Team Rocket motto
The Team Rocket motto (Japanese: ロケット団の名乗り Rocket Gang's self-introduction) is a motto that Team Rocket members often recite and/or live by.
In the anime
Jessie, James, and Meowth have several mottos, saying one of them in nearly every episode when they reveal themselves to Ash and his friends. Early on, they had an irresistible urge to say it whenever hearing the word "trouble", but this seemingly has been left to the past. This motto would usually be said by all members of the trio, but when one of them is not present, another member takes their line.
Original motto
| Japanese | Translation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ムサシ: なんだかんだと聞かれたら | Musashi: If you ask us something or other... | Jessie: Prepare for trouble! |
| コジロウ: 答えてあげるのが世の情け | Kojirō: The answer we give will be the compassion of the world! | James: Make it double! |
| ムサシ: 世界の破壊を防ぐため | Musashi: To prevent the destruction of the world! | Jessie: To protect the world from devastation! |
| コジロウ: 世界の平和を守るため | Kojirō: To protect the peace of the world! | James: To unite all peoples within our nation! |
| ムサシ: 愛と真実の悪をつらぬく | Musashi: To carry out the evils of truth and love! | Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love! |
| コジロウ: ラブリー・チャーミーな敵役 | Kojirō: The lovely, charmy villains! | James: To extend our reach to the stars above! |
| ムサシ: ムサシ | Musashi: Musashi! | Jessie: Jessie! |
| コジロウ: コジロウ | Kojirō: Kojirō! | James: James! |
| ムサシ: 銀河をかけるロケット団の二人には…… | Musashi: The pair from Team Rocket soars through the galaxy! | Jessie: Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light! |
| コジロウ: ホワイトホール、白い明日が待ってるぜ | Kojirō: A white hole, a white tomorrow awaits us! | James: Surrender now or prepare to fight! |
| ニャース: にゃんてにゃ | Nyarth: Something like that! | Meowth: Meowth! That's right! |
Since the episode Team Rocket was introduced in, the duo has been rhyming "prepare for trouble" and "make it double" phrases. An example from ZigZag Zangoose!, where Jessie was training Seviper and Meowth filled in for her, is:
- Meowth: Prepare for trouble, here in the wood...
- James: ... and make it double, like you know that you should!
Also, in almost all episodes after the Orange League, they tend to alter the first two sentences to match the current situation where they recite it.
Also, the lines "To denounce the evils of truth and love!" and "To extend our reach to the stars above!" were often said by both Jessie and James in the first season.
There were many occasions in which they would use a radio or something else to play the background music. Also, in many later episodes, James said "fight, fight, fight" at the end of his last line. Wobbuffet also began saying its name at the end of the motto in Tunnel Vision, and has done so in most episodes since.
It should also be noted that this version of the motto was used in commercials for Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen with each line being said by different children, omitting the parts where Jessie, James and Meowth say their own names and the line "Team Rocket, blasting off at the speed of light."
Team Rocket returned to this motto in A Lean Mean Team Rocket Machine, as a return to their "hip and cool" ways, done by only Jessie, James, and Meowth, without the usual ending additions of Wobbuffet and Mime Jr.
From New Places... Familiar Faces! onwards, Team Rocket started using this motto again, after having failed in their latest operation and making a brief retreat back to Kanto. Some slight changes in the dubbed version are that, the first lines are recited in most cases as "Prepare for trouble, you know the drill", "And make it double, you'll get your fill", and James now says "To unite the people within our nation", instead of "To unite all people within our nation".
Variations in the Original series
| Click [show] to see the variations. |
Battle Aboard the St. Anne mottoIn this episode James was depressed while saying his lines of the motto due to the fact that he was conned by the Magikarp Salesman. The Ghost of Maiden's Peak mottoAs James was under the trance of Gastly he was not present with Jessie and Meowth when they encountered the twerps, and Jessie was left to say most of the motto herself. However, James later reacted to hearing the motto, and made his whereabouts known by saying his last three lines. Pokémon Fashion Flash mottoIn this episode Team Rocket opens "Salon Roquet" and for this reason introduces itself with a special motto.
Showdown at the Po-ké Corral mottoIn this episode, Team Rocket has followed Ash and his friends to Professor Oak's Laboratory. When they start singing their motto, Meowth is constantly trying to get a phrase for himself.
Fourth Round Rumble mottoIn this episode, Team Rocket starts to sell fake Badges to Trainers in the Indigo Plateau. Near the end of the episode, they realize that they are much more successful selling stuff than when they are stealing stuff. At some point, Meowth says that they will eventually open a fast-food restaurant. This is the following dialogue:
This variation is a heavy variation of the usual motto and sounds like a restaurant motto. Meowth Rules! mottoIn this episode Meowth, being hit by Squirtle's Water Gun, flies up and falls on an island where a strange tribe that worships Meowth lives. Almost in the end of the episode when Meowth feels lonely and says he misses Jessie and James, they both appear and recite a special version of their motto for Meowth. At the same time, the tribal priest and high priest beg Meowth to stay with the tribe.
Tracey Gets Bugged mottoSince Jessie gets her hair cut short by a wild Scyther in this episode, Team Rocket recites a special motto.
A Way Off Day Off mottoTeam Rocket comes down from a cliff along a zip-line, but just when they are about to recite their names, Jessie and James crash into a tree and become a bit dizzy.
Meowth scratches both Jessie and James to their faces
The Double Trouble Header mottoPretending to be baseball fans, Team Rocket recites the following motto upon stealing Ash's Pikachu and Casey's Chikorita (both were later freed).
James catches a ball thrown by Jessie
Jessie and James throw themselves into each other's arms
Spinarak Attack mottoIn this episode Jessie and James try to imitate The Black Arachnid, a well-known burglar. Upon breaking into a rich mansion and seizing a valuable trophy, they introduce themselves to the stunned witnesses with the following motto.
The Chikorita Rescue mottoAfter quickly taking Chikorita off the Pokémon Center dressed as doctors, Nurse Joy ask where they are from. They respond with a variation of their motto:
Gettin' The Bugs Out mottoIn this episode, Ash challenges Bugsy of the Azalea Gym. During the battle, Team Rocket tries to dig a hole underneath Pikachu. While they are excavating, they start dreaming about the bonus that they will receive from their boss. During the beginning of the motto, they recite it without the usual music and stopping the words in the syllables.
Beginning of the usual music and normal recitation
The Tricks of the Trade mottoIn this episode, Jessie and James try to steal all Pokémon in the Pokémon Swap Meet using a fake trading machine. After all the Trainers have discovered that their Poké Balls are empty, they try to get them back from Team Rocket. After this, Team Rocket recites a simple variation of their motto:
The Goldenrod Opportunity mottoThis motto was recited by Jessie and James after they had confused some wares at a food store with free samples and had been caught by a saleswoman.
This episode is also notable due to the fact that Team Rocket did not shout out their usual "blasting off" phrase in it, even before disappearing in the Magnet Train tunnel although the shining star did appear. Fossil Fools mottoThis motto was said by Team Rocket after Ash, his friends, Professor Oak, and Foster arrived in the reservoir where the Omanyte and Omastar live.
This is also one of the few episodes where Jessie doesn't say "speed of light!" and James doesn't say "fight, fight, fight!" Hassle in the Castle mottoIn this episode Team Rocket breaks into a castle that later appeared to be a hospital, where Pokémon were used to treat people. Upon stealing some food from the dining room and trying to get away, Team Rocket was caught by Dr. Anna and Brock.
Beauty and the Breeder mottoIn this episode Jessie and James enter a Pokémon Beauty Contest, pretending not to be members of Team Rocket (they even forbid Meowth to talk). Because they want to be the first to show their Pokémon in order to make a better impression on the judges, they lock up the first contestant and appear on the stage instead of him. A small delay happens due to this.
Trouble With Snubbull mottoIn this episode Team Rocket tries to catch Madame Muchmoney's Snubbull in order to return it to her and receive a reward, which they suppose to be quite large.
Control Freak! mottoJessie and James recite this motto after Jessie obtains ancient mask and the staff that can be used to control any Pokémon without catching it.
For Ho-Oh the Bells Toll mottoIn this episode, Team Rocket steals the Crystal Bells, and they use a different version of their motto.
Dues and Don'ts mottoAt the beginning of this episode Ash and his friends meet Jessie, James and Meowth dressed up as American football players.
A Tyrogue Full of Trouble mottoThis motto is recited when Team Rocket steals the Tyrogue that Kiyo later captures.
Xatu the Future mottoTeam Rocket recites this motto before trying to steal treasures that people have brought to the Xatu for predicting a flood in order to pay the bill that TRDelibird ([[{{{2}}} (move)|{{{2}}}]]) had just brought to them.
Talkin' 'Bout an Evolution mottoJessie, James and Meowth recite this motto upon being caught by other Team Rocket members while trying to sneak into a Team Rocket's secret base thinking it were a farmhouse, where they could find something to eat.
As Cold as Pryce mottoTeam Rocket recites this motto when they encounter Ash in a forest.
Some Like it Hot mottoJessie, James and Meowth recite this motto as they steal Egan's Poké Ball with his freshly caught Magcargo. For some reason they are dressed up as baseball players (maybe because Egan demands that they return his Poké Ball).
Jessie throws a ball.
James hits the ball. Meowth catches it and seems to have been struck.
The Ice Cave! mottoTeam Rocket recites this motto as snowmen in the ice cave. This is a translated version from Japanese to fit with the rest of their mottos.
Just Add Water mottoTeam Rocket recites this motto upon appearing on the underwater arena of the Coastline Gym.
Lapras of Luxury mottoTeam Rocket recites this motto after snaring a herd of Lapras. The research theme is present in the motto due to the presence of Naomi, a Pokémon researcher, in the episode.
Jessie and James are shown lying on chaises longues in swimsuits
Jessie and James are now riding on surfboards
Entei at Your Own Risk mottosIn this episode Jessie and James approach "the twerps" disguised as food researchers giving out free milk in order to entrap Ash and his Pokémon.
They also recite their slightly altered usual motto later in the episode, as they attempt to steal Nelson's Misdreavus in order to use its Mean Look for their own purposes.
You're a Star, Larvitar! mottoTeam Rocket begins reciting this motto after launching their new Pokémon-sucking machine that creates a blast.
Jessie and James laugh
Good versionIn The Power of One, when Team Rocket decides to help Ash, they use a different version of their motto.
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Variations in the Advanced Generation series
| Click [show] to see the rest of the variations. |
Brave the Wave mottoThis motto is recited when a guy and his girl enter a café, where Team Rocket appears to be working.
Just One of the Geysers mottoTeam Rocket recites this motto upon being spotted in Brawly's secret base stealing food from his fridge.
Love at First Flight mottoJessie, James and Meowth recite this motto when Ash and Romeo find out that they have stolen Juliet's Illumise. While reciting this motto, Jessie and James are dressed up as Illumise and Volbeat, respectively.
True Blue Swablu mottoThis motto is recited after snatching Swablu from May.
A Fan with a Plan mottoIn this episode Jessie can't register in a Pokémon Contest, so she tries to steal May and Savannah's Ribbons. James and Meowth aren't really in the mood to Jessie's evil plans, so they recite their lines with low emotion.
The Garden of Eatin' motto
Training Wrecks mottoWith James confident in the training Team Rocket went through during the episode, they decide to steal Pikachu.
Solid as a Solrock mottoJessie, James and Meowth sing this motto before trying to steal Lunatone and Solrock.
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Song version
- Main article: Team Rocket Forever
Battle Frontier
During the Battle Frontier saga, Jessie, James, and Meowth changed their motto, likely to reflect the fact that the motto changed in the Japanese version at the start of the Advanced Generation series:
| Japanese | Translation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ムサシ: なんだかんだと声がする | Musashi: There is a voice saying something. | Jessie: Prepare for trouble from the skies! |
| コジロウ: 地平線の彼方から | Kojirō: From beyond the horizon... | James: From beyond the stars, a nasty surprise! |
| ムサシ: ビッグバンの彼方から | Musashi: From beyond the Big Bang... | Jessie: An evil as old as the galaxy... |
| コジロウ: 我らを呼んでる声がする | Kojirō: A voice is calling us! | James: ...sent here to fulfill our destiny! |
| ニャース: お待たせにゃ | Nyarth: Sorry to keep you waiting! | Meowth: Plus, there's me! |
| ムサシ: 健気に咲いた悪の花 | Musashi:Evil flowers who have courageously bloomed! | Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love! |
| コジロウ: ハードでスイートな敵役 | Kojirō: In the role of the villains who are hard and sweet! | James: To extend our reach to the stars above! |
| ムサシ: ムサシ | Musashi: Musashi! | Jessie: Jessie! |
| コジロウ: コジロウ | Kojirō: Kojirō! | James: And James! |
| ニャース: ニャースでニャース | Nyarth: And Nyarth! | Meowth: And Meowth are the names! |
| ムサシ: ロケット団のあるところ | Musashi: The place where Team Rocket is | Jessie: Anywhere there's peace in the universe... |
| コジロウ: 世界は | Kojirō: The world- | James: ...Team Rocket... |
| ニャース: 宇宙は | Nyarth: The universe- | Meowth: ...Will be there... |
| All: 君を待っている | All: Awaits you! | All: To make everything worse! |
| ソーナンス: ソーナンス！ | Sonans: Sōnansu! | Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet! |
Since the first episode, they have adapted their traditional rhyming phrases "Prepare for trouble" and "Make it double" into the motto, thereby restoring the first two lines of the original motto. James's Chimecho and Mime Jr. also contribute their names at the end of the motto in most episodes they appear in.
The Ole' Berate and Switch mottos
In this episode the main antagonists temporarily split up, only to get reunited in the end of the episode. During the time they were split, Jessie teamed with Butch, and James joined Cassidy and Butch (even though Butch never was with them). During the experience, both teams tried to recite a motto, which really didn't work because neither could remember the correct version.
Cassidy's and James's motto
- Cassidy: Prepare for trouble, it's a brand new day!
- James: We're making it double anyway!
- Mime Jr.: Mime mime, mime mime mime!
- Cassidy: Let's see if I can remember my lines! An evil as old as the galaxy!
- James: Sent here to fulfill our destiny!
- Cassidy: To denounce the goodness of truth and love!
- James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
- Cassidy: Whenever there's a piece of pie in the universe!
- James: Of pie!?
- Cassidy (stopping the motto): Aaah... I goofed it, so what!?
- James (despairing): Forget it...
Jessie's and Butch's motto
- Jessie: Prepare for trouble, we've shuffled the deck!
- Butch: It's not my thing, but what the heck!?
- Jessie: An evil as old as the galaxy!
- Butch: I'm doing this all from memory!
- Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
- Butch: To extend my arm with a big white glove!
- Jessie (angrily looking at him): Jessie!
- Butch (realizing that his previous line was somewhat idiotic): Aaah, Butch...
- Jessie (kicking him in the face): Cut! Do it right or don't do it at all!
Sinnoh
In Sinnoh, the trio changed to a new motto yet again.
| Japanese | Translation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ムサシ: なんだかんだの声を聞き | Musashi: We hear voices saying this and that... | Jessie: Listen, is that a voice I hear? |
| コジロウ: 光の速さでやってきた | Kojirō: We come along in a swift current of light... | James: It's speaking to me loud and clear. |
| ムサシ: 風よ | Musashi: The wind! | Jessie: On the wind! |
| コジロウ: 大地よ | Kojirō: The land! | James: Past the stars! |
| ニャース: 大空よ | Nyarth: The sky! | Meowth: In your ear! |
| ムサシ: 世界に届けよう デンジャラス | Musashi: The danger we will deliver to the world! | Jessie: Bringing chaos at a breakneck pace. |
| コジロウ: 宇宙に伝えよう クライシス | Kojirō: The crisis we will convey to the universe! | James: Dashing hope, putting fear in its place. |
| ムサシ: 天使か悪魔か その名を呼べば | Musashi: Whether angels or demons, if you call the name, | Jessie: A rose by any other name is just as sweet. |
| コジロウ: 誰もが震える魅惑の響き | Kojirō: The captivating echo that shakes everyone... | James: When everything's worse, our work is complete. |
| ムサシ: ムサシ | Musashi: Musashi! | Jessie: Jessie! |
| コジロウ: コジロウ | Kojirō: Kojirō | James: And it's James! |
| ニャース: ニャースでニャース | Nyarth: And Nyarth! | Meowth: And Meowth, now dat's a name! |
| ムサシ: 時代の主役はあたしたち | Musashi: The stars of the era are us! | Jessie: Putting the do-gooders in their place... |
| コジロウ: 我らは無敵の | Kojirō: We are the invincible... | James: ...we're Team Rocket... |
| All: ロケット団 | All: Team Rocket! | All: ...in your face! |
| ソーナンス: ソーナンス | Sonans: Sōnansu! | Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet! |
In the dub, they often replace the first two lines with
- Jessie: Listen, is that a twerpish voice I hear?
- James: It's shrieking to me loud and clear.
- Jessie: Listen, is that a pitiful head of a Pokécenter I hear?
- James: It whines to me loud and clear.
or something similar. As in Battle Frontier, Mime Jr. contributes its name after Wobbuffet.
It is notable that the Sinnoh motto is modified more often even in the Japanese version.
Variations in the Diamond & Pearl series
| Click [show] to see the variations. |
Shapes of Things to Come! motto
The Electrike Company mottoJessie wants to steal an Electrike, but James and Meowth think it's too soon.
Mass Hip-Po-Sis! mottoJessie falls asleep during the motto due to Hippopotas's Yawn, so James says her parts sounding like her while moving her body.
A Maze-ing Race motto
The Keystone Pops! mottoJessie pretends to be a psychic to catch Spiritomb and Pikachu.
Hot Springing a Leak! mottoIn this episode, Team Rocket steal water to build a hot spring, at the expense of Leona's family's hot spring. The first line builds off an earlier line about juvenile court.
Sleight of Sand! mottoIn this episode, Jessie and James try to ruin Cassidy and Butch's plans, and, in the way, steal Ash's Pokémon.
A Full Course Tag Battle! mottoMay has come back to battle in Wallace Cup—and Team Rocket has just stolen food—which is May's berserk button. The first two remark on May's return.
Hungry for the Good Life! motto
Fighting Fear with Fear! motto
Arriving in Style! mottoJessie is angry at losing the Hearthome Collection Contest, but James is upset with Jessie for ruining his accessories—and not a happy camper making him very unenthusiastic during the motto (even the music is turned off during his parts):
Sleepless in Pre-Battle! motto
Ancient Family Matters! motto
Noodles! Roamin' Off! mottoTeam Rocket attacks the twerps in a new machine shaped like a bowl of ramen noodles.
Classroom Training! mottoTeam Rocket has stolen Poké Balls from Snowpoint Trainers' School. Candice notices that Meowth is able to talk and says that it's impossible.
Pedal to the Mettle! mottoTeam Rocket is working disguised at a construction site, rebuilding a ruined battle field.
An Egg Scramble! mottoTeam Rocket has just stolen the food served at Johto Festival.
Try for the Family Stone! mottoTeam Rocket has just stolen Rhyanna's Misdreavus. Rhyanna asks them who in the world they are.
The Fleeing Tower of Sunyshore! mottoTeam Rocket is stealing the Sunyshore Tower, causing a blackout to the whole city. Flint asks what's going on.
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Unova
In Unova, the trio changed to a new motto yet again.
| Japanese | Translation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ムサシ: 「＊」と聞かれたら | Musashi: If we were asked "*" | Jessie: What a question, twerpish indeed! |
| コジロウ: 答えてあげよう明日のため | Kojirō: We will answer for the sake of tomorrow! | James: We'll answer these questions when we feel the need! |
| ムサシ: フューチャー 白い未来は悪の色 | Musashi: Future! A white future reflects the color of evil! | Jessie: Bringing the blinding white light of evil into the future! |
| コジロウ: ユニバース 黒い世界に正義の鉄槌 | Kojirō: Universe! The hammer of justice in a black world! | James: Thrusting the hammer of justice down onto the black darkness of the universe! |
| ニャース: 我らこの地にその名を記す | Nyarth: Our names will be remembered in this place! | Meowth: Carving our names in the Rock of Eternity! |
| ムサシ: 情熱の破壊者 ムサシ! | Musashi: Destroyer of passion, Musashi! | Jessie: The fiery destroyer, Jessie! |
| コジロウ: 暗黒の純情 コジロウ! | Kojirō: Pure heart of darkness, Kojirō! | James: And with thunderous emotion, I am James! |
| ニャース: 無限の知性 ニャース! | Nyarth: Infinite intelligence, Nyarth! | Meowth: Wisest of the wise, Meowth! |
| All: さあ集え! ロケット団の名のもとに! | All: Come gather! Under the name of Team Rocket! | All: And now gather, under the name of Team Rocket! |
"*" denotes the phrase Jessie copies when they are about to announce their motto.
Copied phrases
Only the line Jessie copies from and the line she begins the motto with are shown. The rest of the motto follows.
| Click [show] to see the copied phrases. |
The rest of the motto was not followed in this episode.
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Meowth filling in for Jessie or James
In many occasions, because Jessie or James weren't around, Meowth would fill the missing member lines. This first happened in The Stun Spore Detour, in which Meowth and James were following Misty to get some Salveyo Weed to heal Jessie from an attack by a wild Vileplume's Stun Spore. It happened again in ZigZag Zangoose! where Jessie was training Seviper, and James, Meowth and Wobbuffet tried to steal Ash's Pikachu. Later, in That's Just Swellow, Jessie and Meowth tried to steal the losing flying Pokémon almost at the end of the Contest, and because James was still participating on it, Meowth and Jessie said the motto all by themselves. In The Saffron Con, meanwhile Jessie was at an operation room, Meowth and James tried to steal some Pokémon. When Ash and his friend saw them, they said a special motto. Also, in Off the Unbeaten Path, while James was participating in the Pokémon Orienteering Contest, Jessie and Meowth tried to steal the prize and some Pokémon. When they were spotted by the twerps, they said their motto. Meanwhile they were saying that, Ash and his friends saved the Pokémon and the prize, leaving Jessie and Meowth really angry.
Butch and Cassidy
Butch and Cassidy also have a set of mottos, which are similar to Jessie and James's mottos. In The Breeding Center Secret, it is implied to be based on Jessie and James's motto, though in Pikachu Re-Volts, they state that theirs is actually the correct version. During Pokémon Chronicles, they add "(now) here's our mission, so ya better listen!" after Butch's first line of their version of the "original" motto. Like Meowth and Wobbuffet, Cassidy's Raticate appears at the end. Apparently, they have switched to a new motto, which is itself similar to Jessie and James's Sinnoh motto, with Butch's Shuckle appearing instead of Cassidy's Raticate.
Original Motto
| Japanese | Translation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Cassidy: Prepare for trouble... | ||
| Butch: ...and make it double! | ||
| Cassidy: To infect the world with devastation! | ||
| Butch: To blight all people in every nation! | ||
| Cassidy: To denounce the goodness of truth and love! | ||
| Butch: To extend our wrath to the stars above! | ||
| Cassidy: Cassidy! | ||
| Butch: And Butch, of course! | ||
| Cassidy: We're Team Rocket, circling Earth all day and all night! | ||
| Butch: Surrender to us now or you will surely lose the fight! |
Sinnoh motto
This is the version used in Sleight of Sand. Because of some of the lines included, it was probably composed especially for whenever the two Team Rocket groups crossed paths.
- Cassidy: A shrieking whine! A blast from the past!
- Butch: Spinning like a Gyro Ball and moving fast!
- Cassidy: To the moon...
- Butch: ...And beyond...
- Both: ...What a blast!
- Cassidy: Administering justice with lightning speed!
- Butch: Bashing the bad guys, should we feel the need.
- Cassidy: So here's a newsflash from across the wire...
- Butch: The real Team Rocket is now on fire!
- Cassidy: Cassidy!
- Butch: And it's Butch!
- Shuckle: Shuck-uckle!
- Cassidy: Teaching the losers a thing or two...
- Butch: ...The true Team Rocket...
- Both: Us! Not you!
Ripoffs
The motto has been ripped off repeatedly by Ash and his friends during the series. The first time it was done was in Bye Bye Butterfree, where Ash, Misty and Brock entered the house where Team Rocket was by breaking the windows and by saying the first lines of the motto. In Ditto's Mysterious Mansion, Ash, Misty, and Brock, along with Duplica, put on Team Rocket uniforms and mocked the original motto, with Duplica severely angering the two by saying "ignite" instead of "unite". James's parents revealed that they weren't dead by saying the lines "Prepare for trouble!" and "Yes dear, and make it double!".
The director Cleavon Schpielbunk used a motto to introduce himself -- "Prepare for trouble! No stunt double!"—with Jessie saying, "Um, excuse me, sir, but aren't those our lines?" after the first two lines.
In It's Mr. Mime Time when Ash revealed that he was the one in the Mr. Mime costume the Team Rocket background music was playing. The motto was mockingly mimicked again in The Chikorita Rescue!. In The Mother Of All Battles!, the Pokémon Poacher Brothers introduced themselves to Ash and the gang in a Team Rocket-style motto. However, there was no background music like in the Rocket's introduction, they only said their names with a big "B" behind them, but even though it was different, Jessie stated that they were just imitating them. Much later, the DP motto was mocked in Mass Hip-Po-Sis and The Keystone Pops!. Like the many times before, the trio was angered.
Bye Bye Butterfree
- Ash: Prepare for trouble!
- Misty: And you can make that triple!
- Brock: To protect the world from devastation!
- Ash and Misty: To unite all peoples within our nation!
- Jessie (deadpan): This was just...
- James (deadpan): Too good...
- Meowth (deadpan): To last.
- Ash: You got that right.
- Pikachu: Pika!
- Misty: We're defending the beauty of truth and love!
- Brock: Let's do it!
- Meowth (interrupting them): We gotta stop that!
Ditto's Mysterious Mansion
So far, this is the only episode of the series to show Ash and his friends actually completely doing the whole original motto.
- Ash: Prepare for trouble!
- Brock: And make it Double, Double!
- James (angrily): Uhh, quit imitating us!
- Misty: To protect the world from devastation!
- Duplica: To ignite all people within our nation!
- Jessie (angrily): Err! This is insulting!
- Ash: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
- Misty: To extend our reach to the stars above!
- Ash: Ash!
- Misty: Misty!
- Brock: And Brock!
- Duplica: Duplica, that's right!
- Brock: Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!
- Duplica: Surrender now, or prepare to fight all of us!
- Pikachu: Pika, Pika!
Schpielbunk's motto
In the episode Lights, Camera, Quacktion! the director Cleavon Schpielbunk introduces himself with a motto which is very similar to that of Team Rocket.
- Prepare for trouble! No stunt double!
- To protect the movies from devastation!
- To restore spectacle and imagination!
- To make great epics of hate and love!
- To direct the best films you ever heard of!
- Cleavon Schpielbunk, winner of the Golden Growlithe for best director at the Flea Collar Film Festival!
- Lights! Camera!
- Hit your mark when I call "Action!" or prepare to fight!
- That's right!
The Chikorita Rescue
In this episode Ash Ketchum breaks into a Team Rocket hideout to save a Chikorita, captured by Jessie and James. He recites a motto and Team Rocket instinctively says their phrases.
- Ash: Team Rocket, prepare for trouble! On second thought, make that double!
- Jessie (surprised): To protect the world from devastation?
- James (surprised): To unite all peoples within our nation?
- Ash: Maybe you think I'm a little too brash. But the master is here and my name is Ash!
- Pikachu: Pikachu!
- Ash: My Pokémon team is faster than light! Surrender now or you're in for a fight!
- Meowth: Meowth! That's right!
Mass Hip-Po-Sis
- Dawn (really angry): Get ready for trouble!
- Pikachu (really angry): Pika!
- Brock (really angry): Make it double!
- James (shocked): Hey, no fair!
The Keystone Pops!
- Ash: Listen, is that bad guy talk I hear?
- Dawn: It speaks to me loud and clear!
- Ash: On the wind!
- Dawn: Past the stars!
- Brock: In your ear!
- Jessie (interrupting them): It's that kind of imitation they invented lawsuits for!
- Dawn: Chill out! We couldn't care less about you!
- Ash: We're looking for Spiritomb!
Blasting off
When defeated, and sent flying off due to a Pokémon's attack (usually Pikachu's Thunderbolt) or a malfunction in their mechas, Jessie, James, and Meowth usually cry, 「やな感じ！」 ("What a bad feeling!") in the original, which became "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" (4Kids dub) or "We're blasting off again!" (TPCi dub) before disappearing into the distance with a twinkle. The first time they blasted off was in their debut episode, and the first time the twinkle was seen was during their following blast off, in Clefairy and the Moon Stone.
Blasting off usually happens only once time per episode, but there have been many occasions in which it has happened multiple times, especially in Malice In Wonderland!, where they are shown blasting off four times on screen, and heard to blast off many more times offscreen. Another occurrence when they blasted off more than once was in Noodles! Roamin' Off!, but this could be because the episode focused on Team Rocket. In A Faux Oak Finish!, James blasted off by himself. Butch and Cassidy have also "blasted off"; however, James noted once that he, Jessie, and Meowth had copyrighted it in Off The Unbeaten Path.
After Memories are Made of Bliss!, Team Rocket didn't blast off during the Best Wishes series. From Scare at the Litwick Mansion! onwards, they usually used jetpacks in order to escape. For this reason, those blastoffs weren't against their will nor involved pain, so they didn't scream their famous quote, "We're blasting off again!" either. Starting from New Places... Familiar Faces!, Team Rocket has blasted off like before, although they didn't say the catchphrase until Team Plasma's Pokémon Power Plot!. They still use their jetpacks in some episodes.
In the manga
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
In the Pokémon Adventures manga, the "Rocket" in Team Rocket is apparently their motto, which is an acronym for:
- Raid
- On
- City
- Knock out
- Evil
- Tusks
Trivia
- The motto used during the Battle Frontier is rather unique since it was said once during the Pokémon: Advanced Battle season, and once during the Pokémon: Diamond & Pearl season.
- In every single one of Butch's appearances in the Original series, he was the one who said the line "Prepare for trouble!", which is usually said by the female character. In The Breeding Center Secret, Butch, along with Cassidy, said "Prepare for trouble and make it double!". In Pikachu Re-Volts, he was the one who began the motto showdown by saying "Then prepare for trouble!". In The Fortune Hunters, he said alone "Prepare for trouble and make it double!". In The Mystery is History!, he said "Prepare for trouble, you got that right!". The last time he did this was in A Parent Trapped!, where he said "It's time to prepare for trouble!". In Pokémon Chronicles, the motto was said like Jessie and James say it.
- The original motto was used in a commercial for FireRed and LeafGreen in the United States, although without Jessie and James's names or the line "Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light."
- In the Sinnoh motto, Jessie's section of "A rose by any other name is just as sweet" alludes to Act II Scene II Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet where Juliet argues:
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
- This is a commonly quoted phrase meaning that the names of things do not matter, only what the thing is.
- In the Unova motto, Jessie likens herself to Reshiram with the words "white" and "fiery", while James likens himself to Zekrom with "black" and "thunderous".
- In the European Portuguese dub, the expression "Preparar para azar!", the Portuguese equivalent to "Prepare for trouble!" (which literally translated is "Prepare for bad luck!") is still used in recent episodes as a Team Rocket's catchphrase, even during some mottos.
