A Sappy Ending – Pokémon Season 3, Episode 3

Plot episodeAsh catches Heracross

A Sappy Ending is the 3rd episode of Pokémon: The Johto Journeys, the third season of the Pokémon anime, and the 119th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 121, Bulbapedia code EP119). It first aired in Japan on 28 October 1999 and in the United States on 28 October 2000. It falls within the season’s Arrival in Johto stretch (EP117–EP121).

Synopsis · Major Events · Trivia · Dub Changes · All episodes

Synopsis

Ash and friends find themselves in a serene forest, when they spot a group of Pokémon they haven’t seen before eating sap from a tree; it turns out to be a group of Heracross. Just as Ash is about to start trying to catch them the group is approached by a forest ranger called Woodrun who explains it could damage the forests delicate eco system if Ash catches the Heracross. He goes on to explain that the Butterfree in the forest depend on the Heracross to make holes in the trees to reveal the sap.

Misty says that the Butterfree and Heracross might be helping each other but they’re hurting the forest, many trees are stripped completely bare but Woodrun explains that it wasn’t them who did it, and that theres a dangerous band of invaders around… Pikachu then senses something… a huge group of Pinsir approaching in the distance. They quickly climb the same tree as the Heracross and Butterfree are feeding from and chase them away. One Heracross is left behind and gets attacked by all the Pinsir, Ash sends out Bulbasaur to help it and knocks the Pinsir down using its vine whips and then with Pikachu’s thunderbolt. The Pinsir then advance on Pikachu and Ash but are defeated by Pikachu’s thunder and go running back off into the forest.

The Heracross climbs down from the tree and starts trying to eat the Pollen from Bulbasaurs Bulb, but Bulbasaur takes offence to this and beats him to the ground. Woodrun explains to Ash and the gang that the Pinsir and Heracross used to live in peace because they both had their own separate forests, but something has been driving the Pinsir out of their own territory and into the Heracross forest. The group head out together to investigate the Pinsir forest (while being followed by the Heracross they saved), it’s heavily overgrown and the group need to cross a deep ravine in order to get there – however someone has cut the ropes on the rope bridge, which was about the only “safe” way across.

As the group are trying to think of a way of getting to the Pinsir forest, the Heracross emerges and starts pushing a tree with all its strength, Brock assumes it has a plan and is trying to help… and he’s right. Heracross manages to push the tree over and it forms a bridge over the ravine, enabling the group to cross… once the group is safely on the other side they look back to see Heracross enjoying the trees sap. As the group get deeper into the forest, Heracross catches up and continues to follow them, a short while later they arrive at the tallest tree in the Pinsir forest; where the Pinsir normally live – there they find a large robotic Pinsir. Shortly after Team Rocket reveal themselves as the ones responsible for the mechanical monstrosity and begin to reminisce about how they found the tree two days before. It seems their dastardly plan is to use their mechanical Pinsir to drain all the sap in the Pinsir forest so they can sell it as a sauce to all night convenience stores!

Ash and Woodrun explain that they are damaging the whole forest and its eco system. Team Rocket send their Pokémon to attack Ash and co, but they don’t attack and instead start enjoying some sap themselves. Meowth decides instead to send their mechanical Pinsir to attack the group, its impervious to electric attacks and things look bad for our heroes until Heracross shows up and locks horns with the mechanical Pinsir, demonstrating great strength despite being at an unfair disadvantage. With a bit of cheering from Ash, Misty and Brock Heracross is able to push it back, enabling Ash, Misty and Brock to rescue the sap from the containers on the mechanical monstrosities back. Heracross then takes great pleasure in throwing the mechanical Pinsir at Team Rocket, sending them blasting off.

The Pinsir have been watching in the bushes the whole time and return to the tree they call home, Ash and friends leave the cannisters of sap for them to eat. Once more the Butterfree and Heracross can live in peace. The Heracross who accompanied Ash and co to the Pinsir Forest approaches the group. Ash and friends wave goodbye to Woodrun and the Pinsir and follow a path leading from the forest. The Heracross follows them however and states that it would like to come along with Ash on his journey!

Ash, Misty and Brock continue their journey, with a new addition to their circle of very special friends.

Major Events

• Ash catches Heracross (Heracross debut)
• First Ash Pokémon with a unique type combination
• Woodruff

Pokémon making their anime debut

• Heracross#0214 · EP119

Captures and evolutions

• Heracross#0214 · Ash

Trivia

• The English title plays on a happy ending, with the tree sap Heracross and Bulbasaur share (Cartoon Network’s site once listed the alternative "Getting Buggy With It", after Will Smith).
• The screenplay is by Junki Takegami.
• This is a plot episode: it advances the Johto storyline.
• The Who’s That Pokémon? segment features Heracross in Japan, where it almost always matched the episode, but Donphan in the US, where 4Kids picked the Pokémon at random.

Changes in the English Dub

• Jessie’s okonomiyaki/katsuobushi gag becomes the “International House of Jessie” with Limburger and Cajun curry powder; “sap protector” jokes added; Woodruff’s “a week ago” added.
• Pokémon Karaokémon: “Song of Jigglypuff”.

Part of our Pokémon: The Johto Journeys guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.