EP001: Difference between revisions

The episode begins like the opening of {{game|Red and Green}}, down to the animation and sound effects. A {{p|Nidorino}} and a {{p|Gengar}} are exchanging attacks in a {{pkmn|battle}}. After Nidorino dodges Gengar's attack, it leaps at it. The scene seamlessly comes to life as the small [[Pokémon games|game]] screen enlarges and the monochrome [[Pokémon (species)|Pokémon]] gain color and detail.

The two are battling in a stadium at the [[Pokémon League]], watched by crowds of fans. Gengar dodges Nidorino's {{m|Horn Attack}}, and then jumps on its head. It leaps backward and successfully puts its opponent to sleep with {{m|Hypnosis}}. As Nidorino falls {{status|Sleep|asleep}}, its Trainer returns it to its [[Poké Ball]] and then throws out another to take its place. Gengar jumps back as an {{p|Onix}} comes out. It tries to {{m|Tackle}} into Gengar head-first, but misses and hits the battlefield instead. It pulls back up, unfazed.

[[Delia Ketchum|His mother]] enters the room and reminds him that it is 11 o'clock at night and he should be asleep. He complains that he is too excited to fall asleep. As a compromise, his mother changes his television's channel to [[Professor Oak's lecture]] and tells him to go to bed when the program is finished.

That night, he dreams about deciding which starter Pokémon he wants. First, he dreams of choosing and sending out {{p|Bulbasaur}}, and then {{p|Squirtle}}. The night turns to morning, and Ash, still in bed, dreams of choosing {{p|Charmander}}. Suddenly, he suddenly awakens to find that he has thrown his {{p|Voltorb}}-shaped alarm clock in his sleep, breaking it against a wall as a result. Afraid that he might have overslept, Ash runs out of his house in his pajamas and shoes to get to [[Professor Oak's Laboratory]].

Outside the laboratory, a crowd of people have gathered, including a group of {{TP|Gary|cheerleaders}}. Ash pushes through and bumps into his [[rival]], the professor's grandson, [[Gary Oak]]. Gary taunts Ash for being late. He tells Ash that he has already received {{TP|Gary|his starter Pokémon|Blastoise}} from his grandfather. He boasts to the crowd that he will make Pallet Town famous by becoming a Pokémon Master. Ash, however, is more interested in finding out which starter Gary chose. Gary only tells him that it was the best one and then leaves in a red sports car, followed by the crowd.

Before Ash can fully express his frustration, Professor Oak approaches him. Ash's mood changes from anger to excitement as he asks about getting a Pokémon. Professor Oak seems doubtful that he is ready since he has shown up in his pajamas, but Ash insists that he is.

Professor Oak reluctantly mentions that he has another Pokémon, but there is a problem with it. Ash wants it anyway. In the fourth spot in the middle, a Poké Ball appears that has a lightning bolt mark on it. Oak picks it up and hands the Poké Ball to Ash. With a flash of light, {{AP|Pikachu}} comes out of the Ball. Ash loves the cute Pokémon, picks it up, and hugs it. Pikachu does not like this and shocks him with an {{t|Electric}} attack. Oak hands Ash a [[Pokédex]] and six Poké Balls, but gets shocked as well when he touches Ash.

When Ash steps outside the laboratory, he finds a small crowd has gathered to cheer him on as well, including his mother, who is sad to see him leaving. She gives him his [[bag|backpack]] full of supplies, and starts explaining everything she packed for him. Ash gets embarrassed when she reminds him to change his underwear every day, and pulls his bag away from her, telling her she was embarrassing him. She sees Pikachu, and wonders why it is not in its Poké Ball. Ash tries to get it in, but it hits the Ball back every time. Ash's mother says it is cute that Ash and Pikachu are playing catch, and that they must be great friends already. Ash replies that they are buddies, despite Pikachu's behavior. His mother calls it weird, and taking offense at her comment, Pikachu shocks the entire crowd (excluding Professor Oak) with its electricity.

Soon, Ash sets off, trying to get a handle on the rebellious Pokémon by wearing rubber gloves and dragging it with a clothesline leash. After getting tired of dragging it along, he tries to talk to it and find out what is wrong, only to find out that Pikachu cannot say anything but its name. He tries to convince it to get back in its Poké Ball, and pulls out his new Pokédex for information on it. His Pokédex explains that Pokémon must be kept in the Poké Ball. Then Pikachu clicks it and it explains that not all Pokémon like to be kept in Poké Balls. Ash decides to earn Pikachu's trust by treating it nicely. He unties the clothesline and takes off his rubber gloves, but Pikachu turns away from him.

A {{p|Pidgey}} walks out near them and Ash scans it with his Pokédex for more information. He is eager to catch it, though Pikachu does not want to help him and instead runs up a tree. Frustrated, Ash decides to catch the Pidgey without Pikachu's help. He throws a Poké Ball at it, but the Pidgey breaks out easily. The Pokédex explains that a Pokémon should be weakened before it can be caught. Pikachu laughs at Ash. Ash tries again, this time attempting to throw his pajama shirt on top of the Pidgey, but the bird blows him off with a {{m|Gust}} and then hits him with a {{m|Sand-Attack}}, before flying away. Pikachu laughs at Ash more. Ash turns and sees that a {{p|Rattata}} is digging through his bag. He scans it with his Pokédex, which mentions that Rattata is a forest Pokémon. Just as Ash questions why it came out into the field, the Pokédex explains that it sometimes leaves its habitat to steal from ''stupid'' travelers. Pikachu laughs at Ash even more.

Ash turns and notices a group of Pidgey in the field. He throws a rock at them, which only scares them away. However, he sees another bird Pokémon in the field and throws a rock at it, which hits it in the back of its head. When it turns to look at him, however, he realizes that he did not hit a Pidgey; he scans it with his Pokédex and learns that it is a {{p|Spearow}}, which is considerably less docile than a Pidgey. The Spearow swoops down at Ash several times to attack him, and then spots and targets Pikachu instead. The Pokédex explains that wild Pokémon are sometimes jealous of trained Pokémon. Just as the Spearow is about to knock Pikachu out of the tree, Pikachu shocks it with an Electric attack, and it is knocked out of the sky.

The Spearow, however, cries for help, and Ash and Pikachu start running away from a flock of angry Spearow. Pikachu runs ahead of Ash and the Spearow fly after it, attacking it until it falls to the ground. The Spearow start swarming around it, but Ash grabs his injured Pikachu and runs straight to a waterfall. He jumps into the river below to escape the Spearow and is dragged into a large pond, narrowly swimming out of the path of a {{p|Gyarados}}.

On the shore of this pond, a {{an|Misty|girl}} is [[fishing]], and is excited to find that she has a bite. However, instead of a {{type|Water}} Pokémon, she pulls out Ash and Pikachu. She does not care about Ash, but is very concerned about the injured Pokémon in his arms. She tells him that he needs to take it to the [[Pokémon Center]] in [[Viridian City]], and points out the way to go. At that moment, Ash hears the distant cries of Spearow, and turns to see the flock flying toward him from afar. He steals the girl's [[bicycle|bike]], putting the Pikachu in its basket, and rides away, promising that he will bring it back someday. The girl screams at him as he rides away, but he ignores her.

Ash rides quickly towards Viridian City, with storm clouds forming above him and the flock of Spearow in close pursuit. Soon, it starts to rain. Ash rides the bike over a ledge and it falls on its side, knocking Ash and Pikachu off. Ash finds himself looking at his injured Pikachu lying on the ground, with the Spearow approaching and the storm growing worse. Desperate to save his Pokémon, he leaves Pikachu's Poké Ball next to it and tells it to get inside for safety. Ash then spreads out his arms and stands before the Spearow, telling them to attack him. However, just as the Spearow are diving upon Ash, Pikachu leaps up and over Ash's shoulder to confront the flock of Spearow. The lightning from the storm is drawn to Pikachu, striking it and vastly increasing its power. Pikachu unleashes a massive discharge of electricity that lights up the dark sky and takes out the entire flock of Spearow, as well as the girl's bike. Pikachu is drained of stamina from the effort.

Once the storm has cleared, Ash and Pikachu both rise from where they were knocked back on the ground, exhausted but victorious. Ash looks up and sees {{an|Ho-Oh|a shimmering, golden Pokémon}} majestically flying through the sky and over the rainbow that had been left after the storm, but his Pokédex is unable to identify the species.

Ash continues on to Viridian City, carrying his new friend Pikachu. Having gained its trust, Ash receives a lick from Pikachu. The pair trek toward Viridian, still in need of the Pokémon Center, but briefly take the time to wonder what else lies ahead of them on their journey.