A lightning storm causes a forest fire, endangering all the Pokemon of the forest. The Mythical Pokemon Celebi appears to stop the fire and saves the Pokemon. Seeing a falling tree about to hit it, it teleports away to a different time and hides by creating vines around it. On their way to the Battle Pike, Ash and friends decide to ride along Cycling Road. However, it is closed and they take a detour through the forest below. After hearing a noise, Pikachu runs off into the forest and finds the injured Celebi under some thick vines. Trying to find Pikachu, Ash and the others run into the Pokemon Ranger Solana who agrees to help them find Pikachu. Solona uses her capture styler to temporarily capture wild Pokemon to help with travelling through the forest. While searching for Pikachu, the group finds Team Rocket stuck in some vines and frees them and then run off. When they finally find Pikachu and Celebi, the reunion is short-lived as Team Rocket attacks, wanting to capture Celebi for themselves! After a short battle and a successful Volt Tackle from Pikachu, the group defeats Team Rocket but their robot causes another fire. Celebi again stops the fire and then returns to its own time. Ash and friends continue their journey, finally able to use the Cycling Road.
Tropes
- Establishing Character Moment: Solana's appearance in this episode marks the first time we get to see a Pokemon Ranger in action.
- Time Travel: Celebi's primary ability alongside it's forest manipulation powers. The Celebi that appeared in this episode actually came from the future (or the past) theroized to have escaped from villains trying to capture it. Once it has been fully healed up by Ash and friends, it returns back to it's own time.
- Ungrateful Bastard: Team Rocket, at one point, gets caught in a mess of vines caused by Celebi to protect itself. Even when Solana helps them out and tells them to leave (which they do by that point), they still come back later to steal Celebi for themselves.
