DP056: Difference between revisions

series=Diamond & Pearl series |

'''The Keystone Pops!''' (Japanese: '''ミカルゲの要石！''' ''{{tt|Mikaruge|Spiritomb}}'s Keystone!'') is the 56th episode of the {{series|Diamond & Pearl}}, and the 522nd episode of the [[Pokémon anime]]. It first aired in Japan on November 29, 2007 as part of a one-hour special alongside [[DP057]], and in the United States on May 10, 2008.

After having traded, {{Ash}} and {{an|Dawn}} decide to get used to their new Pokémon. After a few minutes of [[Pokémon battle|battling]] Ash's {{AP|Buizel}} uses {{m|SonicBoom}} which is then deflected by Dawn's {{TP|Dawn|Aipom}}'s {{m|Focus Punch}} and sent into a [[Hallowed Tower|Hallowed Stone Tower]]. The tower immediately crumbles into bricks. The bricks of the Hallowed Stone Tower then begin to glow. The sky turns black and clouds roll in. In the rubble lies an [[Odd Keystone]].

Lightning strikes the keystone and from it emerges {{p|Spiritomb}} who then proceeds to attack the group with {{m|Shadow Ball}} and {{m|Hyper Beam}}. The group try to counter with Buizel's {{m|Water Gun}} however the attack goes straight through Spiritomb. It then responds with Shadow Ball knocking Buizel out. Spiritomb then flies away. Soon after, it encounters [[Jessie]], [[James]] and {{MTR}} and attacks them with Hyper Beam and {{m|Dark Pulse}}. It then flies away hitting Jessie's head with its Keystone in the process.

The next day Ash and {{ashfr}} arrive in the village to find it derelict. They hear stories about a strange {{type|Ghost}} {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} that attacked the village in the night. They immediately connect this with Spiritomb. They meet an {{OBP|old woman|DP056}} who tells them the story of Spiritomb which terrorized the village and how an [[Aura Guardian]] with a {{p|Pikachu}} defeated and sealed away Spiritomb in the Hallowed Stone Tower 500 years ago. Then the group realizes they've destroyed the same tower and takes the old lady to it who acts furious seeing it. Then they apologize promising to make things right.

Then {{TRT}} shows up disguised as psychics. Jessie pretends to be saying facts that happened in their past life, while James tells them that Meowth (who is disguised as a {{p|Sneasel}}) has the ability to communicate telepathically with other Pokémon. Next, the old man's grandson appears informing them of Spiritomb's return. They return to the village where Meowth uses "telepathy" to communicate with Spiritomb. Meowth returns and whispers into James's ear that Spiritomb wants something from {{AP|Pikachu}}. Jessie takes Pikachu to Spiritomb and throws a net over both of them revealing their identity. After reciting their {{motto}} they take off in their balloon.

Spiritomb uses Ominous Wind, which slashes Team Rocket's balloon and making them crash to the ground. It then lets itself free, to which Jessie sends out {{TP|Jessie|Seviper}} but it is quickly knocked by Spiritomb's Hyper Beam. Then Team Rocket flees with Spiritomb following them. Spiritomb catches up with them, revealing to Meowth it wants revenge on the Aura Guardian for sealing it in the Keystone. Knowing the Guardian lived 500 years ago they flee again with Spiritomb on their tracks.

 

The scene turns to the group searching for Spiritomb. Dawn realizes Spiritomb gave chase to Team Rocket and makes a plan in order to lure them. The scene reverts to Team Rocket in their balloon. They notice Pikachu alone, sleeping in a meadow. They land and head for Pikachu but they get into a pitfall trap. Then the group proceeds to imitate Team Rocket's motto but are interrupted by an angry Jessie.

 

Spiritomb shows up and Team Rocket convinces Spiritomb that Ash is a descendant of the Aura Guardian. It turns its anger on Ash and attacks him with Hyper Beam. Ash dodges and agrees to battle it. Ash runs to the ruins of the Hallowed Tower with Spiritomb in close pursuit. It stops Ash and Pikachu in their tracks by using Dark Pulse. Pikachu replies with {{m|Quick Attack}} but Spiritomb dodges. Then Pikachu uses {{m|Thunderbolt}} hitting Spiritomb which counters with Hyper Beam.

 

They start running again but Spiritomb stops them. Pikachu continually uses Thunderbolt getting more and more tired while Spiritomb resists each attack. Then it uses Shadow Ball but misses Pikachu and hitting Team Rocket blasting them off. Then it initiates in a {{m|Giga Impact}} striking both Ash and Pikachu. Pikachu falls on the ground exhausted as clouds gather above. Ash urges him to stand up and to send a Thunderbolt up towards the sky which re-charges Pikachu's energy. Pikachu uses {{m|Volt Tackle}}, then Thunderbolt defeating Spiritomb. The group then seals Spiritomb away in the Keystone. Then the old lady invites them for dinner.

 

In the end, the scene cuts with the narrator's conclusion.

* Team Rocket's final pose for their motto in this episode refers to a Hindi/Chinese myth of world creation: the world is held by four elephants ({{p|Phanpy}}), which stand on a turtle ({{p|Torkoal}}), which stands on a snake that bites its own tail ({{p|Arbok}}).

** Each of these Pokémon were on a main character's [[Party|team]] at some point in the anime. {{TP|Jessie|Arbok}} belonged to Jessie, while {{AP|Phanpy|Donphan}} and {{AP|Torkoal}} belong to Ash.

* This is the first episode of the anime to mention [[Aura]] (and Ash's proficiency in it), which was a major plot point in ''[[M08|Lucario and the Mystery of Mew]]''. As a result, the movie is made [[canon]] by this episode.

* Buizel and Aipom switched places in Ash's and Dawn's teams in the opening and ending, respectively, corresponding with their trade in [[DP055|the previous episode]].

* Music from ''[[M08|Lucario and the Mystery of Mew]]'' was used as background music during the old woman's story and the ending scene.

* This is the first [[The Pokémon Company International|Pokémon USA]]/[[DuArt Film & Video]] episode to feature [[Dan Green]] (appearing in this episode as the voice of {{p|Spiritomb}}), who had previously worked on the [[4Kids Entertainment|4Kids]] dub.

* The title for this episode comes from the movie series {{wp|Keystone Kops}}.

* This is one of the few episodes of the {{series|Diamond & Pearl}} in which [[Dawn's Piplup]] does not appear.

** This is also one of the few episodes in which [[Jessie's Wobbuffet]] does not appear.

* Jessie calls Spiritomb "{{wp|Iron Chef}}", referring to the Japanese TV show of the same name.

** Ash, Dawn, and Brock also [[Team_Rocket_mottos#The_Keystone_Pops!|perform a partial variation]] of the motto.

* This is one of the rare episodes where a Pokémon displays independently malicious behaviour, rather than following a malicious human's orders or natural behavior, such as defending its territory.

* When Dawn tells Team Rocket she doesn't care about them today, the {{OBP|Old woman|DP056}} magically appears in front of the kids without being there in the prior scenes.

**In the same scene, as Brock says "in your ear" and the scene changes to Jessie yelling, Dawn's arm is no longer raised in their pose while Ash's is still outstretched.

series=Diamond & Pearl series |

[[Category:Diamond & Pearl series episodes|056]]

[[Category:Episodes written by Yukiyoshi Ōhashi|522]]

[[Category:Episodes storyboarded and directed by Hiroyuki Yamada|522]]

[[Category:Episodes storyboarded by Hiroyuki Yamada|522]]

[[Category:Episodes directed by Hiroyuki Yamada|522]]

[[Category:Episodes animated by Makoto Shinjō|522]]

[[Category:Episodes animated by Kunihiko Natsume|522]]

[[Category:Episodes by multiple animation directors|522]]

[[zh:DP055]]