Ep 57. Viva Las Lapras
Ash, Misty, and Tracey are journeying towards the Orange League, when they chance upon a Lapras in trouble. A pod of wild Lapras are trapped amongst the rocks in a cove, and one of them is injured badly. Tracey tries to help the injured Lapras, but it proves hard to get close enough without scaring off the others. The three companions then notice a boat docked nearby, and decided to ask the boat’s captain for help.
Things, however, don’t go as planned, as it turns out the captain is a known poacher named pirates of the Decolore Group, who is after the Lapras Pod. Ash, Misty, and Tracey are taken captive, and find out that the pirates plan to uproot the Lapras habitat and sell the creatures to the highest bidder.
After an unsuccessful attempt to escape, Ash and his friends learn from one of the crew members that the pirate’s captain plan to extract the Lapras from their home by using a strange sound frequency machine. The machine creates a sound that will lure the Lapras out of their shelter. Keen to stop the poachers from succeeding, Ash and Tracey hatch a plan to take down the machine, with Misty rigging up a distraction using her water type Pokemon.
Their plan succeeds, and in the confusion, the Lapras are able to escape unharmed. Ash, Misty, and Tracey escape, and the pirates are apprehended by the authorities. In the end, the three companions release all the Lapras into the sea and watch as they swim freely in their natural habitat.
The episode takes place in a beautiful coastal area, with stunning seascape views, and the animated graphics do a great job of capturing the poachers’ ruthless behavior. The episode aims to create awareness about animal poaching and the global environmental issues associated with it.
Overall, "Viva Las Lapras" is an action-packed episode with a beautiful setting, interesting storyline and memorable characters. It addresses important social issues around animal welfare and environmental preservation without being too heavy-handed. It’s a message of hope story that leaves viewers feeling inspired to do their bit for the world.
