Japanese Title: Esper VS Ghost! Midnight Duel!?
Original Airdate: October 6, 2005
US Airdate: September 8, 2006
The seeds of love for Wobbuffet are the seeds of discord for Team Rocket's latest plan.
Ash and company discover a group of Psychic-type Pokémon who are real party animals. The partying, however, bothers a group of Ghost-type Pokémon who just want peace and quiet. Team Rocket butts in and tries to enlist the Ghost-types to help them steal the Psychic-types. It's further complicated when Jessie's Wobbuffet ends up smitten with one of the Psychic-types, a female Kirlia.
This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
- Abandoned Mine: Comes with the territory of the town being abandoned. It's occupied by Ghost type Pokémon.
- Continuity Nod: This episode's Japanese title, "Esper VS Ghost", reverses the title of a first-season episode, "Ghost VS Esper".
- As for the romance between Wobbuffet and Kirlia, they are capable of interbreeding, since both are in the Amorphous Egg Group.note
- Crush Blush: Wobbuffet gets this a lot with Kirlia.
- Fantastic Racism: The Ghost-types and Psychic-types hate each other very much.
- Fastball Special: After he rescues Kirlia, Wobbuffet sides with the Psychic Pokémon. He throws her at the Ghost Pokémon for an attack.
- Flowers of Romance: Wobbuffet gives Kirlia a flower when he's courting her. Naturally, it's shown as wilted after he blasts off with the rest of Team Rocket.
- Ghost Town: A literal case, where the humans deserted the town and a colony of Ghost types lives in the mines.
- Good vs. Good: The core of the conflict between the Psychic and Ghost Pokémon is that the Psychic make too much noise playing music and it disturbs the sleep of the Ghost types. However the Psychic types are playing music as a way to cheer themselves up after being abandoned by their humans. Both sides have no actual malice for the other and have legitimate reasons for what they're doing.
- Love at First Sight: Wobbuffet's affection for Kirlia is immediately obvious. The feeling seems to be mutual.
- Love Redeems: Wobbuffet's crush on Kirlia makes him side with the Psychic types and against Team Rocket trying to steal the Psychic Pokémon.
- Mythology Gag: The ghost-types (and later Team Rocket) project a giant Haunter illusion.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: This is the first time Wobbuffet does anything resembling an offensive attack. The Power of Love, indeed.
- Pyrrhic Victory: Kirlia's attack defeats Team Rocket. But somehow, Wobbuffet ended up blasting off with them.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Kirlia is one of the Pokémon that Team Rocket is trying to capture. And, of course, since Status Quo Is God, Wobbuffet must blast off with the rest of Team Rocket, putting an end to the love story.
- Status Quo Is God: Of course Wobbuffet wasn't going to get to explore his new relationship with Kirlia.
