Brock: I could write a book about the secrets of love and heartache!
Misty: I guess then that book would be your autobiography?
Japanese Title: Bye-Bye Butterfree
Original Airdate: August 19th, 1997
US Airdate: October 5th, 1998
What's the rush, guys? Why are you in such a hurry to get rid of me?
The one where... Ash says goodbye to his first caught Pokémon. Bring tissues.
Ash and his friends are alerted to a Butterfree migration, and Ash decides to take part. Butterfree sets his sights on an unusual pink Butterfree, but is jilted. Will the interference of Team Rocket jump-start a romance?
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- Ambiguous Gender: No gender is ever expressed in the original Japanese for either Butterfree. Pokémon: I Choose You!, however, would add the dark scales to the pink Butterfree's wings to point out that she is female, and thus identifying Ash's Butterfree as male. The final episode of Pokemon Journeys would follow suit, confirming her to be female in both continuities.
- Drama-Preserving Handicap: This episode marks the first time Ash releases one of his loyal, fully-evolved pokémon, which has the handy effect of keeping the prowess of Ash's team to a minimum.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: Canon unique-color (now known as "Shiny") Pokémon would not appear until Pokémon Gold and Silver. Shiny Butterfree has green eyes, and pink paws and mandibles.
- Eye Catch: The Who's that Pokémon? is Butterfree.
- Flat "What": A wordless version: Brock insists that Ash's Butterfree pick a Butterfree deployed by a beautiful woman. Butterfree tilts his head in confusion. Misty smacks Brock upside the head, telling him not to interfere.
- Girl of the Week: A random, unnamed Butterfree trainer who is unusually ignored by the episode, save for the fact that Brock's desire to flirt with her motivates him to encourage Ash's Butterfree to pursue her Butterfree in particular. Butterfree is confused, Misty quick to deliver a Dope Slap, and the matter ends there.
- Good-Times Montage: Ash remembers the time he spent with Caterpie, Metapod, and Butterfree.
- Identical Twin ID Tag:
- Brock gives Ash's Butterfree a scarf, which lets the viewers distinguish him from the rest of the Butterfrees.
- The Butterfree he takes as a mate is pink, rather than purple.
- Irritation Is the Sincerest Form of Flattery: This is the first time Ash and his group imitate the Team Rocket motto.Ash: Prepare for trouble!
Misty: And you can make that triple!
Brock: To protect the world from devastation.
Ash and Misty: To unite all peoples within our nation!
Jessie: This was just...
James: ...too good...
Meowth: ...to last.
Ash: You've got that right.
Pikachu: Pika!
Misty: We're defending the beauty of truth and love!
Brock: Let's do it!
Meowth: We gotta stop dat!! - Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Thanks to Team Rocket Ash's Butterfree was able to win the heart of the pink Butterfree. No matter what Ash's Butterfree did, he couldn't get the pink Butterfree to fall in love with him, until Team Rocket came along and kidnapped her and the rest of Butterfree. Then Ash's Butterfree came to save all them, and this caused the pink Butterfree to fall in love with him and agree to be his mate.
- Non-Fatal Explosions: The Team Rocket trio (as usual) is barely scorched from Pikachu blowing up their helicopter. Pikachu also survives the explosion, despite being much smaller and the one to cause it.
- Oh, Crap!: Team Rocket when they realize Pikachu is going to blow up their helicopter."It's gonna shock us!""IT'S GONNA SHOCK US!!""ITSGONNASHOCKUS!!!""SGONNASHOKUS!!!!""GONNASHOKUS!!!!!"
- Pink Girl, Blue Boy: One of the few nods to the sex of the Pokémon—Ash's butterfree is purple and the butterfree Brock sends it after is pink.
- Put on a Bus: Ash's Butterfree leaves the party to partake in a breeding migration with his mate.
- Rescue Romance: The pink Butterfree has no interest in Ash's Butterfree, until he saves her and all the other Butterfree from Team Rocket.
- Rite of Passage: Caterpie is the first Pokémon that Ash ever caught, the first Pokémon to evolve all the way under his care, the first Pokémon for Ash to trade (and trade back) and finally,
the first Pokémon for Ash to release back into the wild. - Spoiler Title: Take a guess.
- A Twinkle in the Sky: A variation used as a joke. Even though Team Rocket say they're blasting off again, they actually fall from their destroyed helicopter into the abyss of a chasm, with a Coyote-style shot following them, but instead of a crash, a twinkle occurs.
- Very Special Episode: This episode makes a big deal out of Ash having to release his Butterfree, setting the tone for future Pokémon release episodes.
