BW112

←	BW111 : There's a New Gym Leader in Town!

Team Plasma's Pokémon Power Plot!

BW112

EP769

アクロマVSハンサム！プラズマ団の陰謀！！
Achroma VS Handsome! Plasma-dan's Conspiracy!!

First broadcast

Japan	February 7, 2013
United States	May 11, 2013

English themes

Opening	It's Always You and Me
Ending

Japanese themes

Opening	やじるしになって！2013
Ending	サクラ・ゴーラウンド

Credits

No additional credits are available at this time.
Animation	Team Kato
Screenplay	藤田伸三 Shinzō Fujita
Storyboard	古賀一臣 Kazuomi Koga
Assistant director	古賀一臣 Kazuomi Koga
Animation directors	夏目久仁彦 Kunihiko Natsume
Animation directors	岩根雅明 Masaaki Iwane

Team Plasma's Pokémon Power Plot! (Japanese: アクロマVSハンサム！プラズマ団の陰謀！！ Achroma VS Handsome! Plasma-dan's Conspiracy!!) is the 112th episode of Pokémon the Series: Black & White, and the 769th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on February 7, 2013 and in the United States on May 11, 2013.

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

Blurb

In a dark laboratory, the scientist Colress experiments on a terrified Galvantula, attempting to increase its power using electromagnetic waves. It seems he is part of a mysterious organization called Team Plasma, which seeks to control the Unova region...

Meanwhile, our heroes are heading for the White Ruins via Floccesy Town when they are attacked by three angry Amoonguss! Ash, Iris, and Cilan fight them off and then take them to the Pokémon Center, where they find the place is packed! Nurse Joy explains that many of the mountain Pokémon have been coming into town and attacking people for no apparent reason, and a Trainer mentions that he’s seen some strangers hanging out at an abandoned observatory near the peak.

Ash and the others set out to investigate, and they’re headed up the mountain when a bearded fellow advises them not to go any farther because it’s too dangerous. He’s quickly proven right when all the Pokémon in the area—including Pikachu and Axew—suddenly turn on the group and start attacking! The man produces a device that shields the Pokémon from the harmful EM waves, and as they calm down, he removes his disguise: it’s Detective Looker of the International Police, last seen chasing down Team Galactic in the Sinnoh region, and now on the trail of Team Plasma! He’s tracked them to the abandoned observatory, and naturally, our heroes decide to come along and help.

When they confront Team Plasma inside the observatory, Colress decides that Pikachu would be the perfect subject for his experiments. It’s a tense moment as Pikachu struggles against the control of Colress’s machine...but the bond between Ash and Pikachu is stronger than any EM wave, and Pikachu breaks free. Colress is marveling at this development when he notices a strange device plugged into his machine, stealing his data: it’s Team Rocket! They grab some of the equipment, which frees all the mountain Pokémon from the scientist’s influence, and flee in their balloon. But a missile from Team Plasma’s airship sends them blasting off again.

Looker realizes that the remaining equipment is set to self-destruct, and quickly gets everyone out of the building before the observatory blows up, destroying all evidence of Team Plasma’s presence and Colress’s experiments. He vows to get to the bottom of Team Plasma’s villainous plot, and Ash and the others wish him well as he departs and they resume their journey to the White Ruins.

Plot

In a dark room, a Galvantula is the subject of an experiment by Colress, Team Plasma's head scientist. With Aldith and two other Team Plasma Grunts looking on, a device attaches to the Galvantula's glass prison and begins emitting strange energy waves. As a small receiver on Galvantula's head blinks to life, the EleSpider Pokémon begins releasing massive amounts of electricity, its eyes glowing red and its demeanor becoming more violent. Aldith comments that Colress' experiment will soon give Team Plasma the power to conquer Unova, but Colress declares that his only concern is whether or not he can unlock the true strength of Pokémon.

Meanwhile, Ash and his friends arrive in Floccesy Town, only to be attacked with Solar Beam by a group of wild Amoonguss with the same red eyes as Galvantula. Unable to determine the source of their rage, Ash has Pikachu subdue the Amoonguss with a Thunderbolt. The group brings the unconscious Pokémon to the Pokémon Center, only to find Nurse Joy already dealing with dozens of similar cases. Officer Jenny explains that the patients are all casualties of the same incidents: the wild Pokémon living around Floccesy Town have recently started coming down from their mountain home and violently attacking everyone they see. A young man comments that he had seen a suspicious group of people near the old observatory on the mountain, despite it having been closed for years. With Officer Jenny occupied with a rampaging Bouffalant, Ash and his friends decide to investigate themselves. Unbeknownst to them, Team Rocket is eavesdropping on the conversation, deciding to follow the group and wait for a chance to steal Pikachu; additionally, a bearded Hiker appears to have taken interest in Ash's group.

Back in Colress' lab, the Plasma grunts are astonished by the increase in Galvantula's power and aggression. Aldith explains that the experiment has also left Galvantula under their complete control, but the Pokémon falls unconscious when Colress shuts down his machine. Lamenting that he may have used too much power, the scientist decides to work with his next subject: a Beartic. As he starts up the machine again, Colress explains that he is using EM radio waves to force Pokémon into a state of extreme aggression, increasing the power of their attacks. He boasts that his theories are working flawlessly, Beartic roaring in pain as it falls under his control.

On the path leading up the mountain, Ash's group has stopped for a short rest. While Pikachu and Axew play together and Iris tries to keep Cilan's mind off of the beautiful landscape and on their investigation, the Hiker seen in the Pokémon Center arrives to chat with Ash, suggesting that he keep away from the observatory. Before Ash can question further, Pikachu and Axew suddenly turn on their trainers and are joined by a group of wild Grass-type Pokémon and a small flock of Pidove. Ash and his friends are saved by the Hiker, who throws a small device that emits an orange energy field to return the Pokémon to normal. As Ash and Iris reunite with their Pokémon, the Hiker explains that his device emits EM waves to counteract the signal that drove the Pokémon to aggression. He also welcomes Ash and Pikachu as old friends, revealing himself to be none other than Looker.

After introducing himself to Iris and Cilan, Looker reveals that he is on the trail of Team Plasma. Learning what little the officer knows about the villains, including their plans to conquer Unova, Ash, Iris, and Cilan offer to help Looker's search. Seeing that the EM waves have stopped for now, Looker agrees, asking them to stay close to him in case the malignant waves start up again. Watching this exchange from a nearby shrub, Jessie and James plan to steal Team Plasma's technology for themselves, believing that it will help them catch Pikachu. Their scheming is interrupted by an irate Meowth, who has been bound with a metal ring to prevent him from attacking his allies when the radio waves activate. James promises to free Meowth shortly, but the talking Scratch Cat Pokémon rages that his bonds are hurting his arms, lamenting that he was framed.

Within the observatory, the Team Plasma operatives receive a transmission from their leader, Ghetsis. He asks Colress for a status report on their experiment, remarking that the rampaging wild Pokémon are proving beneficial to Team Plasma's ultimate goals. However, Colress reports that the EM wave generator is still in the testing stage - it will take some time before they can implement it fully. The discussion is interrupted when the security systems detect intruders nearby, prompting Ghetsis to suggest using Colress' test subjects against them. Colress agrees wholeheartedly – if only to gather more data on their power increase – but admits that his Pokémon will require some more time to recover from the tests. To this end, Aldith leads the other grunts out of the room, while Ghetsis bids Colress "good hunting".

Outside the observatory, Ash, Iris, Cilan, and Looker are confronted by Aldith's subordinates, who send out a Golbat and a Magnemite. Pikachu and Axew quickly engage the attacking Pokémon, but Aldith soon orders her comrades to retreat into the building. Ash leads his friends in hot pursuit of the grunts, only to come face-to-face with Colress in the latter's experimenting room. After dispelling Looker's belief that he is the leader of Team Plasma, Colress summons his brainwashed Pokémon: Galvantula, Beartic, Scolipede, and Mienshao. Ash and Pikachu's pleas to fight the control go unheeded as the Pokémon attack with their strongest moves, Colress explaining that his machine has driven them to furious aggression against humans while leaving them under Team Plasma's complete control.

Realizing that diplomacy has failed, Ash and Iris order their Pokémon to counter their opponents' attacks, matching the brainwashed Pokémon blow for blow. Aldith and the other two grunts are shocked, but Colress' interest only grows; he comments that Ash and his friends are bringing out incredible strength in their Pokémon. Deciding to test this strength for himself, Colress attaches a receiver to Pikachu's head and activates his machine. Looker attempts to use his disruptor, but the device is no match for Colress' powerful EM wave emitter, leaving Pikachu to fall under Team Plasma's control. The brainwashed Mouse Pokémon quickly launches a vicious attack against its friends, seemingly deaf to Ash's pleas for it to stop. Aldith gloats that Pikachu can no longer hear its Trainer as Colress turns up his machine's power, but Ash continues begging Pikachu to fight the control. As he screams Pikachu's name, the Electric-type Pokémon struggles for a moment before overloading Colress' receiver, freeing itself from his influence.

Colress is delighted by Pikachu's resilience, but Aldith tells him that they have no time to analyze it. Before she can have their other Pokémon attack again, a small device lands on Colress' control panel and begins hacking his machine's systems. Colress' attempts to save his mainframe are in vain; his console explodes, the wild Pokémon are freed, and Team Rocket retrieves their spy camera before reciting their motto. Sneering that Team Plasma is too incompetent to rule Unova, Jessie, James, and Meowth promise to use Colress' research for their own ends before making their escape. Despite this, Colress declares that they have all the data they need to continue their work elsewhere, prompting Aldith to lead them in a retreat. Looker tries to follow the criminals, but they activate a hidden self-destruct mechanism, forcing the group to evacuate the Pokémon and take cover. As the observatory explodes, Team Plasma escapes in a helicopter, shooting down Team Rocket's balloon on their way out.

Looker is disappointed that Team Plasma managed to escape and destroy all evidence of their activities, but nonetheless reports his findings to Officer Jenny. After Nurse Joy begins tending to the remaining wild Pokémon affected by Colress' device, Ash and his friends meet Looker outside the Pokémon Center. Declaring that he can always count on Ash and Pikachu, the officer leaves to continue his hunt for Team Plasma, leaving Ash's group to resume their trek towards the White Ruins.

Major events

Looker returns, with Iris and Cilan meeting him for the first time.
Ash, Iris, and Cilan encounter the villainous Team Plasma, as well as the Plasma Scientist Colress, for the first time.

For a list of all major events in the animated series, please see the history page.

Debuts

Humans

Team Plasma
- Colress
- Ghetsis (hologram)
- Team Plasma Grunts
  - Aldith

Pokémon debuts

Characters

Humans

Dare da?

Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?

Who's That Pokémon?: Magnemite (US and international) Mienshao (Japan)

Pikachu (Ash's)
Meowth (Team Rocket)
Axew (Iris's)
Audino (Nurse Joy's; ×2)
Golbat (Team Plasma Grunt's)
Magnemite (Team Plasma Grunt's)
Karrablast (Trainer's)
Darmanitan (Trainer's)
Herdier (Trainer's)
Sandile (Trainer's)
Swanna (Trainer's)
Pidove (Trainer's)
Deerling (Trainer's)
Galvantula
Beartic
Mienshao
Scolipede
Maractus
Deerling (×2; Summer Form)
Lilligant
Amoonguss (multiple)
Pidove (multiple)
Patrat
Herdier (flashback)
Blitzle (flashback; ×2)
Deerling (flashback; ×2)
Pidove (flashback; multiple)
Minccino (flashback)
Lillipup (flashback)
Swadloon (flashback)
Leavanny (flashback)

Trivia

Professor Oak's Pokémon Live Caster: Boldore
This episode marks the proper anime debut of Team Plasma and the proper return of Looker, since the episode in which Team Plasma was supposed to debut and Looker was supposed to return was never aired.
- Also, as of this episode's release, the events of the aforementioned episode and its also unaired second part have been retconned out of the anime continuity.
The disguise Looker used when meeting Ash and his friends resembles a Hiker.
This episode is the only episode featuring Team Plasma in which N does not appear.

Errors

In the Pokémon Center, Looker's walking stick has a hand strap on it. When Looker first talks to Ash in the mountains, this strap is missing.
When Iris and Cilan run into the observatory with the others, part of Iris's hair and part of Cilan's head disappear behind a wall. This happens again when Iris runs out of the end of the hallway a few seconds later.

Iris's face overlapped by the wall

Dub edits

In other languages

Language		Title
Mandarin Chinese		阿克羅瑪VS帥哥！電漿團的陰謀！！
Danish		Team Plasmas Pokémon-komplot!
Dutch		Team Plasma's Pokémon energie-experiment!
Finnish		Plasmaryhmän Pokémon-juoni!
European French		Le complot de la Team Plasma !
Greek		Το Σχέδιο Ισχύος Pokémon της Ομάδας Πλάσμα!
Italian		Il piano segreto del Team Plasma!
Korean		아크로마 VS 핸섬! 플라스마단의 음모!
Norwegian		Team Plasmas Pokémon kraftplan!
Polish		Pokémonowy spisek Zespołu Plazma!
Brazilian Portuguese		O Grande Plano Pokémon da Equipe Plasma!
Russian		Заговор команды Плазмы!* Заговор команды Плазма!*
Spanish	Latin America	¡El complot por el poder Pokémon del Equipo Plasma!
Spanish	Spain	¡Complot Poder Pokémon del Equipo Plasma!
Swedish		Team Plasmas Pokémon-kraft plan!
Thai		อาโครมา ปะทะ แฮนซัม! แผนการร้านของพลาสมาทีม!!