocket

9.5/10

hard to find many faults for this episode

 

[RVD_fan]

First of all, gotta lol at the writers pulling that Reshiram/Zekrom thing.

The only thing I liked about this episode was that Excadrill destroying the boat was a little more creative then the usual Team Rocket blastoff. Other than that, this episode was pretty lame.

The whole thing was just a Team Rocket plan, and a lame one at that. This is the episode that is supposed to get you to stick with the show this Summer if you're on the fence about this saga, they couldn't have done something a little more interesting? Since they seem to be referencing older episodes so much, why not pull an S.S. Anne and have them work together to escape the sinking ship? It would've been something.

 

[Foxeaf]

I posted on the 22nd of April:

Anyway that scene was so strange, I think it's either an illusion or dream sequence or something. :"D

Nailed it.

Episodes like these remind me that it's a kid show, and it shouldn't be taken seriously. c:

 

[The Great Butler]

Seeing TR use their Pokemon as plugs was pathetic.

Keep in mind that that was James's Amoonguss - which was knocking out Pikachu in its early appearances and just as recently as six episodes ago was fighting competently against Team Plasma.

Now it's a complete joke.

 

[FlyAsADunsparce]

Keep in mind that that was James's Amoonguss - which was knocking out Pikachu in its early appearances and just as recently as six episodes ago was fighting competently against Team Plasma.

Now it's a complete joke.

That happens with Team Rocket's pokémon, even Meowth all the time. Like in DP Carnivine, Yanmega, Mime Jr. and Seviper etc. could kick butt in contests winning ribbons and getting to the Top 4 in the GF. But when they battled Ash they were knocked out in 3 seconds.

Amoonguss was strong in the beginning because TR was more 'serious' and 'intimidating'. I still don't think Amoonguss is a joke now though, even though the TRio is goofy again. I also think Frillish, Woobat and Yamask are pretty strong, too.

 

[Rohanator]

Keep in mind that that was James's Amoonguss - which was knocking out Pikachu in its early appearances and just as recently as six episodes ago was fighting competently against Team Plasma.

Now it's a complete joke.

I dunno, just because it got a comical moment like that doesn't mean it can't still be a competent foe in battle. I rather like to see something like that done with their Pokemon again, as long as they continue being threats.