Review XY107: The Explosive Ground Force! The Zygarde Capture Operation!!

[pokepal_123]

Thanks to Aurakshatriya from Serebii we have some translations between Alan and the Flare scientitists:

After Z-2 is put in the containment vessel:
Alain: "Good job, Lizardon."
Scientist 1: "It's "Alain", isn't it? Thanks for helping us complete our mission."
Scientist 2: "But what are you doing here? Aren't you Lysandre-sama's bodyguard?"
Alain: "It was the Director's orders. He ordered me to assist in the capture of Z-2."

It looks like Alan is basically Lysandre's bodyguard, and might now a little more about Lysandre's plan than we know if the dialog implies anything.

 

[ArvAl]

Alain's duty to capture Z-2 was very loyal. He would do anything to Lysandre as long as Mairin gets her Chespin recovered. It's really logical act but he was putted in a wrong leader. Damn, the manipulation just got real. We really need a in-depth drama that can establish the arc.

 

[Necrozma]

Alain's duty to capture Z-2 was very loyal. He would do anything to Lysandre as long as Mairin gets her Chespin recovered. It's really logical act but he was putted in a wrong leader. Damn, the manipulation just got real. We really need a in-depth drama that can establish the arc.

I'm honestly just waiting for two things:

1) Alain to realize he's been fooled, switch sides and join Ash.
2) Mairin to realize Alain is working for the bad guys.

 

[ArvAl]

I'm honestly just waiting for two things:

1) Alain to realize he's been fooled, switch sides and join Ash.
2) Mairin to realize Alain is working for the bad guys.

Formulas to make things heat up between Alain and Lysandre:

= Make him realize that he's got manipulated in a painful way + Use emotion conflict to risen up tension + Plot flows perfectly + Suitable BGMs + Keep making Ash and co. busy with Team Flare + Mairin steps in = AWESOME STORYLINE EVER.

 

[Jez]

Naive or complete stupidness, they joined Team Rocket when they knew Team Rocket aren't good people. Why would one be blinded by success when you know you are working for the bad guys? Especially when deep inside they are still good people? 'I am good deep inside and I am happy to serve this criminal organization to their success' is a fucked up logic.

They are in Team Rocket because of their pasts. The mother of Jessie was a team rocket member, James was joining the organisation to break the rules and to contradict his parents a lot too strict towards him which leave him without freedom. In their team all three have found a family and they hope win the respect refused by everyone around them

 

[ii kanji]

Naive or complete stupidness, they joined Team Rocket when they knew Team Rocket aren't good people. Why would one be blinded by success when you know you are working for the bad guys? Especially when deep inside they are still good people? 'I am good deep inside and I am happy to serve this criminal organization to their success' is a fucked up logic.

I can really relate to your disillusion with the characters (I agree that there has been a shift in how they are written since DP ended) but I think the above statement is lacking in insight.

Based on what we know, Kojiro was desperate for freedom, potentially found too much of it and wanted something to stick to which would still allow him to be free. Nyasu just wanted acceptance. Musashi is harder to understand because we have been explicitly told so much less, but you can surmise that she was lonely and chronically unsuccessful at attempts to build a life for herself. Their friendship with each other and job of essentially just adventuring together appears to have filled the holes in their lives. Musashi and Nyasu at least have had opportunities to leave and do something "good", but have stayed each time because they are unable to give up on their trio. They don't seem to know how to contextualise their relationships outside the organisation, which is arguably why they haven't left it.

 

[Mareepy]

They are in Team Rocket because of their pasts. The mother of Jessie was a team rocket member, James was joining the organisation to break the rules and to contradict his parents a lot too stricts towards him which leave him without freedom.

That is why they joined. Not why they stayed. What I said is they stayed in Team Rocket. During their adventure following Ash, they came across a lot of people that appreciate them, and they also know that they have outstanding talents. They have plenty of time to decide their life. If James really just wanted freedom, he could have as well stayed in one of the regions that he found comfortable with, Jessie could have just go full on her coordinator/performer dream, Meowth could have easily made ramen for the rest of his life, he actually enjoyed it and got praises for it.

Their friendship with each other and job of essentially just adventuring together appears to have filled the holes in their lives. Musashi and Nyasu at least have had opportunities to leave and do something "good", but have stayed each time because they are unable to give up on their trio. They don't seem to know how to contextualise their relationships outside the organisation, which is arguably why they haven't left it.

I think this is a good explanation to it, but I feel like if they still haven't find an alternative or a turning point, this is fine. But they did find the turning points. I hope they can realize sooner or later that Team Rocket don't keep them a team, their friendship do. And they have talents to live outside of Team Rocket.

 

[Necrozma]

I watched the episode and holy shit was Zygarde powerful.

And I'm not even talking about that badass 10% form, but 50% form was like a true depiction of a legendary Pokemon. It was so huge and intimidating like, crap, if not for those guns, it would have destroyed everything and everyone around it.

And I truly hope that Giovanni makes more appearances, he's clearly interested in Squishy. I would love it if he sent some grunts to Jessie and James to help them with defeating Team Flare.

 

[Jaisac]

I just watched the episode today, and I would say that it was very exciting.

Watching Geovanni again after a long time was very pleasent. Unlike the fool's trio, this guy is very mysterious. He is the so old villain we have yet to face. That's why I like him so much.

The battles were awesome, truly Zygarde at 50% is very powerful indeed, not even Alain's Mega Charizard could defeat him in a single battle. Sadly, he got captured. Those evil eyes of Lysandre watching upon him makes me feel hyped for what's coming.

I wonder how Pokemon would be if we replace the so used idea of traveling for badges and instead we set on a journey to find new legendary pokemon or something like that.

Sorry guys, but the only thing that bothered me on this episode was team rocket, they are just pathetic. I generally don't like them because their sole goal and excuse of existence on the show is to catch Pikachu, which is pretty stupid.

Overall, the episode was amazing and I can't wait to see what is next (I hate filler episodes I'm looking at you Clemont!) but I wish they could do an Alain focused episode.

 

[Jaisac]

Could someone tell me please what did Giovanni and TR said to each other at the beginning? And what about at the end? Was there any hint at Giovanni coming to Kalos? Or did he just tell them to keep doing their best?

Loved the episode. Let's hope JJM do much more in the following episodes.

The fools told him about the rival team and their goal of capturing Zygarde. It seems that he is aware of Team Flare but didn't give more details about it. He ordered the trio to capture Zygarde before them.

Maybe he'll come. Perhaps he knows something about Mega Evolution and who Lysandre is.

 

[ii kanji]

I think this is a good explanation to it, but I feel like if they still haven't find an alternative or a turning point, this is fine. But they did find the turning points. I hope they can realize sooner or later that Team Rocket don't keep them a team, their friendship do.

If James really just wanted freedom, he could have as well stayed in one of the regions that he found comfortable with, Jessie could have just go full on her coordinator/performer dream, Meowth could have easily made ramen for the rest of his life, he actually enjoyed it and got praises for it.

I think you answered your own point - they have had opportunities, but so far none of those would have allowed them to stay together. I have full faith that the TRio will realise that their friendship is over and above the Rocket Gang when the show ends (or in the unlikely scenario that they leave before that time).

 

[Galactic_V]

I mostly like Trio and think they're good people inside and all, there're some instances I have a will to enter through the screen and blast them off myself though... Very few times, very few indeed.

Remember back in DP the episode Hikari's Inomoo evolves into Manmoo? Trio attacking Inomoo coldly with their Pokemon while everyone was inside a cage? Those few times Trio do really bad stuff I hate them.

 

[~ Blazing White Yang]

One of the best episodes to date. Great action and moving the story forward nicely.

And TR was surprisingly entertaining. That's new to me...lol.

 

[lavandula]

I wish we can have more episodes like this. (More concentration on TRio, less Ash)

Fight between TRio and Team Flare was great, apart from how Maika's psychic move can hit Weavile. But we all know that the anime isn't always true to the games.
... Am I the only one who finds Alan cool? I think he's really cool in this episode.
Oh, I'm also hyped as to whether Alan finds out that Lyxandre's a bad guy.

 

[SonansuMan]

Holy crud, this thread is growing XY070 fast!

 

[Gengarzilla]

Wow, Lysandre is playing Alain like a puppet. This could make for a stunning revelation later on.

 

[Almonds]

I LOVED this episode. Not only Giovanni appeared again, but finally there's some progress with the Flare action. Going up against Zygarde when it was blasting power in its 50% form got my palms sweaty. It doesn't seem off that Alain wouldn't hesitate in front of Zygarde since he's already faced worse in Hoenn. (Almost dying from the Primals and Rayquaza)

Also, I gotta say that I like what they're doing with Alain. They're being consistent with his character on being loyal to Lysandre. I can't wait for the day Alain finally realizes that Lysandre had been fooling him all along.