After Ash and friends’ last encounter with Team Rocket results in a blast off for both parties, Ash and friends find themselves lost at sea. Shortly as they are recovering, a submarine belonging to Team Magma appears from underneath them, and captures them to their headquarters as stowaways. Meanwhile, Team Magma are followed close behind by Team Aqua who oppose Team Magma and their plans. Ash and friends find themselves in the middle of their affairs, as both Teams plot to use the ancient Pokémon, Groudon and Kyogre respectively for their own ends.
Tropes
- Affably Evil: Maxie is a Reasonable Authority Figure to his subordinates, and is remarkably polite and patient with Ash and his friends, despite being at odds with them over how Team Magma misuses Pokémon, not once losing his temper over Ash yelling at them, and at worst, only plans to lock them up as prisoners to keep them from interfering with his plans.
- The Bus Came Back: Lance of the Elite Four makes a return investigating Team Magma and Team Aqua as an undercover detective to stop them from misusing Groudon and Kyogre. In addition, Lance’s red Gyarados that he caught from the Lake of Rage makes a return to help our heroes.
- Polite Villains, Rude Heroes: Despite Ash’s hostile (albeit justified) attitude towards Team Magma, Maxie never loses his composure and polite demeanour with him, even calmly explains Team Magma’s goals to our heroes.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Maxie’s goal as leader of Team Magma is to capture Groudon, and use Groudon to cause volcanoes to erupt and raise more inhabitable land for people and Pokémon to live.
- With Great Power Comes Great Insanity: Pikachu accidentally absorbs the Blue Orb powerful enough to control Groudon, causing Pikachu to go into a frenzy.
