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<\/a><\/figure>\nCharacter Debuts<\/strong>: Tracey Sketchit<\/em> \u2013 Our first main character replacement of many over the course of the series, Tracey was created for the purpose of having a more \u201canglo-looking<\/a>\u201d main character since the series was taking off globally. They thought Brock looked like too much of a Japanese stereotype with his eye design, so Tracey was brought in and Brock was booted. However, eventually, they did realize that no one gave a Sketchit about Brock\u2019s design and missed him, so he was brought back when Johto started, and Tracey was sent to live with Professor Oak forever.<\/p>\n That actually is interesting that they more or less \u2018kept\u2019 Tracey after he left. Other companions only get like the once-in-a-blue-moon special episode or mini-arc to reappear, but Tracey semi-regularly pops back up whenever Oak is shown.<\/p>\n Anyhoo, since I already explained my opinions on Tracey in my Orange League Preamble<\/a>, I\u2019ll just copy\/paste that here.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t have anything against Not-Brock. Honestly. I never did. I like that he draws a lot, I like that he\u2019s into Pok\u00e9mon research, I like his small assortment of Pok\u00e9mon.<\/p>\n One could argue he\u2019s blander than Brock, and\u2026yeah, there\u2019s a grain of truth in that, but it\u2019s not that bad. He\u2019s just, ya know\u2026.Not Brock. My opinion may change on the rewatch. We\u2019ll have to see.<\/p>\n As a kid, I never liked major cast changes in regard to people leaving. I still don\u2019t, to be honest, but I\u2019ve gotten a little better about it\u2026..Just a little. I\u2019m a grump stuck in my ways. It\u2019s hard to accept major changes in something you love.<\/p>\n Back when Tracey was introduced, we had no idea Brock would ever return. That\u2019s one of the major reasons why Tracey got such shit when he was introduced. It wasn\u2019t just that he was bland or replaced Brock, it was that we felt like we\u2019d never see Brock again, and we blamed Tracey for it. Up until this point, no character, Pok\u00e9mon or human, who has departed the show had ever returned.\u201d<\/p>\n So, yeah, Tracey\u2019s fine. I will probably call him Not-Brock a few times through Orange\u2026.*shrug*<\/p>\n That being said, I read through the Dogasu\u2019s Backpack comparison<\/a> of this episode again, and I agree with their viewpoint that, no matter if you like Tracey\/Kenji or not, his creation was a sign of a disappointing trend in Pok\u00e9mon that continues to this day. The staff behind Pok\u00e9mon realized how big it was getting and decided to eliminate a good chunk of the Japanese from this Japanese show to be more appealing to a global audience. It wasn\u2019t just that they were worried Brock was a stereotype \u2013 they genuinely did just want to do more to neutralize the world in which this show takes place.<\/p>\n \u2026..Also, like with Pok\u00e9mon Breeding, could they have not come up with a better name for his chosen specialty than \u201cPok\u00e9mon Watching\u201d? Just call it Pok\u00e9mon research or something. I know bird watching exists, but that sounds weird for some reason.<\/p>\n Pok\u00e9mon<\/strong>: Tracey currently has a Venonat and a Marill, both of which are used to help him in Pok\u00e9mon Watching. Venonat has radar-vision to track hidden Pok\u00e9mon, and Marill has fantastic hearing to listen for Pok\u00e9mon Venonat can\u2019t see. It can also help Tracey with Watching Pok\u00e9mon underwater.<\/p>\n His Marill was rather novel when he was first shown as Marill was one of the few new Gen II Pok\u00e9mon teased before Johto debuted. This technically isn\u2019t its first appearance as one appears in Pikachu\u2019s Summer Vacation<\/em>, but this is the first time one\u2019s been featured in the show proper.<\/p>\n He\u2019ll later obtain an older Scyther who is typically only used for battling, on the rare occasions he does so, and doesn\u2019t really have a special Watching ability.<\/p>\n Captures<\/strong>: LAPRAS<\/strong><\/em>!!!!!! Lapras is here! One of the best Pok\u00e9mon ever has graced us with its presence!<\/p>\n Oh yeah, it\u2019s Ash\u2019s, but who cares? It\u2019s LAPRAS!<\/p>\n \u2026.Am I meant to say more?<\/p>\n Okay.<\/p>\n Well, Lapras is basically Ash and co\u2019s boat for a large majority of the Orange Island saga. Sure, Lapras gets used in battle, but its role is mostly just a mode of transportation.<\/p>\n This Lapras in particular is a baby, and it was separated from its family. It feared humans due to some of them abusing it after it got washed up on shore and, as we\u2019ll see later in the season, a Pok\u00e9mon poacher hunting its school before it got separated from them.<\/p>\n Ash catches it with the promise of reuniting it with its family some day. While he\u2019s never shown making an effort to look, he does luck into finding them at the end of the season and Lapras departs from Ash and joins its family.<\/p>\n Plot<\/strong>: After seeing Brock off at Ivy\u2019s lab, Misty and Ash have taken a different blimp to get back home only to find it\u2019s piloted by Team Rocket (again) and it was (another) trap. Jigglypuff showed up, causing Team Rocket to panic and make a hasty exit, Jigglypuff following them after putting everyone to sleep.<\/p>\n Without pilots, the blimp coasts directionless and heads for certain doom, but Ash, Misty, and Pikachu are asleep and unable to do anything about their predicament.<\/p>\n The blimp eventually crash lands on a nearby island. As Ash and Misty wake up, they realize they\u2019re smack dab in the middle of a forest.<\/p>\n They wander around for a while and start to panic when they realize they haven\u2019t seen a single person the entire time they\u2019ve been walking. Misty starts to wonder if they\u2019re on a deserted island, because, if so, they\u2019re doomed to living off the land here for the rest of their lives.<\/p>\n Suddenly, a group of elderly tourists rushes them to take pictures with Pikachu and Togepi, proving they\u2019re not on a deserted island. In fact, they\u2019re in a Pok\u00e9mon theme park on Tangelo Island, a popular vacation spot.<\/p>\n Misty and Ash are relieved to be in civilization again, but the mood quickly sours when they spot a beached baby Lapras being abused by a trio of soulless monsters. Ash and Misty approach to tell them to lay off the Lapras. The thugs say to butt out and claim they\u2019re getting their Pok\u00e9mon ready to fight the Orange Crew. They call out a Spearow, Beedrill, and Hitmonchan to teach Ash and Misty a lesson.<\/p>\n Ash sends Pikachu out, but the battle is suddenly interrupted by a strange guy who barges in to do analysis on the Pok\u00e9mon involved in the battle \u2013 Tracey Sketchit. He even starts insulting the abusers\u2019 Pok\u00e9mon, saying the Spearow they have isn\u2019t getting enough vitamins and is overweight, the coloring on Beedrill is poor, and Hitmonchan isn\u2019t getting enough exercise.<\/p>\n He turns around and compliments Ash\u2019s Pikachu, however, stating that it\u2019s perfectly cared for, as shown by its shiny coat. Everyone\u2019s confused by Tracey as he even takes the time out to sketch Pikachu and attempt to get a reading on its voltage levels.<\/p>\n The jerks get impatient and start attacking, prompting Pikachu to give Tracey exactly what he was asking for \u2013 a Thundershock. Though he certainly didn\u2019t expect to be shocked himself.<\/p>\n The jerks and their Pok\u00e9mon run off. Ash, Pikachu, and Misty cheer, but Tracey tells them the Lapras needs medical attention right away. He hands Ash some medicine and tells him to administer it to Lapras while he fetches a Nurse Joy.<\/p>\n Ash tries to get Lapras to take the medicine, but it refuses, smacking the bottle out of his hand.<\/p>\n Eventually, the Lapras is brought to the Pok\u00e9mon Center. Nurse Joy happily reports that the Lapras\u2019 injuries aren\u2019t severe and it will be just fine. However, it is very distrustful of humans, which is no surprise given how the jerks on the beach were abusing it.<\/p>\n Tracey says that\u2019s a shame because this is a baby Lapras that most likely got separated from its family. Large schools of Lapras pass by this island around this time every year, and the most recent storm must have swept it away from its group.<\/p>\n Ash points out that he certainly knows a lot about Lapras, and Tracey explains that he learns a lot by being a Pok\u00e9mon Watcher. Ash and Misty are unfamiliar with the term, but Joy explains that a Pok\u00e9mon Watcher is someone who travels the world to study Pok\u00e9mon. Sometimes they even discover new Pok\u00e9mon.<\/p>\n After properly introducing themselves to each other, Misty, Ash, and their new friend Tracey decide to work together to reunite this Lapras with its family.<\/p>\n Team Rocket watches from the doorway and schemes to capture the rare Lapras, but a trio of kids tramples over them as they rush the Pok\u00e9mon Center\u2019s desk. They all want treatment for their Pok\u00e9mon. One of them mentions the Orange Crew \u2013 the same group the jerks from before mentioned. Tracey explains that the Orange Crew are the Gym Leaders of the Orange Archipelago. In order to compete in the Orange League, you need to earn badges from all four Gym Leaders, referred to as the Orange Crew.<\/p>\n Ash, predictably, wants to enter the Orange League, but Misty reminds him that they\u2019re in these islands to get the GS Ball and bring it to Professor Oak. They don\u2019t have time for him to be entering a league.<\/p>\n To get his permission, Ash calls Oak.<\/p>\n They bring him up to speed, and Ash asks if it\u2019d be okay for him to enter the Orange League instead of returning to his lab right away. Oak is eager to get the GS Ball, but he understands how important getting in more training is for Ash. Plus, he figures he wouldn\u2019t be able to convince him not to, so he tells Ash to go for it.<\/p>\n After the call ends, Tracey bursts out in excitement. He\u2019s a huge fan of Oak. He proclaims that he\u2019ll join them on their travels from now on to get the chance to meet Oak, though Misty points out that he can\u2019t just invite himself along.<\/p>\n Joy says the Lapras is okay to be moved back to the ocean, but they can\u2019t get Lapras to trust them enough to get it on the truck. Ash decides to calm it by singing a lullaby. Before he can get out a couple words, Jigglypuff shows up and does the work for him.<\/p>\n After they wake up from their Jigglypuff-induced slumber, they go back to work trying to get Lapras on the truck. Ash decides to jump into the pool to get Lapras himself, but Lapras just runs away.<\/p>\n Suddenly, a smoke bomb is shot off into the water. Team Rocket emerges with intent on stealing Lapras.<\/p>\n James calls on Weezing to use Smog. Under the veil of the smoke, the trio gets away with Lapras. They can\u2019t follow them on foot, but Tracey has a plan. He call out his Venonat to use its radar eye to track the truck.<\/p>\n Eventually, they obtain bikes and catch up to Team Rocket. Ash hops off his bike and into the bed of the truck. He makes his way into the cab and struggles with Team Rocket to stop the truck. Getting frustrated with the chaos, Pikachu Thundershocks everyone.<\/p>\n In a daze, James accidentally disconnects the bed from the cab of the truck. Ash is able to climb back onto the bed with Lapras before the two parts separate too far. They careen out of control to a ramp off a cliff. The front half flies off while the back manages to avoid the same fate.<\/p>\n However, the truck bed rolls backwards down the hill and heads for another cliff. Ash manages to use his weight to steer the truck bed away from the cliff, but they just head for another one. Ash is unable to steer away from this one, and they fly off. Lapras is freed from its ropes and the truck bed as they fly through the air. Ash grabs Lapras\u2019 neck and tells it they\u2019ll be okay if they stick together as they fall into the water.<\/p>\n Seemingly hours later, Misty and Tracey comb the beach under the direction of Venonat\u2019s radar eye looking for Ash and Lapras. Eventually, he rides up to the shore on Lapras\u2019 back declaring that he\u2019s caught Lapras.<\/p>\n Later\u2026or\u2026the next day? They bid farewell to Nurse Joy saying they\u2019ll travel the Orange Islands to look for Lapras\u2019 family. Tracey is officially joining them as a travel companion as they set off to the first Orange Island League Gym.<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2013<\/p>\n \u2013 Ah, hey, we\u2019re finally switching to the new theme for the bumpers.<\/p>\n \u2013 Ya know how I said in my preamble that it would be nice to get a change of scenery from Indigo\u2019s constant forests with Orange\u2019s islands?<\/p>\n One of the first things they do as we properly start the season is get the main characters LOST IN A GODDAMN FOREST.<\/p>\n \u2013 I want to point out the absolute insane irony that this aspiring WATER Pok\u00e9mon MASTER is panicking that they\u2019ll be trapped on an ISLAND forever.<\/p>\n \u2013 It\u2019s once again really rude (and pretty dangerous) but I guess not unbelievable that random people will start grabbing at someone\u2019s Pok\u00e9mon and acting like they\u2019re stuffed animals they can do whatever they want with.<\/p>\n \u2013 Tourists: \u201cPika-cheese!\u201d Do I like that or hate that with a passion? It\u2019s weird that I can\u2019t decide.<\/p>\n \u2013 Props to Pikachu for not electrocuting these elderly people, though. I can\u2019t believe I have to say that.<\/p>\n \u2013 Okay, I\u2019m confused. I\u2019m not confused that this is a tourist trap island but there is still forestland big enough to get lost in on it. I\u2019m confused because\u2026.it looked like Misty and Ash were walking out of the entrance. Meaning they were IN the Pok\u00e9mon Park, which\u2026is\u2026.what? Just a forest area you can wander around in with no signs or trails to maybe see a Pok\u00e9mon? Like a poor man\u2019s Jurassic Park? Why is it not fenced off? Did they crash IN the park?<\/p>\n \u2013 These assholes who are abusing a baby Lapras can choke to death on hot coals.<\/p>\n \u2013 You gotta love when cocky assholes have extremely mid to bad Pok\u00e9mon like Spearow and Beedrill. At least Hitmonchan\u2019s alright.<\/p>\n \u2013 Although, I\u2019ll never stop feeling bad for any Pok\u00e9mon that has an abuser for a Trainer. It\u2019s always good to get one of them away, but they always have others\u2026.<\/p>\n \u2013 Oh yeah, I guess another mark against Tracey is that his very first scene is kinda annoying. He just barges into the battle and starts making nosy (and rude) observations about the Pok\u00e9mon while getting into their personal space and even measuring them. I have nothing against insulting the asshole Trainers, and their Pok\u00e9mon are likely not being well cared for, see above, but it\u2019s just kinda annoying.<\/p>\n And, even if he\u2019s complimenting Pikachu, again, taking someone\u2019s Pok\u00e9mon off their head and doing whatever you want with it is rude. Imagine if you were walking your dog and someone just grabbed it without your permission.<\/p>\n I thought Pok\u00e9mon Watchers silently watch Pok\u00e9mon and analyze them from a distance. Why is he getting all nosy and pushy?<\/p>\n \u2013 Also, for a guy who\u2019s a Pok\u00e9mon Watcher, why does it take him so long to spot the beaten Lapras and realize it needs medical attention? Geez.<\/p>\n \u2013 Misty was very cute to put her hand on top of Ash and Tracey\u2019s as a three-way handshake upon meeting.<\/p>\n \u2013 I like the little detail that Team Rocket also got leis like Ash and Misty did when they entered the park.<\/p>\n \u2013 I also love how Team Rocket are being as obvious as possible for no reason. They\u2019re huddled down watching Ash and co. talk, and they\u2019re watching them from the fully glass doors at the front of the Pok\u00e9mon Center. What\u2019s worse is Nurse Joy is at the desk and should be looking right at them but isn\u2019t reacting at all.<\/p>\n \u2013 These kids are something else. One kid comes in because his Sandshrew got scratched. The girl brings in her Voltorb just because it\u2019s tired and she wants it to stay over for a day. The only reasonable one is the last kid who wants his Starmie to get a checkup because he wants to challenge the Orange Crew.<\/p>\n \u2013 Misty: \u201cDon\u2019t you remember, Ash? Those three guys on the beach\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Ash: \u201cThat\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n Misty: \u201c\u2014said something about battling the Orange Crew too.\u201d<\/p>\n Ash, don\u2019t interrupt.<\/p>\n \u2013 Ash pulls out the GS Ball and grasps it when he proclaims he wants to enter the Orange League. I don\u2019t really have a criticism, I just wonder why he did that.<\/p>\n \u2013 Ash\u2019s idea isn\u2019t terrible, but lullabies typically put things to sleep. And if Lapras falls asleep\u2026how\u2019s it\u2019s gonna get on the truck?<\/p>\n Actually\u2026.how\u2019d they get this Lapras TO the Pok\u00e9mon Center?<\/p>\n \u2013 I love how Joy\u2019s not helping them get Lapras into the truck.<\/p>\n \u2013 Aw, Jigglypuff drew whiskers on Togepi.<\/p>\n \u2013 Okay, Jigglypuff, not cool to scribble all over Tracey\u2019s sketch. That\u2019s marker, dude.<\/p>\n \u2013 Also, thank you, Jigglypuff for pointlessly derailing the show again.<\/p>\n \u2013 It\u2019s funny how it sounds like James is choking on the smoke when they first start their motto.<\/p>\n \u2013 Wait, how did THEY get Lapras on THEIR truck?<\/p>\n \u2013 It is amazing how infrequently people point out that Meowth can talk. Then again, I guess it\u2019d be annoying if it was brought up nearly every episode.<\/p>\n \u2013 Jessie: \u201cThe\u2026.twerp!\u201d You okay there, Jessie?<\/p>\n \u2013 PIKACHU! Don\u2019t Thundershock while in the truck! Lapras, the wounded baby Water Pok\u00e9mon, is in the back!<\/p>\n \u2013 I\u2019m not quite understanding this road. They spend an inordinate amount of time downhill while with Team Rocket, then there\u2019s a ramp off a cliff, but then the bed of the truck rolls backwards\u2026.downhill again in the direction they came? Now the road is like circling around a big hill and there\u2019s constant cliffs?<\/p>\n \u2013 Ash: \u201cYou put up quite the fight, Lapras\u2026But I caught ya anyway!\u201d I\u2019m sorry\u2026\u2026Ash takes the time out after saving this wounded and traumatized baby Lapras from certain doom\u2026.to battle and capture this wounded and traumatized baby Lapras that he said he was intent on bringing back to its family?\u2026.What?<\/p>\n I know Ash says later that the plan is to travel around the Orange Islands to look for its family, but he still seems to have battled and captured Lapras if this dialogue is any indication. Being fair, the original\u2019s dialogue doesn\u2019t imply that he fought Lapras, but he does proclaim that he got Lapras\u2026.*shrug*<\/p>\n \u2013 Tracey: \u201cDid he say \u201cCaught\u201d?\u201d<\/p>\n Misty: \u201cHe likes to dream.\u201d I never understood this line. Why is it outside of the realm of possibility for him to capture Lapras?<\/p>\n Narrator: \u201cBut please, Ash. Don\u2019t lose Professor Oak\u2019s GS Ball!\u201d Yes, we wouldn\u2019t want to lose that super important GS Ball\u2026.<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n This episode was a fine establishing episode. We meet our new travel companion, Ash gets a Lapras to help travel the Orange Islands while he competes in the Orange League, and Ash starts his Orange League journey officially.<\/p>\n Tracey\u2019s debut, if we\u2019re comparing all the companion debuts so far, is kinda not all that memorable. I say that because I honestly didn\u2019t remember Tracey being a part of this episode at all, even though I did remember Ash catching a Lapras, of course.<\/p>\n Despite so much happening, not a lot of it was all that interesting, to be honest. We learn what Pok\u00e9mon Watchers are, but they\u2019re basically traveling researchers. (Does Tracey cease to be a Watcher after he decides to stay with Professor Oak if he\u2019s no longer traveling?) Fun fact: There are only THREE Pok\u00e9mon Watchers in entire franchise. Tracey, some dude we\u2019ll meet this season, and, believe it or not, Oak. Yeah, they saw that Oak drew in Movie 04 as a kid (Spoiler alert: Oak is Sam.) and I guess just labeled him as a Watcher.<\/p>\n Team Rocket\u2019s plan was lackluster. The thugs weren\u2019t even memorable. But who cares? It\u2019s LAPRAS!<\/p>\n That makes this episode great by default.<\/p>\n The End.<\/p>\n Next time, believe it or not, we\u2019re already at our first Gym match! Yup, Orange gets right to the point.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n