DP042: The Electrike Company!

is the 42nd episode of , and of .
==Synopsis==
On a sunny day in Sinnoh, Ash is literally hit by a bolt out of the blue—an Electrike is practicing its Electric-type moves nearby, but it accidentally zapped Ash instead of its target! Jaco, the Electrike's Trainer, is a Pokémon breeder who's raising Electrike at the Pokémon Training Center. He doesn't think Electrike will ever be able to control its moves, but Brock knows better and offers to help both of them train. It's all about developing trust between Trainer and Pokémon so they can work together as a team. From daily care and feeding to learning Electrike's individual rhythm, Brock knows just how it's done!
Even Team Rocket feels a little touched by the developing bond between Jaco and Electrike. At least, James and Meowth are touched; Jessie is just touchy. She wants to steal Electrike now, but not only do James and Meowth try to stop her, they also volunteer to help Electrike and Jaco train! They have plenty of experience at being zapped by Pikachu, so they're happy to run around in insulated jackets so Electrike can practice hitting moving targets.
Jessie is still determined to steal Electrike, and she uses her own one-woman robot to grab it. But when Electrike evolves into Manectric, Jessie steals an easier prize instead: Pikachu! To stop her getaway, Manectric needs to hit the one exposed spot on her rampaging robot. Will Jaco and Manectric's hard work finally pay off? Of course! Manectric hits its target and sends Team Rocket blasting off. Now that it's finally learned to control its attacks, Manectric is ready to graduate from the Pokémon Training Center, and our heroes can say goodbye knowing that both Jaco and Manectric have grown from the experience.
==Episode plot==
As the heroes' Pokémon have fun in a lake, the heroes themselves have a cup of drink. As they enjoy the view, they suddenly get attacked by an electric attack. They spot an Electrike running. It attacks again and hits Ash. A man comes and apologizes for the trouble. The man is Jaco, a breeder like Brock. He spots Staravia and likes how well it is raised. An older man approaches and gets introduces with the heroes, claiming that he is in charge of the Pokémon training Center. He asks Jaco if he is doing well with Electrike and the answer is that he has trouble. The man thinks Jaco can discover Electrike's powers soon enough.
The man gives them a tour of the Center. All the Electric-type Pokémon graduated, except Electrike, who will have yet to wait. After that, they will be used in the generator rooms to produce electricity. The old man's Electrike goes to demonstrate: first it uses Charge and then Thunder to hit the target. However, it moves the direction before hitting the target, demonstrating its power - it smashed the target well enough. The man allows them to stay as long as they like and leaves. Dawn thinks Jaco's Electrike will be raised the same, but Jaco thinks it is doomed for failure, as it couldn't control its powers before. Jaco has troubles with it for a long time, as he specializes in Flying type Pokémon. Brock checks Electrike and confirms what the old man said - it can be raised well enough. The heroes offer help and Jaco accepts it.
Team Rocket spies. James and Meowth are worried for the Electrike, but Jessie wants to get it. Brock checked Electrike and tells the fur could be trimmed for Electrike to be better. Jaco brushes it, but gets electrocuted, as he used an metal brush. Brock uses a non-metal brush and gets Electrike to calm down. Brock advises Jaco it is similar to take care of a Flying type - one needs to display faith to continue. Next day, Jaco and Electrike train. Electrike uses Charge, then Thunderbolt to hit the target. However, it changes direction to Ash, who gets hit. Brock says to Jaco he ordered an attack at wrong time. Pikachu and Pachirisu store electricity. Pikachu fires a Thunderbolt and hits the target. However, Pachirisu stored too much electricity and hits Ash by accident. Dawn stops it and gives it a Poffin. Pachirisu stores electricity once more and fires, hitting a target.
Brock tells Jaco that Electrike is not doomed to fail and thinks it is more powerful than the others. Jaco now knows he has to discover the timing and he will control Electrike. James and Meowth are relieved to see this, but Jessie is not. At the night, Jaco sees Brock is making food. He is shocked to see so many different kinds of food, as they are for different Pokémon. Meanwhile, Ash's Pikachu trains Electrike and shows how it needs to attack. Though Electrike missed, Pikachu demonstrates and gives it hope. James and Meowth are impressed by such confidence, but Jessie is not. Jessie wants it immediately and they go up. She fires a projectile, hitting them both. Jessie wants to get it, but is stopped by Meowth and James, who tell if she wants to ruin someone's life, she can do it on herself. This causes her to run off. James and Meowth are relieved to see Pikachu and Electrike unhurt. James and Meowth want to be their partners and Jaco agrees.
Next day, Jaco made food for Pikachu and Electrike, sticking to Brock's recipe. Later, Electrike uses Charge and follows with Thunderbolt and successfully hits the target. However, Electrike needs to control lighting, so it will hit Ash, James and Meowth as targets, though they have the electric-proof jackets on. Electrike uses Thunder, but misses them, so chases them. It gets caught by an robot made by Jessie. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt, but the robot resists the electricity. Jessie taunts it, but Electrike evolves into Manectric. This causes the robot arm to be destroyed, so Jessie takes Pikachu instead. James and Meowth remember their quest to capture Pikachu, but also remember they supported the twerps this time, so they attack the robot and destroy the isolation.
Manectric uses Charge and follows with Thunder. Jessie's robot moves, so Manectric directs the attack to it. Jessie's robot flies away, but Manectric focuses on the robot and manages to hit it. Pikachu is freed and Team Rocket blasted off. Jaco and Manectric are prepared for the test, though the old man saw everything and immediately manages to graduate Manectric. The old man and Manectric leave to go to the generator. The heroes leave Jaco to continue towards Hearthome City.
==Trivia==
*The title is a reference to the 1971 TV series The Electric Company.
*This is one of the few episodes where Team Rocket actually wants to be blasted off. James and Meowth requested for Ash to blast them off while trying to hold back Jessie.
*During Team Rocket's motto the music was cut out during James and Meowth's lines to portray their sadness.
===Mistakes===
*When Ash, James, and Meowth are running from Electrike, Ash doesn't have his gloves on, but when he tells Pikachu to use Thunderbolt on Jessie's machine, he has his gloves on again. After Electrike evolves, Ash's gloves are gone again.
*Pachirisu and Pikachu zap the two outer targets. When the camera pans out, it shows the target on the right undamaged and the left and center targets broken.
**Similarly, Cal's Electrike zaps the center target, but when the camera zooms out the left one is destroyed while the center one is unscathed.
==Gallery==
==References==
Category:Episodes focusing on Brock
Category:Episodes focusing on Meowth
Category:Episodes focusing on James