RS178: Grating Spaces!

Synopsis

On their way to the Battle Pyramid, Ash and friends arrive in Pewter City to find the Gym redecorated! Brock's siblings explain that three people convinced their parents to get the Gym redecorated to make it look nicer and then they sent Flint and Lola on vacation! When Brock looks at the inside of the Gym, it looks just as bad and he finds out that his Onix has evolved into Steelix! Then, the re-modelers, who are actually Team Rocket in disguise, return with a new Charizard and Aggron given to them from Delibird (and actually meant for Butch and Cassidy) and challenge Ash and Brock to a battle to decide the fate of Pewter Gym!

Plot

The heroes are very near Pewter City. Everyone is excited to see Brock's Pokémon and family. Surprisingly, the Pewter City Gym is decorated in lights and flowers, shocking Brock by its appearance. Brock goes inside to search for mom and dad, but his siblings override him. Brock asks what happened to the Gym, so his brother tells him 3 people came to mom and dad to propose them to modernize the Gym. Mom was with the idea, though dad was not at first. After seeing the designs in a magazine, dad was convinced. Brock, along with his brothers and sisters will protect the Gym.

Brock calls his mom, who is on her way to a vacation, along with dad and Brock's Ludicolo. Brock demands to know why mom allowed the Pewter Gym's traditions to be thrown away, but mom tells him the Gym way re-modeled. Mom cancels the connection, even if Brock wanted to know more. Jessie, James and Meowth went to Brock's parents, giving them tickets and promising to take care of the Gym. Team Rocket see the plane leaving and plan to get the Pewter Gym's Pokémon. Jessie is surprised the HQ gave them money for the operation, but ignores that fact. Inside the Gym, Brock never heard of any fashion for City Gyms. Max confirms this, as he reads magazines all the time and never saw a section about fashion. As they went to the battle field, a Steelix takes Brock. Brock now realizes Onix evolved to Steelix when he was gone.

Crobat, Golem and Geodude come to Brock as well. Brock thanks his brother, Forest, who is responsible for making Onix evolve and thinks he will be a good breeder. Still, Brock is not amused by the looks of the battle field. Forest tells Brock even the Pokémon hate the Gym's layout, so Brock tells he will fix the place. Brock made the lunch, while Team Rocket spies on them. Brock wants to know how the re-modelers looked like, so the siblings reply they were a woman, a man and a smaller person with a funny talk. Team Rocket has no idea what to do next, but a Delibird comes and gives them two Poké Balls from the HQ. The Pokémon are immensely powerful - a Charizard and an Aggron. Jessie has a plan - they will use the Pokémon to battle the twerps and take their Pokémon.

Team Rocket go inside the house and Brock's siblings recognizes them as the Gym re-modelers. Brock tells them to stop the business, but Jessie tells them if they will stop, they need to battle first. If Brock loses in a Tag fight, the re-modeling will continue. Ash decides to join Brock, as it will be a preparation for the Battle Pyramid, so Brock agrees. On the battle field of Pewter Gym, the battle starts. Brock sends Steelix, Ash Donphan, Jessie Charizard and James his Aggron. Charizard starts with Flamethrower, hurting Steelix. Donphan charges with Take Down, stopping Charizard's attack. However, Aggron uses Mega Punch, hitting Donphan. Steelix goes to bite, but is stopped by Charizard's Fire Spin. Donphan goes to use Take Down, but is stopped by Aggron's Hyper Beam.

Donphan rolls and Steelix follows him. Donphan attacks Charizard and Steelix uses Iron Tail on Charizard. Next, Steelix binds Charizard, so Aggron uses Hyper Beam to attack Charizard. Charizard uses Flamethrower, but Steelix uses Iron Tail to protect himself and DragonBreath to attack Charizard. Donphan uses Take Down to hit Charizard. Aggron uses Water Pulse, hitting Donphan and bashing him to a rock. Aggron uses the same move once more, so Donphan uses Defense Curl and Steelix Iron Tail to launch Donphan, though he gets hit by the attack. Aggron is attacked by Donphan and pushed away. Meowth goes to fix the problem, so Max follows him. Meowth is grabbing the Poké Balls and Max now realizes the re-modelers are Team Rocket.

Aggron uses Mega Punch and Charizard Fire Spin, but Charizard attacks Aggron. Jessie and James bicker, so their Pokémon fight each other - Aggron uses Hyper Beam and Charizard Flamethrower on one another. In so doing, Jessie's and James' disguises fall down. Max comes and tells Meowth stole the Poké Balls. Forest sends Geodude, who tackles Meowth and releases the Poké Balls. Forest is mad they stole the Poké Balls. Geodude uses Sandstorm to blow Charizard, Agrron and Team Rocket away. Still, Charizard uses Flamethrower and Aggron Hyper Beam, but are stopped by Iron Tail. Geodude uses Mega Punch and Steelix Iron Tail, defeating both Pokémon. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt, Geodude Sandstorm, Donphan Hyper Beam and Steelix DragonBreath to blast them off in an instant.

Brock says to Forest he is proud how Forest battled today. Later, Brock's parents come and Brock shouts to them they need to talk. After being explained, mom and dad apologize to Brock, as they did not know Team Rocket's plan was to get the Pokémon. Brock forgives them, but clarifies it better not happen again. Still, mom bought a souvenir and wants to give to the Brock, who is mad. At the night, Team Rocket is hanging on a tree and shout to help. The Delibird messenger comes and takes their Charizard and Aggron (who were meant for Cassidy and Butch in the first place) and flies away, leaving them hanging. The next morning, the heroes leave the Pewter Gym and Brock's family wishes them luck in their journey.

Trivia

• This episode's title is a pun on the title of the TV show Trading Spaces, a reality show about home renovation, much like what Team Rocket did to the Pewter Gym.
• This is the second time that the Pewter Gym has been redecorated. The first was in A Family that Battles Together Stays Together.
• Pokémon Symphonic Medley is used as background music.
• This is the first appearance of Team Rocket's Delibird since Johto, and its only appearance in Pokémon: Advanced Generation.

Errors

• In one scene, Jessie's earrings are red instead of green.
• During the battle in the dub, Jessie says "light thrower" instead of "Flamethrower."

Dub edits

• In the dub, after Steelix is hit by Aggron's Hyper Beam and targeted by Charizard's Flamethrower, Brocks tells it to "dodge and use DragonBreath." Steelix instead smashes the Gym floor with Iron Tail, lifting up rocks as a shield. This could be a dubbing error or some improvisation on the part of Steelix.

Gallery

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Brock's Onix evolved into a Steelix

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Brock's home

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Team Rocket, as airport agents

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The Rock Pokémon re-unite with Brock

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Team Rocket and the lended Pokémon

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Team Rocket and Pokémon are hurt

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Brock's mom found a new decoration

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Delibird departs

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