EP264
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Mother of All Battles
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First broadcast
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English themes
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Japanese themes
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Credits
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Mother of All Battles (Japanese: バンギラスとヨーギラス！ Bangiras and Yogiras!) is the 264th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on September 5, 2002 and in the United States on September 15, 2003.
Blurb
Now that they have finally gaining Larvitar's trust, the group head towards the Pokémon Reserve on Mt. Silver, as led by Larvitar. While crossing the bridge onto the reserve, the group does not realize they are being watched by three poachers, Braggo, Blurt, and Chico, who are inside a submerged submarine!
Ash, Misty and Brock come across a roar in the distance, which belongs to a Tyranitar. Brock notices its scar, which matches the scar from Larvitar's dream, proving that this is indeed its mother. When Ash nudges Larvitar over to meet its mother, Tyranitar misinterprets the gesture and fires a Hyper Beam right at them! It believes Ash, Brock, and Misty are the original poachers, and chases after them in a fit of rage; the problem is enhanced by Larvitar, as it refuses to leave Ash behind! Larvitar's Screech snaps Tyranitar out of it, as it realizes that Larvitar is its baby, and that Ash, Brock, and Misty pose no threat. The threat arrives soon after, as the poachers return, trying to capture Tyranitar by trapping it in a Pokébag! Ash recognizes the poachers from Larvitar's dream, and immediately tries to get Tyranitar back.
When the poachers hear Ranger Mason approaching, they trap Ash in one of their bags and head off. Brock calls out Crobat to follow them, while charming up Ranger Mason. Mason informs them that they took the wrong road, as had they have not crossed the bridge, they would have made it right to the Preservation Center. As they work on finding the poachers, Team Rocket beat them to it and ask Braggo if they can join them. Braggo accepts, giving Jessie and James the packing machine in order to draw attention elsewhere, leaving an opportunity to escape with Tyranitar.
Crobat reports back to Brock, giving Ash and crew an idea of where the poachers are hiding, but come across Team Rocket instead. Pikachu and Croconaw work together to redirect their attack, blasting Team Rocket off, while the poachers activate their poaching machine by remote to grab Croconaw and Pikachu! Larvitar uses its Screech to awaken Tyranitar, who uses its Hyper Beam to break their remote control. The bags break, freeing Tyranitar and the others, while a combined attack from Tyranitar and Larvitar destroy the machine, and free Pikachu and Croconaw.
Ranger Mason thanks Ash and friends for the help catching the poachers, but Ash puts the thanks all on Larvitar's head. Finally reunited with its mother, Larvitar remains at the Reserve, while Ash, Misty, and Brock head towards Silver Town!
Plot
Ash, Misty, and Brock are walking to Ranger Mason’s Pokémon Preserve to return the Larvitar entrusted to them by Professor Elm. They stop for lunch and Misty bends down to ask Larvitar if its food is good. He replies that it is instead of using Harden like it used to. Brock picks up Larvitar and they keep walking.
Soon, they reach a bridge. While they are deciding whether to continue on the path or take the bridge, Larvitar runs across the bridge. The group follows, deciding that he’s leading them to his birthplace. While everyone is crossing, a periscope rises from the water, watching them.
On the other side, Ash and his friends find themselves walking through a forest. In the bushes, a machine is hidden with the same periscope aimed at them. Inside are three men in chairs. They see Larvitar and plan to steal it.
Ash and his friends stop when they see a huge Pokémon in front of them. Ash holds up his Pokédex and it tells him that it is a Tyranitar. They recognize it as Larvitar’s mother because of the scar on her chest. Tyranitar looks at Larvitar and then Ash. Unfortunately, she gets upset and fires a Hyper Beam at them. Brock realizes that she probably thinks they are the poachers. They run away, leaving Larvitar with its mother. Ash looks back and sees Larvitar crying and running behind them, despite Ash telling it to stay.
Meanwhile, the machine takes aim at Tyranitar's head. Ash tells Larvitar to tell its mom that they're friends. He sets it down, and it starts screeching. Tyranitar realizes that Larvitar is her child and apologizes to Ash and his friends. Just then, the periscope locks on and fires at Tyranitar. A bag wraps itself around her and she falls down. The machine rides out and the three men pop out of the top. Our heroes recognize them as the poachers who stole Larvitar when he was just an Egg.
They introduce themselves as Braggo, the leader who always speaks in rhyme and quotes, Chico, the inventor for the group, and Blurt, who calls himself the strong and silent type who always breaks things and talks a lot. They say they are together the Pokémon Poacher Brothers.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket is watching from above with their binoculars. James is discouraged by the fact that the poachers have good equipment, and can make rhymes. Jessie makes a terrible rhyme furthering James’s point. Jessie states that if they can’t beat them, then they will join them, steal their equipment and Pokémon, and leave. Meowth and James agree.
The poachers launch another body bag at Larvitar and Ash jumps in the way, catching him. The poachers decide that Tyranitar is good enough and drive away. Brock sends out Crobat to follow them. A few seconds later, a lady rides up on a motorcycle and asks if everything’s okay. Brock rushes up and says that everything is okay now. She says that she’s Ranger Mason and that the poachers have been bothering them for quite some time. She tells her Croconaw to get Ash out of the body bag. They get Ash out and Ranger Mason tells Larvitar that they’re going to get his mother back. He hardens and Brock says he doesn’t warm up to people quickly.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket is begging to be accepted into the poachers’ gang. They give them massages, and then they’re accepted. Crobat peeks over the side of the robot and flies back to Brock. Braggo lets them use the robot to capture Larvitar and Pikachu, saying to his brothers that they will be cover to let them escape. Tyranitar struggles in its body bag. Chico laughs, saying that the more she struggles, the tighter the bag will become.
Crobat finds Brock and reports back, and soon after the poachers’ robot came down the hill towards them. Team Rocket pops out and recites their motto, and then fires the bag. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt, and Croconaw uses Hydro Pump. That sends the bag back at Team Rocket and sends them blasting off again. The real poachers, however, are getting away in Team Rocket’s balloon. Chico uses a remote control to grab Pikachu and Croconaw, and then shoots a bag at our heroes for good measure. Ash tells Larvitar to use Screech, distracting the poachers and making Tyranitar angry. She fires a few Hyper Beam at the bag. Chico presses a button on a Remote, electrocuting Tyranitar, but despite the pain, it bites through and fires a Hyper Beam at the balloon. As the poachers plummet towards the earth, Chico drops the remote which breaks into pieces after it lands on the ground, freeing the humans from the bag. As Larvitar is reunited with Tyranitar, they see the banged up poachers jump into the robot, and as the Robot almost crushes the Gang, Tyranitar and Larvitar launch Hyper Beam and Hidden Power respectively. Ash catches Pikachu while Croconaw lands on Brock. Larvitar and Tyranitar hug.
In the next scene the poachers are tied up and Ash and friends are saying their goodbyes. They say goodbye to the Rangers and leave. Brock says a tearful goodbye to Ranger Mason and gets dragged away by Misty by the ear for his trouble. While they are walking they hear a roar and see Tyranitar and Larvitar on the other side. They say goodbye and continue on their way to the Johto Silver Conference.
The end shows Team Rocket hanging upside down from a bridge in a bag.
Major events
- Ash leaves Larvitar with its mother at Ranger Mason's preserve.
- For a list of all major events in Pokémon the Series, please see the timeline page.
Debuts
Pokémon debuts
TV episode debuts
Characters
Humans
- Ash
- Misty
- Brock
- Jessie
- James
- Pokémon Poacher Brothers
- Ranger Mason
- Other rangers
Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?: Shuckle (US and international), Tyranitar (Japan)
- Pikachu (Ash's)
- Meowth (Team Rocket)
- Togepi (Misty's)
- Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
- Larvitar (Ash's; leaves)
- Crobat (Brock's)
- Croconaw (Ranger Mason's; debut)
- Tyranitar (Larvitar's mother)
Trivia
- The name of this episode is a reference to Saddam Hussein's famous quote about the Gulf War, regarding it as the "mother of all battles".
- This episode is featured on the Volume 10: Rock copy of Pokémon Elements.
- James expresses jealousy that Braggo is able to speak in rhyme, and Jessie tries unconvincingly to demonstrate her ability to rhyme. This is ironic, because Team Rocket's rhymes and puns are a running gag.
Errors
- In the Spanish dub, Braggo is heard saying "Time to Cash in Your Chips" in English.
- After Crobat reports back to Brock and co., it disappears for the rest of the episode, as Brock is never seen recalling it back in its Poké Ball. However, he could have done it off screen.
- In one scene, Pikachu's voice can be heard, but its mouth does not move.
- Brock once refers to Larvitar's mother as male.
Dub edits
In other languages
| Language | Title | |
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| Mandarin Chinese | 班吉拉與由基拉 | |
 Danish
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En Mor Med Slag I | |
 Dutch
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De Moeder der Gevechten | |
 Finnish
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Kaikkien taisteluiden äiti | |
 European French
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Qui vole un oeuf... * | |
 German
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Glücklich vereint | |
 Hebrew
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אם כל הקרבותem kol hakravot | |
 Italian
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Ritorno a casa | |
 Polish
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Pomogę Ci, mamo | |
| Portuguese |  Brazil
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A Mãe de Todas as Batalhas |
 Portugal
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A Mãe de Todas as Batalhas | |
| Spanish |  Latin America
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¡La madre de todas las batallas! |
 Spain
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La madre de todas las batallas | |
 Swedish
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Återföreningen | |
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This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation. |
