BW020

Dancing With the Ducklett Trio! (Japanese: ピカチュウVSメグロコVSコアルヒー！！ Pikachu VS VS !!) is the 20th episode of the, and the 677th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on February 24, 2011 and in the United States on June 18, 2011.

Blurb
During a lunch break on their way to Castelia City, our heroes are shocked when the ground suddenly falls out from under Ash and Pikachu, sending them sliding through a long underground tunnel! At the end of the wild ride, Ash and Pikachu once again come face to face with an old friend, the Sandile who wears sunglasses. It appears that Sandile has traveled a long way to challenge Pikachu to a rematch!

Their battle is quickly interrupted by a mischievous Ducklett who wanders out of the bushes. It turns out this Ducklett is part of a thieving trio, and one by one, they steal Cilan’s serving dome, then Sandile’s sunglasses, and finally Ash’s hat! Retrieving these items proves to be a formidable task, as the three Ducklett have some tricks up their feathery sleeves!

Sandile and Pikachu team up to take on the three Ducklett. During the fray, Pikachu learns a new move—Electro Ball! The powerful zap sends the thieves on their way, and our heroes are able to retrieve their stolen items.

Sandile and Pikachu get back to their original plan and resume their battle—which ends with Sandile evolving into Krokorok right before Pikachu’s Electro Ball sends it flying! Ash plans for another rematch next time they meet Krokorok, and our heroes resume their much-sidetracked journey toward Castelia City and Ash’s next Gym battle!

Plot
On their way to Castelia City, and  decide to train, with Ash pitting his  against Iris's Axew. The Pokémon stare ferociously at one another as Ash calls for a attack and Iris calls for. The two Pokémon dramatically charge at one another, and Scraggy headbutts Axew causing it to grab its head in pain. Axew quickly recovers and uses, but the move misses entirely. Instead, it causes Scraggy's "pants" to fall down and the Molting Pokémon quickly grabs them and pulls them back up causing Axew to laugh hysterically. Both Ash and Iris laugh nervously at the battle proceedings. Ash then calls for Scraggy to use. Scraggy launches forward with the attack and inches closer and closer until Axew flinches. Ash gasps and comments to that Leer actually worked. Iris gets pumped and tells Axew to use which causes Ash, Pikachu and, who is preparing lunch, to jump in fear. Axew charges up to attack and ends up sneezing, causing a large explosion that can even be seen from a town nearby. He looks around confusedly as Iris comes and picks him up. Cilan announces that lunch is ready, and Ash and Iris decide that it is enough training for today. From the grass, a wild watches the trio.

Ash's comes out of its Poké Ball and Ash decides to let all his Pokémon out for lunch. But before he can, the ground beneath him collapses he drops his Poké Balls on stable ground as he falls down the hole with Pikachu. As the rest of the group calls for him down the hole, the ground collapses again, sealing the hole shut. Cilan calls out his to help, but Iris suggests that her  is better suited for the situation.

Turns out, Sunglasses Sandile is responsible for digging the hole, which ends through the side of a cliff. Sandile hops away from the hole just as Ash and Pikachu come tumbling out, crash landing onto the ground below. Ash asks if Pikachu is okay as the Sandile makes its presence known. Ash has a flashback and recalls the Sandile is the Sunglasses Sandile from the hot springs and sand baths, and realizes it dug the hole because it wants to battle Pikachu.

Iris says she has to help Ash picks takes out a Poké Ball. Cilan asks if she's really going to send that Pokémon. Iris says she has to help out and calls out her Excadrill which refuses to help despite Iris's requests. Cilan comments on the Pokémon's "bad taste" and Iris recalls it in dismay. As Cilan is telling his Pansage to help, the Ducklett that was looking at the trio through the bushes steals Cilan's pan. Cilan notices it running away with the pan, and as he and Pansage chase after it, the Ducklett, in turn, uses. The attack is deflected off Oshawott's scalchop onto Iris until the Sea Otter Pokémon cannot block it any further and takes the rest of the attack directly causing its head to turn bright red. Oshawott, with head turned a bright shade of red, runs around in pain and throws its scalchop to the ground in anger. He quickly runs after it and puts it back on his chest, smiling happily once its back. Oshawott glares angrily at the Ducklett, who is now laughing as it flies away. Oshawott, Scraggy, and Axew chase after it and Iris follows after them in concern. Cilan and Pansage return to the collapsed hole and plan to meet up with Iris afterwards.

Ash has Pikachu attack Sandile, but his Electric attacks won't work against the part Ground-type. In the middle of their battle, a Ducklett interferes. Ducklett picks on Sandile, poking it in the nose with its wing in a seemingly curious way, causing Sandile to sneeze. Sandile's sunglasses bounce off of its face, landing on Ducklett's. Sandile asks for it back, but Ducklett blasts Sandile backward with, sending Sandile crashing into Ash and Pikachu. The three are slumped against a tree as Ducklett flees. Ash, Pikachu, and Sandile decide to go after it. While moving through the forest, Sandile is startled by a clan of that fly past, and it leaps into Ash's arms in fear. Ash calms Sandile down, placing it back onto the ground.

A Ducklett suddenly swoops past and snatches Ash's hat right off of his head. Ash tries to attack but Ducklett fires an at them. Ash leaps out of the way, and Sandile leaps into his arms, dodging the ray of ice. Ash, Sandile, and Pikachu run after the Ducklett. That Ducklett meets with the one that took Sandile's sunglasses, and Pikachu shocks them with a. They fall over. Victorious, Ash, Pikachu and Sandile rush after them, but the third Ducklett, who took Cilan's pan, rams into them with, sending the three of them to the ground. The pan Ducklett fires Scald at Sandile and Ash. Ash tosses Sandile aside and takes the full brunt of the attack, scalding his face. Shortly thereafter, the Ducklett that took Ash's hat freezes Ash with Ice Beam. Sandile breaks the ice and Ash is now more determined than ever to get these Ducklett.

They chase the Ducklett to a tree containing plenty of household items that they toss at them. Ash, Pikachu, and Sandile dodge the thrown items, and Ash has Pikachu attack the Ducklett when he is hit in the face with a soccer ball. One of the Ducklett drops an umbrella that snaps shut on Pikachu as he fires a, trapping himself inside. Pikachu shocks himself, and Ash attempts to free him, grabbing the umbrella, causing Pikachu to shock Ash. Sandile frees Pikachu, who is tired out and unable to attack the Ducklett. Ash picks up his sickly Pikachu, who sets off sparks from his cheeks that end up lightly shocking Ash. The Ducklett spray water simultaneously at them, and leap into the forest to escape.

Iris, Oshawott, and Scraggy continue searching for Ash, and meet up with Cilan, who scales the side of the cliff. They decide to keep looking. Meanwhile, Ash, Pikachu, and Sandile watch from the bushes as the Ducklett joke around, waiting for the right opportunity to attack them and get their things back. They decide to approach with a more negotiative manner, asking for their things back. The Ducklett that took Sandile's sunglasses steps forward, looking ready to return what is rightfully Sandile's, before cruelly spraying Ash, Pikachu, and Sandile backward with Water Gun. Ash, having had enough, wants Pikachu to zap the Ducklett again, but Pikachu can't attack, Ash realizing the umbrella closing on Pikachu must have had effects on Pikachu's Electric attacks.

Sandile instead battles the Ducklett, who put all of the stuff they stole down in order to battle. The Ducklett get angry and gang up on Sandile, causing Pikachu and Ash to jump in. The Ducklett manage to overpower all three of them, sending them skidding to the ground. Pikachu suddenly concentrates a bunch of electricity into a giant ball known as, and sends it flying toward the Ducklett, launching them into the sky. Ash's friends, along with his Oshawott and Scraggy, meet up with Ash, Pikachu, and Sandile. Their happy reunion is cut short when the Ducklett return to attack them again. Pikachu demonstrates that his electricity is completely returned as he zaps them away again with Thunderbolt.

The group gathers their stuff together. Cilan gets his pan, Ash his hat, and Sandile its sunglasses. The group heads to the Pokémon Center, where Ash heals all of his Pokémon, along with Sandile. Sandile and Pikachu have a battle, with Sandile gaining the upper hand after evolving into a. When Krokorok fires a attack, Pikachu's Electro Ball attack sends the rocks flying back, hitting Krokorok and sending it blasting off. Iris and Cilan congratulate Ash on the battle, admiring Pikachu's new attack and the group continues on their way to Castelia City.

Major events

 * Ash's Pikachu learns.
 * The Sunglasses Sandile evolves into a Krokorok.

Humans

 * Nurse Joy
 * Dan (flashback)
 * Nurse Joy
 * Dan (flashback)
 * Dan (flashback)

Pokémon
Who's That Pokémon?:
 * (sunglasses; evolves)
 * (sunglasses; newly evolved; debut)
 * (×3; debut)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (sunglasses; evolves)
 * (sunglasses; newly evolved; debut)
 * (×3; debut)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)
 * (multiple)

Trivia

 * Professor Oak's Pokémon Live Caster:
 * A new jingle is used for the title card.
 * An instrumental version of is used as background music.
 * Also, new background music from are used for first time in this episode:
 * Title theme.
 * Rival battle theme.
 * Battle Subway theme.
 * "Emotion" theme.
 * This is the first time that learns a new move since he learned  in May's Egg-Cellent Adventure!, which was 253 episodes earlier.
 * The way and  get blasted off by  and, respectively, is similar to how  blasted off prior to the , including the twinkle.
 * This episode aired just five days after A Sandile Gusher of Change! did in the US, which also featured the Sunglasses Sandile, and was his debut.
 * As this is the first time a Pokémon evolved onscreen during the, it was the first to feature the new evolution sequence, replacing the one used since the.
 * This is also the first time when a recurring wild Pokémon evolves on-screen.
 * Prior to the airing of this episode, magazine scans (which normally detail an event occurring in this episode) included and, but they do not actually appear in this episode.

Errors

 * When Pikachu and Sandile start fighting again and Sandile uses, Sandile's sunglasses are missing.

In other languages
Pikachu und das Piccolente-Trio! EP680 BW020 BW020 BW編第20話 精灵宝可梦 超级愿望 第20集