Unfair-Weather Friends (Japanese: お天気研究所のポワルン！, Hepburn: The Castform of the Weather Institute!) is the 43rd episode of Pokémon: Advanced Challenge.
Synopsis[]
Ash and the gang are headed to Fortree City when it starts raining and then snowing. They run for shelter and meet a Castform who leads them onward. The gang is greeted by two scientists from the nearby Weather Institute, Bart and Millie. Brock feels absolutely nothing for the attractive Millie, which puzzles him.
Millie is showing the kids around the Weather Institute when a Team Aqua helicopter suddenly appears, and they restrain all the other scientists (plus Team Rocket). Team Aqua is looking for information on the Legendary Pokémon, Groudon and Kyogre. Bart gives his access card to Castform, who flees in search of Millie.
Inside the institute, Ash, Millie and friends reunite with Castform, fight off Team Aqua, and use the access card to get into the computer. Millie transfers all the data onto a disk and deletes the copy on the hard drive.
Outside, Team Aqua uses the weather machine to create a bolt of lightning that sends Team Rocket blasting off. Millie gives Team Aqua the access card. A Team Aqua technician finds the files missing, and Millie reveals that she is in fact, a he—Brodie, the Man of a Thousand Faces, a member of Team Magma! He escapes with the disk.
Team Aqua leaves. Bart is feeling betrayed, but then the real Millie shows up—and Bart puts her to work transferring all their paper files on the Legendary Pokémon back into the computer.[1]
Episode plot[]
The heroes continue their journey to Fortree City. Just as Ash admires the weather, it starts raining. They go to a nearby tree, but it has been struck by lightning. Suddenly, it begins snowing, which makes the heroes surprised at this strange weather. A Castform appears before them, wanting them to follow it, since the snow may freeze them. The sun shines again, amazing everyone, and even Castform changes into its original form. Suddenly two scientists appear, who explain they were researching how to control the weather. Brock goes with his flirting scheme and Max goes to pull him away, but Brock stops, seeing something is different with the female scientist.
The scientists introduce themselves as Bart and Millie. They offer them to go to the weather institute, which they accept. Team Rocket is caught in the snow, annoyed to the fact "the twerps dragged them here". Meowth goes to sleep in the "snowy blanket“, but James and Jessie wake him up. Bart and Millie give them a quick tour of the institute, showing the satellite dish that changes the weather. Bart is amazed Millie has been successful in such short time, thinking she will be a successful scientist. Millie guides the heroes inside the building, telling them they are researching natural disasters. Team Rocket see the institute and plan to steal the machines that control the weather for their boss. Team Rocket will have to improvise to get in and suddenly they see a helicopter arriving. Millie shows the heroes the central computer then also notices the helicopter.
Inside the helicopter, Team Aqua's commander, Shelly, orders her team to start their operation. The Team Aqua members go out and tie the scientists up. Shelly sends Crawdaunt to watch over them, threatening to hurt them if they try to move. Team Rocket watches what is going on and decide to hide, but are intercepted by members of Team Aqua. Team Rocket recites their motto, but they also get tied up and are taken to the courtyard with the scientists. Since they won't give up, Team Rocket gets the air out of their lungs, so much that their rings fall off. They claim the weather machine is their own, which annoys Shelly. However, one of the Grunts switches the machine on. As Bart's Castform changes form, the scientists drop to the ground, while Team Rocket is struck by lightning. The heroes see everything and they suspect everyone is after the weather machine.
Shelly demands the info about the Ancient Pokémon. Bart does not recall having any data about the Ancient Pokémon, except for Kyogre and Groudon. The Grunt can't get access more data, requiring a special card, which Bart has. Bart places the card onCastform and tells it to go to Millie. Crawdaunt use Bubble-Beam on Castform, who uses Weather Ball to knock one of them out, but is struck by the other one's attack. The sun shines, so Castform changes its form and uses Weather Ball, hitting the other Crawdaunt. Castform goes into the air duct of the building, so Shelly orders to get the card back. Ash goes to stop them, but slips and falls. Millie mentions that the vents are connected to the room they are in, so Castform will arrive to them.
Just then, the Team Aqua members appear. As they are about to go in the next room, Castform emerges from the vents. Crawdaunt goes after Castform, who goes to Millie, giving her the card. Team Aqua decides to go after Millie. Brock, May, Max and Millie run off, while Ash has Pikachu use Thunderbolt, electrocuting Team Aqua and their Crawdaunt. Ash praises Pikachu and they both hope the card won't be stolen. Team Aqua pass by, while the rest are hiding in the vents. Millie thinks they should hide the data instead. Max sees Team Aqua around the next corner, who explain to Shelly Castform is not in the main computer room. While Shelly has the Grunts continue searching, Millie whispers something to Ditto, who transforms to Castform, along with the card, and runs away, distracting Team Aqua. The Fake Castform arrives to Ash, who takes it with him and goes away from the Team Aqua Grunts.
Millie copies the data from the computer to a floppy disc; the info about Groudon and Kyogre, the Pokémon that are believed to have created the land and sea on the planet. The copying is complete, so Millie deletes the info from the main computer. They go out, but Ash bumps into Brock. Millie explains one of the Castform is a Ditto, so it returns into its original form. May points out Ditto was a decoy for Team Aqua and Ash shouldn't have returned it back. Team Aqua appear, so Ash sends Torkoal, who uses smoke, distracting the Team Aqua Grunts, allowing the heroes to exit out of the building. They arrive to the place where Team Aqua is keeping the scientists. Shelly demands the card for the prisoners. Since the scientists refuse such an offer, one of the Grunts codes the machine to produce lightning. It strikes Team Rocket, blasting them off.
Shelly is impatient, threatening to freeze or electrocute them all, should they not give the card. Despite Bart's protests, Millie gives them the card. However, after the Grunt places the card into the slot, there is still no access, as Millie gave a fake card. Millie shows them the actual card and jumps to a tower, confusing Bart, who wonders why she would take the data. She reveals her disguise, as "she“ is a man named Broadie, a member of Team Magma. Max realizes that's why Brock's flirting with "Millie" failed. Crawdaunt uses Bubble Beam, though Ditto transforms and uses Bubble Beam as well, negating the attacks. May sends Combusken, who uses Sky Uppercut, but is negated and hurt by Ditto's Crabhammer. Broadie uses a jetpack to fly off. Shelly claims Team Magma should appreciate that she let them won this battle, but she is looking forward to beat them the next time they meet Team Aqua who have nothing else to do but to go back to their main base, as they fly off in the helicopter.
Bart is stricken by the betrayal. A woman appears, introducing herself as the real Millie. Ash mistakes her for Brodie, but May stops him, as Brock flirts with her successfully and Max pulls him away. Bart shows her the work she could do: transferring data from books to the computer. This makes Millie happy when she'll do that sort of work. May thinks Bart and Millie have a connection, though Brock is sad he did not have any chance with her. Ash, however, anticipates the victory for his next badge. Meanwhile, Team Rocket is wandering in the snow, with Meowth being angry at the weather.
Debuts[]
Characters[]
Pokémon[]
- Castform (Normal, Sunny, Rainy and Snowy form)
Move[]
Quotes[]
- "I'm so c-cold. If this is Mother Nature, she's not being very motherly." - Jessie
- "And if it's Old Man Winter, he's not very fatherly!" - James
- "Hey, youse guys! I'll tell ya what is apparent--we're gonna freeze!" - Meowth, angry with the jokes, points out the "apparently" cold situation
Trivia[]
- Featured Pokémon: Weezing, Koffing, Muk, Cascoon.
- In the beginning of the episode, a classic Pokémon identification can be seen. In this case, it is an Abra.
- The title is a pun on the phrase "fair-weathered friends".
Gallery[]
References[]
- ^ (n.d.) . "Unfair-Weather Friends | Pokémon TV (pokemon.com)". From The Official Pokémon Website | Pokemon.com. Archived from the original on January 27, 2024.
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| Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire | ||