#31: Strategy Begins At Home!
This episode is kinda bland. Not awful, but not great. Just...eh.
It begins with the trio heading to Twinleaf Town, with Dawn taking the lead. Ah, the memories. *thinks of It's Mr. Mime Time*
They spot an old couple (named Izzy and Cara), who are in a disagreement about something that's not relevant to the episode's plot. Then they arrive at Dawn's house and see Johanna. Piplup tries to greet Glameow and Umbreon, but gets rejected both times...is this supposed to be funny. A girl named Noelle, presumably one of Johanna's students, walks down thestairs, and...do I even need to say what happens next? I'll admit it was a little funny to see Noelle's Bellossom team up with Croagunk to shut him down, but this line from him is odd:
"Is it me, or are two attacks actually stronger than one?" (Really? Gee, I didn't know.)
Ash checks out some trophies, and Dawn challenges her mom to a contest battle, which she accepts...but they have to eat first.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket are trying to catch Goldeen for the Twinleaf festival. At least they're not invading the main plot.
Back in Johanna's house, Noelle compliments Brock, and...I won't even bother explaining what happened, because it's obvious. After the meal, Ash talks to Professor Oak on the phone, before Delia cuts in and embarrasses him a couple of times. Still bored...
Meanwhile, TR is still trying to catch Goldeen...then they get a bite...
James: I've got a...
Meowth: Eureka...
Jessie: A bite-a...
Me: I'll mute ya!
None of them are Goldren, so they...toss them back. You'd think they'd try and do something with them.
Meanwhile, Brock and Happiny are working on the garden, and Noelle and Johanna compliment him for having a green thumb. The old couple appears a couple (no pun intended) more times, each time with a new problem. We have to spend more time than is needed just listening to them bicker, before Johanna comes up with a solution.
WHO CARES ABOUT THEM, GET TO THE PLOT!
Dawn comes up with strategies, while Ash and Pikachu take a walk. Ash explores for a little bit, before seeing a boy named Nathaniel, who spread honey on a tree so he can see some bug types. They see a Heracross on a tree, which excites Nathaniel, who can't wait to become a trainer. As it flies away, Ash thinks back to his past adventures.
Ash (thinking): Whoa...Nathaniel reminds me of me! (Am I the only one who cracked up hearing that?)
He tells him about Bulbasaur and Heracross, and then they head back...I never thought I'd say this, but WHERE'S TEAM ROCKET?
The battle finally begins, with Johanna's two Pokemon vs. Piplup and Pachirisu. Brock tries multiple times to flirt with Noelle, but each time, he fails.
This is how the battle goes: Dawn's Pokemon make an electric whirlpool, Johanna uses double Quick Attack before destroying it with Double Shadow Ball, Piplup makes a Bubblebeam wall, which Pachirisu flips over. Ituses Super Fang to hit both opponents, then Umbreon and Glameow use Double Attract, before finishing them off with Double Swift (too too many many doubles doubles). That was what they called a battle between a Top Coordinator and her daughter...oh, and Ash has a weird line during the battle:
"Whoa, that Shadow Ball's strong!" (Minor nitpick but which one is he talking about, unless he meant "Those Shadow Balls are strong!"?)
Johanna hugs her daughter, Ash is impressed, Brock still fails...
Oh, there you are, Team Rocket. They caught a bunch of Goldeen, so they try and fish one more time, but they fish up an angry Gyarados, who blasts them away...okay...
What can I say, this episode was unremarkable. They kept us waiting for a mother-daughter battle for so long, and all Johanna does is spam double *insert move here*, nothing interesting or even funny happened. The only reason it's not worse in my eyes is because TR at least didn't invade the main plot, or get much screentime, which is much appreciated.