DP013: A Staravia Is Born!

is the 13th episode of , and of .
==Synopsis==
Ash is traveling through the forest on his way to Oreburgh City, where he hopes to earn his first Gym Badge in Sinnoh. But first he's helping Starly practice using Aerial Ace, a process that doesn't go entirely smoothly. Our heroes also catch the attention of Rosebay, a woman who monitors the Pokémon that live in the forest. Lots of Pokémon have been disappearing lately and she's not sure why, but it doesn't take long for Ash and his friends to decide they should help her out!
Meanwhile, Team Rocket have set up a trap in the Valley Path, an area which Flying-type Pokémon often pass through. All it takes some netting and soon Team Rocket is happily snagging lots of avian Pokémon for their Boss. When Ash sends Starly out to look for clues, Starly is swept up by Team Rocket's criminal plans as well—but Starly isn't about to sit back and wait to be rescued! Jessie and James leave Meowth to guard their ill-gotten Pokémon, and Starly is ready to stage a jailbreak together with help from a captured Hoothoot.
Hoothoot hypnotizes Meowth into letting the Pokémon go, but when Meowth snaps out of its trance, it calls for backup from Team Rocket's other Pokémon. However, Ash and his friends came across a Pidgeot trapped in Team Rocket's net and realized what was going on, and they show up looking for Starly! Jessie and James return and try to stop our heroes, only to discover that Brock's Bonsly can use Mimic to send their Pokémon's moves right back at them. Then Starly evolves into Staravia and pulls off a terrific Aerial Ace—which is also the term that describes Team Rocket as they go blasting off again. The trapped Pokémon are freed, Rosebay is happy, and now it's onward to Oreburgh City!
==Episode plot==
Ash and Starly are practicing Aerial Ace, attempting to hit a target with the attack, though the attack fails to hit and Starly injures its leg while crash-landing. The group heads to Starly's aid and Brock uses a Potion and bandage to treat Starly's injured leg, informing the others that it is simply a minor leg injury. The group then notice something rustling in the bush and find it to be a woman who introduces herself as Rosebay. Brock attempts to flirt with her but is immediately attacked by Croagunk's Poison Jab. Rosebay reveals that she was watching over the Pokémon in the area and would like Ash, Brock, and Dawn to join her. Rosebay uses her binoculars to spot a nest that would normally be inhabited by Swablu, though the Pokémon are strangely missing. The group gets to higher ground, though the Swablu do not appear as she comments on how the Swablu would have returned to their nest by this time. She also comments that many of the forest's Pokémon are beginning to disappear.
Ash, Dawn, and Brock offer to help look for any of the remaining bird Pokémon. They look into another nest which is strangely missing a Hoothoot. Ash's Starly also flies back to the group and reports that there are no bird Pokémon nearby, so it returns to scouting. Meanwhile, a large net is set up in a mountainous ridge, capturing migrating bird Pokémon. The net then falls into a pit and Team Rocket approach, excited about their capture as they scheme about giving the bird Pokémon to Giovanni so he could fly, thus making him reward them generously. Ash's Starly follows a migrating group of Taillow and Swellow and gets caught in another net while Meowth taunts the Pokémon.
Ash, Dawn and Brock wait for Starly to return. Ash begins to worry that something happened to Starly, so Rosebay suggests that they head to a nearby valley that the Pokémon fly through. While captured, Starly talks to other Pokémon and Team Rocket relaxes after their capture. Jessie orders to "pack" the Pokémon up to deliver to Giovanni, but Meowth refuses and plays with her and James "rock, paper, scissors", though Meowth loses and gets picked to bundle the Pokémon while Jessie and James relax. Ash, Dawn, Brock, and Rosebay arrive at the valley and see Team Rocket capturing a Pidgeot. Ash tells Pikachu to quickly release it before the net closes up. After Pikachu saves the Pidgeot, the two Pokémon flee to rally up as many bird Pokémon as they can find while the protagonists go to the net, attempting to free the remaining bird Pokémon and Starly.
As Cacnea, Carnivine and Seviper guard the caged Pokémon, Meowth grabs a Swablu in an attempt to start packing up the Pokémon. Starly and Hoothoot communicate and Hoothoot uses Hypnosis on Meowth, hypnotizing him to set the Swablu free as well as the other caged Pokémon. Still hypnotized, Meowth uses his claws to dig upward and help the Pokémon. The group of four sneak and enter the house where Team Rocket are, while the Pokémon dig to get out. While Team Rocket is still sunbathing and ignoring the commotion, they suddenly hear a large flock of Pokémon who use Quick Attack to cut through the net, freeing more Pokémon. Meowth also digs up from the ground and the other previously caged Pokémon are freed while the effects of Hypnosis wear off. However, Ash's Starly is still remaining and Team Rocket's Pokémon quickly surround it. While the Pokémon surround Starly, Team Rocket activates a mech to capture Starly.
As the mech activates, a ladder drops down allowing Team Rocket and their Pokémon to climb inside while Meowth apologizes for his actions due to him being hypnotized. Jessie pushes a button inside of the mech to activate nets in order to capture the escaped bird Pokémon. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt to attack the mech, though it is made out of wood, leaving the machine unaffected. The mech attempts to squish the heroes, but they run away and the robot leg falls down an opening made by Meowth and bird Pokémon, causing the wooden contraption to collapse. Angered that their tactics have failed, Team Rocket recites their motto and resorts to a Pokémon battle.
thumb|Ash's Starly evolves!
Jessie sends out Dustox and commands it to use Gust as Starly prepares Wing Attack. Starly is told to dodge the Gust attack, though it is blown away easily. Cacnea uses Pin Missile, but Pikachu quickly dodges it with Quick Attack. Brock sends out Bonsly, which is easily blown away with Gust. Bonsly begins to tear up as Team Rocket arrogantly remarks about their strength, ordering Dustox to finish Bonsly off with another Gust attack. However, Bonsly's "leaves" begin to glow and it uses Mimic, also using Gust and causing Dustox's attack to disappear.
Brock explains to Rosebay that Mimic is a move in which the user copies the opponent's move. The new move angers Jessie as she orders Dustox to use Psybeam. However, Bonsly leaps out of the way and uses mimic, instantly defeating Dustox with the mimicked Psybeam. Now that one of their Pokémon has fainted, Team Rocket decides to charge head-on at the protagonists as Ash, Brock, and Dawn decide to do so as well. Ash's Starly suddenly swoops in and flies into the air. It begins to glow white as its leg bandage rips off and it evolves into a Staravia. Amazed by Starly's evolution, Ash tells Staravia to use Aerial Ace. The hit from the attack instantly causes Team Rocket and their Pokémon to blast off into the sky, ending the conflict.
With Team Rocket gone and Ash having a new Pokémon, Rosebay thanks Staravia for its actions and sees the bird Pokémon returning to their nests. Staravia and Hoothoot wave goodbye to each other as Hoothoot returns home. Ash, Brock, and Dawn decide to continue their journey with Staravia flying with them while Rosebay stays with the freed bird Pokémon.
==Debuts==
===Pokémon===
*Staravia (Ash's)
==Trivia==
*When flirting with Rosebay, Brock opened his eyes, a rarity of the series.
*This episode's title is based on the saying "A Star Is Born".
==Gallery==
==References==
Category:Episodes focusing on Ash
Category:Episodes featuring a main character's Pokémon learning a new move
Category:Episodes featuring a main character's Pokémon evolving