EP199

Current Events (Japanese: さよならチコリータ！？でんきのラビリンス！ Goodbye !? The Electric Labyrinth!), is the 199th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on May 24, 2001 and in the United States on April 27, 2002.

Blurb
''Nearing Olivine City, our heroes notice a field full of windmills. Brock explains the windmills are used to generate electricity. Deciding the breezy windmill field is a nice place to take a break and get some fresh air, our heroes release their Pokémon from their Poké Balls and begin to set up a picnic. When Ash and Chikorita go looking for firewood, they stumble upon a concrete building with the front door wide open. Curious, the duo enter and are promptly locked in when a strong gust of wind shuts the heavy electric door. Hearing Ash's cries for help, Pikachu races towards the building, followed by Brock and Misty. While Brock contacts the electric company for help, Ash decides to descend the floors of the compound and locates the building's power source. He and Chikorita must battle their way through the scores of security systems in place... Electric-type Pokémon!''

Plot
As, , and stop in a large field near a wind power generator to take a break. Meanwhile, are starving and soon spot an odd white building in the distance. They are curious, and soon James knocks on the door. After a few tries, he tries to open it up, but the door is electronically locked, which infers after seeing a card reader. He tries to pick at it with his claw, but ends up breaking his claw in the reader. Meowth is infuriated and scratches at the door, which results in him and his teammates being electrocuted. Just then, the door opens slowly, allowing the trio to enter and explore. also wanders into the facility.

Brock decides a picnic lunch is in order. Ash volunteers to fetch the firewood with, but the is fast asleep. Instead, Ash decides to take. Meanwhile, Team Rocket finds themselves walking through various empty hallways when they come across a. Four more Magnemite appear, and together they attack with their electricity, sending Team Rocket fleeing. As Ash and Chikorita are walking across the field, they find the building, with the door still open. When the two enter, the door suddenly slams shut, trapping them inside. Ash begins calling for help and his friends come running. Brock notices that the building's electric lock is damaged and tells Ash that he'll call the Electric company for assistance. Ash tries to get the door open without any luck; however, Chikorita spots a map of the complex and has Ash looks at it. They go downstairs to check out the place. Upon looking through various empty halls, Ash and Chikorita are attacked by a swarm of Magnemite and a. Team Rocket watches the squabble, but Jigglypuff soon arrives. Fearing that it is going to sing, James takes away her microphone, but Jigglypuff and tosses it to Jessie, who then throws it towards the Magnemite to give them some time. The microphone rolls to Ash’s feet, and Jigglypuff rushes at him to retrieve its precious item. Ash realizes there is destroyed shutter behind him, so he runs through it and down a fleet of stairs. Moments later, Jigglypuff manages to get her microphone and s, putting all of the Magnet Pokemon to.

Brock returns to Misty's side and informs her that the Electric company will attend to the door eventually. On the next floor, Ash wanders around four large generators, where he is attacked by a swarm of. Ash tells Chikorita to use, making one , thus creating a path for Ash to escape. The Electrode pursue them, but Ash and Chikorita narrowly escape the Explosions and reach another area. Jigglypuff then appears, but Chikorita quickly tosses its microphone away, allowing Ash to escape down another staircase. Jigglypuff encounters Team Rocket again. As with before, Team Rocket grabs Jigglypuff's microphone and throws it away, giving everyone time to escape. Jigglypuff successfully retrieves her microphone again and lulls the Electrode to sleep. Desperate to find a hiding spot, Team Rocket takes cover inside a room, but they are confronted by an. Meowth quickly tells Electabuzz that Ash is the one causing the trouble and that they are just workers. Electabuzz believes him and marches off to find Ash. Meanwhile, Misty and Brock, searching for Ash and Chikorita, make their way into the building after an electronics expert pries the door open.

Ash runs into Electabuzz, who attacks him and Chikorita. However, their battle is interrupted by Team Rocket, who trap the Pokémon in a cage. Chikorita tries to break open the cage with, but the bars are too strong. The trio runs off with the captured Pokémon and exit the power station facility. Ash slides down a hillside and stops the evil trio in their tracks. Upon being cornered, Jessie and James have and  attack Ash. Helpless at Ash's predicament, Chikorita evolves into, much to the delight of Team Rocket. Bayleef frees herself and Electabuzz with Razor Leaf. Misty, Brock, and the electrician catch up to them in time to see Bayleef throwing Arbok and Victreebel into Team Rocket with a Vine Whip. The female electrician, who happens to be Electabuzz's, orders it to use alongside Ash's Pikachu. Bayleef gives Team Rocket a final Vine Whip and sends them blasting off.

In the aftermath, the representative of the Electric company thanks Ash and his friends for stopping Team Rocket. Ash also apologizes for trespassing and congratulates Bayleef on her efforts. Just then, Jigglypuff pops up and starts Singing, putting everyone to sleep. Infuriated by this, Jigglypuff scribbles on the group's faces and stomps away.

Major events

 * 's evolves into.

Pokémon debuts

 * Ash's Bayleef

Humans

 * Jessie
 * James
 * Electric company
 * Jessie
 * James
 * Electric company

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


 * (evolves)
 * (newly evolved)
 * (electric company's; ×10)
 * (electric company's)
 * (electric company's; multiple)
 * (electric company's)
 * (newly evolved)
 * (electric company's; ×10)
 * (electric company's)
 * (electric company's; multiple)
 * (electric company's)
 * (electric company's; ×10)
 * (electric company's)
 * (electric company's; multiple)
 * (electric company's)
 * (electric company's)

Trivia

 * This episode is featured on Volume 18: Chikorita from Viz Media's series.
 * This episode is featured on Pokémon All-Stars: Chikorita from 's series.
 * When Chikorita gets hit by Electabuzz's, Ash catches her and says, "I think I'm a pretty good shortstop". This may be a reference to , who once had a Chikorita (that had since evolved into Bayleef), and whose favorite baseball team was the Electabuzz.
 * After everybody falls asleep due to Jigglypuff's song, Brock is seen with drawn-on eyes and eyelashes.
 * This marks the only time during the Johto series when a Pokémon of Ash's evolves.
 * Music from Pikachu's Vacation, Mewtwo Strikes Back and The Power of One can be heard in this episode.

Errors

 * Right before the opening theme song (before the title card in the Japanese version) when Ash is holding Chikorita, Pikachu's voice is heard but his mouth doesn't move.
 * When Ash is trying to escape the locked building there is a window right next to the door, but when viewed from the outside the window is much farther away.
 * The lines on 's charm disappear for a moment right after Ash saves from 's attack.
 * The symbol on Ash's hat disappears twice.
 * When Ash thanks Brock for going to get him help, the door leading into the abandoned building is orange when it should be purple.
 * When Ash finds Jigglypuff's marker, after Jessie throws it away, he incorrectly refers to it as a microphone.
 * Right after Team Rocket discerns where Ash and Chikorita have gone, Wobbuffet pops out of his Poké Ball. When shoving Wobbuffet back down, Jessie says "Meowth said down..." when it was James who had said it.

Dub edits

 * During the part where Ash was being attacked by Victreebel and Arbok, some scenes depicting Victreebel using Vine Whip on Ash were cut.
 * The original airing of this episode on Hungama TV in started the episode directly from the title card, skipping the part of the episode that comes before it.

In other languages
Brenzliges Abenteuer EP201 EP199 EP199 無印編第199話 精灵宝可梦 第200集