File 2: Cubone (Japanese:レポート2 カラカラReport 2:Karakara) is the second episode ofPokémon Origins. It was first broadcast in Japan on October 2, 2013 and was released onPokémon TV on November 18, 2013. The English version was made available onHulu on January 30, 2014, and oniTunes on May 28, 2014.
Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
At the Pokémon Center in Lavender Town, Red overhears talk of a ghost appearing in the Pokémon Tower and decides to investigate. Before doing so, he is advised to visit the Pokémon House. Here, he learns of a baby Cubone’s ordeal at the hands of an evil organization known as Team Rocket. Who are these villains, and what is behind the haunting at the Pokémon Tower?
After arriving in Lavender Town and healing his Pokémon at thePokémon Center, Red overhears two people saying that thePokémon Tower, the town's Pokémon graveyard, is haunted. Red asks if this is true; they insist it is. One of the people, a woman, asks Red if he believes inghosts; he says that he does not think they exist. The woman says that the white hand on his shoulder must be fake too, then; Red turns around and sees nothing; when he turns back around, he finds that both people are gone without a trace.
Baby Cubone
ThePokémon Center lady asks Red if he plans to visit the Pokémon Tower; he says yes, and she says that he should go to the Pokémon House first. When Red arrives at the house, he is greeted by one of the volunteers there,Reina. She shows him around, and she explains that the house was founded by an elderly man namedMr. Fuji and takes in orphaned and abandoned Pokémon to take care of them; Red comments that all of the Pokémon in the house look happy - all except an angry babyCubone. Reina explains that the Cubone only gets along with Mr. Fuji but is hostile toward anyone else. Red asks why, to which Reina responds it is Team Rocket's fault.
She explains Cubone's story to Red: A trio ofTeam Rocket Grunts was poaching Pokémon near town, and captured aMankey, aRaticate, aSandshrew, and aSandslash. One Grunt noticed Cubone attempting to run away, and the others almost netted it, in hopes of selling it for a high price; however, an unknown Pokémon tackled them to protect it. The Pokémon was soon revealed to be Cubone's mother, aMarowak, who told her child to run. Cubone was hesitant at first, but soon ran off. One of the Grunts, infuriated by Marowak's intervention, pulled out a stun baton and beat her to death. The orphaned Cubone was found by Mr. Fuji and given a loving home.
Red soon finds out that Team Rocket has taken over Pokémon Tower and made it their base. Mr. Fuji had gone to the tower to tell them to leave days ago, but had not returned. Red volunteers to find him, and says that he is more than capable due to his having three badges.Blue, however, overhears the whole conversation and decides to do the same thing as Red so that he will be the hero.
The ghost appearing before Blue
That night, Team Rocket is in the tower. One of the Grunts says that there are rumors of the tower being haunted. Another hopefully says that they are justGhost-type Pokémon. The Grunt says that the weird part is that they are actually real ghosts. The other is worried; the same Grunt who killed Marowak tells him to stop being a baby as they have theSilph Scope, which can identify ghosts. Red, also now in the tower, finds a young lady who is there to see herNidoran's grave. She informs him that the ghost only appears towards the top. As he proceeds, he does not realize that Blue is ahead of him. Blue sees the ghost and runs; his screams catch the attention of Team Rocket, several floors above. The same worried Grunt from before thinks that the screams were because of the ghosts. The same Grunt that killed Marowak decides to go investigate.
Below, Blue runs into Red, and warns him about the ghost, which unexpectedly appears. Blue wants to run, but Red decides to stay and fight. Blue decides to go find Team Rocket. Red sends out Charmeleon, who attacks several times in a row to no avail. Blue, almost at the top of the stairs, is caught by the Rocket Grunt. He sends out his newly-evolvedWartortle to attack the Grunt himself. Meanwhile, Cubone is trying to break out of its playpen at the Pokémon House. Reina goes to check on it, but as soon as she unlatches the gate, Cubone runs toward the Pokémon Tower. Reina, worried about the little Pokémon, chases after it. It runs up the stairs in the tower, apparently curious about something, with Reina still trying to catch up to it.
Jolteon fighting Koffing
Blue runs down the tower's stairs and gives the Silph Scope he took from Team Rocket to Red. Red, wondering what it is, puts it on. The ghost is unmasked and revealed to be aMarowak. Red realizes that this is the same Marowak that was killed by Team Rocket. She warns Red not to go further, as Team Rocket is up the stairs. Cubone suddenly runs in, yelling for its mother, with Reina coming in soon after. Cubone hugs the ghost, causing Red to decide not to continue fighting. Marowak, realizing her son is safe, can finally rest in peace, and moves onto the afterlife. Blue decides not to stay any longer and leaves.
Up the stairs, Team Rocket is confused as to what happened to the Silph Scope. Red, realizing that the Scope is what they were after, throws it to them and tells them to get out. They refuse, and one of the Grunts sends out hisKoffing. Red sends out his newJolteon and battles the Grunt. Koffing covers the field withSmog, causing trouble for Jolteon. However, Cubone usesBonemerang to clear the Smog, giving Jolteon the opportunity to defeat Koffing withThunderbolt. Team Rocket leaves, while Red and Reina advance to the top floor. There, they find Mr. Fuji tied up. He is relieved to see that Reina and Cubone are alright and quickly becomes acquainted with Red. He soon realizes that Marowak can rest in peace because Cubone is okay.
The next day, at the Pokémon House, Mr. Fuji gives Red aPoké Flute to wake upsleeping Pokémon, as well as a pair ofmysteriousstones. Red asks if Fuji really wants to give him these valuable gems. Fuji explains that they have no value as gems, but that Red will soon find out what exactly they are.
Cubone is now friendly towards humans and makes fast friends with Reina. As Red leaves Lavender Town to continue his journey, everyone says goodbye, and Mr. Fuji says that Red is welcome back anytime. As Red passes a tree, he hears Blue's voice up in the tree. Blue tries to take credit for the events of the night before, but Red comments that he was screaming the whole time. Blue denies everything as Red rides away on his bicycle. The episode ends with Red saving his game.
WhenRed is talking to the two people at thePokémon Center, a white hand can be seen over his shoulder, referencing anNPC from Lavender Town inPokémon Red and Blue.
During the flashback of Marowak confronting Team Rocket, Cubone is shown to be wearing a skull, even though its mother is still alive.
Errors
In one scene,Raichu's whole tail is yellow, instead of just the lightning bolt-shaped tip.
In one scene,Mankey's right leg is completely colored brown.
WhenCubone was running away from theTeam Rocket Grunts, one of Cubone's dorsal spikes on its back is briefly colored the same way as its skull. The same error repeats only twice.
AsCharmeleon is about to hit the ghost ofMarowak, it can be seen without its cream underside for a brief moment.
After Marowak's spirit departs, Red turns his hat forwards. However, in the very next shot, it is backwards once again.
When Red is looking at thePoké Flute, the bottom of thePoké Ball is at the bottom of the flute, but in the next shot, it is the other way around.
Raichu's tail error
Mankey's miscolored leg
Charmeleon without its cream underside
Dub edits
During the flashback revealing Cubone's past, it was originally stated thatTeam Rocket wanted it because Cubone skulls sell for high prices. In the dub, the reference to selling Cubone's skull is removed, instead referring to Cubone itself being the sellable object.
In the original Japanese version,Reina directly states that Marowak was killed; in the English dub, she says that Cubone lost its mother.
In theItalian dub, it is explicitly stated that Team Rocket killed Marowak.
Marowak's scream when she is killed by Team Rocket is reduced to a groan in the dub version.
In the original Japanese version, Marowak continues to speak even after it has been identified. It returns to making animalistic grunts in the dub.
Raichu's tail error
Mankey's miscolored leg
Charmeleon without its cream underside
