AG004

You Never Can Taillow (Japanese: スバメがいっぱい　危険がいっぱい！トウカの森でゲットだぜ！！ A Lot of ! A Lot of Danger! Capture in Woods!!) is the fourth episode of the  and the 278th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on December 12, 2002 and in the United States on November 22, 2003.

Blurb
''Ash, May and May's little brother Max are now en route to Rustboro City—and they're hungry! No one remembered to pack lunch. As they fight over one remaining cookie, Ash remembers how nice it was to have Brock cooking for him and Misty. He's quickly brought back to reality when a Taillow takes off with the cookie. The gang follows Taillow to a grove filled with apple trees. Ash and May eagerly shake the trees, hoping to make the apples drop to the ground. Instead of apples, Ash and May shake loose an angry flock of territorial Taillow. There's too many for Ash, Max, and May to handle alone. Out of nowhere, Brock appears and saves the day with his Forretress—and his incredible soup! They manage to defeat and feed all of the Taillow except the one who took the cookie. Taillow are naturally resilient, but this particular one is especially tough. Ash can't seem to defeat it, so instead he decides to catch it.''

Plot
While walking in the Petalburg Woods, complains that she is hungry while Max complains that he hasn't seen a new Pokémon yet. The two start to bicker about what to do next, pulling in two directions until he and  yell for them to stop. Ash decides they'll take a quick lunch break and then decide which way to go, but they find that none of them have brought lunch with them. Ash apologizes, then wishes was there, telling May and Max about him, especially how good a cook he is. Max gets his emergency stash, a pack of chocolate cookies, out of his backpack. After a small argument, they agree to share one cookie, when suddenly a swoops in and snatches it. They chase the Taillow, with May incensed over the food theft and Max excited that he finally found a Pokémon. The Taillow soon eats the chocolate, and Max asks if he liked it.

Pikachu discovers that they are in a grove of fruit trees. Ash tells Pikachu to shock down some fruit; however, numerous Taillow appear and snatch it up before it hits the ground. Then more Taillow appear and surround the group, looking angry. Ash wonders if it's because they're in the Taillow's territory. Ash orders Pikachu to them; the Taillow are knocked down, but recover quickly. A second Thunderbolt is also shaken off. Jessie, James and watching from the bushes, are impressed with the Taillow's resilience. They speculate that catching Pikachu would be easy if the fierce Taillow were on their side. Meanwhile, Pikachu continues to shock the Taillow, hitting one that May spots as the leader. Max notes that the chocolate on its beak marks it as the cookie thief. The Taillow shrugs off Pikachu's attack and leads the others in a mass attack on our heroes. They prepare to be hit hard when a figure appears, throwing a Poké Ball and commanding to use. It is Brock to the rescue.

Introductions are made, and then Brock offers the others rice balls only to discover they have been stolen from his backpack. He offers to cook up some stew instead. A little way off, makes use of the Taillow, bribing them with the stolen rice balls to capture Pikachu. Meanwhile, the chocolate-beaked Taillow shows up to challenge Pikachu, and Ash enthusiastically agrees. They battle over the stream, but the Taillow, despite taking several Thunderbolts and a massive attack, refuses to back down. Brock tells Ash to stop the fight by catching it. Ash throws a Poké Ball and catches. Ash calls his new Taillow out, Brock spritzes it with medicine and Ash wipes the chocolate off its beak with 's handkerchief while Ash, Pikachu and Taillow do a victory pose.

Team Rocket then makes their appearance, ordering the Taillow to attack, but Brock's cooking alarm goes off, announcing the stew is ready. Brock offers to share with the hungry Taillow flock, who loses interest in fighting. Team Rocket mourns the failure of their plan, but goes to attack anyway, figuring Pikachu will be weak with hunger. However, they get blasted off, as Ash informs them that Pikachu ate Brock's Pokémon food already. Taillow says goodbye to its flock, as our heroes continue their journey, now joined by Brock and Taillow.

Major events

 * returns, with and Max meeting him for the first time.
 * Brock's Forretress is revealed to know.
 * Brock rejoins.
 * learns that Brock only brought Forretress with him, having left at the Pewter Gym.
 * Ash a.

Humans

 * Max
 * Jessie
 * James
 * Max
 * Jessie
 * James

Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?:
 * (new; debut)
 * (multiple; debut)
 * (new; debut)
 * (multiple; debut)
 * (multiple; debut)
 * (multiple; debut)
 * (multiple; debut)

Trivia

 * The eyecatches are updated in this episode to include.
 * After catching it, lets out his new  and cleans off its chocolate with the same handkerchief  gave him when they said goodbye.
 * Coincidentally, this episode also features Brock's return.
 * The title is a reference to the phrase "you never can tell".
 * The original English dub title was announced as You Can Never Taillow.
 * Ash,, Brock, and break the fourth wall in this episode when they fight for a larger portion of the split-screen.
 * We're No Angels! takes place immediately following this episode.
 * Music from Pikachu's Vacation, Mewtwo Strikes Back, and The Power of One can be heard in this episode.

Errors

 * Petalburg Woods are called "Petalburg Forest" throughout the episode.
 * When May pulls Ash's hat over his face for forgetting to pack any lunch, her right eye is with and without sclera between frames.
 * As May prepares to send out, her gloves disappear.
 * Ash's gloves momentarily disappear when he orders Pikachu to use his electricity to bring down the fruit from the trees.
 * When Brock orders Forretress to use Explosion, its Japanese voice can be heard.
 * In the scene where Pikachu is battling Taillow, Taillow says, "Swellow" instead of Taillow.
 * Before the battle ends with Pikachu and Taillow, May's pack is missing.
 * As the Poké Ball wiggles with Taillow inside, it makes a beeping sound instead of a wiggling sound.

Dub edits

 * The rice balls Brock and Team Rocket had were called sandwiches in the dub.

In other languages
Ein Schwalbini kommt selten allein! EP280 AG004 AG004 AG編第4話 精灵宝可梦 超世代 第4集