In the Shadow of Zekrom! (Japanese: イッシュ地方へ! ゼクロムの影!!, Hepburn: Isshu Chihou-e! Zekrom no Kage!!, trans. To the Unova Region! Zekrom's Shadow!!) is the 1st episode of Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes! and Pokémon: Black & White.
Synopsis[]
Ash excitedly arrives in the Unova region along with Pikachu, his mom, and Professor Oak. Meanwhile, Team Rocket's Boss, Giovanni, has given them an important assignment in the Unova region. As Jessie, James, and Meowth prepare for their new assignment, Professor Oak introduces Ash to Professor Juniper, one of the top researchers in Unova.
Suddenly, a dark storm cloud appears, and Pikachu is hit with a massive amount of electricity! Professor Juniper does a quick examination of Pikachu, but she doesn't seem to find anything wrong. Later on, however, when Ash battles a budding new Trainer named Trip and his first Pokémon Snivy, Pikachu can't use any Electric-type moves!
Back at Professor Juniper's lab, we learn that Pikachu is still suffering the effects of the lightning strike during the thunderstorm. Just as Professor Juniper reaches her conclusion, the same dark cloud appears as suddenly as before! The professor then recounts the story of the Legendary Pokémon Zekrom, and everyone wonders if it could be responsible for the mysterious disappearance of Pikachu's Electric-type powers. Will Pikachu ever be able to use those powers again?[1]
Episode plot[]
The Pokémon world: a world populated by beings in sky, water and earth. One particular Trainer, named Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, hopes to become a Pokémon Master. He and Pikachu prepare to go with Ash's mom on a trip. She comes and sets his hat. Outside, they meet up with Prof. Oak, who is dressed as a tourist. He tells they are going to Unova, so Ash and Delia enter the car. Meanwhile, Team Rocket reports to their boss, reciting their goal is to capture Pokémon to rule the entire world. Giovanni sends them to the Unova Region for a special task. Giovanni's secretary comes and reports there is an organization in Unova, so Giovanni tells once the trio starts acting, the organization will reveal themselves.
As Ash and Pikachu admire the view from the plane, Team Rocket see their enemy is here and plan on catching Pikachu. Oak tells Ash there are many Pokémon in Unova that have not been seen in any other region. After a while, Ash sees the Unova region. After they land, Oak and Delia walk away, while Pikachu moves and feels something. A Pokémon dives out, so Ash and Pikachu go to check it out. As Ash and Pikachu gaze at a strange thunderstorm, Team Rocket captures Pikachu. The latter uses Thunderbolt, but the attack is negated. Suddenly, the thunderstorm appears and a lighting hits, causing Team Rocket to be sent away, while Pikachu gets hit by lightning. Pikachu hits back, revealing a mysterious Pokémon. A young girl and Axew observe the event and go to check it out as she swings on the vines.
The mysterious Pokémon disappears, knocking Ash and Pikachu off with a lightning. Delia and Oak come and Ash claims he saw a Pokémon causing the thunderstorm. Oak gets approached by Prof. Juniper and introduces her to Ash. They ride a car to Juniper's lab, while Ash sees many new Pokémon. Juniper tells Oak she will ask him many questions about Kanto Pokémon, since they are rare around Unova, including Pikachu. They arrive to Nuvema Town and come to her lab. Soon, Pikachu gets scanned and Juniper sees nothing too troublesome, though Juniper would like new tests on him. Her assistant comes and reports a new trainer is to pick their first Pokémon. Juniper and Ash come to Trip, the newest trainer. Ash bets Trip couldn't sleep last night and remembers feeling that way. Juniper introduces Trip to Ash, from Pallet Town. Trip smiles and laughs, knowing Ash came from "The Boonies" (a region he (Trip) does not think highly of).
Juniper sends the starter Pokémon: Tepig the Fire-type, Oshawott the Water-type, and Snivy the Grass-type. Ash knows it is a tough decision, but Trip reminds him he is deciding. Trip takes a photo and chooses Snivy, causing Oshawott to be devastated. Juniper gives Trip five Poké Balls and Snivy's Poké Ball. Trip calls Snivy back and is wished luck on the journey. Ash asks Trip if he is going after Gym Battles. Trip responds that they are a challenge to any trainer, so Ash sees this method is alike in the Kanto region. Pikachu comes to Ash, so Trip takes photos of him, as a Pikachu in Unova is a big thing. Ash does not think so, as it is his buddy, whom he traveled around. Trip wonders if it is strong and decides to challenge Ash to test them. Trip sends Snivy against Pikachu. Trip takes more pictures, as he wants to record his journey. Meanwhile, Oshawott observes.
Pikachu starts with Quick Attack, hitting Snivy, who retaliates with Tackle. Pikachu dodges the attack and goes to use Thunderbolt, but is unable and gets tackled. Pikachu tries to use Thunderbolt, but fails again. Pikachu uses Volt Tackle, but fails and gets exhausted instead, making Ash worried while Trip wonders if this is a strategy. Pikachu successfully uses Iron Tail, a non-electric move, but Snivy dodges. The latter uses Leaf Tornado, engulfing Pikachu and bashing it on the floor, defeating it. Trip is pleased he choose Snivy and calls it back, then taunts Ash. Later, Juniper sees Pikachu received an overload and cannot use electric moves. Suddenly, the system gets foiled and Pikachu begins to be electrified, as the thunderstorm approaches. The girl with Axew observes as the thunderstorm releases a lightning, which hits Pikachu.
Juniper sees the thundercloud and suspects Zekrom, a legendary Pokémon, is here. Juniper says Zekrom watches over the people and its thunderstorm judges anyone, as pillars of the sky. Ash, Oak, Juniper and Delia watch as Pikachu releases a lot of electricity.
Debuts[]
Character[]
Pokémon[]
- Snivy (Trip's)
- Tepig (Prof. Juniper's)
- Oshawott (Prof. Juniper's)
- Patrat
- Pidove
- Minccino
- Swanna
- Deerling (Spring Forme)
- Alomomola
- Axew (Iris')
- Reshiram (explanation)
- Zekrom
Item[]
Move[]
Trivia[]
- Sponsor card messages:
- Main episode
「ライバル・シューティー登場!」「バトルは思わぬ結末…」
- Several of the items in Ash's bedroom at the beginning of the episode are those he received during his travels through Sinnoh:
- The Soothe Bells he received after winning the Hearthome City Tag Battle Competition in "Smells Like Team Spirit!".
- The Focus Band he was given at the end of "Bibarel Gnaws Best!".
- The wooden model of a Teddiursa he was given as a gift from May in "A Full Course Tag Battle!".
- The diploma he received for attending the Pokémon Summer Academy in "One Team, Two Team, Red Team, Blue Team!".
- The certificate he received for winning the Squallville PokéRinger competition in "Pursuing a Lofty Goal!".
- The trophy he was awarded by Palmer for winning the Festival Battle Challenge in "Challenging a Towering Figure!".
- "Who's that Pokémon?" returns in the English dub after being on hiatus since the end of Season 6, and the first of many of these is the new Unova region -Type Pokémon Pidove.
- The Deerling in this episode were in Spring Form indicating that the episode takes place in springtime.
- Lisa Ortiz returns as a regular for the BW series providing the voice of Oshawott.
- Marc Thompson returns to voice Tepig and the Pokédex, while Jason Griffith also returns to do the voice of Trip's Snivy.
- The flight number Ash took from Kanto to Unova was "Flight 151" referencing the original 151 Pokémon.
- Like the first Pokémon: Advanced episode, Get the Show on the Road!, Pikachu was having problems after absorbing too much electricity.
- Like "Following A Maiden's Voyage!", a female companion, Dawn, is introduced, but did not join Ash until the next episode.
- This is the first appearance of Poké Ball releasing in CGI.
- Team Rocket have developed serious personalities starting from this episode until the end of "Unova's Survival Crisis!"
Mistakes[]
An error on Ash's Pikachu's ear.
- When the plane-boat lands, it has a total different colloration than when it is in the air.
- Pikachu's ears are at both sides, but in one scene only one of his ears were black and the other one was colored completely yellow.
Dub differences[]
- The Japanese narrator starts off as they do at the beginning of the series and movies by explaining what Pocket Monsters stands for. The English dub skips the "Pocket Monsters" explanation part.
- In the Japanese original, Giovanni specifically states that the plan is to "take over the world", while in the English dub, he just states that the Unova region is vital to completing Team Rocket's plan:
- Japanese: "我がロケット団世界征服計画の新たな足がかりとなる場所だ。 (This place is to become a new foothold in our plan to conquer the world.)"
- English dub: "A major new stepping-stone that will move us toward the successful completion of our plan."
- The English dub added an extra line for the Air Traffic Control man.
- The reference to the thundercloud being like God's eye (神の目) was removed from the English dub:
- Japanese: "巨大な雷雲は人とポケモンを見守る神の目。 (The huge thundercloud is a God's eye protecting people and Pokémon.)"
- English dub: "From within its thundercloud, Zekrom watches over people and Pokémon."
Video[]
Gallery[]
Notes[]
- ^ As of September 4, 2021
References[]
- ^ (n.d.) . "The Official Pokémon Website | Pokemon.com". From In the Shadow of Zekrom! | Pokémon TV (pokemon.com). Archived from the original on November 8, 2023.
