The Cave of Mirrors! (840)

[the1stpkmnfan]

This episode had an incredible concept, and it made me want to see more of what the possibilities can supply. Like some have said, it would have been interesting to see the main cast interact with all the mirror counterparts.

I truly believe that this episode gave Ash some growth, when trying to help out his mirror counterpart. Who knows, maybe it will come back to him as he progresses as a trainer.

Also, the "Heroes" of Team Rocket at the end was gold. Too funny.

 

[The Pokemon Broadcast]

I was hoping we'd see the alternate universe of Team Rocket before the episode ended.

 

[玉兰哥]

I would love to see the Mirror world group appear again down the road. I really think this is a good episode.

 

[Mega Altaria]

A nice filler. Seeing the group with opposing personalities was interesting, particularly battle-heavy Serena, shy Ash, wizard Clemont and polite Bonnie. And heroic Team Rocket. They were so interesting that I want to see them return although unlikely because the real Ash, Serena, Clemont and Bonnie aren't very likely to return to Reflection Cave.

 

[Mrs. Oreo]

I was hoping we'd see the alternate universe of Team Rocket before the episode ended.

Ha ha me too like the mirror world versions of Jessie & James might've been really cool compared to the real versions. I liked mirror Serena at least cuz she was feistier than the real one.

 

[munchlaxboy]

The Cave of Mirrors! poses a bizarre concept: what if there were alternate dimensions of the Pokemon universe, thus leading to alternate versions of the cast? After Ash and Pikachu get separated from the group in Reflection Cave, the yellow mouse is snatched away by another Ash from the other side of a mirrored rock. Our Ash follows after this other Ash and stumbles upon mirror world versions of Serena, who has a dominant and aggressive personality; Clemont, who is super fast and agile and apparently is a wizard of some sort; and Bonnie, who is now more...mannerly? The mirror world Ash is known as a crybaby, but through our Ash's encouragement and toughness he is able to help crybaby Ash learn a little lesson in determination and strength.

This was truly a bizarre episode, but the writers were definitely having fun with this one. Mirror Serena and Clemont are hilariously polar opposites of their counterparts, and the end of the episode gives up a look at the alternate versions of Team Rocket, who in this alternate dimension are actually heroes themselves. Even Meowth and Wobbuffet are bestowed bold, booming voices--these voices come out of nowhere and they really got a good laugh out of me. Still, the episode had its faults and even some oversights. Mirror Bonnie is kinda boring, and not all that much happens in the alternate universe besides a Team Rocket conflict. Speaking of Team Rocket, how the heck did they get here? Seriously. The writers didn't even bother to explain how the Team Rocket that we know stumbled upon this mirrored world, let alone how they happened to get out of it--you need to wish really hard or something to get there, and after sundown it is supposedly impossible to get back to one's home dimension. So, is Team Rocket really gone forever?!

...

Begin the festivities! Raise the banners! Drop the confetti!

...Sadly, I don't think this will end up being the case. They'll be back. Funny how much we used to love Team Rocket back in the Original Series--now we would welcome their banishment to another dimension.

Overall, it's a fun episode. The "wishing really hard" stuff is pretty corny (but we do get some AmourShippy stuff out of it), Team Rocket's presence/fate makes no sense, and it left me wanting more (like, more interactions between our group and the mirror world group), but at least its an entertaining 21 minutes of television.

Grade: B

 

[Gillachu]

I wish this mirror parallel dimension was in the games because it was intriguing. I liked crybaby Ash and tough girl Serena lol.

 

[JudySpell]

Why couldn't we keep Mirror Serena in the cast instead?? She seemed so feisty which I liked compared to our current Serena. 8/10

 

[Nothingjustgo.]

Wait so does Team Rocket's blasting off cause them to travel between dimensions or something...

 

[wobbanut]

This is one episode I've been looking forward to seeing for a long time, and it definitely didn't disappoint. I loved it! It's interesting seeing a different side to all our familiar characters and their pokemon, even if Mirror Serena was a bit of a jerk. Mirror Ash and Mirror Pikachu remind me a lot of how Ash and Pikachu were at the very beginning of the series, with Ash's zero self-confidence and Pikachu's naughtiness. Interesting that Mirror Meowth had no accent either. If there is one quibble, though, it's that they never show or mention how regular Team Rocket got there or got out. I didn't even know for sure it was regular Team Rocket (since the lighter animation for the mirror selves is pretty subtle) until Mirror Serena says their trio are good guys (and hey, awesomeness there!).

10/10

 

[Leonhart]

It was amusing to see the mirrored version of Satoshi acting all cowardly and weepy, since the Satoshi that we all know and love isn't usually like that. I also appreciated how Serena's mirrored counterpart had a feisty, no-nonsense attitude, and the mirror dimension subplot really made Reflection Cave stand out.

 

[Wednesdayz]

It was so interesting to see the mirror counterparts, yet only Ash got to interact with them? Would have been really nice to see the others interact with them as well. The real Serena, Clemont and Bonnie were useless this episode.

 

[Pokegirl Fan~]

It was so interesting to see the mirror counterparts, yet only Ash got to interact with them? Would have been really nice to see the others interact with them as well. The real Serena, Clemont and Bonnie were useless this episode.

It's just another classic case of XY Ash hogging the screentime unnecessarily. The episode would have been way better if the others weren't out for most of the episode and actually interacted with their mirror counterparts imo

 

[Alloutℯ]

This was a really neat episode and was more impressive than I thought it was going to be. I think Mirror Bonnie and Dedenne could have been a bit more anti-characteristic, but the other Mirror Versions were great.

 

[Leonhart]

In hindsight, the mirror dimension setting was reminiscent of the otherworldly landscape from the Unknown episode from the Jouto saga, and I wish Satoshi could've spent a whole mini-arc exploring the place.

 

[FullmetalJackie]

The alternate characters were incredibly interesting. It took me a moment to notice Bonnie's personality, but she cleared it up with her reactions to Clemont's actions. Alternate Clemont was really cool. I think his alter personality was displayed the best, as we got to see him with a lot of stamina and some of his superstitious beliefs. I still cannot understand why certain fans want Serena to act more like her mirror counterpart.

 

[AznKei]

The alternate characters were incredibly interesting. It took me a moment to notice Bonnie's personality, but she cleared it up with her reactions to Clemont's actions. Alternate Clemont was really cool. I think his alter personality was displayed the best, as we got to see him with a lot of stamina and some of his superstitious beliefs. I still cannot understand why certain fans want Serena to act more like her mirror counterpart.

Because those certain fans from Western countries are more battle obsessed and they truly despise the East Asian Female Idol stuffs in which the showcases are based of and which Serena is pursuing.

To me, the episode was decent. Sure the alternate characters were interesting, but I would like it better if the normal characters could interact with them as well, instead of only normal Ash.

 

[Leonhart]

"Mirror Serena" was amusing, and although I did want to see the real Serena become more bold in XY, I wouldn't have wanted her to change completely. Mirror Serena was mainly a gag character anyway, and she made me grin at the very least.

 

[Scorbunnie]

Mirror Serena was more fun than regular Serena but the downside to all the mirror personalities of Ash's friends is that we're never going to see them again and it made the episode feel empty as a result.

 

[Pikachu Fan Number Nine]

Mirror Ash and Clemont should have had goatees as a reference to Star Trek