The Stun Spore Detour (Japanese:ニョロモとカスミNyoromo andKasumi) is the 110th episode of thePokémon animated series. It was first broadcast in Japan on August 26, 1999, and in the United States on September 16, 2000.
Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
When a chance encounter with a Vileplume leaves Ash and Tracey incapacitated, Misty sets about finding a healing plant that will restore their health. Meanwhile James and Meowth of Team Rocket lurk nearby, planning to steal the herb for their own nefarious uses.
Plot
While staying atanother island,Ash andPikachu prepare for theOrange League. After a wave crashes over the pair, they make their way over toTracey to ask for assistance, but Ash trips on a stone, knocking both himself and Tracey into aVileplume's head opening. The two try to struggle to get free, but Vileplume uses a point-blankStun Spore on them. Pikachu, unaffected, races back and soon findsMisty, who is busy walking withPsyduck. Pikachu tries to explain, but it is after Ash and Tracey stumble over that Misty realizes the pair have beenparalyzed.
At the cabin, Misty struggles to cure Ash and Tracey, since they have no first aid aside from band-aids, and the nearestPokémon Center is on another island. Tracey, in his weakened state, tells Misty to look at Ash'sPokédex for advice. She learns that boiledSalveyo weed has the ability to cure Vileplume's Stun Spore, and they are found on lake bottoms withPoliwag wherever Vileplume are found. Leaving Pikachu to take care of Ash and Tracey, Misty andTogepi set out to find the Salveyo weed.
Meanwhile, at another cabin, it is also revealed thatJessie was a victim to Vileplume's Stun Spore, after she dove headfirst into a field of flowers, right into a Vileplume's head opening.James quickly recalls that Salveyo weed can help cure her, and he andMeowth set off to find the Salveyo weed. They manage to find a Poliwag with Salveyo weed stuck on its tail. This makes James remember that Poliwag can be used to find Salveyo weed, causing Meowth to declare their goal: to capture the Poliwag. James sends outVictreebel, which attempts to hit Poliwag, but it jumps out of the way and usesWater Gun to defend itself. Due to itstype advantage, Victreebel absorbs the hit and retaliates withRazor Leaf, which Poliwag narrowly dodges. Meowth eventually jumps onto Poliwag and catches it with a weaved basket, but it soon escapes.
At the same time, Misty, having unsuccessfully searched several lakes for the Salveyo weed, encounters Poliwag. Poliwag warms up to Misty just as James and Meowth appear. James and Meowth demand the Poliwag, but Misty, seeing that Poliwag is hiding behind her, refuses. Seeing that Misty is outnumbered, James and Meowth proposition abattle, which Misty accepts. However, the battle does not go well forTeam Rocket, withGoldeen evading Victreebel's Razor Leaf before striking it with aHorn Attack, and then repeatedly juggling it withFury Attack, forcing James to recall it. Then,Staryu cuts throughWeezing'sSmog withDouble-Edge and defeats it. Next, Meowthclaws Psyduck's face, then tries tobite its head, causing it to unleash a headache-inducedConfusion that sends both it and James blasting off. Misty, who had managed to ask for Poliwag's help, walks away with Poliwag in tow.
Later, Misty heals Poliwag's injuries from Team Rocket's attack with some Pokémon cream, and the gesture makes it fully warm up to Misty. Out of gratitude, it manages to help Misty get more than enough Salveyo weed for Ash and Tracey. However, as Misty leaves to help her friends, Poliwag continues to follow her. She realizes that it wants to be her Pokémon and happily allows it to join her and Togepi. As they walk back together, Misty tells Poliwag about her friends, all the while ignoring lures to pitfall traps left by James and Meowth. In a last-ditch effort, James disguises himself as an old lady and Meowth as a baby, hoping to appeal to Misty. However, after Meowth reacts uncharacteristically to James's tear-jerking story, Misty realizes the pair's true identities. James and Meowth recite theirmotto, then Meowth reveals that Jessie is suffering from a Vileplume attack, and James calls upon Weezing's assistance. Poliwag usesDouble Slap, knocking Weezing into James and Meowth, and off a cliff. Much to the pair's surprise, Misty decides to leave some Salveyo weed for them afterwards, to help Jessie recover. On their way to Jessie, James and Meowth gush over Misty's kindhearted gesture.
Later, both parties have recovered, and Jessie, believing that Ash and Tracey are still sick, decides to seize this opportunity to steal Pikachu. Jessie initiates the attack without James and Meowth's support, as they feel guilty about doing so after Misty had helped them. Pikachu, in self-defense, lands aThunder Shock on Arbok and Jessie, paralyzing them again. Not wanting another conflict, James and Meowth quickly cart Jessie and Arbok off. Afterwards, Ash thanks Misty for her efforts, but Misty acknowledges her new friend and team member,Poliwag. Ash again thanks Misty for being nice, but she warns him not to expect it too often. Misty thanks Poliwag for its help, and decides to take it with her on her journey.The group soon leaves the island onLapras for Ash's upcomingOrange League championship match.
The part when Jessie says that she will die when the last leaf from the tree outside the window falls is based on theO. Henry short storyThe Last Leaf.
Errors
The English dub opening has thenarrator mention the "Orange League competition", which has also been brought up in several preceding episodes, even thoughthe next episode shows that the Orange League does not include atournament.
A short scene of Jessie and Meowth kickingJames is removed from the dubbed version and replaced with impact stars.
In the Japanese version,Tracey says that Misty shouldcatchPoliwag, which she agrees with, while in the dub, the two just emphasize how good Misty and Poliwag's teamwork and friendship is.
In the original Japanese version,Ash notes that Misty was unusually nice today, and she sharply responds that she's always nice. The dubbed version instead has Ash thanking Misty for her help and her telling him to not get used to it.
