LAVENDER TOWN GHOST

**LAVENDER TOWN GHOST** is the twenty third episode of Pokémon Red (Animation Series). It aired on October 8, 2021.

## Synopsis

After entering Lavender Town, Red rests at the local Pokémon Center, only to feel the same presence he felt when he arrived. The next day, Red finds a crowd surrounding the corpse of a Marowak as her baby Cubone cries. People tell Red that Team Rocket are responsible for this tragedy, as they rip the skulls off the Marowaks for money.

Red notices a young girl running away with Cubone and follows her back to her place. There, Red sees the Cubone place the skull of its mother on its head, looking sad that Team Rocket could commit a travesty. Red heads to the Pokémon Tower, passing by people mourning their dead Pokémon, and heads upstairs.

Once upstairs, Red hears the door creak and a music box thrown at him. After Red winds up the music box, Blue's leitmotif plays, and his rival makes his appearance. After the two pay respect to Raticate, Blue suggests they have another battle. Red accepts, only for Drowzee to lose against Wartortle after the latter uses Bite. Red calls out Pikachu, but this time, Blue recalls Wartortle and brings out Kadabra to fight the Mouse Pokémon instead. After a stalemate battle, Red recalls Pikachu and brings out Gravler.

Before the battle could continue, both Trainers hear a loud screech from upstairs and investigate. A book is thrown towards them and something writes on the page, telling the two to leave. As the darkness surrounds the two, Red calls out Charmeleon to light the place up, only to see a shadow coming towards them. Frightened by the shadow, Red and Blue run out of the Pokémon Tower and head towards the Pokémon Center.

After a quick heal, Blue suggests that he and Red trade Kadabra and Gravler around so they could evolve their Pokémon. The two make the trade, evolving their Pokémon into Alakazam and Golem respectively. After the rain stops, the two go their separate ways as Red goes west.

On Route 8, Red has Clefable beat a Beauty's Clefairy team, while Drowzee defeats several Pokémon from three other Trainers. Doing so gives Drowzee enough experience to level up and evolve into Hypno. Red tries to cross through Saffron City, but he is denied entry by the guard. Instead, Red goes through the Underground Tunnels and makes his way to Route 7. After capturing a Mankey with Hypno's help, Red enters Celadon City and finds another Snorlax sleeping near the checkpoint. Golem fails to move Snorlax out of the way, but Red notices a tree and has Gloom cut it. Red catches a Doduo and goes through the back entrance of the checkpoint, meeting a girl who gives him HM - 02 Fly as a reward for finding her.

Returning to Celadon City, Red decides to box Clefable so he can have Doduo on his team as a Flying-Type Pokémon would be useful for his journey. After saying goodbye to Clefable, Red teaches Doudo Fly, who successfully masters it. Afterwards, Red and Doduo fly back to Pallet Town to visit his mom.

Meanwhile, Professor Oak is horrified to see that the final Starter, Bulbasaur, is missing. When he asks his aides, one of them says that young woman, aged 16-17, stole Bulbasaur. The girl uses Bulbasaur to defeat Poliwag, and tries to run away from Pallet Town. However, Red blocks the girl's path

## Pokémon References

* Doduo's method of using Fly is kicking its legs in the air. This was how the move was portrayed by Doduo's and Dodrio's in Pokémon Stadium.

## Cultural References

* **Resident Evil**: The door opening animation is reference to the classic Resident Evil games, where the door opening animation is used to load in the next area of the game.
* **Phasmophobia**: The book and hand writing are the same as the one from the Phasmophobia game.
* **Nosferatu**: Alakazam's shadow pose resembles the same one Nosferatu made in the 1922 movie.
* **The Shining**: Blue's facial expression and lighting after getting Alakazam resembles the infamous "Here's Johnny" scene from the 1980 adaptation.
* **Texas Chainsaw Massacre**: Red is shown doing an iconic Leatherface pose after receiving Golem. There is even a chainsaw sound effect done in the moment.
* **Sonic the Hedgehog**: The girl Red meets is designed to resemble Amy Rose's classic design.

## Music Used

* Lavender Town | Orchestral Version | Dirk J. Neefs - by Dirk J. Neefs
* Pokémon Epic! - Pokemon Battle Theme v2 (NEW) - by Jonas B. Ingebretsen
* Pokemon Red and Blue Orchestrated, Route 3/4 Theme - by John Ferrie Music
* Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow - Celadon City (Orchestrated) - by Wurtzel