Japanese Title: Dig Here Urimoo! Search for the Hot Spring!!
Original Airdate: March 8th, 2001
US Airdate: February 2nd, 2002
As Todd and our heroes take a lunch break on a rocky mountain top, a Swinub rushes at them from a nearby crevasse. Misty is startled and drops her lunch. As the Swinub quickly swipes it, two more appear followed by a pint-sized girl named Peggy. She explains her father uses the Swinub to sniff out hot springs for hotels wanting to build resorts. Unfortunately, the Swinub's sniffers haven't been up-to-snuff and they haven't honed in on a hot spring in months. When Team Rocket try to steal the Swinub, the ensuing battle is just what they need to warm up to the search for hot springs!
Tropes
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Team Rocket as usual is subjected to one, this time by the three Swinub they tried to steal.
- Did Not Think This Through: Jessie tries to steal a Graveler, which is essentially a large sentient boulder by herself.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Team Rocket quickly panic and run away upon discovering their new hot spring was actually a company's oil well. This could be written off as them scared of the jail time but considering how much they like to steal people's pokemon and profit off of their hard work, it still comes as a bit of a surprise.
- Foreshadowing: Articuno appears yet again and this time goes to the mountain that the heroes will be investigating in the next episode.
- Hot Springs Episode: Not a conventional example but the problem of the week centres on the heroes trying to find an underground hot spring.
- Idiot Ball: The Graveler was coming with Jessie willingly but after they've moved a couple meters, she tries to steal it then and there.
- Implausible Boarding Skills: The heroes use a couplke boxes to keep up when Team Rocket goes sledding.
