Dman is being a negative nancy, and there's no such thing as there being no space left for Plasma. Remember that Kanto was meant to be fast paced as the anime was only supposed to last a year and a half, but they ended up extending it to over 80 episodes because it was so damn good, and there was a pretty big gap between the last badge and the end of the Pokemon League.
They could easily put some appearances by Plasma/Delicious N in beforehand and pump it up for the League and their true colours are revealed, and Dragonspiral Tower couldn't really be targeted by Team Rocket as they've completely forgotten about their encounter with Zekrom. At least Ash brought it up a few times.
Kanto lasted 82 episodes.. 1.5 years is 78 weeks.. Your point is semivalid, but you're overexagerating.. 4 weeks isn't that much..
Kanto is also a special thing as they didn't have four year plans for pokemon at the time. Now they do, with sidegames being introduced even within this carefully scripted planning..
We have that all but revealed now. The three out-of-place episodes were clearly meant to go after BW63 (the gym battle) - BW58-63 form a close continuity, and it seems BW64-67 will as well - Bel is joining the group in BW64, sticks around for BW65, where the group meets Professor Araragi, and Araragi's dad joins them in BW66. I think the chance of BW65-66 not involving a scene where Araragi introduces her father to the group is too slim to even be entertained.
As others have stated earlier, that fits well in with the Mebukijika season form episode airing before the cave episode too, since the seasonal lab is located before the cave in the games.
I got new reasons to believe that the Cedric/Zekrom episode was supposed to air in a previous point in the series.
As you know, there still hasn't been a Sawsbuck or Dewott Live Caster, which would've centered probably around the BW19 of them. As that is one episode that misses specific LC debutes. Now, if we look at the list:
BW22 - Venipede episode: Yamask from BW14
BW23 - First TP/TR episode: Presumed Lillipup from BW15
BW24 - Second TP/TR episode: Presumed Watchog from BW15
BW25 - Gym Battle episode: Herdier from BW16
BW26 - Basculin and Bianca episode: Scraggy from BW17, but months later
BW27 - Emolga and Iris episode, Bianca stays with the group: Patrat from BW18, odd choice, Sewaddle would've fit better.
BW28 - Second Emolgand Iris episode, Bianca leaves: Sewaddle from BW18, odd choice, if this went to Patrat's slot, Dewott would've fit better from BW19
No LiveCaster for BW19: Dewott and Sawsbuck
BW29 - Litwick episode: Ducklett from BW20
So, BW66 (Cedric and Zekrom) could easily have been the original BW29, while the Litwick episode would've been BW30. Though of course, for confirmation we have to see if this has either Dewott or Sawsbuck as its LC subject.
It would fit perfectly:
- Cedric is in the desert to do follow up research, after the original events.
- The Venipede statue that Cilan is turning around also suggests a connection to the Resort Desert (Juniper saw the actual pokemon migrating to there in BW22). I mean why else Venipede? Karrablast looks far more like a Scarab.. This obviously references the BW23/24 arc..
- Cofagrigus only appears in the Relic Castle.
- The Relic Castle is rumored to have hold the Dark Stone in White.
- Sigilyph only appears in the desert as well.
Other hints:
- Pokemon Smash airing
two special episodes of the animé prior to the airing of 'BW66'.
- Mentions being made about SG Krokorok.
- SG Krokorok having an episode after 'BW66'.
This means that they're getting all the desert episodes out of the way in order for the new SG Krokorok episode to make any sense!