AG004: You Never Can Taillow

You Can Never Taillow is the 4th episode of the Advanced Generation series. It is the 280th episode of the Pokémon anime.

Synopsis
Ash, May and May's little brother Max are now en route to Rustboro City—and they're hungry! No one remembered to pack lunch. As they fight over one remaining cookie, Ash remembers how nice it was to have Brock cooking for him and Misty. He's quickly brought back to reality when a Taillow takes off with the cookie. The gang follows Taillow to a grove filled with apple trees. Ash and May eagerly shake the trees, hoping to make the apples drop to the ground. Instead of apples, Ash and May shake loose an angry flock of territorial Taillow. There's too many for Ash, Max, and May to handle alone. Out of nowhere, Brock appears and saves the day with his Forretress—and his incredible soup! They manage to defeat and feed all of the Taillow except the one who took the cookie. Taillow are naturally resilient, but this particular one is especially tough. Ash can't seem to defeat it, so instead he decides to catch it. Team Rocket bribes the Taillow with rice balls to capture Pikachu. After their plan fails because Brock fed the Taillow who lost interest in fighting, Team Rocket is still intending to capture Pikachu as he may be weak from hunger. Unfortunately for them, Pikachu ate Brock's Pokémon food already and Team Rocket is soon blasted off. With Brock and Taillow on tow, Ash and friends continue on to Rustboro City.

Plot
May, Max and Ash travel through Petalburg Forest to come to Rustboro City. While May wants lunch, Max wants to see new Pokémon. While they fight over what should they do, Ash advises to go to lunch, then see the Pokémon. However, they thought someone else had carried the lunch, so there is no lunch to be eaten. Pikachu opens his can, but sees that even he does not have lunch. Ash then makes a flashback to where Brock cooked food.

Nearby, Team Rocket plans to steal Ash's Pikachu, but Jessie and James are eating sandwiches for lunch. Max unpacks his cookie box, to where is only one cookie. However, a bird snatches it! It is revealed that it was a Taillow. Taillow eats the cookie, but Pikachu shows that there are apples growing on the trees! Pikachu uses electricity to get the apples, but more Taillow grab them - while also about to attack the gang. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt to attack the Taillow, but they recover quite fast. Team Rocket plans to take some of the Taillow to get Ash's Pikachu.

The Taillows fly to attack Pikachu, but a man brings his Forretress out and ordering it to attack with Explosion. With the smoke revealed, the man was Brock! Brock heals Pikachu's wound and tells that he came home, but everything was okay, so he went to find Ash and travel with him once more. Ash then introduces Brock to Max and May. May then asks Brock to cook, to which he agrees to do. Brock searches his backpack, to which he finds nothing - Taillow ate the sandwiches when Brock was going where Ash, May and Max were. Brock, however, offers to make some stew, to which everyone happily agrees with.

Team Rocket offers some food to the Taillow, but when the Taillow eat them, they ask for more, but Jessie offers them only if they capture Pikachu. Taillow comes to Pikachu and wants to fight him. Taillow and Pikachu fight on a river. As the Taillow flies to strike, Ash declares Pikachu to attack with Quick Attack, but Taillow dodges. Taillow grabs Pikachu by his tail and does not let it escape, even if Pikachu strikes it with electricity. Taillow drops Pikachu and Ash declares to attack with Thunder. After the water gets down (as the attack made the water go high in the sky), Brock advises Ash to capture Taillow instead of fighting it. Ash throws the Poké Ball and manages to capture the Taillow.

The Taillow comes out of the ball and calms down, befriending Ash. However, more Taillows come to Ash and others. The Taillow attempts to persuade the others, but Team Rocket appears, promising more sandwiches for Taillow. However, it is clarified that it were the Team Rocket who stole Brock's sandwiches. May brings her Torchic out, but the Torchic runs to Team Rocket and bashing itself onto a rock. May calls her Torchic back, and before the Taillow attack, the lunch is ready to eat. Taillow come to the lunch. Despite the failure, Team Rocket still intends to capture Pikachu as they think he may be weak from hunger, but unfortunately for them, Pikachu ate Brock's Pokémon food already and soon Team Rocket is blasted off. After everyone ate their lunch, Ash's Taillow says goodbye to others. Now, with Brock and Taillow in tow, Ash can continue his journey to the Hoenn League.

Debuts
Pokémon Debuts
 * Taillow

Quotes
Yeah! Great! But first, we'll do the dishes!"'' - Ash, May, Max and Brock
 * "Guys, you are drooling on me." - Brock to May and Ash
 * ''"Let's go head out to Rustboro City!

Trivia
The Who's that Pokémon? of this episode is Misdreavus.

Bloopers

 * May's gloves disappear when she calls out Torchic.
 * May's left eye is colored pink in a scene where she's talking to Ash.

Gallery
EP280