Episode 1 (Season 8) - Clamperl of Wisdom

The kids are heading to Maisie Island on a ferry when they spot a Spoink floating on a log.  They quickly realize it's the same Spoink they helped before.  When they save it and bring it aboard, it trips, dropping its pearl overboard.  Ash's Pokemon go looking for the pearl with no luck.

When they arrive on the island, they meet a scientist named Isaiah who is doing research on Clamperl and their pearls - which end up as Spoink pearls.  The jewel of his collection is a rare blue pearl.

Team Rocket sneaks in and tries to steal the blue pearl, only to be beaten out by Spoink stealing it first.  Everyone goes looking for the little Psychic-type Pokemon.  Meanwhile, the blue pearl accidentally gets switched with the pink pearl from a wild Clamperl.  When this fact is discovered, everyone goes looking for the Clamperl and Team Rocket steals it away.

Team Rocket is trying to get the Clamperl open when the kids catch up to them.  Spoink protects the Clamperl, who uses Water Gun to send the thieves blasting off.  The Clamperl returns the blue pearl to Isaiah, and in exchange for the Psychic-type Pokemon's help, gives its pink pearl to Spoink.

Episode 2 (Season 8) - The Relicanth Really Can

The kids are relaxing at the Grand Wazoo Resort on Wazoo Island when a man emerges from the water completely covered in seaweed.  His name is Adam, and he is a treasure hunter who believes he has just uncovered the location of the King Neptune, a cargo ship that was wrecked long ago.

Adam and the kids go searching for the wreck in a sub, secretly followed by Team Rocket in their Magikarp sub.  Team Rocket fires a missile at them and zips ahead.  Adam and the kids manage to find their way to the cavern where the ship is located, where lots of Relicanth have made their home.  Adam finds a trunk.  Team Rocket shows up again to take the trunk, also destroying the ship.

Team Rocket then destroys the exit to the cave as they leave, and heads to the surface.  Adam's sub follows the Relicanth out and catches up with Team Rocket.  Angry at the destruction of their home, the Relicanth use Hydro Pump on Team Rocket, while Pikachu finishes them off with Thunder.

Opening the trunk, Adam discovers that the King Neptune was only carrying lots of Green Shards.  Aside from that, he does have one real treasure to show for this adventure - the friendship of the Relicanth.

Episode 3 (Season 8) - The Evolutionary War

En route to the ABC Islands, Ash and the gang are passed on the way to Island A by a group of children racing on top Huntail or Gorebyss.  It turns out that there is a fierce rivalry between the citizens of Islands B and C:  Clamperl evolve into Gorebyss on Island B, while they evolve into Huntail on Island C.  The children all attend school on Island A, and fight often during class.

At the Pokemon Center they find Professor Birch in a pool.  He is studying the different Clamperl Evolutions, and the kids travel with him to a cave on Island C where Clamperl are known to evolve.  They are followed by a boy named Keith from Island B.  They travel to a similar cave on Island B, followed by Nancy from Island C.  When everyone returns to the Pokemon Center on Island A, they find out that Keith actually wants a Huntail and Nancy wants a Gorebyss.  After doing some research, Birch reveals that the Evolution is dependent on the items Deepseatooth and Deepseascale, but he doesn't know how.

Team Rocket attacks them at the PC, but Keith and Nancy's Clamperl use Water Gun while Pikachu drives them off with Thunderbolt.  Professor Birch and the kids return to Island B, where they put a Deepseascale on Nancy's Clamperl.  On Island C they put a Deepseatooth on Keith's Clamperl.  Neither Pokemon evolves, so Birch beams them to the Pokemon Center for further research.

Back at the PC, when the kids take out their Clamperl, both Pokemon evolve: Nancy's into a Gorebyss and Keith's into a Huntail.  Team Rocket attacks again, but the newly evolved Pokemon drive them off with Confusion and Screech.

The rivalry between Islands B and C ends and the people start trading their Clamperl back and forth to get the evolved Pokemon they want.  Ash and friends leave on a ferry for their next destination.

Episode 4 (Season 8) - Training Wrecks

The kids land on Muscle Island, where another ferry will finally take them to Mossdeep City.  Team Rocket also lands on the island, fleeing their sub because they think it will explode.  It sinks instead.

Ash and friends run into a group of people working out.  The head of the camp, a guy named Rocky, offers food and the opportunity to train with them.  Everyone except for May (who gets dragged in) decides to take up the workout offer.

Team Rocket also starts exercising when James decides that it will help them catch Pikachu better.

Elsewhere, Rocky challenges Ash to a battle, bringing out Walrein and Quagsire.  Ash chooses Pikachu and Grovyle.  Pikachu can't hit Walrein because Quagsire blocks every attack, immune to electricity because of its dual Ground-and-Water-type.  Walrein retaliates with Ice Ball, which hits Ash's Pokemon hard.   Ash then realizes that Ice Ball gets slower the more it's used, taking advantage of that delay to let Grovyle use Leaf Blade and Pikachu use its Thunder attack to win.

The kids and Team Rocket manage to scam out of exercising more, and everyone departs on the ferry to Mossdeep City.  On board, Team Rocket tries to grab Pikachu again, but in the tug-of-war that ensues, Pikachu shocks everyone and sends both its friends and Team Rocket flying overboard.

Episode 5 (Season 8) - Gaining Groudon

The kids are floating on logs at sea when a red submarine appears beneath them, belonging to Team Magma.  At the floating Magma base, the kids are taken into custody.  Team Magma Leader Maxie explains to them about how he has the Blue Orb in his possession, allowing him to control Groudon.  Unfortunately, the Legendary Pokemon they currently have in their possession is Kyogre.

A disguised Shelly of Team Aqua sneaks away and unlocks Kyogre, setting off an alarm.  Kyogre awakens and busts out of the floating base, causing it to begin sinking.  In the chaos, the kids try to grab the orb, and Pikachu accidentally absorbs it and goes berserk.

Ash is separated from his friends and attacked by a Team Magma member.  He meets what appears to be another member of Team Magma - but it's really Lance of the Elite Four in disguise!  Lance has also sent his red Gyarados to go help Ash's friends.

Both Teams Magma and Aqua end up on Monsu Island, along with Team Rocket, who wants to steal both Legendary Pokemon.  Of course, it's no good, as Kyogre is under the control of the Red Orb, which is currently in Team Aqua's possession...

Episode 6 (Season 8) - The Scuffle of Legends

Team Magma and Team Aqua continue to fight on Monsu Island. The Red Orb, which can control Kyogre, is currently held by the Team Aqua Leader Archie. Archie merges with the orb and now crazed as a result, orders Kyogre to sink the island.

Everyone tries to flee into the ruins on the island, while Lance challenges Kyogre with his Dragonite. Dragonite's Hyper Beam is not strong enough to stop the ancient Pokémon.

Team Rocket still wants to steal Groudon, restrained inside the Team Aqua base. Instead, they are attacked by a possessed Pikachu, who awakens Groudon. The giant Ground-type leaves the base and begins a massive battle with Kyogre, but the two are evenly matched.

The kids find a way to distract Kyogre, which gives Groudon the opportunity to defeat the Water-type. The orbs leave the bodies of Archie and Pikachu, floating up in the air until they merge and then disintegrate. Archie and Pikachu both come back to their senses, while the two Legendary Pokemon retreat back into their ancient slumber.

Episode 7 (Season 8) - It's Still Rocket Roll to Me

Ash and friends finally arrive in Mossdeep City and head straight to the Pokemon Gym - only to find it empty because everyone in town is at the Space Center for the shuttle launch, including the Gym Leader.

At the Space Center, the kids begin snooping around, and Ash stumbles upon a Pokemon battle between two siblings named Tate and Liza, who are there because their father is piloting the shuttle.  They are the twin Gym Leaders of Mossdeep, who promise to battle Ash after the shuttle launch.  For now, they take Ash and friends on a tour of the center.  Corphish wanders off when Ash isn't looking, sneaking on board the shuttle.

Team Rocket breaks into the shuttle and heads for the cockpit, only to encounter Tate and Max!  They tie the two boys up, and the shuttle takes off.  Before they get very far, the shuttle is grabbed by the Baltoy that live in the Space Center.  Corphish frees Max and Tate, and Tate's Solrock takes out Team Rocket with Psychic.

Tate must now land the shuttle, and he and Max manage to get it safely to the ground.  May and Liza attack Team Rocket when they emerge from the shuttle, and Pikachu sends them blasting off.

The shuttle is launched with Commander Jin at the controls, and then it's time for a Gym battle!

Episode 8 (Season 8) - Solid As a Solrock

Ash's battle with the Mossdeep Gym Leaders is set to begin.  He calls out Swellow and Pikachu versus Tate's Solrock and Liza's Lunatone, taking into account the strange planet-filled aerial battlefield they will be using.  Pikachu and Swellow appear to be at a disadvantage, but it is quickly negated by the fact that Tate and Liza aren't working together.  Their Pokemon's attacks cancel each other out, and the two even collide head-on when attacking.

Team Rocket interrupts the battle, capturing Lunatone and Solrock with their robot and then escaping in their balloon.  Swellow and Pikachu destroy the balloon, freeing the two Rock-and-Psychic-types.

The Gym battle must resume, but the Gym has been destroyed - so it is decided they will battle by the water.  Unfortunately for Ash, Tate and Liza now have their teamwork back, and they deliver a real pummeling to Ash's Pokemon.  Each of his attacks is countered successfully, until he charges his team with Pikachu's Thunder and they break through Lunatone's Light Screen, finishing off the opposing team with Iron Tail and Aerial Ace and winning Ash his Mind Badge!

Episode 9 (Season 8) - Vanity Affair

Ash is battling with another Trainer by the waterfront, not realizing he is being watched by a mysterious sailor.  After he wins, Ash is confident and boastful.  The kids decide to grab something to eat.

 Team Rocket is currently working in a small restaurant, when the old sailor walks in and demands some hot milk.  While he is there, Ash and friends sit down outside and talk about battling.  The man approaches them, and Max recognizes him as Drake of the Elite Four!

Drake invites all of them (including the disguised Team Rocket) to his boat, where he challenges Ash to a battle.  Drake sends out his Shelgon, and though it is slower, it waits for Pikachu to get just close enough to take it down with Dragonbreath and Dragon Claw.

Ash calls out Grovyle against Drake's Altaria, and though Grovyle has a better time leaping on the masts of the ship, it gets knocked out by some powerful moves from Altaria, including Aerial Ace and Solar Beam.

Team Rocket takes advantage of a weakened Pikachu to steal it, but Drake calls out his Salamence. It uses Dragon Claw and Flamethrower to send the thieves blasting off.  With Team Rocket thwarted and a few lessons learned, Ash and friends have dinner with Drake and his crew on the boat.

Episode 10 (Season 8) - Where's Armaldo?

The kids travel to Wales Island, where both Ash and May have plans to train.  May is thrilled when her Bulbasaur learns a new attack - Petal Dance.  She shows it off to the others by having Bulbasaur blast through an ocean wave.

Max is gathering twigs in the forest when he is surprised by a Cradily.  He tells the others but they don't believe him, because Cradily are extinct.  Max goes searching by himself, and eventually finds a lab full of Lileep.

Ash and the others eventually run into the Cradily, along with a scientist named Annie.  She takes them back to the lab, where they are reunited with Max.  There, Professor Proctor and Annie explain to the kids that all of the Pokemon there were cloned from fossils.  Someday Professor Proctor hopes to make the island a fossil Pokemon amusement park.

One of the Anorith at the lab is about to evolve, so they bring it out and watch it become an Armaldo.  Team Rocket shows up, and grabs the newly-evolved Armaldo in a net.  It blasts them away on its own, but freaks out and starts trashing the lab, running off.

The kids try to corral it with their Pokemon, but Armaldo won't be beaten.  It heads to the tip of the island to find some fruit that it can eat.  There, Team Rocket appears in a giant tank and grabs it again.  It can't break out, and none of the other Pokemon's attacks affect the tank.  May has her Bulbasaur use Petal Dance on the cliff above the tank which landslides, causing the tank to roll over.  Armaldo breaks out, and Bulbasaur and Pikachu destroy the tank, sending Team Rocket blasting away.  Armaldo finally reaches the berries, while everyone enjoys the sunset.

Episode 11 (Season 8) - A Cacturne For The Worse

The kids are still headed for Izabe Island, where May will compete in her next Pokemon Contest with Bulbasaur.  Meanwhile, Team Rocket has just bought a cartload of berries to make PokeBlocks out of.  Unfortunately, they aren't a type that PokeBlocks can be made out of.

On board the boat, May meets a Trainer named Harley and his Cacturne.  He is quickly annoyed by her though, because she doesn't recognize what a Cacturne is, nor does she bestow highest compliments on his cookies!

Just prior to the Purika City contest, Max is nowhere to be found, until he runs up alongside Harley.  May goes out and impresses the crowd with her Bulbasaur's Razor Leaf and Vine Whip, while Harley's Cacturne stuns the crowd with its lightning-fast Bullet Seed.  Both of them progress to the next round.

In the next round, Cacturne quickly takes out an Azurill.  Harley tells May that her opponent, a Surskit, is slow in battle, so her Bulbasaur moves in close to the Surskit.  She is surprised when Surskit's Quick Attack deals a beating to her Bulbasaur - in fact, that Surskit is known for its impressive speed!  May eventually recovers enough to claim victory.

In the next round, May faces off against Harley, and she's doing well with a strong combo of Vine Whip and Tackle.  Just then, a recording plays over the loudspeakers - it's Max, telling an embarrassing story about May to Harley.  She is mortified and angry, allowing Cacturne to hit Bulbasaur hard.  Ash calls out to May, giving her focus.  She combines Petal Dance and Razor Leaf for a beautiful knock-out blow.  May wins the ribbon, and the kids head off.  Meanwhile, Team Rocket is dreaming of being highly-successful PokeBlock vendors...

Episode 12 (Season 8) - Claydol Big and Tall

Ash and friends continue their journey across Izabe Island, where they spot a giant stone Poke Ball atop a cliff.  They meet a sage named Sigourney, who tells them the story of the giant ball.  Once upon a time, a great destructive power was released, but was sealed inside a giant stone Poke Ball by a powerful sage and left in the lake.

 Team Rocket overhears this and of course, wants to steal the giant Poke Ball.  They show up at the lake and drop bombs on the stone ball, breaking it open.  A huge Claydol emerges and headed toward the village, blasting energy that destroys everything in its path.  Ash tries to catch it in a regular Poke Ball, but it doesn't work, and neither does attacking it.

They realize they need to lure the Claydol toward the other giant stone Poke Ball.  Team Rocket wants to help too, though they have their own wicked motives.  Sigourney reads from an old book that Claydol likes eggplants, so Ash and James dress up as eggplants to lure the Claydol to the rock.  It turns out Claydol actually hates eggplants, and they escape just in time.  Next, they try to use beautiful maidens to lure the Pokemon in (also from the book), with May, Jessie, Meowth, and Wobbuffet dressing up.  The Claydol ends up chasing Wobbuffet down a crevasse toward the Poke Ball.  The kids push the Poke Ball down the hill, where it gets stuck.  A combined attack from Mudkip, Lombre, and Pikachu frees it, and the stone ball finally rolls down to Claydol, capturing the giant Pokemon inside.

Team Rocket then tries to get away in their balloon with the giant Poke Ball, but it's too heavy and they crash elsewhere.  The ball rolls away, ending up in the middle of the lake.

Episode 13 (Season 8) - Once in a Mawile

Ash and Brock face off for a friendly training battle.  Ash pits his Torkoal against Brock's Lombre, which it seems like a mismatch until Torkoal lets loose with Overheat, sending Lombre rocketing across the forest.  The kids run after it, where they meet a Mawile that's become quite attracted to Lombre, along with its Trainer Samantha.  Brock sees Mawile's crush as a way to get close to Samantha, and begs Lombre to be nice.

Samantha performs ribbon dances with Mawile, so the two of them demonstrate.  The entire group starts walking to a nearby town, when Brock spots a bouquet on the road.  He goes to grab it, but it's a Team Rocket trap.  They grab Mawile, and Lombre doesn't put up much of a fight.  It takes Torkoal and Corphish to sort things out, and Corphish develops a crush on Mawile!  But Mawile doesn't like Corphish, breaking its heart.

 That night, Samantha and Mawile are set to perform for a huge crowd, but the show is interrupted by Team Rocket once again.  In a cloud of smoke, they grab a Pokémon - Lombre!

Jessie and James are dismayed to find they made a mistake, though Lombre and Wobbuffet get along well.  Leaving Brock behind to manage the crowd (with Corphish's help), the others catch up to the thieves, and Jessie puts up a fight simply because Ash wants Lombre back.  Lombre finally puts up a fight, protecting Mawile.  After the thieves blast off again, the kids return Lombre to Brock.

During Samantha and Mawile's performance, Lombre wanders over to Samantha's backpack, taking a Water Stone out of it - and evolving into Ludicolo!  It jumps on stage and joins the performance, amusing the crowd.  The show is a success, but Mawile doesn't like Ludicolo now.  A disappointed Brock joins Ludicolo in a happy dance to recover from their heartbreak.

Episode 14 (Season 8) - Beg, Burrow, and Steal

Lost in a desert, Ash and his friends see lots of identical pits in the ground - Trapinch burrows! A young woman named Elisa warns them they're trespassing on hazardous territory: these burrows connect to the many caves of the Trapinch Underground Labyrinth.

Enter Hal, a Pokémon researcher and Elisa's old friend. He's being chased by a Donphan, but Elisa's Meganium clams Donphan down. It turns out that Hal once fell into a Trapinch burrow and discovered a lake in the Labyrinth - a lake where Trapinch gather and evolve into Vibrava! Now he's attached a transmitter to a Trapinch so he can find the lake again.

Team Rocket appears and seizes Pikachu with their Diglett Supreme machine. But after Brock's Ludicolo breaks it and more Trapinch chew the machine to bits, Team Rocket and Pikachu don't have a leg (or machine) to stand on, and they fall into a burrow! Ash, Elisa, and Trapinch jump in after them, followed by Hal. As Max, Brock, and May wonder what to do, they fall into the burrow themselves and meet Elisa, Ash, and Trapinch.

Trapinch wanders away just before the tunnel floods with water, sweeping Ash and his friends into the underground lake where Pikachu is already waiting. Trapinch strolls in, followed by Hal, and a happy reunion follows. Everyone watches a nearby group of Trapinch evolve into Vibrava - until Team Rocket swoops in and nets all the newly-evolved Pokémon.

Brock and Elisa use Ludicolo and Meganium to free the trapped Vibrava, who then use Supersonic to deflect Team Rocket's attacks. Pikachu sends Team Rocket blasting off, the Vibrava fly everyone back to the surface, and all's well again as Ash and his friends head for the next town!

Episode 15 (Season 8) - Absol-ute Disaster

Ash is approaching the next town on Izabe Island when a sudden surge in the river destroys the bridge he was about to cross. An Absol is spotted in the wreckage, and the locals arrive to capture it. The town's bridges were mysteriously destroyed after the usually reclusive Absol began to appear in town about a month ago, so people now blame Absol for the disasters.

Absol escapes, but the town has hired Absol hunters: Team Rocket in disguise! One boy, Nicky, still believes Absol is harmless - his brother, Gordon, set out to prove Absol's innocence weeks ago but never returned. Ash joins Nicky to find the truth, and they spot Absol just before a geyser erupts from a cliff, stranding Nicky, Max, and Pikachu. To everyone's surprise, Absol helps save the day, as does a Heracross that turns out to belong to Gordon.

Gordon has finally returned after learning more about Absol. With his help, our heroes figure out that Absol was trying to warn the townspeople about the spring that feeds the river. There's much more water in the spring than usual, which means it could burst and flood the town. Sure enough, the water bursts out of the rocks, and it takes everyone's Pokémon working together with Absol to divert the flood with a giant boulder.

A soggy Team Rocket makes a half-hearted attempt to nab Pikachu, but Absol puts a quick stop to that. With their homes now safe, the locals realize that Absol was harmless after all, and everyone is now a little wiser for the experience.

Episode 16 (Season 8) - Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let is Snorunt

In a snowy region of Izabe Island, Ash and his friends take a rest at a Pokémon Center. As they're greeted by Nurse Joy, a Snorunt steals Ash's badges right out of his backpack! Nurse Joy explains that this mischievous Snorunt is just having fun, but Ash certainly isn't. He sends Corphish and Pikachu to get his badges back, and the chase is on!

The chase leads to the kitchen, where Team Rocket is busy helping themselves to all the food. Snorunt sends the thieves packing before leaping out the window, hotly pursued by Ash. As Snorunt taunts Ash, it slips and falls down an icy slope. Ash manages to save it, but he's knocked out in the process and his friends are unable to find him before a blizzard forces them back indoors.

Ash awakens in a snug snow shelter built by Snorunt. It swipes his hat and takes it to the Pokémon Center, alerting Ash's friends. They follow Snorunt back to the shelter on snowmobiles but just as they reach Ash, Team Rocket grabs Snorunt and Pikachu! Snorunt breaks free, then helps Ash stop Team Rocket and save his friend.

It seems Snorunt stole Ash's badges because it wanted to play with him. Ash invites Snorunt to join him, but first he must prove he's capable of capturing this wily Pokémon. With Pikachu's help, he does capture Snorunt - although it looks like this Pokémon may still be a real handful!

Episode 17 (Season 8) - Do I Hear a Ralts?

As Ash and his friends are taking a break, Max hears a cry for help and finds a sick Ralts. Its too weak to walk but needs to be treated at a Pokémon Center, so Max decides to carry it there. However, Team Rocket wants Ralts for themselves, dressing up as Gardevoir and Kirlia to steal it. When the Pokédex sees through Meowths disguise, Team Rocket decides to fight, and Max must take Ralts and run while his friends fend off Team Rocket.

Ralts becomes too ill to travel at all, but Max doesnt know what to do until Snorunt makes him an ice pack for Ralts fever. Now they can set off again, but Team Rocket makes another grab for Ralts. To everyones surprise, theyre sent packing by a real Gardevoir and Kirlia. They want Ralts returned, and its a tense stand-off until Gardevoir decides Max can be trusted and lets him continue.

By the time Max reaches the Pokémon Center, Ralts is terribly sick. When Ash and the others arrive, Max bursts into tears and runs to May. Its a tense wait until Nurse Joy predicts a full recovery for Ralts.

Once Ralts is well again, Max takes it outside and calls for Gardevoir and Kirlia. This summons Team Rockets fakes again, but Ralts is healthy enough to take care of them itself. The real Pokémon appear and though Ralts doesnt want to leave, Max knows it must. But first he promises that when hes old enough to be a Trainer, hell come back and find Ralts again so they can travel the world together.

Episode 18 (Season 8) - The Great Eight Fate!

Our heroes have arrived in Sootopolis at last, and Ash is ready to earn his eighth badge - but first it's time to watch the Sootopolis Gym Leader, Juan, put on an impressive water show! Team Rocket tries to snatch Juan's Water Pokémon with an electrified net, but his Pokémon work together to free themselves from Team Rocket's net and foil the plan.

Ash challenges Juan to a battle, and of course Juan accepts. As a former champion Pokémon Coordinator, he intends to fight an elegant match. First Ash will face him in a 2-on-2 battle, followed by a second round of 1-on-1 battles. It's Snorunt and Pikachu against Sealeo and Seaking in the first round, and Ash is surprised by the speed with which Juan's Pokémon battle. Even Sealeo's Ice Ball attack is much faster than expected. Snorunt is knocked out and replaced by Corphish, and together Corphish and Pikachu manage to triumph over Sealeo and Seaking for a first round victory.

In the second round, Ash sends out Grovyle to face Juan's Luvdisc. Luvdisc is an agile opponent, but more than that, it surprises Ash and Grovyle with Sweet Kiss. Grovyle is confused, and it might not be the only one - elsewhere in Sootopolis, Team Rocket has disguised James as Juan in preparation for another money-making scheme. What's Team Rocket up to, and how can Ash counter Juan's Luvdisc? These questions will be answered in the next episode!

Episode 19 (Season 8) - Eight Ain't Enough

We rejoin the action in the middle of Ash's match against Juan, the Sootopolis Gym Leader. Ash's Grovyle has been confused by Luvdisc's Sweet Kiss and before it can snap out of it, Luvdisc knocks it out with Water Gun! Corphish must step up to take Grovyle's place.

Team Rocket has dressed James up as Juan to attract an audience for their Water Illusion show, but back at the Gym, it's a tense back and forth as Corphish confronts Luvdisc. Luvdisc is fast, and when Corphish's attack creates a rain-like shower of water, its Swift Swim makes it even faster! But once that effect dissipates, Corphish wins the round, only to be defeated by Juan's next Pokémon, Whiscash.

With no Water Pokémon and no talent, Team Rocket's Water Illusion is a very poor Water Pokémon talent show, but they've got a Plan B: sell merchandise and autographs! Naturally Team Rocket tries to swindle all their customers, but it turns out that Juan's fans include some tough Water Pokémon Trainers - never mess with a lady and her Blastoise! Team Rocket's plan is now officially all wet.

After Swellow defeats Whiscash, Juan sends out his secret weapon: Milotic! Milotic takes down Swellow and then faces off with Pikachu. Milotic's Restore ability makes this a tough battle, but in the end Pikachu takes advantage of the water-filled battle stage to score a victory. Ash has earned his eighth badge and it's time to prepare for the Hoenn League!

Episode 20 (Season 8) - Showdown at Linoone!

Ash is now three months away from Ever Grande City and the Hoenn League, while May is gearing up for her next contest in. But after they stop for a rest, two of May's Poké Balls suddenly vanish! All evidence points to a Linoone as the culprit. Ash tracks it to a house and meets Kimmy and his family. Kimmy is a boy whose Linoone, Token, is obsessed with collecting round objects - even if they're not his! Kimmy and his parents help search, but there's no sign of May's Poké Balls until Token appears with the Poké Balls still in his mouth.

Team Rocket, impressed by Token's Pickup ability, capture Token and fly off in their balloon. Kimmy tries to stop them but falls and gets hurt, which startles Token into dropping the Poké Balls. Pikachu frees Token but Team Rocket simply grabs Pikachu instead and flees.

Token chases Team Rocket's round balloon - it likes round objects because it used to play Fetch with Kimmy when it was still a Zigzagoon. James' Cacnea tries to stop Token with Needle Arm, but this accidentally pops the balloon and lets Token rescue Pikachu. Team Rocket come back for more, so Token and Pikachu hit them with a double Thunderbolt and blast them off at last! Kimmy now understands that even though Token changed when it evolved, the two of them are still friends.

Episode 21 (Season 8) - Who, What, When, Where, Wynaut?

When Ash and May see Drew training his Masquerain, May can't resist the challenge of a practice match. Beautifly and Masquerain battle it out in a Silver Wind showdown that's interrupted by who else but Team Rocket and their Magikarp submarine! They use a giant vacuum to snatch the Pokémon but accidentally snatch the Trainers as well, and in the confusion, Max bumps the sub's engine switch. The submarine rockets off until it hits an island, sending everyone flying!

Now Jessie, James, and Meowth need to find Wobbuffet. Brock, Max, and Ash need to find Drew and May. And Drew and May are found by Roderick, a one-time coordinator who knows the ins and outs of Mirage Island. But when Drew and May try to get a closer look at Mirage Island's famed Liechi Berries, they fall into a river!

Wynaut to the rescue! A herd of Wynaut rescue the pair and shelter them in their cave, where they've got plenty of Liechi Berries to eat. Elsewhere, Wobbuffet reunites with Team Rocket, and they're inspired to steal the Liechi Berries from the Wynaut. May is kidnapped when she tries to stop them, but Drew and the Wynaut come running. Roderick and Ash's group realize foul play is afoot and show up just in time to help Drew battle Team Rocket.

Team Rocket is no match for teamwork - once Drew and May have their Pokémon perform a perfect double Silver Wind, it's all over! Team Rocket blasts off and Roderick helps everyone off the island. He also gives May a sweet souvenir that will help her in her upcoming contests: a basket of Liechi Berries to make great Pokéblock!

Episode 22 (Season 8) - Date Expectations!

May and her friends are headed to Pacifidlog Island for the last Pokémon Contest before the Grand Festival. But their boat has engine trouble and the pilot, Carlos, lands on a nearby island. To reach Pacifidlog in time, our heroes must cross the island to the port and take a ferry. But the island is full of Donphan, and it's breeding season - all the male Donphan perform a Roll Out dance of love to impress the females, which can be dangerous for any Trainers who happen to be in the way!

Along the way, May and her friends cheer on a Donphan who wants to impress a brown female Donphan. Snorunt's Ice Beam turns the ground into an ice skating rink, and Donphan trips. Ash chases Snorunt, who won't go back into its Poké Ball, but just as he gets it back, the Donphan send everyone running! May and Ash make it to the port as the last ferry is about to leave... and May bravely decides to turn around and look for Max.

May's Grand Festival debut will have to wait another year, but everyone is reunited, along with their Donphan friend and the brown Donphan. Donphan does a dance of love that wins her heart, but Team Rocket shows up and captures them both. May, fed up with Team Rocket's constant schemes, calls on her Pokémon to free the Donphan and stop Team Rocket. Once the Donphan are freed, they Roll Out together and Team Rocket blasts off yet again.

Carlos finds May and her friends sadly standing at the port. His boat is fixed, and he takes them to Pacifidlog. Now it's up to May to win her fifth ribbon!

Episode 23 (Season 8) - Mean With Envy!

Pacifidlog at last! May is practicing for her contest, and Ash wants Snorunt to practice Ice Beam. But Snorunt's wild aim hits Team Rocket instead and scares another Coordinator's Aipom. Skitty chases it, and May chases Skitty. She finds Skitty playing with another Coordinator, Joshua, and the two talk about the upcoming contest. Erica, a Coordinator who really likes Joshua, loses her cool when she sees them together and gives May a piece of her mind.

Ash and the others show up, but so does Team Rocket! The villains grab Pikachu and Snorunt, so May and Joshua team up to stop them. Erica's so mad that May and Joshua are working together, she has Jynx use Hyper Beam to send Team Rocket flying. Then it's time to register for the contest, where Team Rocket also has a plan to enter the contest - with Meowth!

The first competitor in the Pacifidlog Contest is the Jester and her Meowth. Both of them look awfully familiar, as does the Giovanni ice sculpture Meowth carves using Fury Swipes! Joshua, Erica, and May all do well and move onto the second round along with the Jester. To May's shock, she'll be facing Joshua in the second round! Erica wants Joshua to win so they can win the ribbon together, but there's no way May is going to give up!

Episode 24 (Season 8) - Pacifidlog Jam!

The second round of the Pacifidlog Contest begins! Erica and her Jynx face a suspiciously familiar team - the Jester and Meowth. Meowth is afraid of Jynx, so the Jester orders him to use Transform. Meowth disguises himself as a Sunflora, then a Kirlia, and finally a Wailord, but the scam is uncovered. The Jester reveals herself as Jessie and Team Rocket tries to snatch Jynx, but its Hyper Beam puts a stop to that!

Erica jealously watches Joshua and Houndoom battle May and Skitty. The winner depends on which attack is stronger: Houndoom's Flamethrower or Skitty's Blizzard! They're well-matched, but Houndoom finally stumbles. With time up, May is ahead of Joshua in the points.

On the final contest stage, Erica realizes May and Joshua both gave it their best. That matters more than petty jealousy, so Erica apologizes and shakes May's hand. Once their battle starts, Skitty has a hard time with Jynx's attacks so May decides to use Assist again and again, with mixed results... and she's running out of time! But Skitty's Assist finally comes up with Fire Spin, an attack that Jynx is weak against, giving May the advantage she needs to win!

Afterward, Erica and Joshua promise to keep training separately so they can become great rivals as well as great partners. May and her friends say goodbye, then it's off to the Grand Festival and the Hoenn League!

Episode 25 (Season 8) - Berry, Berry Interesting!

It's the battle between Ash and Tyson to decide who moves on to the final four of the Hoenn League, and Glalie and Sceptile are already out! Tyson's Shiftry is ill-matched against Ash's Torkoal and its fiery attacks, but Tyson sends in Hariyama to beat the heat and defeat Torkoal. Corphish is next, but Hariyama defeats it too!

At the halftime break, Morrison tries to give Ash a pep talk. When the match resumes, Swellow and Hariyama battle until Swellow is the victor. Swellow then goes on to beat Tyson's Donphan, but Tyson has a powerful Metagross waiting! Despite Swellow's determination, Metagross knocks it out - but Swellow did some damage, and Ash sends Grovyle out to hammer on that weak spot. Grovyle still can't stop Metagross but Pikachu finishes the job, so Tyson sends out the ace up his sleeve: his Meowth!

Team Rocket's Meowth cheers its fellow Pokémon on from the stands. Tyson's Meowth can counter Pikachu's Thunderbolt with one of its own, so the battle comes down to Iron Tail vs Iron Tail. Exhausted, both Pokémon finally fall to the ground, and though they get back up, Pikachu cannot continue. Team Rocket's Meowth is delighted, but not for long - Jessie and James have been caught stealing Pokémon by their new boss, who sends all three flying! Tyson goes on to win the Hoenn League and Ash, happy that he battled his best, can now look forward to his next big adventure.

Episode 26 (Season 8) - Less is Morrison!

Our friends have stopped to eat, but Munchlax won't stop eating! Ash is training when he sees a sandwich come rolling down a hill, and Munchlax gulps down the sandwich. That's how Ash ends up meeting Morrison, the sandwich's owner, who decides to have a Pokémon battle with Ash: his Beldum against Ash's Pikachu!

Pikachu's Iron Tail and Beldum's Take Down are evenly matched - it's a tie! After the battle, Morrison, who plans to enter the Hoenn League tournament, shows off his seven badges. When Ash tells him he needs eight badges to enter, he runs off to find a Gym. But since there's no Gym on the island, he ends up at the same Pokémon Center that Ash and his friends are staying at. The two Trainers constantly compete over everything, even which spot they're going to train in!

Just as they reach a truce, however, Team Rocket kidnaps Pikachu and Beldum. Though they have no other Pokémon with them, Ash and Morrison chase the thieves down, then battle Team Rocket's Seviper and Cacnea by themselves! Pikachu and Beldum are freed and with their help, Team Rocket is quickly sent blasting off again.

Now Ash is headed to Slateport with his friends, but as Morrison goes off to earn his eighth badge, the two rivals promise to meet each other again at Ever Grande!

Episode 27 (Season 8) - The Ribbon Cup Caper

May is traveling to Slateport City in style: onboard a giant cruise ship that has the Grand Festival's prize Ribbon Cup on display! Officer Jenny reveals that even though Team Magma and Team Aqua have disbanded, a former Team Magma member - Brodie the Phantom Thief - is onboard and intent on stealing valuables.

When May goes to see the Ribbon Cup, Munchlax bumps the display case, breaking the Cup and revealing that it's a fake. And without the Cup, the Grand Festival will be called off! Brodie must have stolen it, so a "Golden Poké Ball" is put on display as a lure. Disguised as the Captain, Brodie distracts May and her friends and steals the Poké Ball, but Officer Jenny had a tracking device installed in it and they set off in hot pursuit.

They chase Brodie through the ship, finally cornering him on deck. Brodie has now disguised himself as Officer Jenny and the only way to distinguish between the two is with Brock's keen eye for lovely ladies. Once his ruse is rumbled, he escapes and Team Rocket tries for the Ribbon Cup instead. But Officer Jenny and Ash are up to the job, and Team Rocket's plans are thwarted.

Episode 28 (Season 8) - Hi Ho Silver Wind!

May has arrived in Slateport City for the Grand Festival. Her mother, Caroline, has come to cheer her on, and her friends sent notes to wish her luck. With 247 competitors in the preliminary matches and only 64 slots in the main competition round, May will need more than just luck - especially when Drew and Harley are among the competitors, too!

Harley is friendly towards May, but her friends are suspicious of the advice he gives her. Meanwhile, Team Rocket has dressed James up as Norman and offers free counseling sessions. When Trainers show up, their Pokémon are stolen! Harley sees this and drags May off to see "Norman." When she and her friends see the false Norman, Team Rocket's number is up.

With Team Rocket's plan foiled, it's back to the competition. May uses Silver Wind just as Harley suggested, and it works great. She advances to the next round along with Harley and Drew. But Drew is still skeptical of Harley's motives as they prepare for the main competition.

Episode 29 (Season 8) - Deceit and Assist!

The Grand Festival is underway in Slateport. Harley asks May if they can train together for the main competition, and May agrees. She's not the only one training; Ash is also training Snorunt, but its Ice Beam hits a Pokémon coordinator named Anthony. Anthony was planning to compete in the Grand Festival with his Swalot... until three people stole his ribbons!

The first round of the main competition begins with single Pokémon performances. Harley shows off his scary Banette as Jessie prepares to take the stage - as Anthony! She took his ribbons and disguised herself as him, but Officer Jenny, Ash, and the real Anthony are all waiting for her. Before she can get in a fight, James and Meowth exercise the better part of valor and drag her away.

Now it's May's turn. Following Harley's advice, she has Skitty use Assist over and over, until Skitty performs a Petal Dance and confuses itself! Harley is delighted; Drew, who overhears him, is not. May orders Skitty to Double Slap itself back to normal and finish off with an impressive Blizzard. She apologizes to Harley for going against his advice, but Drew reveals that Harley was only pretending to be her friend to sabotage her.

Drew and his Masquerain receive perfect scores for their performance, as does Robert and his Milotic. May just makes it into the second round, where she'll face Harley in a double-battle!

Episode 30 (Season 8) - Rhapsody in Drew!

May and Harley face off in the main competition of the Grand Festival! It's Harley's Banette and Cacturne against May's Beautifly and Bulbasaur. May's team gets in the first hits, but Harley makes a comeback and it takes some quick thinking for May to beat Harley and move onto the semifinals.

Elsewhere, Jessie wants to impersonate a coordinator and sneak into the competition. Team Rocket decides to kidnap Robert, but Ash interrupts them as they make their move. Snorunt is hit by Team Rocket's Pokémon and evolves into a Glalie! Jessie thinks it's adorable, James thinks it's creepy, but either way, Glalie easily sends them packing.

Back on the stage, May defeats Anthony's Pinsir and Combusken, but her next opponent will be an even greater challenge: Drew! And Drew has brought a Flygon he trained especially for the competition. Flygon and Roselia are up against Combusken and Skitty. It's a close fight but Roselia hits May's Pokémon with Stun Spore, followed by a Steel Wing from Flygon, and takes the win.

Now it's Drew and Robert in the finals. To May's surprise, Robert earns the victory and wins the Festival. But Drew isn't upset - that night, even though there's a party, he goes right back to training. Impressed by his example, May sets her sights on next year's Grand Festival!