Japanese Title: The Bewildering Woods... The Dawn of Evolution!
Original Airdate: May 26, 2016
US Airdate: August 27, 2016
Even Team Rocket can tell when Pikachu is worried about Ash.
Ash and Greninja are both in the middle of a monumental Heroic BSoD after their defeat at Snowbelle Gym. Can a snowstorm force them to re-focus and finally take control of their mysterious bond?
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- Anguished Declaration of Love: During her argument with Ash, while saying how the Ash she knew is amazing and kind person, she came close to blurting out her feelings, before pelting him with snowballs.
- An Aesop:
- They are going to be times when somethings aren't going to be your business and its best if you stay out of it, even when your intentions to help them are well-meaning.
- It's good to remind your friends that they are there for you when you need them and are happy to listen to you about your problems.
- Opening up to your feelings is hard for any reasons, but it's okay too because it's better then keeping them to yourself instead of taking your frustrations out on others.
- Aren't You Going to Ravish Me?: When Team Rocket leaves Pikachu alone after his Thunderbolt fails to hurt them, Pikachu acts bewildered and even tries to call them back.
- Both Sides Have a Point: During an argument between Ash and Serena, they both brought up vailed points, as Serena points out to Ash that she can't help him if he doesn't tell her what he is feeling while he points out to her that his problems aren't her business. Fortunately, Ash realize that Serena is right that she or any of his other friends aren't gonna know what he is going through if he doesn't tell them his feelings and problems. Also, Serena does see Ash's point as she comes to understand that not everything is gonna be her business and needs to accept it.
- Braving the Blizzard: Ash does this to help several Pokémon, while his friends do this to find him.
- Broken Pedestal: Serena lost some of her admiration for Ash, after he snapped at her, as she never saw his flaw side, which his previous female companions have seen. Fortunately, Serena did regain some of her admiration for Ash, after he apologizes and thank her for helping him.
- Character Development: Ash learns that its okay to open up to his friends about his problems, even if it isn't their business or won't understand what he is going through.
- Call-Back:
- Although it wasn't said, Serena not realizing or understanding that her and Ash's roles as Trainer's are different because she focuses on performing with her Pokémon while he focuses on battling with his team is similar to how Ash didn't understand the same thing with Gym Battles and Pokémon Contests. Ash realizes this through May's words and performances in her fourth Pokémon Contest in "Cruisin' for a Losin'".
- This episode has some similarities to "Uncrushing Defeat!", but unlike with Dawn who was stopped by Brock from trying to comfort Ash after his full battle loss to Paul, Serena didn't have Clemont or Bonnie around to stop her from finding him and talking to him. As a result, Serena ends up finding out the hard way that Ash isn't fun to be around when he is upset as he loses his cool towards her and results in an argument between them, which could have happened to Dawn if Brock hadn't stop her.
- Serena nearly calls back to her Pokémon Showcase debut in "A Showcase Debut!".
- Easily Forgiven: Serena quickly forgave Ash for snapping at her and he in return assured her that she doesn't need to apologize to him and knows she was just trying to help.
- Friend to All Living Things: Ash started young, as his flashback shows him huddled safely from a rainstorm in a large tree with a Caterpie, Weedle, Butterfree, Rattata, and Oddish. In the present, he huddles against a blizzard with several Pokémon, and also saves some stranded Spewpa (the last with help from Greninja).
- Get A Hold Of Yourself Man: After trying to console him for his loss and got into an argument with him, Serena for the first time ever truly gets angry at Ash and threw some snowballs at him as her way of knocking some sense into him.
- Heroic BSoD: Ash's Greninja is depressed because it believes that it let its friends down. However, after remembering what Ash said before he left, Greninja shakes off its depression and went to look for him.
- It's All My Fault:
- Ash's Greninja feels responsible for the Gym Battle loss because it believes that it let Ash and its teammates down.
- Serena believes that it was her fault that Ash was out in blizzard more depressed was because of her, thinking she made things worse by snapping back at him during their argument.
- Jerkass Realization: Ash snapped at Serena when she attempted to cheer him up and she ended up snapping back at him, which led into an argument. However, after seeing how frustrated and hurt Serena looked, Ash realized that he really hurt her feelings and was right about his behavior. Meanwhile, Serena realized that she may have been harsh on Ash, as she believed to be responsible for making him leave further into the Winding Woods. After reuniting with one another, Serena attempted to apologize to Ash, but he stopped her from saying anything, as he assured her that her intentions were well-meaning and apologized to her for losing his temper on her by thanking her for helping him get out of his depression.
- Leave Me Alone!: Ash snaps at Serena when she tries to console him over his loss to Wulfric. She does not take it well.
- Meaningful Echo: At the end, Greninja re-affirms his commitment to Ash by kneeling and rolling his Poké Ball to him, the same way he Jumped at the Call in XY002 as a Froakie.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Ash gets upset with Serena when she tried to help him get through is depression. Unfortunately, Serena lets what Ash said get to her and loses her temper, even throwing snowballs at him. However, they both showed remorse for their behavior and reconciled at the end of the episode.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Both Ash and Serena experience this: Ash was incredibly frustrated about his loss to Wulfric in his gym battle, going as far as to snap at Serena, who was trying to comfort him. This causes Serena to get angry and throw snowballs at him, one of the very rare instances where she actually gets upset with Ash, saying that he wasn't acting like himself and wanted the "real him" back. The two of them end up reconciling with each other at the end of the episode when they realized how harsh they were to each.
- Plot-Mandated Friendship Failure: Serena finds Ash in the forest but storms off back to the Pokémon Center after they argue. She quickly realizes her mistake, but by this time another dilemma in the form of a blizzard strikes and makes recovering Ash again more difficult.
- Psychoactive Powers: After he is left worrisome over Ash when they separate, Pikachu finds his Thunderbolt unable to blast off or even harm Team Rocket. The trio lampshade this has probably to do the twerp and lie dormant until they reunite, at which point Pikachu blasts them off with a single Thunderbolt.
- Ship Tease: Out of concern for Ash, Serena goes to find him and talk to him. Although she found Ash and tried to consult with him, Serena ended up getting into an argument with him. Refusing to see Ash so upset, Serena reminded him of who he is and threw snowballs at him because she was not only angry at him for his behavior but also to knock some sense into him.
- Snowball Fight: How Serena vents her frustration towards Ash in the heat of their argument.
- Too Kinky to Torture: Could Team Rocket look even more like they enjoyed that Thunderbolt at the end?
- Warts and All: Serena laments this to the others when they can't find Ash, believing her over admiration of his good qualities meant she might off been harsh with him the moment he finally shows his flawed side right in front of her.
- Was Too Hard on Him: Ash loses his temper at Serena when she tried to cheer him up. However, after letting his words and frustrations get to her, Serena gets angry with Ash and calls him out for not acting like his usual self, even going as far as to throw snowballs at him. When a snowstorm hit, Serena felt guilty for losing her temper at Ash, knowing that he was already in a depressing mood and believed that she only ended up making things worse. However, the two ultimately reconcile at the end of the episode, with Ash admitting that Serena snapped some sense into him, which was also an apology for hurting her feelings.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Ash and Serena both had this when they get into an argument. However, they both quickly felt guilty for their behavior as Ash understood that Serena was just trying to help while the latter believed that she made things worse when she alongside their friends could't find him during a blizzard. After reuniting with one another, Serena tried to apologizes for getting upset with him but Ash stopped her from saying anything as he assured her that he was the one who snapped first as he apologized and thanked her for her help.
