Wow, I have a lot of people to disappoint…
— Meowth
Japanese Title: Lord Nyarth's Island!?
Original Airdate: May 13th, 1999
US Airdate: March 25th, 2000
The one where... Meowth ends up on an island that worships Meowth. He takes it as well as you'd expect.
Team Rocket has engine trouble and lands on an island where the natives are waiting for the Great Meowth of Bounty to arrive and fulfill an ancient prophecy. When Meowth gets mistaken for this great creature with special powers, he enjoys the special treatment and decides to play along. But, when he's unable to perform the ancient ritual that's expected of him, the treatment he gets isn't quite so fun anymore.
Tropes
- Animal-Eared Headband: The islanders wear cat ears along with paw gloves and cat noses (despite Meowth being The Noseless).
- A Day in the Limelight: For Meowth, Jessie, and James. Ash and his friends appear only incidentally.
- Balloon Belly: Meowth ends up with a decently large belly after the villagers offered him up their food to him.
- Didn't Think This Through: After learning Meowth hasn't learned Pay Day, the islanders have him battle to gain the experience. This ends up involving sending their biggest powerhouse Pokemon to attack Meowth full-on, leading him to just get pulverised rather than remotely train him. Jesse and James intervene because they know this approach is more likely to kill Meowth eventually.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Despite being betrayed by Meowth, Team Rocket still can't stand to see him beaten up in the Pokémon arena. James even gives up his favorite bottle cap.
- They're also willing to leave Meowth behind on the island, not out of bitterness or anger, but because they genuinely want him to be happy.
- Here We Go Again!: Jessie and James ponder how Pay Day would solve the team's money woes and seemingly sic their Pokemon to fight Meowth so that he can learn the move.
- God Guise: The Cargo Cult islanders mistake Meowth for the Great Meowth of Bounty.
- Jerkass Realization: Meowth was already guilt ridden about banishing Jessie and James to maintain the ruse. After spotting one of James' bottle caps in the pile of coins, Meowth realized that Jessie and James helped him despite it all and immediately runs off to rejoin them.
- Laser-Guided Karma: After betraying his friends and banishing them from the island, he's put through a trial to learn Pay Day that ends with him in a ton of pain.
- Mega Neko: The Meowth statue is actually a Bamboo Technology Humongous Mecha.
- Sacrificed Basic Skill for Awesome Training: Meowth claims that his learning to speak like a human has stopped him from being able to learn any special moves.
- Shake Someone, Objects Fall: Pay Day involves hanging Meowth upside down and shaking him, with coins expected to fall.
- This Is Gonna Suck: "Wow, I have a lot of people to disappoint."
- Villain Episode: This episode focuses on Jessie, James, and especially Meowth. Ash, Misty, and Tracey only appear at the beginning to blast Team Rocket off and at the end.
