Japanese Title: Flat-out Run! Battle Subway!! (Part 2)
Original Airdate: September 15, 2011
US Airdate: January 7, 2012
Will Team Rocket have the last laugh this time?
As Team Rocket absconds with the Poké Balls of the Nimbasa City Pokémon Center, the twerps have to battle through the Nimbasa City Underground, as their Pokémon fight Team Rocket from within the Ghost Train.
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- Berserk Button: The moment Pikachu realizes that Meowth had tricked them from the beginning and this is yet another Team Rocket scheme, he is ABSOLUTELY PISSED!
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Probably Team Rocket's most formidable plan against Ash's team to date. The twerps really had to pull out all the stops here, with every last one of their Pokemon needed in action.
- Evil Gloating: After confronted by the twerps' Pokemon, Meowth simply mocks and laughs at them from the other carriage, wasting time before informing Zagar of the intervention.
- Know When to Fold 'Em: Despite their frustrations at being defeated, Team Rocket calmly know when to retreat, escaping in their jet packs just short of a furious Pikachu frying them. James even references this trope by name.
- Let Me at Him!: At the end, Pikachu really doesn't want to let Team Rocket get away this time. Ash keeps a level head about it.
- Smug Snake: After all the work Team Rocket put into their scheme, it's Meowth, ironically the one with the most crucial part in it's near success, who sabotages the effort because he gets too cocky with his Evil Gloating.
- This Is Unforgivable!: Pikachu is livid at Meowth's betrayal. Ash however just trolls the latter by smugly telling him he had a blast with him around anyway.
- Took a Level in Badass: Tepig learns Flamethrower during the episode's climax, helping Axew and Roggenrola with their escape.
- Touché: After years of being dismissed or mocked by the twerps as mere annoyances, the brilliance of Team Rocket's scheme here was punctuated by Ash and co openly admitting they very nearly had them this time.
