PIKACHU EVOLVES?

**PIKACHU EVOLVES?** is the twenty fourth episode of Pokémon Red (Animation Series). It aired on October 23, 2021.

## Synopsis

The mysterious woman uses Bulbasaur to fight Red's Doduo, only to lose when the latter lands a super effective Fly. After the battle, Red takes the woman and Bulbasaur's Poké Ball back to the Lab. Red and Professor Oak look at the woman and wonder what to do with her.

Later that day, the woman, named Leaf, explains her story to Red and Oak. Leaf grew up in an orphanage on the Sevii Islands and had a happy life until Team Rocket came and captured everyone. Leaf, along with several other children, was drafted into becoming a Team Rocket Grunt, but hated seeing Pokémon get imprisoned and tortured. She tried to escape at one point, but a higher rank person caught her and threw her in a cell as punishment. As Leaf grew older, she snuck aboard a Team Rocket ship and made her escape to Pallet Town to start a new life.

Feeling sympathetic to Leaf's story, Oak teaches her how the Pokémon world works and allows her to keep Bulbasaur as her starter. Red remembers that he saw Team Rocket was at Celadon City, and Oak suggests they go to the police and report the criminals there. Before Red and Leaf leave, Red's Mother gives the latter a travel bag and puts Red's leaf pin on it. In turn, Red receives a fire pin to put on his hat.

Red and Leaf head to Celadon City and visit the Celadon Mansion. They notice a room blocked at the roof, but they take a back entrance and meet the owner of the place. There, he gives both Trainers an Eevee each. After getting their Eevees, Red and Leaf notice two Team Rocket Grunts entering Route 7 and follow them. As they train their Eevees, they see a Growlithe and a Vulpix. Leaf slyly takes one of Red's Poké Balls and uses it to catch the Vulpix, while Red gets Growlithe. Annoyed that Leaf stole a Poké Ball from him, Red pushes her to a Trainer so she can get money to buy things.

Returning to Celadon City, Red and Leaf see Team Rocket discussing the Game Corner and how it is making them a profit, along with the secret switch in the building to enter the Hideout. With this knowledge, Red and Leaf try to warn the authorities, but they fail as Team Rocket has bribed them into looking the other way. The two get dejected, but a woman tells them not to give up and suggests they go to the Department Store to buy some Evolution Stones.

Red and Leaf enter the Department Store, Red buying Poké Balls and a TM to teach Charmeleon Mega Punch, while Leaf buys a new hat. As they get to the Evolution Stone area, Red buys one of each for a Fire Stone, Leaf Stone, and Water Stone. While Leaf buys a Fire Stone for Vulpix, Red tries giving Pikachu a Thunder Stone. However, Pikachu unintentionally shatters the first one, the second one flies out of his hands, and Leaf swipes some money from Red, preventing him from buying a third one.

On the roof, Leaf gives her Eevee a Water Stone, who uses it to evolve into Vaporeon. Vulpix gets a Fire Stone, and breaks it to evolve into Ninetales. Later, Red takes his Growlithe out of storage and gives the latter and Gloom a Fire Stone and Leaf Stone respectively. The two evolve into Arcanine and Vileplume, but Red decides to leave Eevee be. After doing a quick storage change, Red and Leaf go to bed.

The next day, Red and Leaf train their Pokémon, preparing themselves for their attack on the Team Rocket Hideout. The two discretely push the button and enter the Hideout. Immediately, two Grunts attack, but Red and Leaf quickly defeat them. Then, Leaf takes the Grunts clothes and has herself and Red disguise themselves so they can sneak around the place. The two remain incognito and receive packages to take, but Red hears a Marowak cry and sees a Grunt ripping off the latter's skull. Enraged to see that, along with realizing that the package he got was Marowak skulls, Red walks up to the Grunt and sucker punches him in the face as Charmeleon burns the money his partner was counting.

## Pokémon References

* Bulbasaur's defeat pose is similar to the one Ash Ketchum's Bulbasaur made after Pikachu defeated him.

## Cultural References

* **One Piece**: When Leaf exits the Team Rocket ship, she makes a similar pose Luffy did after escaping from a barrel on Goat Island.
* **Dragon Ball**: The scene where Red snaps after seeing a Grunt rip off a Marowak's skull is similar to the scene where Gohan snaps after Cell kills Android 16.

## Music Used

* Pokemon Red and Blue Orchestrated, Professor Oaks Speech/ Route 24 Theme - by Jon Ferrie Music
* Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow - Celadon City (Orchestrated) - by Wurtzel
* Team Rocket Hideout | The Hit Points - by The Hit Points

## Trivia

* Eusine makes a cameo appearance.