After their experiences in the Whirl Cup, the gang continues on their journey to a village being plagued by thieves who try to steal the villagers' Diglett.
Tropes
- Apologetic Attacker: Played with. Ash isn't thrilled about having to blast Team Rocket off near the end, but he doesn't apologize directly to them, just under his breath right before he orders Pikachu to attack.
- Dirty Coward: James's justification for sending Ash, Misty, and Brock to release the Dodrio of the Diglett thieves, thereby robbing the thieves of their transportation, is that it's a dangerous/scary mission.
- Enemy Mine: Ash & Gang and Team Rocket form one to protect the village from the band of Diglett thieves. Interestingly, it's Ash who ends up breaking the alliance off when he has Pikachu send Team Rocket blasting off so as to uphold The Masquerade.
- Hidden Depths: James shows some skill at military strategy in this episode.
- The Masquerade: There are no Diglett thieves note ; it's merely a ruse concocted by the villagers' children as a way to keep them in shape/add excitement to their lives.
- Pet the Dog: Team Rocket, and James in particular, decide to defend the village from the Diglett thieves due to the generosity the villagers showed them.
- Shaped Like Itself: "We are a band of Diglett thieves known as The Band of Diglett Thieves."note
- Wham Shot: Ash and his friends are sneaking around the village to spy on the Diglett thieves, when Pikachu sees something. That something turns out to be...Sue talking with the leader of the thieves!
- Whole-Plot Reference: To Seven Samurai.
