Last week: Everybody died.
Everybody is dead. Officer Jenny has declared them as such. You know that theory about Final Fantasy 8 that Squall is dead? I posit that everything after episode 15 of Pokémon is actually a dream. Everybody is dead and we’re witnessing the last remains of Ash’s consciousness. This is emphasised by Team Rocket dreaming during this episode.
That’s the big hint.
Ash is dead.
This is actually a fun little episode as Ash and Team Rocket form the first of what would be many flimsy alliances in order to escape from a sinking ship. I can’t swim so the claustrophobic idea of being trapped in a tin can with no way to escape under the ocean terrifies me. I thoroughly buy into the dramatic tension (plus everybody is dead so really anything can happen) and the show has fun with the whole idea that everything is upside down.
Everything turns out fine only Brock wants to leave Team Rocket for dead until Pidgeotto finds them. They then assume Team Rocket has died and attempt the bury them alive at sea. Geez…Ash and co. have no chill. They then want to eat James’ Magikarp… They say adversity introduces a man to himself – now we know what kind of person everybody in this episode truly is.
Gyarados blows everybody away with Dragon Rage and we end on another cliffhanger. When the heck did this show get so serialised?
Stray Observations
– Who’s that Pokémon ? It’s Magikarp! Magikarp Jump rules.
– How convenient that Misty has extensive knowledge of the St. Anne having built a model.
– At one stage Ash asks Pikachu to electrocute him to jump-start his brain – cementing his utter stupidity.
