Japanese Title: My Dream, Pokémon Master!!
Original Airdate: September 26, 2013
US Airdate: December 7, 2013
That's a rather massive trade: Woobat, Frillish, Amoonguss, and Yamask, in exchange for Wobbuffet.
Ash and Alexa return to Pallet Town, where Ash reveals he will indeed head to Kalos for the next step on his journey to becoming a Pokémon Master. Team Rocket is also determined to follow Ash to Kalos...and get a familiar ally back for the fight.
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- The Bus Came Back:
- Right near the end, Wobbuffet returns to the Team Rocket fold.
Meowth: We'll find the twerp's next step, then we'll show him our might!
Jessie and James: Meowth! That's right!
Wobbuffet (appearing behind them): WOOOOOOBUFFET!- All of Ash's current Pokémon he still owns or aren't being trained elsewhere make a cameo appearance in a photograph when he leaves everyone behind at Oak's lab.
- Combination Attack: Pikachu, Charizard and all of Ash's Unova region Pok´mon unleash one of these on Team Rocket's latest balloon.
- Continuity Porn: Ash has flashbacks to all of his previous traveling companionsnote , we see a shot of all of Ash's badges, and the episode ends with a group photo shot of Ash and all his Pokémon. note
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Even moreso than usual: Pikachu and all the Unova region Pokémon plus Charizard send Team Rocket off this time.
- Put on a Bus:
- As is now expected, all the Unova region Pokémon (and Charizard) are left at Professor Oak's.
- Team Rocket has to give up their Unova region Pokémon to prove to Giovanni they did something in Unova.
- Real Life Writes the Plot: There was a phone poll connected to BW097 in Japan where the fans were asked which Pokémon should return to Jessie and James, which would be around the time this episode was being scripted. The choices were Wobbuffet, Mime Jr., and Dustox. Wobbuffet won, and so when the episode got animated, it's Wobbuffet who shows up.
- Walk-In Chime-In: How Wobbuffet makes his return.
- Written-In Absence: Professor Oak mentions that Tracey is in Cerulean City visiting Misty, explaining why he doesn't appear at the lab.
