"Sounds like this little Stantler wants to see its mommy!"
—Meowth, affected by Stantler's Illusion
Japanese Title: Odoshishi! Forest of Illusions!?
Original Airdate: December 9th, 1999
US Airdate: November 18th, 2000
Oh jeez, Meowth. You're such a lightweight with Illusion.
The one where... Brock (doesn't) catch a Stantler.
Brock saves a lost and frightened Stantler fawn and carefully nurses it back to health before releasing it. Little does he know that Team Rocket lies hidden nearby, waiting to capture the defenseless fawn.
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- Big Damn Heroes: An adult Stantler shows up to destroy Team Rocket's balloon.
- Canon Discontinuity: While Stantler's game description says it's capable of distorting reality for others, and it knows many status moves, there is no such move as "Illusion".note
- Cuteness Proximity: The young Stantler weaponizes it with Illusion. It even affects Meowth.
- Doppelgänger Spin: Stantler creates an illusion of a stampede.
- I Resemble That Remark!:James: It just so happens that I have an anti-Stantler secret weapon.
Meowth: Hey, maybe you ain't as brainless as you look.
James: Right, I'm not as brainless as I— WELL, AT LEAST I'M NOT AS BRAINLESS AS YOU ARE! - Oh, Crap!: When Team Rocket realizes that the herd of Stantler at the end isn't an illusion.
- Spot the Thread: Brock sees that the herd of Stantler were going through poles and walls.
