Still in Celestic Town, Ash and his friends face Team Galactic alongside Cynthia. Team Rocket steals the Lustrous Orb and hides in the Celestic Ruins. When Team Galactic finds them, Cyrus gives a momentous speech to Team Rocket. Although Ash and the others fight Team Galactic as best they can, Team Galactic's Jupiter successfully steals the orb.
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- The Bad Guy Wins: Despite the heroes' best efforts, Team Galactic gets away with the Lustrous Orb.
- Evil Is Hammy: Cyrus gets a very hammy speech as he talks about how Dialga and Palkia can be summoned. He does it again at the end when he's revealed to be the boss of Team Galactic, complete with evil laughter. This particularly stands out since Cyrus generally dislikes emotion, but he just can't help himself.
- Evil vs. Evil: Team Rocket and Team Galactic are both trying to get the Lustrous Orb.
- False Reassurance: Cyrus assures the heroes that they did a good job and he will remember them for that. Since he's the boss of Team Galactic, he really means that he'll remember how they nearly derailed his plans.
- Foreshadowing: After Cyrus tasks Jupiter to capture that Lake Trio, Jupiter comments on how she is going to contact "the Pokemon Hunter." Looks like we have not truly seen the last of J.
- It's All My Fault: Ash blames himself for Chimchar's injury, since it was forced to Take The Bullet for Pikachu. He also blames himself for Team Galactic getting away with the Lustrous Orb at the end.
- Taking the Bullet: Chimchar shoves Pikachu out the way saving him from taking a powerful hit from Toxicroak, but Chimchar takes major damage from it as a result.
- You Did Everything You Could: Cyrus tells Ash that he did his best to protect the Lustrous Orb and he shouldn't blame himself, though his sincerity is questionable.
- Early on, as Ash is beating himself up for letting Chimchar to take a Poison Jab that was meant for Pikachu, the fire monkey just touches his cheek, letting him know that he doesn’t hold any grudge, as he already did so much for him.
- You Have Failed Me: Downplayed. At the end, Saturn and the rest of Team Galactic admit that though they got the Lustrous Orb, they also showed their ineptitude, and Cyrus agrees that it doesn't reflect well on them.
