Team Rocket motto

The Team Rocket motto (Japanese: ロケットのり Rocket Gang's self-introduction) is a motto that Team Rocket members often recite or live by.
==Jessie, James, and Meowth==
In the , Jessie, James, and have several mottos, saying one of them in nearly every episode when they reveal themselves to and . Early on, they had an irresistible urge to say it whenever hearing the word "trouble", but this seemingly is no longer the case. This motto would usually be said by all members of the trio, but when one of them is not present, another member takes their line.
===Original series===
The original motto was used from Pokémon Emergency! to From Brags to Riches. The original background music was used until the end of the original series. The new music debuted in Get the Show on the Road!.
Japanese 	Translation 	English
ムサシ: 	Musashi: If you ask us this or that... 	Jessie: Prepare for trouble!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: The pity of the world is what responds! 	James: Make it double!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: To prevent the destruction of the world! 	Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: To protect the peace of the world! 	James: To unite all people within our nation!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: To stand by the evils of love and truth! 	Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: The lovely, charmy villains! 	James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: Musashi! 	Jessie: Jessie!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: Kojirō! 	James: James!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: The pair from Team Rocket soars through the galaxy!	Jessie: Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: A white hole, a white tomorrow awaits us! 	James: Surrender now, or prepare to fight!
ニャース: 	Nyarth: Something like that! 	Meowth: Meowth! That's right!
Note that the lines "To denounce the evils of truth and love!" and "To extend our reach to the stars above!" were often said by both Jessie and James in the first season. In many later episodes, starting from Fit To Be Tide, James said "fight, fight, fight" instead of just the singular "fight" at the end of his last line. also began saying his name at the end of the motto in Tunnel Vision, and has done so in most episodes since. There were many occasions in which the trio would use a radio or something similar to play the background music.
Since the episode Team Rocket was introduced in, the duo has been rhyming "prepare for trouble" and "make it double" phrases. Also, in almost all episodes after the Orange League, they tend to alter the first two sentences to match the current situation. An example from ZigZag Zangoose!, in which Jessie was training and Meowth filled in for her, is:
:Meowth: Prepare for trouble, here in the wood...
:James: ...and make it double like you know that you should!
This version of the motto was used in commercials for with each line being said by different children, omitting the parts at which Jessie, James and Meowth say their own names and the line "Team Rocket, blasting off at the speed of light." This motto was also adapted into the songs Team Rocket Forever and Double Trouble.
Team Rocket used this motto in A Lean Mean Team Rocket Machine, as a return to their "hip and cool" ways, done by only Jessie, James, and Meowth, without the usual ending additions of Wobbuffet and Mime Jr.
This motto was also used in Alola, Kanto!, where Team Rocket had followed Ash and to Kanto during their extracurricular activity.
===Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire===
During the saga, Jessie, James, and Meowth changed their motto. This motto was used from The Scheme Team to Two Degrees of Separation!.
Japanese 	Translation 	English
ムサシ: 	Musashi: There is a voice saying something. 	Jessie: Prepare for trouble from the skies!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: From beyond the horizon... 	James: From beyond the stars, a nasty surprise!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: From beyond the big bang... 	Jessie: An evil as old as the galaxy...
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: A voice is calling us! 	James: ...sent here to fulfill our destiny!
ニャース: 	Nyarth: Sorry to keep you waiting! 	Meowth: Plus, there's me!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: Evil flowers who have courageously bloomed! 	Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: In the role of the villains who are hard and sweet!	James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: Musashi! 	Jessie: Jessie!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: Kojirō! 	James: And James!
ニャース: 	Nyarth: And Nyarth! 	Meowth: And Meowth are the names!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: The place where Team Rocket is 	Jessie: Anywhere there's peace in the universe...
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: The world- 	James: ...Team Rocket...
ニャース: 	Nyarth: The universe- 	Meowth: ...Will be there...
All: 	All: Awaits you! 	All: To make everything worse!
ソーナンス: 	Sonans: 	Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet!
Since the first episode, they have adapted their traditional rhyming phrases "Prepare for trouble" and "Make it double" into the motto, thereby restoring the first two lines of the original motto. James's and also contribute their names at the end of the motto in most episodes they appear in.
===Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl===
In Sinnoh, the trio changed to a new motto yet again. This motto was used from When Pokémon Worlds Collide! to Bucking the Treasure Trend!.
Japanese 	Translation 	English
ムサシ: 	Musashi: We hear voices saying this and that... 	Jessie: Listen, is that a voice I hear?
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: We come along in a swift current of light... 	James: It's speaking to me loud and clear.
ムサシ: 	Musashi: The wind! 	Jessie: On the wind!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: The land! 	James: Past the stars!
ニャース: 	Nyarth: The sky! 	Meowth: In your ear!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: The danger we will deliver to the world! 	Jessie: Bringing chaos at a breakneck pace.
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: The crisis we will convey to the universe! 	James: Dashing hope, putting fear in its place.
ムサシ: 	Musashi: Whether angels or demons, if you call the name,	Jessie: A rose by any other name is just as sweet.
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: The captivating echo that shakes everyone... 	James: When everything's worse, our work is complete.
ムサシ: 	Musashi: Musashi! 	Jessie: Jessie!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: Kojirō 	James: And it's James!
ニャース: 	Nyarth: And Nyarth! 	Meowth: And Meowth, now that's a name!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: The stars of the era are us! 	Jessie: Putting the do-gooders in their place...
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: We are the invincible... 	James: ...we're Team Rocket...
All: 	All: Team Rocket! 	All: ...in your face!
ソーナンス: 	Sonans: 	Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet!
In the dub, they often replace the first two lines with
:Jessie: Listen, is that a twerpish voice I hear?
:James: It's shrieking to me loud and clear.
:Jessie: Listen, is that a pitiful head of a Pokécenter I hear?
:James: It whines to me loud and clear.
or something similar. As in Battle Frontier, Mime Jr. contributes its name after Wobbuffet.
It is notable that the Sinnoh motto is modified more often even in the Japanese version.
===Pokémon the Series: Black & White===
====Best Wishes! and Best Wishes! Season 2====
In Unova, the trio changed to a new motto yet again. This motto was used from Enter Iris and Axew! to A Restoration Confrontation! Part 1.
Japanese 	Translation 	English
ムサシ: 	Musashi: If we were asked "*" 	Jessie: "Again" is the question, so twerpish indeed!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: We will answer for the sake of tomorrow! 	James: The answer to come as we feel the need!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: Future! A white future reflects the color of evil!	Jessie: Bringing the blinding white light of evil into the future!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: Universe! The hammer of justice in a black world! 	James: Thrusting the hammer of justice down onto the black darkness of the universe!
ニャース: 	Nyarth: Our names will be remembered in this place! 	Meowth: And carving our names in the Rock of Eternity!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: Destroyer of passion, Musashi! 	Jessie: The fiery destroyer, Jessie!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: Pure heart of darkness, Kojirō! 	James: And with thunderous emotion, I am James!
ニャース: 	Nyarth: Infinite intelligence, Nyarth! 	Meowth: Wisest of the wise, Meowth!
All: 	All: Come gather! Under the name of Team Rocket! 	All: Now gather, under the name of Team Rocket!
"*" denotes the phrase Jessie copies when they are about to announce their motto.
====Best Wishes! Season 2: Episode N and Best Wishes! Season 2: Decolora Adventure!====
In New Places... Familiar Faces!, Jessie, James and Meowth reverted to their original motto with some slight alterations, after having failed in their latest operation and making a brief retreat back to Kanto. Starting in Adventures in Unova and Beyond, the motto is altered to the situation.
Japanese 	Translation 	English
ムサシ: 	Musashi: If you ask us this or that... 	Jessie: Prepare for trouble, you know the drill!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: The pity of the world is what responds! 	James: And make it double, you'll get your fill!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: To prevent the destruction of the world! 	Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: To protect the peace of the world! 	James: To unite people within our nation!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: To stand by the evils of love and truth! 	Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: The lovely, charmy villains! 	James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: Musashi! 	Jessie: It's Jessie!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: Kojirō! 	James: And James!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: The pair from Team Rocket soars through the galaxy!	Jessie: Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: A white hole, a white tomorrow awaits us! 	James: Surrender now, or prepare to fight!
ニャース: 	Nyarth: Something like that! 	Meowth: Meowth! That's right!
===Pokémon the Series: XY===
Just like in Adventures in Unova and Beyond, Jessie, James, and Meowth still use their motto from the original series, but it is altered to the situation at hand in the episode.
Japanese 	Translation 	English
ムサシ: 	Musashi: If you ask us this or that... 	Jessie: Prepare for trouble!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: The pity of the world is what responds! 	James: And make it double!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: To prevent the destruction of the world! 	Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: To protect the peace of the world! 	James: To unite all people within our nation!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: To stand by the evils of love and truth! 	Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: The lovely, charmy villains! 	James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: Musashi! 	Jessie: It's Jessie!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: Kojirō! 	James: And James!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: The pair from Team Rocket soars through the galaxy!	Jessie: Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: A white hole, a white tomorrow awaits us! 	James: Surrender now, or prepare to fight!
ニャース: 	Nyarth: Something like that! 	Meowth: Meowth! That's right!
===Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon===
In Alola, the trio once again changed to a new motto, which debuted in Loading the Dex!. The Japanese version of the Alolan motto is based on a series of , a type of Japanese proverb made up of four kanji. In English, the motto is very similar to the Unovan one. 
Japanese 	Translation 	English
ムサシ: 	Musashi: If asked, "*" 	Jessie: Did someone ask something? We're here to find out!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: We shall tell you our names 	James: Noble answers are what we're all about!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: A flower's face and a willow's waist, makes the moon abashed and flowers wilt	Jessie: The beauty so radiant, the flowers and moon hide in shame.
ムサシ: 	Musashi: A single flower of evil blooming in this fleeting world 	Jessie: A single flower of evil in this fleeting world:
ムサシ: 	Musashi: Musashi! 	Jessie: Jessie!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: An exquisite talent and the perfect gentleman 	James: The nobly heroic man of our times!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: A disciple of evil fighting back against this tragic world 	James: The master of darkness fighting back against a tragic world!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: Kojirō! 	James: It's James.
ニャース: 	Nyarth: Walking the same path, the deeds of one are the deeds of all 	Meowth: It's all for one and one for all!
ニャース: 	Nyarth: Even among friends, the star of evil shining like gold 	Meowth: A glittering dark star that always shines bright!
ニャース: 	Nyarth: Nyarth! 	Meowth: Dig it, while Meowth takes flight!
ムサシ、コジロウ: 	Musashi, Kojirō: We are Team Rocket! 	Jessie, James: Team Rocket, let's fight!
ニャース: 	Nyarth: We are! 	Meowth: That's right!
ソーナンス: 	Sonans: 	Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet!
"*" denotes the phrase Jessie copies when they are about to announce their motto.
===Pokémon Journeys: The Series===
As in Pokémon the Series: XY, Jessie, James and Meowth use their motto from the original series.
Japanese 	Translation 	English
ムサシ: 	Musashi: If you ask us this or that... 	Jessie: Prepare for trouble!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: The pity of the world is what responds! 	James: And make it double!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: To prevent the destruction of the world! 	Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: To protect the peace of the world! 	James: To unite all people within our nation!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: To stand by the evils of love and truth! 	Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: The lovely, charmy villains! 	James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: Musashi! 	Jessie: Jessie!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: Kojirō! 	James: And James!
ムサシ: 	Musashi: The pair from Team Rocket soars through the galaxy!	Jessie: Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!
コジロウ: 	Kojirō: A white hole, a white tomorrow awaits us! 	James: Surrender now or prepare for a fight!
ニャース: 	Nyarth: Something like that! 	Meowth: Meowth! That's right!
ソーナンス: 	Sonans: 	Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet!
===Variations===
There have been many variations of the Team Rocket motto. For a full list of variations, see Team Rocket motto variations.
====Meowth filling in for Jessie or James====
On many occasions, because Jessie or James weren't around, would fill their missing lines. 
This first happened in Island of Giant Pokémon, when Meowth, along with and , were separated from Jessie and James. When they discover Ash's Pikachu, , , and , who were separated from their Trainer as well, Meowth attempted to recite the motto but failed because Jessie and James weren't around. 
In The Stun Spore Detour, where Meowth and James were following Misty to get some salveyo weed to heal Jessie from an attack by a wild 's . 
It happened again in ZigZag Zangoose!, in which Jessie was training Seviper, and James, Meowth, and tried to steal Ash's Pikachu. 
Later, in That's Just Swellow, Jessie and Meowth tried to steal the losing flying Pokémon almost at the end of the Contest, and because James was still participating on it, Meowth and Jessie said the motto all by themselves. 
In The Saffron Con, meanwhile Jessie was at an operation room, Meowth and James tried to steal some Pokémon. When Ash and his friend saw them, they said a special motto. 
Also, in Off the Unbeaten Path, while James was participating in the Pokémon Orienteering Contest, Jessie and Meowth tried to steal the prize and some Pokémon. When they were spotted by , they said their motto. Meanwhile, they were saying that Ash and his friends saved the Pokémon and the prize, leaving Jessie and Meowth really angry. 
In Bonnie for the Defense!, Jessie and Meowth said the motto together, surprising Ash and his friends while they were escorting a lost back to the ocean. James's absence was later explained by him being waiting further ahead, ready to catch the group off-guard in case they got away.
===ZigZag Zangoose!===
Jessie was training Seviper, and James, Meowth and Wobbuffet tried to steal Ash's Pikachu, and Meowth and James recite the motto.
:Meowth: "Prepare for trouble," I've always wanted to say!
:James: Huh?
:Meowth: Just do it like you always do, you gotta end in a rhyme.
:James: What?
:Meowth: Oh, come on, I'm Jessie! Prepare for trouble here in the wood!
:James: Make it double like you know that you should!
:Meowth: To protect the world from devastation!
:James: To unite all peoples within our nation!
:Meowth: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
:James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
:Meowth: Meowth!
:James: And James!
:Meowth: Team Rocket, blasts off at the speed of light!
:James: Surrender now or prepare to fight, fight, fight!
:Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet!
===That's Just Swellow===
Jessie and Meowth tried to steal the losing flying Pokémon almost at the end of the Contest, and because James was still participating on it, Meowth and Jessie said the motto all by themselves.
:Jessie: Prepare for trouble as we steal then split!
:Meowth: Make it double as we get away with it!
:Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
:Meowth: To unite all peoples within our nation!
:Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
:Meowth: To extend our reach to the stars above!
:Jessie: Jessie!
:Meowth: And Meowth!
:Jessie: Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!
:Meowth: So surrender now or prepare to fight!
:Wobbuffet: Wobba...hic!
===The Saffron Con===
Jessie was at a contest, so James and Meowth had to say the motto, and steal Ash's Pikachu and other Pokémon again.
:Meowth: Prepare for trouble, cause we're stealing Pokémon and having a ball!
:James: Make it double, that's all!
:Meowth: Evil as old as the galaxy!
:James: Sent here to fulfill our destiny!
:Meowth: Just look at me!
:James: To denounce the evils of truth and love and extend our reach to the stars above! I'm James!
:Meowth: And I'm Meowth!
:James: Whenever there's peace in the universe, Team Rocket!
:Meowth: Will be there!
:Both: To make everything worse!
==Butch and Cassidy==
Butch and Cassidy also have a set of mottos, which are similar to Jessie and James's mottos. In The Breeding Center Secret, it is implied to be based on Jessie and James's motto, though in Pikachu Re-Volts, they state that theirs is actually the correct version. During Pokémon Chronicles, they add "(now) here's our mission, so ya better listen!" after Butch's first line of their version of the "original" motto. Like Meowth and Wobbuffet, Cassidy's appears at the end. Apparently, they have switched to a new motto, which is itself similar to Jessie and James's Sinnoh motto, with Butch's appearing instead of Cassidy's Raticate.
===Original motto===
Japanese 	Translation 	English
ヤマト： 	Yamato: If you ask us this or that... 	Cassidy: Prepare for trouble...
コサブロウ： 	Kosaburou: We usually don't respond 	Butch: ...and make it double!
二人： 	Both: But we'll make an exception this time and answer! 	Both: Here's our mission, so you better listen!
ヤマト： 	Yamato: To prevent the destruction of the Earth! 	Cassidy: To infect the world with devastation!
コサブロウ： 	Kosaburou: To protect the peace of the Earth! 	Butch: To blight all people in every nation!
ヤマト： 	Yamato: To stand by evil with love and sincerity! 	Cassidy: To denounce the goodness of truth and love!
コサブロウ： 	Kosaburou: The cute, mischievous villains! 	Butch: To extend our wrath to the stars above!
ヤマト： 	Yamato: Yamato! 	Cassidy: Cassidy!
コサブロウ： 	Kosaburou: Kosaburou! 	Butch: And Butch, of course!
ヤマト： 	Yamato: The pair from Team Rocket soars through the universe!	Cassidy: We're Team Rocket, circling Earth all day and night!
コサブロウ： 	Kosaburou: Shocking pink, a pink tomorrow awaits us! 	Butch: Surrender to us now or you will surely lose the fight!
===Sinnoh motto===
This is the version used in Sleight of Sand!. Because of some of the lines included, it was probably composed especially for whenever the two Team Rocket groups crossed paths.
Japanese 	Translation 	English
ヤマト: 	Yamato: I heard a voice saying something. 	Cassidy: A shrieking whine! A blast from the past!!
コサブロウ: 	Kosaburō: We come along like a ! 	Butch: Spinning like a and moving fast!
ヤマト: 	Yamato: The stars! 	Cassidy: To the moon!!
コサブロウ: 	Kosaburō: The moon! 	Butch: And beyond!
All: 	All: The space! 	All: What a blast!
ヤマト: 	Yamato: The justice we will deliver to everyone! 	Cassidy: Administering justice with lightning speed!
コサブロウ: 	Kosaburō: The guilt we will convey to the universe! 	Butch: Bashing the bad guys, should we feel the need.
ヤマト: 	Yamato: Whether heaven or hell, if you call the name,	Cassidy: So here's a newsflash from across the wire...
コサブロウ: 	Kosaburō: We'll straighten everyone's backs. 	Butch: The real Team Rocket is now on fire!
ヤマト: 	Yamato: Yamato! 	Cassidy: Cassidy!
コサブロウ: 	Kosaburō: Kosaburō! 	Butch: Butch!
ニャース: 	Tsubotsubo: Botsu-botsu! 	Shuckle: Shuck-uckle!
ヤマト: 	Yamato: The main characters are us! 	Cassidy: Teaching the losers one thing or two...
コサブロウ: 	Kosaburō: We are the orthodox... 	Butch: ...The true Team Rocket...
All: 	All: Team Rocket! 	All: ...Us, not you!
==Ripoffs==
The motto has been ripped off repeatedly by Ash and during the series. The first time it was done was in Bye Bye Butterfree, in which Ash, Misty, and Brock entered the house where Team Rocket was by breaking the windows and by saying the first lines of the motto. In Ditto's Mysterious Mansion, Ash, Misty, and Brock, along with Duplica, put on Team Rocket uniforms and mocked the original motto, with Duplica severely angering the two by saying "ignite" instead of "unite". In Holy Matrimony!, James's parents revealed that they weren't dead by saying the lines "Prepare for trouble!" and "Yes dear, and make it double!".
The director Cleavon Schpielbunk used a motto to introduce himself — "Prepare for trouble! No stunt double!" — with Jessie saying, "Wait a second, aren't those our lines?" after the first two lines.
In It's Mr. Mime Time when Ash revealed that he was the one in the Mr. Mime costume, the Team Rocket background music was playing. The motto was mockingly mimicked again in The Chikorita Rescue!. In The Mother Of All Battles!, the Pokémon Poacher Brothers introduced themselves to Ash and the gang in a Team Rocket-style motto. However, there was no background music like in the Rocket's introduction; instead, they only said their names with a big "B" behind them. But even though it was different, Jessie stated that they were just imitating them. Much later, the DP motto was mocked in Mass Hip-Po-Sis and The Keystone Pops!. Like the many times before, the trio was angered.
In Mega-Mega Meowth Madness!, and imitated the motto, angering them once again.
In The Cave of Mirrors!, the Mirror World's version of Team Rocket performed their own motto, reflecting their heroic characteristics.
In Nightfall? Nightmares!, Chrysa and Ren performed the motto as members of "Team Cerise" in Ash and Goh's combined nightmare caused by a .
====Bye Bye Butterfree====
:Ash: Prepare for trouble!
:Misty: And you can make that triple!
:Brock: To protect the world from devastation!
:Ash and Misty: To unite all peoples within our nation!
:Jessie (deadpan): This was just...
:James (deadpan): Too good...
:Meowth (deadpan): To last.
:Ash: You got that right.
:Pikachu: Pika!
:Misty: We're defending the beauty of truth and love!
:Brock: Let's do it!
:Meowth (interrupting them): We gotta stop that!
====Ditto's Mysterious Mansion====
This is the only episode of the series to show Ash and doing the complete original motto.
:Ash: Prepare for trouble!
:Brock: And make it Double, Double!
:James (angrily): Uhh, quit imitating us!
:Misty: To protect the world from devastation!
:Duplica: To ignite all people within our nation!
:Jessie (angrily): Err! This is insulting!
:Ash: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
:Misty: To extend our reach to the stars above!
:Ash: Ash!
:Misty: Misty!
:Brock: And Brock!
:Duplica: Duplica, that's right!
:Brock: Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!
:Duplica: Surrender now, or prepare to fight all of us!
:Pikachu: Pika, Pika!
====Lights, Camera, Quacktion!====
The director Cleavon Schpielbunk introduces himself with a motto which is very similar to that of Team Rocket.
:Cleavon: Prepare for trouble! No stunt double!
:Jessie: Wait a second, aren't those our lines?
:Cleavon: To protect the movies from devastation!
:To restore spectacle and imagination!
:To make great epics of hate and love!
:To direct the best films you ever heard of!
:Cleavon Schpielbunk, winner of the Golden Growlithe for best director at the Flea Collar Film Festival!
:Lights! Camera!
:Hit your mark when I call "Action!" or prepare to fight!
:That's right!
====The Chikorita Rescue====
In this episode Ash Ketchum breaks into a Team Rocket hideout to save a , captured by Jessie and James. He recites a motto and Team Rocket instinctively says their phrases.
:Ash: Team Rocket, prepare for trouble! On second thought, make that double!
:Jessie (surprised): To protect the world from devastation?
:James (surprised): To unite all peoples within our nation?
:Ash: Maybe you think I'm a little too brash. But the master is here and my name is Ash!
:Pikachu: Pikachu!
:Ash: My Pokémon team is faster than light! Surrender now, or you're in for a fight!
:Meowth: Meowth! That's right!
====Mass Hip-Po-Sis====
:Dawn (really angry): Get ready for trouble!
:Pikachu (really angry): Pika!
:Brock (really angry): Make it double!
:James (shocked): Hey, no fair!
====The Keystone Pops!====
:Ash: Listen, is that bad guy talk I hear?
:Dawn: It speaks to me loud and clear!
:Ash: On the wind!
:Dawn: Past the stars!
:Brock: In your ear!
:Jessie (interrupting them): It's that kind of imitation they invented lawsuits for!
:Dawn: Chill out! We couldn't care less about you!
:Ash: We're looking for Spiritomb!
====Mega-Mega Meowth Madness!====
:Bonnie: Prepare for trouble, I'd say you bad people have finally met your match!
:Serena: And make it a double-crook catch! To protect the world from — !
:Jessie (interrupting them): Twerp thieves!
:James: Copyright infringment! Get away from !
:Serena: You let us go now, or you're gonna wish you had!
====The Cave of Mirrors!====
:Jessie: What's with this place?!
:Mirror Jessie: "What's with this place?" is compassion and right!
:Mirror James: And goodness and caring with mercy and light!
:Mirror Meowth: Heroes of Justice, that's right!
:Mirror Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet!
:Team Rocket: Oh, no!
:Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet!
:Mirror Jessie and James: Team Rocket, good night!
====Nightfall? Nightmares!====
:Chrysa: Prepare for trouble with a well-researched flare!
:Ren: And make it double, the facts are all there!
:Chrysa: To protect the world from devastation!
:Ren: To unite all people within our nation!
:Chrysa: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
:Ren: To extend our reach to the stars above!
:Chrysa: Chrysa!
:Ren: And Ren!
:Chrysa: Team Cerise blasts off at the speed of light!
:Ren: Surrender now, or prepare for a logical fight!
:Yamper: Yamper!
:Mimey: Mime mime mime mime!
==In the manga==
===Pokémon Adventures===
In Pokémon Adventures, the "Rocket" in Team Rocket is apparently their motto, which is an acronym for:
:Raid
:On
:City
:Knock out
:Evil
:Tusks
When translated from Japanese, this motto means, "Attack cities one after another!! Devastate them!! We are the fangs of evil!!"
==In the games==
===In the core series===
During their appearances in , Jessie and James use parts of their original Kanto motto in their dialogue. They never recite the whole thing, however. They say "Surrender now or prepare to fight!" before their battle at Mt. Moon, and "So render yourself invisible, or prepare to fight!" before their battle at Pokémon Tower. Upon being defeated at Mt. Moon, they say "Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!".
In , they do not quote their motto.
===In the spin-off games===
====Pokémon Masters EX====
In Pokémon Masters EX, , , , and the recite the original motto during the limited-time event Double Trouble and the follow-up event Blasting Off Again.
====Pokémon Zany Cards====
In Pokémon Zany Cards, Jessie and James recite their motto from the original series, at the start of the match against them. However, Meowth does not appear at this point, so the phrase "Meowth, that's right!" is not said.
==Trivia==
* Since the middle of Pokémon the Series: Black & White, every motto has its own unique animation.
** Also during Pokémon the Series: Black & White, it changed several times due to Team Rocket's constant role changes.
* The original motto has been performed at least once in every series to date.
* The motto used during the Battle Frontier saga is rather unique since it was also used once, in Two Degrees of Separation!, during the Pokémon: Diamond & Pearl season.
** It was also used in the first episode in Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl, but it wasn't completed.
* In every one of Butch's appearances in the original series' English dub, he was the one who said the opening line "Prepare for trouble!", which is usually said by the female character. In The Breeding Center Secret, Butch, along with Cassidy, said "Prepare for trouble and make it double!". In Pikachu Re-Volts, he was the one who began the motto showdown by saying "Then prepare for trouble!". In The Fortune Hunters, he said alone "Prepare for trouble and make it double!". In The Mystery is History!, he said "Prepare for trouble, you got that right!". The last time he did this was in A Parent Trapped!, in which he said "It's time to prepare for trouble!". In Pokémon Chronicles, the motto was dubbed with the Cassidy saying the first line like how it is was in Japanese.
* In the Sinnoh motto, Jessie's section of "A rose by any other name is just as sweet" alludes to Act II Scene II Shakespeare's , in which Juliet argues:
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
: This is a meaning that the names of things do not matter, only what the thing is. This quote is also the origin of the title for A Battle by Any Other Name!.
* In the Unova motto, Jessie likens herself to with the words "white" and "fiery", while James likens himself to with "black" and "thunderous".
* The first two lines of the motto were mentioned and said by the Fortune Teller as a warning in an episode of Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, a show that was also dubbed by 4Kids Entertainment (and also based on a Nintendo franchise). The episode the Fortune Teller appeared in was "The Fofa Factor".
* In the dub, the original motto was different than usual in Team Rocket's first two appearances (Pokémon Emergency! and Ash Catches a Pokémon), where it was translated directly from English without rhyming. The rhyming motto was used for the first time in Challenge of the Samurai.
* In the dub, the expression "Preparar para azar!", the Portuguese equivalent to "Prepare for trouble!" (which literally translated is "Prepare for bad luck!") is still used in recent episodes as a Team Rocket's catchphrase, even during some mottos.
* In the Korean dub of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, the expressions "", "", and "", which are direct to translations of the Japanese motto, are given explanations at the bottom of the screen due to the difficulty in understanding these phrases.
* In the n dub, the original motto has three variants of translation due to the changes in dubbing companies during the original series, Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire, and Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl.
* Toward the end of the Pokémon Trading Card Game: Trainer Video, the original motto is recited by various kids. It omits "Prepare for trouble; Make it double," and Meowth's name, and the kids make various mistakes before correcting themselves.
* In the dub, starting from the second season, James would often replace the line "Hasta las estrellas" (the translation for "to the stars above") with random places, most of the time citing places or cities from Latin American locations. The line of "Surrender now or prepare to fight!" would also be replaced by lines of songs from various Latin American performers.
* In the dub, the motto used during Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl debuted directly in the first episode of that series, and in its full version in the next episode, instead of using the motto from the Battle Frontier saga.
==In other languages==
==Related articles==
Category:Team Rocket
Category:Animated series running gags
de:Team Rocket (Anime)#Jessies, James’ und Mauzis Sprüche
es:Lema del Equipo/Team Rocket
fr:Devise de la Team Rocket
it:Motto del Team Rocket
zh:火箭队的开场白