Why? Wynaut! (Japanese: ソーナノ!？ジムバッジとソーナンス！！, Hepburn: Wynaut!? The Gym Badges and Wobbuffet!!) is the 46th episode of Pokémon: Master Quest.
Synopsis
After beating Clair and getting the last badge, Ash is all set to go for the Johto League (Silver Conference). But it's three months until that day comes so Ash has time to prepare. However, he loses all his Gym Badges. Will he get them back and who or what is responsible for stealing them and why?
Episode plot
Clair comes to the heroes with her cookies. Ash is glad he has all the badges for the Johto League. Clair corrects him, as the official name is Johto League Silver Conference. She knows in three months, at Silver Town, near Mt. Silver, the league will be held. Ash wants already to go, but Brock and Misty think it is too early and needs to register. Clair tells he can register at the place where he registered for the Johto Gyms. Ash sees his destination is New Bark Town, where they started the Johto journey.
Team Rocket thinks they should steal the badges, considering them to be worth a lot of money. Jessie wants the badges for herself, wanting to enter the League. James and Meowth remind her what happened at Indigo League, but Jessie still wants to compete. She goes to take some food, but sees it is gone. She, Meowth and James accuse Wobbuffet of eating the food, who objects. The heroes and Clair go out of the town, but are approached by Jessie and James, disguised as news reporters. They want some info about Ash's final win. Jessie takes his jacket off and gives it to Meowth, who takes the badges, while James puts a mantle on Ash, looking like a king and takes photos. Once done, Jessie gives his stuff back and goes with James.
Ash thinks he should've been asked questions and was prepared for it. Jessie and James are to chant their motto, but Meowth stops them. Ash thinks they should, considering the trouble. With that word, Jessie and James take off their disguises and chant. They declare they stole the badges, so Ash sees he only has bottle caps. So, the heroes and Clair chase them. Meanwhile, Wobbuffet was given the task of watching over the badges. It sees berries and thinks Team Rocket would praise it for finding them. Wobbuffet harvests the berries and sings a happy song. It sees someone is taking the badge case and finds out a Pokémon thief. Team Rocket arrives and want the badges. However, Wobbuffet reports it was stolen and draws the image of the thief.
Jessie thinks it was a Wooper, so declares a search for it. The heroes did not find Team Rocket, so Clair believes the badges can be re-issued if the theft is reported. Ash responds those badges have a sentimental value, each one has a memory of a Gym battle attached to it. Clair, Brock and Misty see the value of the badges and promise to get them back. Team Rocket encounters a Wooper and goes to get it. However, it jumps away, so Team Rocket tracks it. Ash sends Bayleef and Noctowl to search, while Clair scouts away with Dragonair. Noctowl comes to Bayleef, who has not seen the badges.
They see the Pokémon thief, who has the box. Noctowl and Bayleef approach it, who cannot open the box. Bayleef opens the box, revealing the badges inside it. Noctowl goes to report to its master, while Bayleef stays with this Pokémon thief. Noctowl comes to Ash and reports the badges. Meanwhile, Wynaut goes away with berries, as Team Rocket tracked Wooper and see the badges. Bayleef stands to protect the badges, so Jessie sends out Arbok and James' Victreebel, which attaches itself to James' head. Arbok uses Poison Sting, though Bayleef takes the badges and Wooper away. However, Victreebel's Vine Whip causes Bayleef to trip over.
Arbok uses Poison Sting, but the Pokémon thief jumps and uses Counter, reflecting the attack back to Arbok. Team Rocket is still pleased the badges are present, but Ash comes to take them back. Arbok uses Poison Sting to distract Ash, as Team Rocket flees into the balloon. James warns the twerp he can buy off the badges, but Jessie still wants to enter the League. Per Ash's order, Bayleef launches Ash to the balloon. However, Team Rocket flies up, preventing Ash to get onto the balloon. Noctowl goes to pull him, but Ash falls down, onto Clair's Dragonair. Ash thanks Clair and tells her that Team Rocket has the badges.
Pikachu goes onto Noctowl, to track Team Rocket. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt, causing Team Rocket to blast off. The badges fall down, though Ash, Dragonair, Clair, Bayleef and Pikachu manage to collect them back. However, Ash sees he misses the Rising Badge, so everyone goes to search for it. Bayleef and Noctowl are approached by the Pokémon thief, who gives the Rising Badge to them. Bayleef presents the badge to her master. Ash is glad, so Bayleef and Noctowl point at the thief, but see it is gone. Ash tries to search in the bushes, but thinks the two are imagining things. However, Bayleef and Noctowl say goodbye to the thief, who is on a boat in the nearby river.
Misty, Clair and Brock come and see Ash managed to find all the badges. Ash contacts Oak and reports he got all the Johto badges. Oak thinks Ash is having respect from his Pokémon as he does, then gets crushed by Snorlax, Kingler, Bulbasaur and Muk, so Oak logs out, leaving Ash and Pikachu confused. Later, Clair gives directions to New Bark Town. Brock wishes he can stay with Clair, while Misty drags him away. The heroes part ways with Clair, towards New Bark Town.
Trivia
- Wynaut, along with Kecleon, were the only Generation III Pokémon to be seen before the digital transition.
- This is the first episode in which, though in flashbacks, all the Gym Leaders in one region were present.
- The "Who's that Pokémon?" is Steelix.
Gallery
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