EP123

Spinarak Attack (Japanese: イトマル！だいそうさせん！！ ! The Great Investigation!!) is the 123rd episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on November 25, 1999 and in the United States on November 11, 2000.

Blurb
''Ash and friends reach a new town and hear of three mysterious robbers apparently mimicking the crimes of a legendary master thief. The town rests its hopes in these young Trainers to somehow stop this criminal duo and their Meowth accomplice.''

Plot
Upon making their way to Catallia City, and  encounter a patrol car speeding down the street, and  gives chase, deducing that Officer Jenny must be inside. However, a few seconds later, he trips over a thin web, allowing Ash and to catch up with him. Just then, notices something approaching, after which a  appears. Mistaking it for another, Misty walks toward it, until she realizes that it is actually a Bug Pokémon. In another part of town, a disguised breaks into a storage building. tries to pick a lock, but he breaks his claw, forcing James to use a lock-pick to gain entry. Inside, Team Rocket takes a small bowl. Suddenly, a patrolman spots them, but James hurls bottle caps, meant to resemble, at him as they make their getaway.

The police arrive at the crime scene a few hours later. An officer tells Jenny that they have apprehended the thieves, but they are revealed to be Ash, Misty, Brock, and, who are caught in a giant ball of web. Jenny lets them go and explains that they mistook them for The Black Arachnid, a thief that had once terrorized Catallia City over a hundred years ago. Jenny notices Pikachu and Togepi and asks the trio if they are the professional Pokémon crime-fighters her sister from New Bark Town told them about, which Ash affirms.

Ash then asks why the police force uses Spinarak instead of, and Jenny explains that it is traditional to use Spinarak in Catallia City. A long time ago, The Black Arachnid and his Meowth ransacked the town, using Pay Day to scare the police off whenever it seemed like they were about to get captured. However, The Black Arachnid was eventually captured by the Officer Jenny of eight generations ago and her Spinarak's web. Jenny then reveals that her Spinarak is descended from the same one that caught The Black Arachnid. Ash then decides to assist in the manhunt for the thieves. Meanwhile, atop a clock tower, Jessie devises their next plan: she will send a letter telling the police what they are going to steal. While they send guards to patrol the site, Team Rocket will stealthily take the item.

The police receive Jessie's letter, which proclaims The Black Arachnid is planning to steal the mayor's prized trophy at midnight. Ash sends out, , , and to stand guard; Spinarak creates webs around the perimeter; and Jenny, Ash, and his friends remain inside the mayor's mansion. When midnight hits, however, The Black Arachnid doesn't show up. Believing the threat has passed, the mayor rushes in and gives the group a giant meal to celebrate and congratulate them. After they finish eating, the lights go out, and Team Rocket appears from the ceiling. They announce their arrival with their, allowing Ash and his friends to deduce their true identities. Ash asks how they got in, and they explain that they hid in the attic all day. He then asks why they didn't show up at midnight, and Meowth admits that they fell asleep.

James uses Pay Day and escapes with the trophy. Team Rocket flees in their Meowth balloon, but Spinarak's web stops them. The trio pulls out three large fans and continues their escape. Squirtle's and Bulbasaur's  causes the balloon to start losing air, however. This allows Charizard to burn the web with a, causing the balloon to spin out of control. Spinarak then shoots a stream of web to stop Team Rocket. Charizard proceeds to the balloon, causing Team Rocket to blast off and their cache of loot to fall. Everyone manages to catch every last piece of the loot, while Spinarak shoots out a web to save the mayor's trophy.

The next morning, Jenny reports that everything that was stolen has been returned to their rightful owners. She wishes the team the best of luck as they head out of Catallia City. Meanwhile, Team Rocket sobs over their loss. Jessie blames James and Meowth for messing things up, and everyone gets into a brawl.

Humans

 * Jessie
 * James
 * Officer Jenny
 * The Black Arachnid (flashback)
 * Police Officers
 * Catallia City's Mayor
 * The Black Arachnid (flashback)
 * Police Officers
 * Catallia City's Mayor

Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?: (US and international);  (Japan)


 * (Officer Jenny's; debut)
 * (The Black Arachnid's; flashback)
 * (Officer Jenny's; debut)
 * (The Black Arachnid's; flashback)
 * (Officer Jenny's; debut)
 * (The Black Arachnid's; flashback)
 * (Officer Jenny's; debut)
 * (The Black Arachnid's; flashback)
 * (The Black Arachnid's; flashback)

Trivia

 * In this episode, uses a  of their motto.
 * This is the first episode to air in Japan after the earliest release of.
 * This is also the first episode to use music from Generation II.
 * The book Ash Ketchum, Pokémon Detective is based on this episode.
 * The episode's Japanese title is a references to the Japanese title of the detective show .
 * To date, this is the only time has been used in the.

Dub edits

 * Pokémon Karaokémon: Pikachu (I Choose You)

In other languages
Attacke Webarak! EP125 EP123 EP123 無印編第123話 精灵宝可梦 第124集