Before Ash and his friends leave Veilstone City, Paul's brother Reggie shows him the city's most famous sight: a field full of ancient meteorites that are considered the guardians of the city. Then it's off to the Pokémon Center to plan for Ash's next destination, the Gym in Pastoria City. All the while, Team Galactic prepares to execute the next stage in their grand scheme—Commander Saturn has come to town with the strange cube he took from the Solaceon Ruins, and the meteorites' presence transforms the cube into the Spear Key. With the Key now in hand, Saturn signals for the second phase to begin.
From their secret base in Veilstone, Team Galactic jams the entire city with a magnetic wave, disrupting everything from the communications grid to the medical equipment at the Pokémon Center. Using that as cover, they move in to steal the meteorites. Gym Leader Maylene's Lucario senses that something's afoot, so she and our heroes rush to the meteorite field and find Team Galactic ready to fly off with the meteorites.
Even with Officer Jenny as reinforcement, Ash and the gang are still outnumbered as they try to stop Team Galactic. While Brock's Croagunk faces down Saturn's Toxicroak, Team Galactic's minions release a swarm of Golbat. The Golbat hold everyone off—until Reggie and Paul's Electabuzz show up and Electabuzz teams up with Pikachu to unleash Electric-type attacks. The tide turns and Pikachu helps cut the meteorites loose, forcing Team Galactic to retreat. Another victory for the forces of good! However, despite the loss of the meteorites, Team Galactic's scheme is still proceeding as planned...
As Ash and his friends are preparing to leave Veilstone City, Reggie takes them to see the meteors of the city. The gang marvel at where the meteors could have come from, as red, green and blue lights appear far overhead. Back at the Pokémon Center, Ash plans the next Gym to go to, with Nurse Joy suggesting Pastoria's Gym. Meanwhile, Saturn steps out of a helicopter and heads into the Veilstone Galactic Headquarters with a mysterious box in hand. He briefs the Grunts about what their mission is, and then leaves to go to the park where the meteors are held.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket is planning and singing about how they will steal the meteors, until James points out that trying to lift one, all four would receive a hernia. They are interrupted by helicopters touching down, while others hover overhead. In the Pokémon Center, Reggie is talking on the videophone with Paul. Reggie comments to Paul about how Ash is a formidable opponent, which annoys Paul. Back at the meteor field, Saturn steps out of a helicopter and gets out the box, revealing it to be the Spear Key. In the meteor's presence, the cube-like key hovers and reforms into a different shape, and as this happens, the meteors start glowing and release beams of light into the air. Many people, including Ash, Dawn, Brock, Maylene, and Reggie, take notice. Saturn radios HQ to run the scrambling. The Grunt on the other end complies, and communications and all technology (excluding vehicles and Galactic Equipment) across the city go down. This prompts Officer Jenny to dispatch forces across the city, while the gang heads over to the hill. En route, they bump into Maylene and her Lucario, who tells them that Connally has gone to inform Jenny about what's happening.
While this is happening, Team Galactic notice Team Rocket, and the Trio start their motto, only to be interrupted by a nonchalant Saturn sending out his Toxicroak, who blasts them a short distance with a Sludge Bomb. The gang arrive and suspect the Rocket's to be behind it, to the ire of Jessie. Toxicroak sends a Dark Pulse at them all, and Lucario quickly intervenes with an Aura Sphere which has no effect on Toxicroak. Jenny arrives, and confronts and reveals who Team Galactic are. At this point, Saturn tells the Grunts to release their Golbat to distract the group, in order for the meteors to continue being lifted. The group struggles with the Golbat, until Reggie arrives with Electabuzz to help in the fight. While the fight is going on, Brock's Croagunk and Saturn's Toxicroak are battling, when Team Rocket get in middle of two attacks and end up blasting off. The group take out many of the Golbat after a lucky shot from a combined electric attack by Pikachu and Electabuzz. Electabuzz becomes surrounded by Golbat, until Pikachu uses Thunderbolt to disperse them, and asks if Electabuzz is OK. One of the Golbat, however, manages to fire off a Shadow Ball at Pikachu, which Electabuzz blocks. The attention turns to the helicopters, and the gang turns their attention to the cables attached to the meteors. Pikachu uses Volt Tackle, supercharged by Electabuzz's Thunder attack, Lucario uses Bone Rush to cut the cables, and Dawn's Piplup uses Whirlpool to contain the meteors to protect them. Saturn sighs at the Grunts telling him that it's time, and retreats. Pikachu and Lucario send off a Thunderbolt and an Aura Sphere respectively, but the helicopters are too far away.
Ash apologizes for not being able to apprehend them, but Jenny says that everyone is safe, as are the meteors, so it's a job well done. Meanwhile, in the helicopter, Saturn discusses how their next plan is at the lake, as Team Galactic flies further into the night sky. The next morning, Ash and his friends say goodbye to Maylene and Reggie before departing.