"I'm terrified now!"
"And you're so cute!"
—Jessie and James, reacting to Steenee's evolution after having just scoffed at Bounsweet.
Japanese Title: Really!? Mao's Great Cooking Operation!
Original Airdate: March 16, 2017
US Airdate: July 1, 2017
Mallow needs to find Yellow Nectar to perfect her family restaurant's signature dish. She and Ash go on a hunt to find the ingredient when it seems to be out of season.
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- The Bus Came Back: At one point during the search for a Cheer Oricorio, Rowlet visited its Pikipek family to ask them.
- Cute Bruiser: Steenee, about as literally as you can get with this trope. She's adorable, and she can beat you into a bloody pulp. Just ask Team Rocket.
- Extreme Mêlée Revenge: A pretty brutal beating for Team Rocket even for their usual. Steenee not only Double Slaps them until they are swollen and bruised, but Bewear has to butt in just to stop the livid heroes from keeping up the pain, long after the Terrible Trio have given up and are trying to pathetically crawl away.
- Fastforward Gag: The chase of Oricorio ultimately takes this form .
- Lethal Chef: Mallow uses Pikachu's Thunderbolt as an ingredient in her stew. As a result, everyone who tastes it gets zapped.
- Only a Flesh Wound: After the initial beating from Steenee, Meowth insists he has everything under control. Then comes Rowlet's Leafage to blow up his nectar vacuum. The owl then struts away with an amused "Sure you do" smirk for an added bonus.
- Stalker with a Crush: It's pretty clear from his reaction to Bounsweet's Sweet Scent that Rowlet's reaction to it has evolved from a literal hunger pang to a more romantic attraction.
- Supervillain Lair: Team Rocket have completed their hideout at Bewear's den.
- Taking the Bullet: Bewear pops up at the last second to take Pikachu's Thunderbolt and avert A Twinkle in the Sky, carrying Team Rocket off once more.Jessie and James (wearily): We're off with a chubby-cheeked blast...
- Talking Is a Free Action: Averted. While RotomDex does its Wiki Walk for Steenee, she's beating the ever-loving crap out of Meowth.
- Took a Level in Badass: Bounsweet evolving into Steenee.
- Transformation Sequence: The first evolution of the Alola era looks like it came straight from a Magical Girl anime. It is certainly befitting Steenee's introduction.
- You Shall Not Evade Me: Ash and Mallow have really had enough of Team Rocket's crap this time round, and keep attacking them as they're weakly crawling away. Thankfully Bewear saves them from the final blow.
