On their way to Lumiose City via the Lumiose Badlands, Ash, Clemont, Serena, and Bonnie are sharing lunchtime. However, Clemont has been thinking a lot recently about how Ash never forgot about the promise they made to each other and their Gym battle at the Lumiose Gym. Lost in thought about his anxiety for the upcoming battle, Clemont accidentally burns their food, causing the others to express their concern and ask if he is all right. After Clemont assures them that he is fine, the group continues onward and comes across the Kalos Power Plant. Bonnie tells Ash and Serena that Clemont built the plant, when her brother corrects her that he only helped with the programming and explains to them how the Power Plant generates solar energy in space and then sends it to Earth.
As they approach the plant, however, Clemont notices that the parabolic antennae are facing down instead of up like they usually do. The group continues toward the power plant, hoping for a better look at it. Suddenly, Pikachu, Dedenne, and Luxio all cry out in pain before their eyes glow red and they run to the plant for apparently no reason. Ash, Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena chase after them and find a plethora of Electric Pokémon waiting at the entrance, all of them with the same hypnotized look as Pikachu, Dedenne, and Luxio. Unable to get in after their Pokémon, Ash tells Frogadier to use its frubbles to stop the fan in one of the vents, allowing them to sneak in from there.
Following Clemont's lead, the four of them look down into a room and see three workers tied up there. Ash and his friends fall through the vent into the room, where they free the workers and ask for an explanation. The workers tell them how Team Rocket had tricked them into allowing them inside before commandeering the power plant. When they mention that the criminals had a talking TRMeowth ([[{{{2}}} (move)|{{{2}}}]]), Ash and the others immediately realize that Team Rocket is behind this. With the workers free, they form a plan to free the Electric Pokémon and oust Team Rocket from the plant. The power plant workers will clear the way for Ash and company to get to the central control room, and when the superconducting ring turns red, indicating a backwards flow of electricity, Clemont will initiate an electric surge that will cause a temporary overload and give the Pokémon time to break free of their control.
Ash, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie hide in the center area of the plant, but Team Rocket spots them immediately and demonstrates their control by shutting down the power in Lumiose City, leaving the group unable to do anything for fear of the havoc Team Rocket is wreaking. Seizing their opportunity, Team Rocket uses guidance waves to have Pikachu attack Ash, but their plan nearly backfires when Ash is able to get close to Pikachu and almost reaches past Pikachu's mind control. In response to this, Luxio charges forward and tackles Ash, at which point Clemont runs forward and tries to stop Luxio. However, Luxio attacks his Trainer with a vicious Thunder Fang attack, causing Ash, Serena, and Bonnie to cry out in alarm. Clemont holds on to Luxio, saying how he is right there with his Pokémon and he knows how much pain Luxio must be in. Mimicking Ash's vow to never give up until Luxio is free from Team Rocket's control, Luxio finally hears Clemont's voice just as the superconducting ring in the center of the plant glows red. Taking this chance, Clemont attaches his Aipom arm to the floor and uses his body as Luxio's grounding, telling his Pokémon to keep discharging as much as he can. The overload is successful and Pikachu, Dedenne, Luxio, and the other Pokémon are temporarily freed from Team Rocket's control. As Clemont nearly passes out from the electricity he endured, Luxio evolves into Luxray and uses Electric Terrain to destroy the devices Team Rocket was using before the latter can reestablish their control over the Electric Pokémon. All of the controlled Pokémon then join forces to send Team Rocket blasting off again.
That evening, one of the workers leaves for Lumiose City in a helicopter. To everyone's surprise, Clemont asks to go with him, wanting to have some time at the Gym to train, reflect on himself, and prepare for his Gym battle with Ash. As the helicopter flies away, Ash promises to win the Voltage Badge from Clemont and Clemont vows that he will not lose to Ash.
