ENGLISH NAME	JAPANESE NAME	POKEMOPOLIS NAME	DODGINESS RATING	ANIMATION	STORY	TEAM ROCKET	MORAL LEARNT
774: Team Plasma and the Awakening Ceremony!	780: Purazuma-dan Shugeki! Fukkatsu no Gishiki!	Charizard's Kick-Ass Crew			The twerps get knocked around by Team Plasma; Lord Ghetsis summons Reshiram	Still biding their sweet time	Always keep a Pokéball handy, even if the Pokémon doesn't like being in it!

Last episode saw the twerps reach the White Ruins, where N stole the Light Stone from the elder Professor Juniper only for him and Ash to fall deep into the underground ruins. Team Plasma arrived (shadowed by Team Rocket) get the Light Stone (and N) for themselves, Looker revealed himself and a great big rumble broke out. Things were looking bad for the twerps as the episode ended, and now it's time to find out what happens with...



Timburr, Conkeldurr and Golurks enslaved by Colress' device join Plasma's Liepards in attacking the surrounded twerps. Crustle and Dragonite managed to land safely from their earlier fall, and now are the only things standing between them and the approaching hoards of Pokémon (they have more they could use, you know!). Dragonite holds off the Liepards with Flamethrower, then Crustle attacks the others with Rock Wrecker. A combination of Rock Slide and Ice Beam creates a barrier to temporarily keep the assault back. Looker says this is their chance to escape, but to where? Juniper has the answer, leading them to hide behind some the ruins as if that will in any way protect them.

Underground, N senses that things are getting worse for his "friends" up there, and he and Ash redouble their efforts to find a way out. Above ground, the barrier is shattered to reveal that Crustle and Dragonite have remained behind to hold off pursuit - just the kind of thing that N would probably be (somewhat justifiably) upset by. Colress has an answer to their stubbornness though, preparing to blast them with the Pokémon Control Device. Juniper realizes what is about to happen and Iris and Cilan quickly recall them to their Pokéballs, but now they're in trouble - if they can't use their Pokémon, what chance do they have? Iris even has to quiet an angry Axew, worried that if they know he is there they'll take control of him as well.

The Liepards unleash a hail of Shadowball and blast through the frankly pathetic hiding place that Juniper, Cilan and Iris have been hiding behind. They rush out in a panic and Plasma Grunts move to intercept them, locking their arms in metal collars. But while they've been captured, Looker is still on the loose. Unfortunately for him, he's highly outnumbered and knows if he waits too long for his back-up to arrive, Plasma could get the Light Stone. His pipe is a poor weapon against so many grunts, even if he could get to the Pokémon Control Device there are too many around it. As he ponders what to do, former "allies" of his are also watching. Team Rocket are amused to see Plasma currently has the upper hand on the twerps, and James ponders if now is the time for them to make their move? Meowth insists they wait though, though Jesse and James are eager to get involved now and concerned that waiting could cost them the Light Stone. Meowth appears confident, though of course as long as that Pokémon Control Device is in action, he himself is a potential liability.

Underground, Ash and Pikachu are trying to dig/chip their way out through the walls when Ash notices that N has ceased moving. He approaches and asks if he can sense more trouble above, and N's reply is troubling - he can't sense ANYTHING up there anymore. Before he could hear the screams of the Pokémon being controlled, but now there is just silence. Ash is alarmed, but then takes heart in his own wonderfully stupid confidence, and explains to N that the elder Professor Juniper has taught them valuable adventure rules. One of them is to never lose hope until the very end, so Ash isn't going to. He goes back to chipping away at the wall, Pikachu eagerly joining in at trying to dig under it, leaving N to marvel at their resiliency.

As Pikachu digs away though, his little paws are getting scratched and sore, and Ash belatedly remembers he has plenty more Pokémon that can help out. He brings out Oshawott, Pignite, Krookodile, Snivy and, of course, the mighty goddamn Charizard! Ash explains they want to get out and asks if they'll give a hand, and the Pokémon quickly agree and sort out amongst themselves what they want to do. Oshawott uses Water Gun on the dirt to soften it, and Krookodile uses Dig to burrow deep into it. Charizard increases the diameter of the whole with Dragon Tail, and Pignite, Snivy and Pikachu begin digging their way in as well. Snivy calls to Ash who happily agrees to help out too, and soon everybody is digging away together as N watches on gaping, asking himself if this is what it's like, the bond between Ash and his Pokémon? He rushes to Ash's side and begins to dig away alongside Ash, having realised that Ash isn't forcing his Pokémon to work as tools or for his own benefit, but is getting in there and working alongside them as equals.

In complete contrast, on the surface Aldith is getting impatient as she realises that Ghetsis will arrive soon and she still hasn't secured the Light Stone (and N). She yells at Barrett that she is tired of waiting, she wants him to force the enslaved Pokémon underground. She is definitely using the Pokémon as nothing more than tools, and Barrett has them blast and dig their way down deep. The Golurks shadowball the hole, kicking up debris that smashes into the twerps, and then the enslaved Pokémon approach the enlarged hole... just as Krookodile bursts out of the ground behind them and finds himself in a bit of an alarming situation.

He puts on as cool an expression as he can, arms folded and acting all too cool for school, then freaks the fuck out and dives back down under the ground. Moments later however, who should emerge from the whole but MOTHERFUCKING CHARIZARD! Bursting into the air with a roar, he smashes back down to the ground and lets out another bellow of defiance right at the assembled Pokémon, ready to throw down with ALL of them if that is what is takes. The other Pokémon emerge from behind him, followed by Ash and N. Cilan and Iris are delighted to see Ash and N are safe, while Juniper is pleased that the Light Stone is safe, haha!

Ash spots Team Plasma and N seems resigned to the fact that of course it was them behind all this trouble. Aldith demands they secure N and the Light Stone and the Liepards attack with Shadowball, Charizard leaping into the way to protect them. The blasts hurt his mighty belly, and a follow up from Golurk sends him crashing back into the rocks, horrifying Ash's other Pokémon who look up to Charizard as quite rightfully the biggest, baddest Pokémon on the block.

Pignite rushes to Charizard's side in a panic and blasts away another attempted Shadowball with his flamethrower. Charizard sits up and lets the relieved Pignite know he is okay, and as they beam at each other and grumble in their peculiar languages about how they're both total badasses who are gonna kick some Plasma ass, N watches on in wonder at the strong bond evident between these two as well. Ash orders a double Flamethrower from the two, which combines and blasts over the enslaved Pokémon, much to the two fire types pleasure. Krookodile is impressed too and wants in on the action, so he turns about and unleashes with Dig, kicking up dirt and mud that showers over the enslaved Pokémon, not so much damaging them but making it impossible for them to see or prevent the avalanche of dirt. Ash is impressed and compliments Krookodile on his good work, and a happy Oshawott and Snivy get in on things too by blasting the enslaved Pokémon with Hydro Pump and Leaf Storm, before all of Ash's Pokémon (apart from Pikachu) bravely pose in a line.



Don't fuck with the crew!

N continues to marvel over the strong bond that forms between the Pokémon themselves when Ash is around, and wonders how it can be. This of course isn't a situation unique to Ash himself, plenty of trainers form tight-knit crews of Pokémon. But N is still a relative newcomer to the outside world and his distaste for Pokémon Trainers means he really hasn't spent any amount of time with any of them to see the strength of these bonds. To him, Ash is the exception rather than the rule.

Up on the cliff overlooking this all, an angry Barrett demands that Colress take control of THESE Pokémon. Colress smirks and fires up the device, and Iris shouts out a warning to Ash who notices the device for the first time. Acting quickly, Ash recalls Charizard and Pignite, while up on the cliff Colress has the others locked in and prepares to fire. Looker emerges in a rage, having given up on waiting for back-up he charges with the pipe clenched overhead, ready to smash the machine into pieces. He's grabbed by grunts before he can get there though, physically restrained as Colress turns an indifferent look his way, giving not a single fuck. But this gives Ash the time he needs to recall his Pokémon.... until he realizes that Pikachu is still out. Cilan remembers that Pikachu doesn't like to go into its Pokéball, and presumably Ash still keeps it in his backpack which is nowhere near by. Freaking out, Ash rushes towards Pikachu but it is too late, Colress fires up the device and Pikachu is blasted with the beam of energy.... Pikachu done gone get got!

Pikachu hauls his paw out of Ash's hand and turns on Cilan, Iris and Juniper, blasting an arc of Thunderbolt at their feet, causing them to run in terror. Team Rocket watch from their vantage point, Meowth impressed that they were even able to take control of Pikachu. Ash won't have any of this though, rushing in front of Pikachu and throwing his arms wide. N is horrified, but Ash retains that "keep hope until the end" spirit, smiling at the snarling Pikachu and approaching slowly, trying to get through to him. Pikachu blasts Ash with a full blast of Thunderbolt and N despairs, even the strong bond between Ash and Pikachu can't prevent the control of Colress' device. Ash won't stop though, and he continues to step forward, grabbing Pikachu in his hands. Pikachu lets rip with another massive blast, and as Ash screams in pain the smug Colress says that nothing can break the control of his device.

N obviously believes the same, because he calls out a warning to Aldith - if she doesn't release Pikachu from their control, then he will flat out destroy the Light Stone. Looker can't believe it, but N is adamant, he knows they want it and they want him, and he won't let them get the stone unless Pikachu is freed. They quickly agree, and Pikachu's controlled rage disappears, finding himself wrapped in an unconscious Ash's arms, horrified as what he has done. N smiles and tells them he won't let them be hurt anymore, he's learned so much from them both, and heads up to fulfil his end of the bargain.

With perfect timing, Lord Ghetsis arrives, landing in his ship and stepping out to find Aldith has the Light Stone and a captive N, all like it wasn't nothing but a thing. They waste no time at all, preparing the ceremony that went so badly the last time they tried, placing the Light Stone on a pedestal in a part of the above ground ruins. With their attention completely on this though, nobody notices Team Rocket sneakily approaching.

Ash wakes up and smiles at Pikachu, looking around and realising that some heavy shit is about to go down. Meanwhile, the captive N desperately reminds Ghetsis of how badly things went the last time he tried to summon Reshiram. Ghetsis is supremely confident though, that won't happen this time because now they have the Pokémon Control Device. He has no need for N and his ability to communicate/sense with Pokémon, which was the whole reason he ever made use of him in the past - he'll summon Reshiram and then force control on it, and this time he'll get what he wants.



The Ceremony begins, runes lighting up on the ground as the Light Stone responds to Ghetsis' prompts. N shouts out a warning, begging Reshiram to stay in the form of the Light Stone, while the forgotten Ash and Pikachu rush to the scene of all the action. Everything has been building to this moment, now it's time to see what will happen when Ghetsis attempts to take control of a force of nature... because that's worked out so well for every other Pokémon Villain in the past!

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