- Joined
- Feb 11, 2010
- Messages
- 1,193
- Reaction score
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I have to give credit where credit is due: I thought this was going to be a painfully boring episode, but it was actually quite good; definitely much better than I was expecting.
I'll start with my girl Chloe, because I just adore her and I think her role here was great. I really, really like how the writers are making her developments very gradual. There hasn't been a really dramatic shift in Chloe's opinions or interests; instead, you see it slowly changing as she learns new things and spends more time with Ash and Goh. I really do appreciate the fact that they are taking their time with it and not just rushing Chloe into one direction or another. You could especially see it on Ash and Goh's faces at the very end of the episode, when Chloe exclaimed that she, too, had fun at the museum! Considering she wouldn't have hesitated to snark at or make faces at Ash and Goh's excitement at the beginning of the series, this was a great way to show how she is evolving (pun intended, lol). I certainly wouldn't have minded if she did a little more this episode, however, because for me, more Chloe is always good!
Goh was also really great this episode. I like how hyperfixated he got on searching for a fossil, to the point where when Ash and Chloe told him it was time to go and he realized it was nighttime, Goh looked visibly confused, lol. But my favorite part of Goh in this episode was how he handled Aerodactyl. First of all, he didn't even attempt to just throw a poke ball at it. His first thought was to battle it, which is FANTASTIC! I would've screamed if Goh's first instinct was to toss a poke ball at a rampaging, newly revived Pokemon. Then, when Raboot gets knocked out, he pulls out another Pokemon! And it's Golurk, one we don't get to see very often! And then, even after he's managed to subdue Aerodactyl, Goh still doesn't just chuck a poke ball at it. He gets down to Aerodactyl's level, speaks to it, comforts it, and then finally catches it. This is what I've wanted to see more of from Goh! I fully understand it can't be every single episode considering how many Pokemon Goh catches, but this is the prime example of a cpature of his I'll clearly remember because it was executed so well and it helped Goh to develop more as a character in his own right.
I also want to give a shout out to Team Rocket because they were great this episode. I thought they were just going to attempt to steal a fossil or a revived Pokemon, which initially I would've been fine with because the episode sounded so boring. But the way they were utilized was so awesome, and they had some amazing lines. My favorites were when Jessie was like "who's idea was this?" and Meowth and James both just go "it was yours" and, without missing a beat, she goes "well who gave me this idea?" And then, when Ash finds them hiding in the habitat, and Jessie just super quietly says "greetings." I busted out laughing at both of those; Team Rocket were really scene stealers this episode!
I do have one nitpick that's bothered me since I watched the episode, however: I laughed at the end when the narrator said that Goh, Chloe, and Ash all had moments of growth. Ash...really didn't do anything. He had a pretty good battle with Team Rocket, sure, but I wouldn't really consider that "growth" for him. I'm not actually complaining that Ash didn't do much, because Chloe and Goh carried the episode with no problem. Honestly, it kind of just serves as more of an example that this show doesn't really know how to handle the "co-protagonist" setup it's got going on. They don't have to try and convince us "look, Ash had growth too!" in a clearly Goh-focused episode.
Just some other random thoughts I had:
-How cute were Golurk, Raboot, and Sobble when they were digging for fossils?? It's amazed me how this series has managed to make Pokemon who I wouldn't traditionally find to be cute so adorable (first Pinsir, now Golurk...it just looked so darn sweet!)
-Goh returning Raboot to his poke ball threw me off BIG TIME. I actually like that they did it...it was just so weird!
-Ash sleeps like a straight up maniac.
-I hated that Curator with a burning passion. I literally just watched the dubbed Colossal Ruins episode and the Tour Guide dude was just brutal, so having to see the same gag again so soon had me ready to lose my mind. That's one COTD template/Nurse Joy/Officer Jenny ripoff I would like to never see again thank you!
I'll start with my girl Chloe, because I just adore her and I think her role here was great. I really, really like how the writers are making her developments very gradual. There hasn't been a really dramatic shift in Chloe's opinions or interests; instead, you see it slowly changing as she learns new things and spends more time with Ash and Goh. I really do appreciate the fact that they are taking their time with it and not just rushing Chloe into one direction or another. You could especially see it on Ash and Goh's faces at the very end of the episode, when Chloe exclaimed that she, too, had fun at the museum! Considering she wouldn't have hesitated to snark at or make faces at Ash and Goh's excitement at the beginning of the series, this was a great way to show how she is evolving (pun intended, lol). I certainly wouldn't have minded if she did a little more this episode, however, because for me, more Chloe is always good!
Goh was also really great this episode. I like how hyperfixated he got on searching for a fossil, to the point where when Ash and Chloe told him it was time to go and he realized it was nighttime, Goh looked visibly confused, lol. But my favorite part of Goh in this episode was how he handled Aerodactyl. First of all, he didn't even attempt to just throw a poke ball at it. His first thought was to battle it, which is FANTASTIC! I would've screamed if Goh's first instinct was to toss a poke ball at a rampaging, newly revived Pokemon. Then, when Raboot gets knocked out, he pulls out another Pokemon! And it's Golurk, one we don't get to see very often! And then, even after he's managed to subdue Aerodactyl, Goh still doesn't just chuck a poke ball at it. He gets down to Aerodactyl's level, speaks to it, comforts it, and then finally catches it. This is what I've wanted to see more of from Goh! I fully understand it can't be every single episode considering how many Pokemon Goh catches, but this is the prime example of a cpature of his I'll clearly remember because it was executed so well and it helped Goh to develop more as a character in his own right.
I also want to give a shout out to Team Rocket because they were great this episode. I thought they were just going to attempt to steal a fossil or a revived Pokemon, which initially I would've been fine with because the episode sounded so boring. But the way they were utilized was so awesome, and they had some amazing lines. My favorites were when Jessie was like "who's idea was this?" and Meowth and James both just go "it was yours" and, without missing a beat, she goes "well who gave me this idea?" And then, when Ash finds them hiding in the habitat, and Jessie just super quietly says "greetings." I busted out laughing at both of those; Team Rocket were really scene stealers this episode!
I do have one nitpick that's bothered me since I watched the episode, however: I laughed at the end when the narrator said that Goh, Chloe, and Ash all had moments of growth. Ash...really didn't do anything. He had a pretty good battle with Team Rocket, sure, but I wouldn't really consider that "growth" for him. I'm not actually complaining that Ash didn't do much, because Chloe and Goh carried the episode with no problem. Honestly, it kind of just serves as more of an example that this show doesn't really know how to handle the "co-protagonist" setup it's got going on. They don't have to try and convince us "look, Ash had growth too!" in a clearly Goh-focused episode.
Just some other random thoughts I had:
-How cute were Golurk, Raboot, and Sobble when they were digging for fossils?? It's amazed me how this series has managed to make Pokemon who I wouldn't traditionally find to be cute so adorable (first Pinsir, now Golurk...it just looked so darn sweet!)
-Goh returning Raboot to his poke ball threw me off BIG TIME. I actually like that they did it...it was just so weird!
-Ash sleeps like a straight up maniac.
-I hated that Curator with a burning passion. I literally just watched the dubbed Colossal Ruins episode and the Tour Guide dude was just brutal, so having to see the same gag again so soon had me ready to lose my mind. That's one COTD template/Nurse Joy/Officer Jenny ripoff I would like to never see again thank you!