Japanese Title: The Pumpjin Festival! Farewell, Bakeccha!?
Original Airdate: July 23, 2015
US Airdate: September 26, 2015
The changes of heart come fast and furious in this one.
Team Rocket and the twerps cross paths at a masquerade ball celebrating Gourgeist, the evolution of Pumpkaboo. When the castle owner's Pumpkaboo is infatuated with Jessie's Pumpkaboo, he makes an offer Jessie cannot refuse to effect a trade: the promise of a Mega Evolution-capable Pokémon.
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- Accidental Kidnapping: Team Rocket thinks they've captured Pikachu as per usual, but it turns out they got Chespin in a Pikachu costume. When they find out, he's sobbing cutely in his container. But that's what he gets for masquerading as a frequent target for pokénapping.
- A Day in the Limelight: For Jessie's Pumpakboo. Also her evolution episode.
- Broken Pedestal: When Count Pumpka mentions that Mawile is able to Mega Evolve, Jessie changes her tune on trading Pumpkaboo. Pumpkaboo feels betrayed, and agrees to stay with Prince Pumpkaboo, leading to an argument. Meowth stops translating, with James mentioning it got ugly. Still, once the trade is complete, Jessie doesn't look very proud of herself.
- Call-Back: When Gourgeist is rejected, Meowth muses about being rejected under similar circumstances. He's referring to a late DP episode where he fell for a Glameow, and was rejected when she evolved into a Purugly.
- Character Development: After revealing her to be female, Pumpkaboo's diva likeness to her trainer starts to show more this episode, and will only appear the more we see her as Gourgeist.
- Friend-or-Idol Decision: Count Pumpka offers to trade his Mawile (a Pokemon capable of Mega Evolving) for Jessie's Pumpkaboo. Jessie at first accepts, but changes her mind after the Count expresses dissatisfaction, not fond of someone rejecting her Pokémon.
- My God, What Have I Done?: It's low-key at first, as Jessie doesn't look proud of herself once the trade is done. But when Prince Pumpkaboo rejects the newly-evolved Gourgeist, she angrily informs Prince and Count Pumpka just how loyal a Pokémon she was as a Pumpkaboo. She demands a trade back, despite now having a potential Mega Evolution in her possession.
- No Guy Wants an Amazon: Zig-Zagged. The small sized Prince Pumpkaboo is quite infatuated with Jessie's super sized Pumpkaboo. He draws the line when she evolves into Gourgeist and becomes humongous however.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: For once, Team Rocket falls afoul of disguises (along with Count Pumpka and his butler) when they steal Chespin (disguised as Pikachu) and miss Pikachu (disguised as Psyduck).
- The Power of Love: Jessie tried to invoked it in the climactic fight with the twerps, but Team Rocket ended up curb-stomped as usual. She and Gourgeist were still happy to be together again, even while blasting off.
- Rebuilt Pedestal: Pumpkaboo is quite hurt that Jessie would trade her. When the latter defends her after she is rejected as a Gourgeist however, she overhears and very joyously accepts the trade back. From this episode onwards, Gourgeist is portrayed as near idolising towards Jessie.
- Samus Is a Girl: Jessie didn't know her Pumpkaboo was female until Count Pumpka revealed his Prince Pumpkaboo was attracted to her.
- Tiny Guy, Huge Girl: Prince Pumpkaboo is much smaller than Jessie's Pumpkaboo.
- You Do Not Want To Know: Meowth eventually stops translating Pumpkaboo in her argument with Jessie. James mentions it's getting ugly.
