Recap / Pokémon S11E28 "The Thief That Keeps on Thieving!"

"Time to throw the game! Underhand!"

—Jessie, catching the first Yanma that Tyler had weakened

Japanese Title: Yanyanma! Capture Operation!!

Original Airdate: May 22, 2008

US Airdate: October 18, 2008

The twerps help a young trainer named Tyler catch a Yanma that he had sought after. But the first one they work on is swiped by Jessie, then brought back to further complicate matters.

This episode contains examples of the following tropes:

• Curb-Stomp Battle: When Team Rocket shows up again to try and steal the second Yanma Tyler's trying to get, Buizel utterly annihilates Yanmega with an Aqua Jet followed by a Sonic Boom.
• Evil Is Petty: Jessie literally takes Yanma from under another trainer's nose. And because Jessie caught her in a Poké Ball, there was absolutely nothing the twerps could do about it.
• Innocuously Important Episode: This episode reveals that Jessie and James' careers as Team Rocket's agents have dwindled so badly that Giovanni has forgotten who they are. This ends up coming into play at the end of the Diamond and Pearl series, since Giovanni forgetting their previous failures leads to them being offered the Unova promotion.
• Mass "Oh, Crap!": Team Rocket's response when Buizel stomps Yanmega into the ground like she was nothing.
• Not-So-Harmless Villain: Team Rocket have a bizarre flourish of competence and good fortune in this episode. They not only succeed in taking a Pokemon before the twerps, but evolve it, use it to beat them in a battle and even subject them to a mini-blasting off. A smoked up Dawn even questions how Team Rocket are suddenly able to run rings around them.
• Strong as They Need to Be: After Team Rocket's two Team Rocket Wins moments, when they show up again to kidnap another Yanma that Tyler is trying to get, Buizel stomps Yanmega in just two moves.
• Team Rocket Wins: Not only do Team Rocket successfully swipe a Pokemon, but during Yanma's first battle for Jessie: she holds off Chimchar with Ancient Power, evolves into Yanmega, then sorta blasts off the twerps with her Sonic Boom.^note The fact that Yanma evolved into Yanmega immediately after her first Ancient Power is likely a subtle Continuity Nod to the games, as Ancient Power sometimes includes a boost to all five of the user's stats.
• Unwanted Gift Plot: Team Rocket sends Yanma to Giovanni. It turns out Team Rocket HQ already has several Yanma,^note Yanma is a Generation II Pokémon, so it figures that Team Rocket, active primarily in Kanto and Johto, would have ready access to it. and this one isn't that special, so he sends her back. Jessie and James assume it's a gift from the boss.
• Yank the Dog's Chain: Team Rocket gains something of an upper hand thanks to Yanma evolving into Yanmega. Buizel makes sure they don't retain it.