Japanese Title: Kireihana and Ruffresia! Peace in Meadow!
Original Airdate: March 7, 2002
US Airdate: March 22, 2003
Hardly taking a second to relish his latest gym victory, Ash quickly sets course for the next gym in Blackthorn City. It isn't long, though, before a more immediate challenge confronts his small party. As Ash and friends enter a clearing, they find large numbers of Vileplume and Bellossom preparing to battle. With the help of his Bayleef, Ash is able to settle the disturbance, but afterwards learns from a researcher working in the area that this is a common occurrence. The winds in this area, it seems, carry particulates from the Leaf and Sun Stones that cause Gloom to evolve into either Vileplume or Bellossom. Depending on the wind's direction, different amounts of either stone are scattered over the local Gloom, creating temporary surges in the populations of either of their possible evolutions. Since there is no foreseeable end to this natural state of flux, Ash and friends must end this constant fight for supremacy by convincing these Pokémon to live in harmony despite this trick of the wind that puts one and then the other group in the advantaged position.
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- An Aesop: Fighting does nothing but hurt yourself and the other people involved in it.
- Continuity Nod: Salveyo weed is brought up again as an antidote to Stun Spore referencing "The Stun Spore Detour".
- Gameplay and Story Segregation: Realistically speaking even if both sides were equal in number, the Vileplumes should easily beat the Bellossoms but instead the tide of war changes depending on who has the most numbers and they're shown just as hurt by Bayleef's Razor Leaf despite gaining an additional resistance to it.
- Entertainingly Wrong: The gang believe the Vileplume and Bellossom that aren't fighting are because they are pacifistic in nature. Meowth reveals at the end of the episode that its only because they're having an identity crisis on not getting the evolution they wanted.
- Fantasy Sequence: Team Rocket's boss fantasy this episode consists of filling his garden with the Oddish family to supposedly make it more relaxing to wake up in the morning.
- Recycled Plot: The premise of two warring grass type factions that the heroes need to settle was done in "Bulbasaur... The Ambassador!"
