Now that Team Galactic has every item they need, it's time to obtain the last piece... the Lake Guardians. Everyone, from Ash to Cynthia to Team Rocket is trying to stop them. Will they succeed?
- The Bad Guy Wins: Team Galactic manages to kidnap Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf and start the last phase of their plan. Subverted with Hunter J (see below).
- Brainwashed and Crazy: With the Red Chain, Cyrus takes control of the Lake trio. They barely menaged to summon Ash, Dawn and Brock before losing their wills.
- Broke Your Arm Punching Out Cthulhu: Hunter J manages to capture the Lake Trio... at the cost of her life and all of her henchmen's.
- Crazy-Prepared: Team Galactic really prepared for the last part of their plan: first, they hired J, the best Pokemon hunter in the world; then, they also send Saturn and a team to the same lake to support her; and then, they also kept Mars and Jupiter nearby to be extra safe.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Saturn makes quick work of Gary.
- Darker and Edgier: Raise your hand if you were expecting a Pokemon episode with a body count.
- Disappointed in You: Cyrus is very upset at Saturn, Mars and Jupiter, since their first instinct is to fight Ash, Dawn and Brock, accusing them of not learning anything about his hate of violence. So much that he decided to let them die in the next episode.
- Dreaming of Things to Come: At the beginning of the episode, Ash and friends are contacted in their dream by the Lake trio with a warning about the Red Chain.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Team Galactic all look disturbed at J's death.
- Karma Houdini Warranty: Finally J pays for her crimes... and quite heavily. As extra irony, the move that gets her is Future Sight, that literally has an effect sometime after being used.
- Killed Off for Real: J and her goons.
- Holding Out for a Hero: Averted: since they have learned of Team Galactic's plan, Rowan, Gary, Cynthia and other prepared teams near the lakes, as well as keep searching for the Spear Pillar themselves. Rowan even tells Ash, Dawn and Brock to let them handle it.
- Internal Reveal: While the audience already knew, this is where Ash and company learn that Cyrus is the leader of Team Galactic.
- Odd Friendship: This episode confirms that Team Rocket consider Looker a friend, despite him being a member of the police, since he gave them his extra box lunches.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: For once, averted by Team Rocket, whose Team Galactic outfits are actually pretty good.
- Psychic Link: Azelf, Mesprit and Uxie create one with Ash, Dawn and Brock at the beginning of the episode. This let them feel when the Pokemon are captured and allow the Pokemon to teleport them inside the Team Galactic base.
- Underestimating Badassery: J apparently thought that Mesprit and Uxie's Future Sight would be neutralized after she petrified both of them. She really pays for that mistake.
- The Worf Effect: While Gary was a good trainer back in the day, now that he is a researcher he probably doesn't train as hard as he used to, and he is easily defeated by Saturn.
