Episode Number: 267 (JP) , 264 (US)
US Episode Name: Pop Goes The Sneasel
Jap Episode Name: Nyula and the Sacred Flame!
ニューラとせいなるほのお！
Events: Harrison captures Sneasel; first appearance of Blaziken
Credit: PokéMaster (Summary), Abhishek (Screenshots)
Click here for screenshots
Having safely delivered Larvitar back to the Pokémon Preserve, Ash and friends are heading for Silver Town, home of the Johto League Silver Conference. As they move onward, they come upon a crowd standing at a gate and waiting for something. Two men explain to them that the Ho-oh Torch starts at the gates and makes its way to Silver Town from there.
As time goes on, the crowd becomes angrier and angrier because of the non-appearance of the Torch. Ash says that he can’t wait, Misty wishes they’d hurry up, and Brock adds that it’s exciting. Ash hopes that the runner is okay as a man appears at the gates. He states that it will be a little while longer before the Torch arrives. Pikachu and Togepi run in through the gates before they close.
Ash, Misty, and Brock chase after their Pokémon and apologize, saying that they’re just excited. Just then, two trainers come running down a nearby flight of stairs. One of them carries a Poliwhirl on his back; they say that they shouldn’t have to risk their Pokémon not being able to battle right before the Silver Conference. They rush out of the gates as the man tries to get them to come back. He then asks Ash, Misty, and Brock for a “gigantic favor.” He tells them that all trainers have run away like that before. Another trainer appears at the gates with a Houndoom. He introduces himself as Harrison from Littleroot Town in the Hoenn Region and offers to help. The man explains that the problem is that they can’t get a hold of the flame to light the Torch.
Inside a temple room, the man tells the Legend of the Ho-oh Flame. There was a huge battle and Pokémon fought bravely alongside humans. After the battle, the lake dried up and the land became a barren wasteland. The Legendary Pokémon Ho-oh came down to the Earth and burned all human weapons. Ho-oh’s flames burned all the land and nothing existed any more. But from the ashes came new life; the plant life and the lake were restored. One flame remained and it was called the Sacred Flame. It was saved and kept to light the Johto League Silver Conference flame.
Ash asks where the Flame is kept. The man replies that it is kept at the top of the stairs in a shrine, but a wild Sneasel keeps anyone from getting to it. Ash pulls out his Pokédex and looks it up as Harrison says that he heard about wild Sneasel in the area and has been wanting to catch one. The man says that the Sneasel is very territorial and attacks anyone who comes near the shrine, along with its buddies Machop and Machoke. Ash tells the man that he will get the Flame as Harrison declares that he will catch the Sneasel.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket walks through the forest discussing what they just heard. Jessie makes a plan to steal the Flame and offer it for ransom. As they approach the shrine, Machoke hits them across the face with its arm. Machop and Sneasel appear soon after. Sneasel starts yelling at them so Meowth translates that it is their turf and that they better scram. Jessie sends out her Arbok and orders it to use Headbutt. Sneasel counters with Slash so Meowth goes in to use Fury Swipes. Sneasel uses Slash again and Machop finishes up with Karate Chop.
Ash and friends are now climbing the stairs to get to the shrine. Ash sees the top and runs for it only to be smacked back by Machoke. Harrison and Brock catch him and the four of them confront the Pokémon. Misty has Brock hold Togepi and sends out Corsola, ordering a Spike Cannon. Harrison yells for Houndoom to use Flamethrower as Ash heads for the shrine. He opens the door and sees the Flame but is blocked by Sneasel. Ash calls out Totodile and it starts to dance. Sneasel attacks it so it counters with Water Gun. Sneasel dodges the blast of water and points off to the side. While Totodile looks, Sneasel swipes at it in a Feint Attack.
Back at the battle against Machop and Machoke, Misty orders a Tackle from Corsola. Harrison commands Flamethrower and Machop and Machoke fly into two trees. Ash requests a Water Gun from Totodile which Sneasel dodges, followed by a Slash and Shadow Ball combination. Totodile slams into Ash and the both of them go flying over the edge of the hill and into a tree. The others come to see if he’s okay and realize that the Sneasel blocking the shrine means business.
Who's That Pokémon?
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In the bushes, Team Rocket sits discouraged after their quick loss to the Sneasel. Meowth asks if it trains hard enough and eats right if it could evolve into a Sneasel. James says that it would only evolve into a Persian. Jessie tells James to come with her and asks Meowth to stay. The two go off a little ways and Jessie proposes an idea to replace Meowth with the Sneasel. James objects to the idea so Jessie tries a new sales pitch: how cool Sneasel would look at the end of the motto. James still objects, saying that they can’t eject Meowth because they’ve been through so much. Ultimately, Jessie convinces him and they head back to Meowth who was listening in the whole time.
Jessie tells Meowth that he’s out of the Team and Sneasel will be hired; Meowth makes no objections and even suggests that it gets some pointers from Sneasel on how to be so cool. While Jessie thinks he really is okay with the idea, Meowth thinks that he won’t leave the team. Ash and the others confront the trio of Pokémon again, this time with Ash using Phanpy. He calls out his Pokémon and Harrison has Houndoom go in again. Ash orders a Take Down and Harrison commands Headbutt. Machop and Machoke withstand the attack so Harrison and Ash order their Pokémon to send them flying. The two Superpower Pokémon go flying over the hill as the man from before comes up. Harrison says that it’s time to catch Sneasel as Team Rocket arrives… in a Sneasel balloon.
They tell him to keep his hands off the Sneasel because it’s coming to work for Team Rocket. They say their motto again and Meowth chimes in at the end wearing a Sneasel costume. Jessie tells Meowth to put the Sneasel’s Best Friend plan into action. Meowth/Sneasel walks over to Sneasel with a wrapped box and tells Sneasel that on the inside is a smoke bomb so that Jessie and James can swoop in and wipe it. Sneasel doesn’t appear to believe that Meowth is a Sneasel and it uses Slash on it. Meowth’s costume rips and he drops the bomb. Smoke billows everywhere as Jessie and James come in. They grab Sneasel and get into the balloon. But when Jessie holds up her prize, she finds that it’s Meowth. Meowth scratches both Jessie and James for trying to get rid of it and it gets thrown out of the balloon… upwards. The Pokémon lands on the balloon and ends up popping it. Team Rocket goes blasting off again.
The smoke clears and Sneasel faces Harrison. Harrison sends out a Blaziken and Ash scans it with his Pokédex. This time, the Pokédex says that there is no data. Harrison orders a Quick Attack. Sneasel uses Shadow Ball but Blaziken counters with Flamethrower and finishes it with Fire Punch. Harrison then throws a Pokéball at Sneasel. It wiggles and then stops, signifying a capture. Harrison picks it up and Ash heads into the shrine to get the Flame.
That evening, the runners receive the Torch and the crowd is pleased. The man from earlier tells them that they hired Machop and Machoke as the guardians for the shrine. The Torch sets out as the crowd cheers. Ash, Misty, Brock, and Harrison watch. Ash learns that Harrison, too, is entering the Conference as he sets out. Brock notes that Harrison will be tough. Misty says that there will be lots of tough battles. Ash proclaims that he’s going to beat them all!
