ENGLISH NAME	JAPANESE NAME	POKEMOPOLIS NAME	DODGINESS RATING	ANIMATION	STORY	TEAM ROCKET	MORAL LEARNT
702: Battle For The Underground!	707: Gekiso! Batoru Sabuwei! (Kohen)	Rise of the Pokémon of the Trains			The twerps try to rescue their Pokémon and save the Subway	A 98% successful plan is still a failure	Pokémon being Pokémon Trainers just feels wrong!

Last episode saw Meowth reunited with Team Rocket after revealing his "kicking out for failing his distraction" was the actual distraction itself. Having used the twerps to gain access to the Nimbasa City Pokémon Centre Vault, he stole hundreds of Pokéballs AND Pikachu and Axew and rejoined Jesse and James in the subway where they prepared to make their escape in THE GHOST TRAIN. The twerps gave chase, assisting Subway Bosses Ingo and Emmet, but Team Rocket has so far outsmarted them at every turn. Can the twerps save the day WITHOUT any Pokémon to make use of? Can Ingo and Emmet regain control of their Subway? Or will Team Rocket win the....



Ingo and Emmet watch the phony sensor markings on the map in complete confusion. Team Rocket have dropped out dozens of the phony inflatable trains and sent them down the various tracks, meaning that nobody knows where Team Rocket actually is. They contact Cilan and let him know what is happening, and the twerps realize they basically have no choice but to check each and every train as it passes them by. This is, of course, exactly what Team Rocket wants, keeping them busy as they prepare to make their escape.

Contacting Dr Zager who is approaching the city by helicopter, they let him know that the plan is proceeding perfectly. Meowth laughs that Pikachu and Axew may not like it, but they're not going anywhere. Indeed, despite Pikachu being able to put his tail through the bars of his cage, his Iron Tail can't break through the door of the cargo hold. A Pokéball falls out of the box and Pikachu picks it up, looking upset.... could this be it, could this be our Planet of the Apes moment where a Pokémon learns how to use a Pokéball and becomes a Pokémon Pokémon Trainer!

The twerps have spotted another train but are too late to check if it was a decoy or not. As they stare despondently after it, Cilan notes that the actual Ghost Train could be out of the system loop already, confusing Ash and Iris. He explains that once the train goes above ground it is out of the tracking system, confusing them further as they thought the Subway only operated below ground. Cilan seems amused by their naiveté, but when Iris mentions how she always pondered how the trains got underground in the first place, he declares her a genius. They've been doing things the complicated way, the Ghost Train had to enter the system at some point to appear on the map, and it stands to reason that this will be their exit too.

Well it sounds good, but if there is more than one entry/exit point to above ground, why would they necessarily go back through that one?

Ingo and Emmet explain that though, all trains in their Subway system enter from the Anvil Town Railyard (THEN WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T THEY SEND THE POLICE THERE FROM THE GET-GO!?!) so that is probably where they will exit. Cilan starts leading the others there, talking with excitement and sparkles about the Anvil Town Railyard, which is the center of the universe for Metro Connoisseurs. Ingo and Emmet are also on the way, rushing down to their little crew car with plans to speed it up to catch up. But will they make it in time? Zager is approaching the Railyard and Team Rocket are speeding their way. Can anything stop them? And then it happens, the monkey looks at the monolith, Eve eats the apple, Torgo rubs the two sticks together, the hominid learns to stand on two feet..... and Pikachu blasts an Electro-Ball at a Pokéball and "chooses" a Pokémon to do battle on his behalf.

It's the beginning of the end, people! Soon they will rule us all and hunt us for sport!

Snivy is called out, confused about what is going on but listening happily to Pikachu's instructions. Using Vine Whip, Snivy hauls out another Pokéball and taps the button to let the Pokémon inside out...

Oh God Pikachu is teaching others now!

Excadrill comes out, and following instruction shatters the cages holding Pikachu and Axew inside. But Pikachu still can't Iron Tail through the door, and Axew can't Dragon Rage through it either. They bring out Pansage and try to blast through that way, and Excadrill tries to barge through, but without success. Pikachu stops to think through it some more, coming up with particular Pokémon and rejecting the ones who would be of no help, including an amusing dismissal of the idea of using Oshawott or Scraggy.



Tepig is dismissed too, but then Dwebble comes up as a possibility and Pikachu likes it. Calling out the little crab, it blasts acid at the door and begins smoking through it. Meanwhile, the twerps see something sparking electricity approaching and turn to see Emmet and Ingo arrive on their crew car, powered up by a HIDEOUS elder-wurm Pokémon - Eelektross. Like some kind of horrific lamprey, it has a round mouth with horrible teeth that it uses to latch onto an opponent. It's... absolutely disgusting... but it got them to the twerps in record time. They jump on board and take off for Anvil Town (has anyone called the Police?) at speed.

Inside the Ghost Train, the Pokémon have finally cut through the door, the noise attracting the attention of Team Rocket. Meowth goes to investigate, warned by James to be careful as they're so close to their destination. He opens the door at the back of the engine car and is astonished to find Pikachu at the door of the cargo car, glaring angrily at him. With a laugh, Meowth warns that it is too late, now Pikachu knows but they're reaching the end of the line anyway. They emerge into the daylight, having finally left the underground, and Meowth tells Pikachu not to try and jump because they're going to fast, and without the twerps around they're on a one way ticket to Boss Land.

Pikachu tries to blast a Thunderbolt at Meowth but he just laughs and slams the door in his face, and the electricity arcs off helplessly. Meowth lets Jesse and James know what happened, irritating them for being a pain at every stage of the way. James tells Meowth to keep an eye on them, while Zager approaches in his helicopter ready to collect them and the captured Pokémon. As the helicopter flies over them, Snivy calls out more Pokémon and Pikachu directs them, blasting the coupling between the train-cars. Meowth opens the door to see what is going on and is horrified to see what is happening. It blasts Meowth backwards and the delighted Pokémon watch as the engine car pulls away from them. Jesse and James report to Zager what is happening and he agrees that they underestimated the Pokémon, and flies in to pick up the car before the Pokémon can get away. Meowth taunts them as the Engine car begins to slow, saying that if they won't come with them, then Team Rocket will come to them. But Pikachu spots a track switch and has Snivy pull it after the Engine goes by, putting the cargo car onto a different track and causing Zager's helicopter to miss as it swoops in.

A frustrated Meowth complains as the Engine Car backs up and then heads onto the different track. Zager tells them to keep their distance though as he approaches the cargo car in an attempt to pick it up.

The twerps exit the underground and emerge into the sun, sure they're not far from reaching Team Rocket... but as they zip along they realise that Team Rocket are now on a different track... and BEHIND the cargo car? Spotting the Pokémon atop it, they figure out that the Pokémon weren't just sitting around scratching their asses waiting to be rescued, but what can they do now? Emmet and Ingo suggest taking a track switch and getting along parallel to them, and they start to loop around.

Zager is getting closer to being able to collect the train car, Pansage and Pikachu trying to blast at the grabbing claw. Team Rocket grumble that the Pokémon don't know when to quit, and then are disgusted to see the twerps on the parallel track. They try to warn Zager but he shuts them down, telling them this delicate operation needs total concentration.

The Pokémon are delighted to see the twerps, but Zager looks close to capturing them. Ash declares he is going to get on that train, and Ingo and Emmet take entirely too long chatting about how his dedication to his Pokémon is like their dedication to their subway system.

They think Ash pays lip service to caring but completely fails to understand the inner workings and allows them to be hijacked by people who clearly know more about the thing he loves than he does?

Ingo calls out his Chandelure - a bizarre ghost/fire Pokémon that apparently has been trained to not eat their souls. Using Psychic it brings the twerps over to the Cargo Car (why not bring the Pokémon over to the crew car!?!) where they are reunited with their Pokémon and happily hug them. But this isn't over yet, they still have to deal with the cargo hook. Team Rocket warn Zager he'll need to capture the car with the twerps on it as well and he grumpily snaps that he is well aware of that. But Ash is busy showing Pikachu it has a lot to learn about directing Pokémon, as they get all of the Pokémon to direct their attacks at the track behind them and give extra momentum to the cargo car (how is it still going at any speed at all anyway? There is no engine attached and they're not on a downward slope or anything), pushing it out from under the cargo hook.

Axew uses Dragon Rage to add to their speed, and a furious Zager snaps at James for telling him to hurry up. The twerps are concerned to see Zager getting closer, but Cilan has Pansage hit the upcoming track switch and move them onto a different track as Zager swoops in. They use their Pokémon’s attacks again to get clear, but it is becoming apparent that Zager isn't going to give up and will eventually catch up. Ash has a sudden brilliant idea.... why not just have Pikachu blow the cargo hook up with a standard attack that couldn't blast through a door earlier?

And it works!

Thanks to Snivy's Leaf Storm getting into the propeller as well, Zager is forced to pull back and tell Team Rocket he can't secure the car. A furious Meowth cranks them up to full power to catch up, and the twerps have their Pokémon blast at full power to push up their own momentum..... including a Flamethrower from Tepig!



They're delighted at Tepig's new move as it blasts flamethrower from its nostril, and Ingo and Emmet are SO impressed that they decide to actually do something to help and have Chandelure use Will O'Wisp. Team Rocket can no longer see in front of them and realise that their plan ISN'T going to work and it is time to cut their losses. Emerging on the roof of the Engine Car, they face off across to the twerps, face to face with Meowth for the first time since his betrayal. Ash tells him that he's upset but has to admit he had a lot of fun travelling with him. If he expects Meowth to reciprocate, he is disappointed, as Meowth snaps that this is an incredibly twerpish thing to say. Pikachu is absolutely fucking livid though, screaming and shouting as Team Rocket blow the engine and depart on jetpacks to rejoin Zager. Ash pats Pikachu on the head and tells him to just let it go. Cilan notes that Team Rocket came up with a surprisingly bold and refined plan, while Iris moans as she ponders just what the hell would have happened if she HAD captured Meowth.

Yeah imagine that, capturing a Pokémon against its will to do things it didn't want to do? You ARE Team Rocket, Iris!



Finally they arrive at Anvil Town Railyard, where Cilan is in seventh heaven as he looks across at the various trains. Ingo and Emmet thank them for their help, noting that the Subway is now fully in their control again (and just as susceptible to attack?), and Iris tells Ash he can FINALLY have his Gym Battle. Ingo and Emmet wish him luck, saying the Gym Leader is no pushover - but as we've seen from this episode, neither is Ash or any of his Pokémon.

And now at least one of them knows how to control Pokémon as well!

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