RS133: The Scheme Team

is the 41st episode of Pokémon: Advanced Battle.
==Synopsis==
After completing the Hoenn League Championships, Ash parts ways with his traveling companions, making his way back to his hometown. En route he accepts a Pokémon battle challenge from a gym leader he only later learns is one of the Elite Four. As he continues his trek homeward after a spirited battle, he learns from a fellow traveler of what’s bound to be his next challenge—a new league known as the Battle Frontier.
==Episode plot==
After the Hoenn League, the gang has said their farewells to Morrison and Tyson. They travel to Oldale Town, where they will have to split. Brock made lunch, while May regrets she won't eat his food in the future once he is gone. Brock reminds Ash they will have to greet Prof. Birch in Littleroot Town. May and Max will have to go to other direction, while Max suspects Ash will be in Pallet Town before the night. Munchlax comes out and eats all the rice balls. However, Brock has made another batch of rice balls.
At a crossroad, Ash and Brock say their farewells to May and Max, promising to meet each other later. Meanwhile, Team Rocket has reached the HQ. Meowth tells Jessie and James they did some work in Hoenn, lifting their spirits and go to the gates. Giovanni receives a call from his secretary, as Jessie, James and Meowth want to tell him the success in Hoenn. They enter the boss' office and tell that Team Aqua and Team Magma have been eliminated... by them. Giovanni has another task for them. They got some respect and got some happiness for the mission. However, their rivals, Butch and Cassidy, come, and the tension begins. A recruit comes for a message to Cassidy and Butch - they need to go to Prof. Namba's lab.
Jessie, James and Meowth go out and think what they need to beat them. They plan for new strategies and new chants. However, Cassidy and Butch come out of the building and go away in jet packs. A recruit comes and shows them new scooters they will use, though it is actually a jumping stick. They jump off and fall into a hole. Meanwhile, Max and May came to Petalburg City. They meet with their mom, Caroline, though Norman had to go somewhere. They all go to the greenhouse to meet Norman's Pokémon - Vigoroth, Slakoth and Slaking. May sends all her Pokémon as well. Caroline decides to make lunch and Max tells his idea.
Back in Kanto, Brock says his farewell to Ash, at a crossroad to Pewter City. Later, Ash eats with his Pikachu and spots a Poliwag. Ash calls Max, but remembers he is not here, as he misses his friends. Ash decides to get to home the sooner, the better. Ash and Pikachu arrive to Viridian City, so home is not far away. They spot the Viridian City's Gym, redecorated. A man comes and introduces himself as Scott. He advises Ash to go to battle the Gym leader, but Ash declines, as he has the badge, so Scott thinks he might be good to go to Battle Frontier. Scott begins to tell about it, but they hear a woman being hurt. Scott and Ash help the old woman. She is the new Gym leader of Viridian City's Gym - her name is Agatha.
Inside, Ash does see the new design of the Gym. Agatha asks if Scott has found new trainers, but Scott keeps it a secret. Agatha turns to Ash, asking if he is here for a Gym battle. Ash declines, as he has a badge, so Scott proposes to fight for fun. Yesterday, Agatha battled two trainers and they were easy to beat. Ash does mention that he came in top 8 of Hoenn League, so Ash accepts Agatha's challenge. Ash sends Pikachu and Agatha her Gengar. Pikachu starts with Quick Attack, but fails, as Gengar is a Ghost-type Pokémon. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt, but Gengar evades the attack.
Gengar uses Shadow Ball, but Pikachu dodges. Pikachu uses Iron Tail, hurting Gengar. So, Gengar counter-attacks with Shadow Ball, though Pikachu hops away from the ball and attacks with Iron Tail. However, Gengar uses Double Team, so Pikachu's attack is canceled. Gengar uses Shadow Ball, but Pikachu uses Thunderbolt to banish the illusions and attack the real Gengar. Although it was knocked out, Gengar used Shadow Ball, but Pikachu evades safely. Next, Pikachu uses Iron Tail, knocking Gengar out. Pikachu is about to use Thunder, but Gengar prevents it by putting Pikachu to sleep using Hypnosis. Next, the former uses Dream Eater, defeating the latter.
Ash runs to Pikachu, so he is okay. Agatha compliments Ash's skills, though Scott says did Ash believe to beat one of the Elite Four, shocking the latter. Agatha tells Ash the true Gym Leader did not come yet, so Agatha is here as a replacement. She did not mention to Ash she was an Elite Four, as the fact might have backed Ash down for a fight, but he did fight well. As Team Rocket spots Scott and Ash going, they are being amazed by Pikachu's capabilities and want to capture it for the boss in any case.
Scott tells Ash that in Battle Frontier the trainers are strong as Agatha, tempting Ash to go there. The Battle Frontier is a system of seven facilities through Kanto region. Each facility has its own Frontier Brain - similar to Gym Leaders, but much more powerful. After beating one Frontier Brain, the challenger gets a Frontier symbol - similar to Gym badges, but the challenger will be given the location of 6 facilities, while the 7 can be located if all other six symbols are collected. Ash definitively wants to challenge these Frontier Brains. Suddenly, Pikachu is captured by Team Rocket. Ash charges, but the rope is cut by Agatha's Golbat, freeing Pikachu. Agatha gives them a chance to leave, but Jessie sends Seviper and James sends Cacnea, but it clings to him. Seviper goes to use Bite, but Pikachu uses Quick Attack to evade, pushes Seviper away and then uses Thunderbolt on it.
Cacnea uses Pin Missile, but Golbat redirects the attack with Supersonic. Next, Golbat uses Air Cutter and Pikachu uses Thunderbolt, blasting Team Rocket off. Scott decides to leave to represent to trainers the Battle Frontier and goes away. So, Ash has a new goal in mind - to defeat the Frontier Brains. After some time, Ash arrives to his homeland, Pallet Town, though it does look not much changed. He charges to his home and enters, meeting his friend, Misty. Prof. Oak told Misty Ash will arrive, so she came from Cerulean City to Pallet Town. Ash sees his mom, Prof. Oak, Mr. Mime and Misty's new Azurill. Ash decides to eat some of his mom's specialties, but hears a car outside - Prof. Birch and Max came to Pallet Town as well. Still, Ash will not be in Pallet Town for long, as he decides to go to the Battle Frontier.
==Quotes==
:"It's hard to believe that after traveling together for all these months, we're actually saying goodbye." - Ash
:"Ah, we'll meet again." - Brock
:"It sure has been fun." - Max
:"Make sure you stay in touch, all right?" - Brock
:"Mm-hm. You take care, Pikachu." - May
:"Pikachu." - Pikachu
:"So long, you guys." - Ash
:"Secrets and symbols and brains?" - James
:"And a whole new territory for us to conquer!" - Jessie
:"Frontier Brain's probably what da Boss meant to say instead of lame brain." - Meowth
:"Prepare for trouble from the skies." - Jessie
:"From beyond the stars, a nasty surprise." - James
:"An evil as old as the galaxy." - Jessie
:"Sent here to fulfill our destiny." - James
:"Plus dere's me!" - Meowth
:"To denounce the evils of truth and love." - Jessie
:"To extend our reach to the stars above." - James
:"Jessie!" - Jessie
:"Hm-hm. And James." - James
:"And Meowth are da names! Ha!" - Meowth
:"Anywhere there's peace in the universe..." - Jessie
:"Team Rocket..." - James
:"Will be dere..." - Meowth
:"To make everything worse!" - Jessie, James, and Meowth
:"Wobbuffet!" - Wobbuffet
:"Chime!" - Chimecho
:"Why is new Team Rocket ending up the same old way?" - Jessie
:"I say out with the new, in with the old!" - James
:"It's good to know da more things change, da more dey stay da same." - Meowth
:"Look who I found!" - Max
:"Hello there, everybody." - Professor Birch
:"It's Max! And Professor Birch, too!" - Ash
==Debuts==
===Character===
*Scott
*Agatha
*Factory Head Noland (silhouette)
*Arena Tycoon Greta (silhouette)
*Pike Queen Lucy (silhouette)
*Palace Maven Spenser (silhouette)
*Dome Ace Tucker (silhouette)
*Salon Maiden Anabel (silhouette)
===Pokémon===
*Agatha's Gengar
*Agatha's Golbat
*Misty's Azurill
===Items===
*Brave Symbol (explanation)
*Luck Symbol (explanation)
*Guts Symbol (explanation)
*Knowledge Symbol (explanation)
*Tactics Symbol (explanation)
*Spirit Symbol (explanation)
*Ability Symbol (explanation)
==Trivia==
*The title is a pun on "dream team".
*As of this episode, Team Rocket switches to the Battle Frontier version of their motto.
**This was prompted by their reunion with Butch and Cassidy.
*The Team Rocket trio recall the events of "RS097: Gaining Groudon!" to their report to Giovanni.
*After speaking to Giovanni, Jessie happily wonders where "Antarctica" is after the former assigns the trio there for their supposed next assignment.
**Ironically, this was the opposite of Meowth's request of being sent "somewhere sunny".
*This is the first time in the dub that the rice balls are not edited out.
*Agatha reveals she sometimes stands in for Giovanni as the Viridian City Gym Leader.
*The events of the previous episode is briefly bought up.
===Mistakes===
*The dub credits for this episode exclude Dan Green (Birch), despite the character having limited screen time and dialogue.
*The Pokémon Trainer's Choice states that Arcanine would be the best choice to battle Kirlia. At the time, this was incorrect since the -type and the -type did not have any resistances or advantages against each other. In Generation VI, Arcanine would be the correct answer since its -type would resist the -type.
*When the trio reacts to a Team Rocket grunt telling them Giovannie also sent them new equipment, Meowth's left ear was drawn as if it is being seen from behind his head.
==Gallery==
==References==
pl:AG132
Category:Episodes focusing on Ash
Category:Episodes featuring Elite Four members
Category:Episodes in which a main character leaves the group