You're super losers if you'd leave behind a sick Pokémon!''
— Cassandra
Japanese Title: Paras and Parase
Original Air Date: May 7, 1998
US Air Date: February 13, 1999
Meowth has ideas for Paras, but the girl he's after is way out of his league...not to mention the wrong species.
The one where... Meowth falls for a human girl.
As our heroes continue their journey, Team Rocket never let up with their constant interception, but Meowth is feeling ill. After a young girl named Cassandra cures him, she soon meets with Ash's group and explains her difficulty in evolving her wimpy Paras.
This episode is notable for being the very first to be broadcasted on Kids' WB!; kicking off a seven-year run that helped elevate the franchise to where it is today.
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- Anime Chinese Girl: Cassandra's appearance definitely invokes this trope, what with her hairbuns and fashion sense.
- Ash Face: Paras, Ash and Team Rocket are the unfortunate recipients of this from the newly evolved Charmeleon. Twice, in Ash's case.
- Berserk Button: Nothing sets Cassandra off more than trainers trying to abandon their Pokemon, as shown by how she tears into Jessie and James for their mistreatment of Meowth.
- Charmeleon really didn't appreciate being told to throw its fight against Paras. While it already showed a few signs of aggressive behavior in the previous episode, this event seemed to truly cement its disrespect for Ash.
- Brutal Honesty: Cassandra's grandmother quite bluntly tells Ash that Charmeleon wont obey him because it doesn't respect him and that he'd better become a better trainer if he wants Charmeleon to respect and listen to him.
- Call-Back: Team Rocket brings back the disguises they wore to cheer on Ash and Pikachu during their battle against Lt. Surge, only this time they're cheering for Paras.
- Did Not Get the Girl: Meowth, Cassandra has apparently chosen Persian over him in the end of the episode.
- Epic Fail: Paras faints from Pikachu's "teeny static bolt" and Squirtle's "sprinkles".
- The fact that Ash called Charmeleon against Paras at all was a terrible idea. Not only was it in the middle of its Jerkass level-up, but also being a Fire-type, Paras (Bug- and Grass-type) was profoundly weak to it.
- Even worse, trying to order the proud and newly disobedient Charmeleon to take a dive against such a pathetic opponent effectively costs Ash any remaining respect Charmeleon had left for him.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Paras lack of confidence was so bad to the point Team Rocket doesn’t even bother to wanting to capture it calling it pathetic and worthless. Later on with Meowth’s promise of them becoming rich if Paras evolves, Jessie and James decided to help Paras.
- Eye Catch: This episode, the Who's That Pokémon is Paras.
- Four Is Death: Charmeleon starts his rebelious phase in this episode, and it is coincidentally the 44th episode of the anime to air. It is also worth noting that Charmander is number 4 in the Pokedex, is the fourth Pokemon Ash caught on his journey (not counting Pikachu), and is the Pokemon that was on his team for the fourth longest out of the five Pokemon currently on his team by this point. And Charmeleon ended up being a problem Pokemon for Ash for some time.
- Gaussian Girl: Meowth sees Cassandra this way.
- Get a Hold of Yourself, Man!: When Charmeleon is too enraged to recall, Pikachu knocks it out with a Thundershock.
- The Good Guys Always Win: The converse of this - The Bad Guys Always Lose - is Invoked by Meowth as the reason why Arbok and Weezing are the perfect 'mon to throw fights against Paras ad infinitum ("They're bigger losers than the guy who invented homework!"). Shockingly - and depressingly - enough, his logic actually works.
- Idiot Ball: Yeah, Ash. Send out your Fire-type Charmeleon against the Bug/Grass Paras. That's totally going to be a fair fight for the poor bug. And while one might be able to excuse Ash for not knowing about Charmeleon's defiant streak the first time, there's no such excuse for the second time he does it.
- Interspecies Romance: After she nurses him back to health, Meowth develops a crush on Cassandra.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Cassandra's grandma may be a bit rude, but she isn't wrong to criticize Ash's skills as a trainer seeing as how he sends out Charmeleon to help Paras level up despite its type advantage. Twice.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Pikachu shocks Charmeleon after it refuses to listen to Ash and uses flamethrower on the latter.
- Mobile Shrubbery: Team Rocket tries to sneak into town this way.
- No Kill like Overkill: Charmeleon completely roasts Paras, a grass and bug type, with flamethrower. As if that wasn't enough Charmeleon decides to send poor Paras flying with a Tail Slap. On top of all of that, this Paras is also a particularly weak one.
- Only in It for the Money: Jessie and James only help Paras evolve into Parasect because Meowth convinces them that any miracle potions made from Parasect spores will rake in the cash, which they can profit from. Meowth, of course, is in it for Cassandra herself.
- Running Gag: This episode originates the Running Gag of Charmeleon (and later Charizard) spitefully burning Ash with Flamethrower, leaving him with an Ash Face. In this episode, it happens twice.
- Scissors Cuts Rock: Paras, a bug and grass type, actually manages to best Charmeleon eventually, albeit with a lucky shot.
- Shrinking Violet: Poor Paras is incredibly shy and scared to death of fighting. Because of how horribly weak it is, one can hardly blame it for being so averse to battle.
- Sore Loser: When Charmeleon gets up again after Paras defeats it, the first thing it does is send Team Rocket blasting off for cheering on Paras/Parasect, then it proceeds to try to retaliate despite the fight being over. Of course this gives the newly-evolved Parasect the chance to show off its new Spore attack.
- Story Arc: This episode would mark the beginning of Charmeleon's rebellious attitude toward Ash.
- Tail Slap: Charmeleon uses this against Paras after roasting it with a Flamethrower. It uses this again to send Team Rocket blasting off.
- This Is Unforgivable!: Apparently being asked to throw its match against Paras was such an offense for Charmeleon that it spends the rest of its current evolution and most of its time as Charizard during the Kanto and Orange Island sagas defying Ash outside of a handful of Pet the Dog moments.
- Throwing the Fight: Ash asks his Pokémon to go easy on Paras so that it will gain the experience needed for it to evolve. It failed miserably (we're looking at you, Charmeleon). Meowth has more success with it by beating up Arbok and Weezing for Paras, and making it look like Paras is the one who did it.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: Upon evolution from the previous episode, Charmeleon goes from a sweet, lovable, and loyal companion to a vicious, hot-tempered, and disobedient asshole for Ash.
