Brief Summary
The hosts of the "Pokemon Gotta Watch Them All" podcast discuss and rank the movie "Pokemon: The Rise of Darkrai." They provide a detailed synopsis, discuss key scenes, and share their overall impressions. The movie is praised for its mature themes, well-developed characters, and impactful portrayal of Darkrai. The hosts also discuss the movie's place in the overall Pokemon movie canon and its connection to the subsequent films in the Diamond and Pearl trilogy.
- The movie is the first in the Diamond and Pearl trilogy, setting up the events of the next two films.
- Darkrai is portrayed as a misunderstood hero, protecting Alamos Town from the conflict between Dialga and Palkia.
- The movie explores themes of fear, prejudice, and redemption.
Intro
The hosts introduce themselves and the topic of the podcast: ranking all the Pokemon movies. They mention that this week's episode will cover "Pokemon: The Rise of Darkrai." They acknowledge a scheduling issue that caused them to skip a week and thank viewers for their patience.
Initial Thoughts and Context
The hosts share their initial thoughts on the movie, with one describing it as a cooler version of "Pokemon: The Power of One." They note that "The Rise of Darkrai" is the first movie in the Sinnoh trilogy, setting up the following two films. The hosts discuss how this movie sets up the next two.
Synopsis: The Battle Begins
The synopsis begins with a battle between Dialga and Palkia in a space-time rift, threatening the balance of the universe. The battle is intense, with beams and attacks clashing. The Unknown are launched around as collateral damage. Dialga shatters Palkia's shoulder gem, causing abnormalities in space and time.
Synopsis: Alamos Town and Alice
The scene shifts to Ash, Dawn, and Brock arriving in Alamos Town, where Dawn plans to compete in a Pokemon contest. They encounter Alice, a local girl who offers them a ride to the town via her hot air balloon. Team Rocket follows behind in their own balloon. The group flies by the Space-Time Tower, which depicts Dialga and Palkia. Weird energy from the legendary Pokemon's battle causes the balloon to be shuffled around.
Synopsis: Encounters and Battles
The gang meets Allegra, Kai, and Mari, three trainers who challenge them to battles. Ash battles Kai's Torterra with his Pikachu, while Dawn battles Mari's Empoleon with her Piplup. Alice leads them to a peaceful garden designed by Godey, where Pokemon are playing around. Piplup tries to take a Pecha berry, leading to a fight between the Pokemon. Alice plays leaf music to calm them down.
Synopsis: Darkrai's Appearance and Alberto's Antagonism
A Gallade runs in, warning Alice about something going on. They find warped pillars and meet Baron Alberto, who is determined to capture Darkrai. Darkrai appears and attacks with Hyper Beam. Tonio, Alice's friend, is blasted by Lickylicky's Hyper Beam. It's revealed that Tonio saved Alice when they were kids. Dialga and Palkia continue their battle in another dimension, causing more distortions in Alamos Town.
Synopsis: Nightmares and Misunderstandings
Darkrai emerges again, telling everyone to stay away. He uses Dark Void, causing Ash to have nightmares. Ash wakes up in a hospital bed, and it's explained that anyone near Darkrai will have bad dreams. Alice reveals that her grandmother, Alicia, met Darkrai as a child and that he came to live in the garden.
Synopsis: Unveiling the Truth and the Dimensional Shift
Team Rocket tries to get Alberto to capture Darkrai. Dawn buys a Lunar Wing to protect herself from nightmares. Alice takes the group to the tower, where Tonio discovers that the Pokemon nightmares are becoming real due to a dimensional shift caused by Palkia. Palkia has encased the town in another dimension to heal.
Synopsis: Darkrai's Defense and Alberto's Transformation
The trainers battle Darkrai, who is only trying to defend himself. He uses Dark Void to put them to sleep. Lickylicky transforms into a Lickilicky, and Alberto yells, "My royal face!" Tonio discovers that Palkia has trapped Alamos Town in another dimension.
Synopsis: The Army's Attack and Tonio's Revelation
An army marches through town to capture Darkrai. Tonio studies footage and realizes that Palkia put a dimension around the town. The trainers battle Darkrai, who is just trying to avoid them. Alberto attacks with Gyro Ball, but Darkrai dodges. Tonio explains that Darkrai was warning them about Palkia, who is bringing trouble to their dimension.
Synopsis: The Final Battle and Darkrai's Sacrifice
Darkrai tries to stop Palkia but is blocked by a force field. Palkia wakes up, and Dialga joins the fight. Darkrai is knocked out of the sky. Alice yells at the Pokemon to stop fighting. Darkrai saves Alice from Dialga and Palkia, using a powerful attack. He then sacrifices himself to stop the battle, dematerializing into space.
Synopsis: Oracion and the Town's Restoration
Tonio realizes that they can stop the fighting by playing Oracion, a song that Alice plays on her leaf whistle. They find the disc and head to the tower. Brock leads people out of town, while Kai, Mari, and Allegra block meteor-sized attacks. Ash, Dawn, Alice, and Tonio take a hot air balloon to the tower. The balloon breaks, and they fall, but Lickilicky and Tonio save Alice.
Synopsis: The Song and Darkrai's Return
Ash and Dawn reach the top of the tower, but the disc won't fit. Dawn realizes they need to put it in the middle. They play the song, and pixie dust heals Palkia's shoulder. Dialga and Palkia apologize and fly away. Palkia puts the town back where it belongs. Darkrai is gone, but Pikachu hears a shadow, and they realize he is still there.
Synopsis: Credits and Aftermath
The credits roll, showing Dawn entering the contest but not winning. The gang leaves town, and Alice and Tonio say goodbye. Dialga runs through rifts. The hosts express their love for the movie.
Ranking and Final Thoughts
The hosts rank "The Rise of Darkrai" as their number one Pokemon movie. They praise the story, characters, and mature themes. They also discuss the movie's pacing and animation.
Poll Challenge
The hosts announce the poll challenge for this week, where viewers can vote for their favorite Pokemon from the movie on the CGDannyB Discord. The choices are Darkrai, Krookodile, Infernape, Shanks, and Dialga.
