Our heroes help a girl named Pietra try to track down and catch a Rhydon that has inexplicably overcome its fear of the water, as she needs its help digging a tunnel through a cave where water keeps leaking through.
Tropes
- Fight Off the Kryptonite: The Rhydon in this episode has the ability to swim and Surf, overcoming its natural fear of water primarily to forage for its favorite food, apples.
- Meaningful Name: Pietra has its origin in Petra, the Latin word for Rock. The Pokémon of the week is a Rock type and Pietra needs it to help dig a tunnel.
- Pit Trap: Team Rocket, true to form, digs another one of these to try and catch Rhydon. It ends up catching Jessie's Wobbuffet instead.
- This Is a Drill: Rhydon's Horn Drill. Ash's Totodile bites down on its horn, but Rhydon simply starts using Horn Drill and spins Totodile around until it lets go from dizziness. It also uses Horn Drill while underwater to create a whirlpool that makes all the Water Pokémon dizzy.
- Shown Their Work: Rhydon can actually learn Surf via HM in the games.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Rhydon loves apples enough that it learned Surf so it could get to its favorite feeding ground.
- The Unintelligible: Team Rocket recites their motto while their mouths are full of apple. Predictably, Ash and his friends don't understand a word they say.
