While Dawn is getting ready to try and win her fifth Ribbon, Jessie is far too ill to participate in the Contest. Her solution? Have James take her place. Who will be the winner in the end?
Tropes
- Attention Whore: While Jessie is happy that James won her a Ribbon, she is pissed that he got more applauses that she would.
- The Berserker: After Carnivine mocks it by stealing its Ice Shard and then throwing it in its face, Mamoswine loses it and starts attacking blindly without listening to Dawn, losing all her points and costing her the battle.
- The Brute: Mamoswine. While it can pull off good-looking moves, he tends to one-shot his opponents rather than win by points. As Dawn points out, this is kinda missing the point of a Contest.
- Continuity Nod: James crossdresses in this episode, something he used to do quite often in the original series.
- Meowth uses his Fury Swipes to make noodles for the Appeal Round, just like he did during his brief stint in Christopher's restaurant. Christopher even appears in a cameo watching the contest on TV. He's proud of him, to say the least.
- Grotle powering up by eating its own attack is seen again, and taught to Mamoswine.
- Disguised in Drag: James has to dress as Jessilina to take part in the Contest in an ill Jessie's place.
- Foreshadowing: Meowth appearing in the Appeal Round without a Pokeball. Black and White would later confirm he is still a wild Pokemon.
- Graceful Loser: To show her Character Development, Dawn is much more at ease with losing now, just seeing it as a chance to work harder.
- Invincible Incompetent: James is the only person we've seen winning a Contest on his first try.
- Mr. Exposition: Ash and Brock explain a Contest's rules to Lyra and Khoury, neither of whom saw one before.
- My God, What Have I Done?: After it calms down, Mamoswine is clearly feeling guilty for ruining Dawn's chance to win her final Ribbon.
- Oh, Crap!: James (disguised as Jessilina) and Meowth, when Ash, Dawn and Lyra approach them. Turns out, they were asking where Jessilina's dress came from.
- Sick Episode: For Jessie. She is okay at the end.
- Team Rocket Wins: James wins a Ribbon for Jessie.
