Pokémon Learning League
Probability
Written By
Timothy Whitfield
(Episode opens with Ash, Pikachu, Dawn and Piplup walking along in a forest and Ash speaks to Dawn.)
Ash: Ahh, Isn't it a great day, Dawn?
Dawn: It sure is, Ash. The sun is out, not a cloud in the sky, and it feels great.
Ash: Well, then let's not waste any time.
Piplup: Piplup.
Pikachu: Pika.
(They both continue down the path. Then, we cut to the point of view of someone looking through some binoculars. It's Team Rocket spying on them through the bushes.)
Jessie: Ah-ha. Twerps at 2:00.
James: And Pikachu's there right for the taking.
Jessie: When they're not looking, we'll grab Pikachu right from under them.
Meowth: Yeah, and while we're at it, let's grab Piplup, as well.
James: Wait, why should we grab Piplup? We only want Pikachu.
Meowth: Well, think about it. The boss might reward us more if we give him more than just Pikachu.
Jessie: Okay, are all of the traps set up?
Meowth: They're ready to go. If those twerps try to follow us, they won't know what hit them.
(They all laugh evilly. Then, we cut to Ash and Dawn continuing down the path until they come across a unique-looking flower.)
Dawn: Hey, Ash. Take a look at this flower. Doesn't it look cool?
Ash: It sure does. It looks a lot different from the other flowers around here.
Dawn: I wonder if it's a new kind of flower.
Pikachu: Pika.
Piplup: Piplup.
(As they're admiring the flower, two robotic arms come from out of the bushes and grab Pikachu and Piplup from behind.)
Pikachu: (in alarm) Pika!
Piplup: (in alarm) Piplup!
Dawn and Ash: Huh?!
(Team Rocket rides out of the trees in their hot-air balloon with Pikachu and Piplup in cages, laughing evilly.)
Both: Team Rocket!
Jessie: Twerps, I see that you're surprised to see us here.
James: Yeah, I thought you'd at least be happy to see us.
Ash: Give us back our Pokémon!
Jessie: Oh, I'm sorry, Twerp. I wish we could, but we can't do that. We must be on our way.
Meowth: Yeah, and good luck trying to keep up with us.
(The balloon floats away.)
Ash: Come on, Dawn. Let's get going.
(They both run down the path trying to catch up with Team Rocket.)
Dawn: Where do you think they went, Ash?
Ash: I'm not sure about that, but I know how we can find out. Go, Unfezant.
Unfezant: Unfezant.
Ash: Unfezant, see if you can try to find where Team Rocket went.
(Unfezant fly over the top of the forest, trying to find Team Rocket or their balloon. She flies back to Dawn and Ash.)
Ash: Did you find anything, Unfezant?
(She shakes her head as if to say, "No.)
Ash: Okay. Thanks a lot, Unfezant.
(He calls Unfezant back to her Pokeball.)
Dawn: Okay, what do we do now, Ash?
Ash: Let's just continue down the path.
(They both continue down the path until the path splits into four different paths.)
Dawn: Okay, now which way to go?
Ash: I don't know, Dawn. Let's take the one going to the field.
Dawn: Hold on a minute, Ash. I don't think we should take that path.
Ash: What makes you think that, Dawn?
Dawn: Remember? Meowth said we would need luck trying to keeping up with them.
Ash: Yeah?
Dawn: Ash, I think they might have set up traps for us.
Ash: You might be right about that. So, which path do you think we should take, Dawn?
Dawn: I don't know, Ash. How do we know which path doesn't have any traps set up?
Ash: Let's give Ada a call. (He pulls out the Pokepilot and calls out Ada.) She may know what to do.
Ada: Hey, Dawn and Ash. What's up?
Dawn: Hi, Ada. Ash and I were just enjoying admiring this flower we found. It was really cool.
Ada: I'm sure it was. Now, what's the problem?
Ash: Team Rocket stole Pikachu and Piplup and we're trying to catch them.
Ada: Okay, I'm following you.
Dawn: We came to a point where the path splits off in four different ways and we're worried that three of them have traps set up in them, so we thought you might know how we can find the path that doesn't have any traps.
Ada: Sure. If you want to know which path to take, you need to know the probability of which paths have traps on them.
Ash: Huh? What's probability?
Ada: Probability is the likeliness that something will happen. There are some events that can't be predicted, so the best we can say is that it's likely to happen. For example, when you toss a coin, there are only two possible outcomes. So, the probability of the coin landing on heads or tails is 50/50.
Dawn: Okay, but how do we find a probability of anything?
Ada: You can use statistics to try and find a probability of anything.
Ash: What? How are statistics going to help find a probability of anything?
Ada: Statistics use collections of facts and data that'll help you determine a better outcome. It doesn't always work, but it helps finding a probability.
Dawn: Using probability is really helpful in finding the outcome of something.
Ada: It sure can be. How about I show you something that'll make it more understandable?
Ash: All right, Ada.
(Cut to a video monitor in Ada's lab.)
Ada: Okay, I'm going to show you three things that have different possible outcomes. You're going to tell me what the probability is.
Both: Okay.
Ada: Good, then let's begin. This wheel has 7 different colors on it. Let's say you want to pick orange. What's the probability of you picking orange out?
Dawn: It would be one out of seven chance that we'll pick orange out.
Ada: Good one, Dawn. Here, there are six different toppings on this pizza. You want the slice with pepperoni. What's the probability of picking the slice of pepperoni?
Ash: It would be one out of six chance of picking a slice of pepperoni.
Ada: Way to go, Ash. Now, there are five cups here. One of them has a ball under it. What's the probability of choosing the one that has the ball?
Dawn: That would be a one in five chance of picking the cup with the ball under it.
Ada: All right, Dawn. Very good, you two.
Both: Thanks, Ada.
Ada: You're welcome. Well, I've got to get back to work. Good luck getting Pikachu and Piplup back.
Both: See you, Ada.
Ash: Okay, Dawn, what do you say we go over before we continue the search?
Dawn: Sure, Ash.
Ash: Okay, Dawn. (He looks at the viewers.) Would you like to go over with us? (He waits for an answer from the viewers.) Okay. What's probability? (He waits for an answer from the viewers.) It's the likelihood of something happening. All right.
Dawn: How are statistics used to find a probability? (She waits for an answer from the viewers.) They use collections of facts and data that'll help determine a better outcome. Oh, yeah.
Both: Good work, you guys.
Dawn: All right, Ash, let's choose a path that'll lead us to Team Rocket.
Ash: Okay, Dawn. Where did Team Rocket set up their traps in the past?
Dawn: Hmm, before, they always set up traps in fields, forests and on the coastline. So, we should go down the one where they haven't set up traps before.
Ash: All right, but if we're going to find the right path, we're going need a little more help.
Dawn: Okay, Ash. (She looks at the viewers.) Would you like to help us out with this? (She waits for an answer from the viewers.) All right.
(Cut to the selection of paths.)
Ash: One of these path have no traps on them. You're going to tell us the probability of choosing the path that has no traps at all. Okay, let's do it. What's the probability of choosing the path with no traps? (He waits for an answer from the viewers.) It's a one in four chance. Yeah. So, which path doesn't have any traps? (He waits for an answer from the viewers.) The one that goes to the mountain. All right.
(They both head down the path and then they come across three more paths.)
Dawn: What's the probability of choosing the path with no traps? (She waits for an answer from the viewers.) It's a one in three chance. All right. And which path doesn't have any traps? (She waits for an answer from the viewers.) The one thatcontinues up the mountain. Yeah.
(Cut back to Ash and Dawn.)
Both: Great job, guys.
Ash: Now, let's go get Team Rocket.
(They both head down the path. Then, we cut to Team Rocket sitting on a picnic blanket eating with Pikachu and Piplup beside them in their cages, giggling evilly.)
James: I think this might one of our best plans, yet.
Jessie: Yes. I'll bet those twerps are stumbling around in our traps right now.
Meowth: They don't even that we came up here to the mountains. I'm sure they're down in the forest or the coastline right now.
Ash and Dawn: (off-screen) There you are!
Team Rocket: Huh? The twerps?
(Pan over to Ash and Dawn.)
James: How did you avoid all of our traps?
Meowth: Yeah, we spent all day setting them up.
Ash: That doesn't matter right now. Give us back our Pokemon, now.
Jessie: Fat chance. You'll never get them back
Ash: That's what you think. Snivy, I choose you.
Snivy: Snivy.
Ash: Snivy, use vine whip to break those cages open.
(Snivy lashes her vines out and breaks the cages down, freeing Pikachu and Piplup.)
Pikachu: Pika.
Piplup: Piplup.
Ash: Pikachu. How you're doing, buddy?
Pikachu: Pika.
Ash: That's great.
Dawn: Piplup, are you all right?
Piplup: Piplup.
Dawn: Oh, good.
Jessie: Grrr, how dare you take from us?
James: Yeah. We do the stealing around here.
Jessie: If you want to fight, then you've got one. Go, Woobat.
Woobat: (squeaks.)
James: Yamask, come on out.
Yamask: Yamask.
Dawn: Fine by us. Go, Piplup.
Piplup: Piplup.
Ash: Snivy, let's go.
Snivy: Snivy.
Jessie: Woobat, use air slash.
(Woobat folds its wings and then unleashes a wave of blue disks at Piplup.)
Dawn: Dodge it, Piplup.
(Piplup moves out of the way of the blue disks and they hit the ground.)
Jessie: Woobat, keep going.
(It keeps firing blue disks at Piplup, and he keeps dodging them until he gets hit by one.)
Dawn: Piplup, counter it with bubble beam.
(He fires a barrage of bubbles from his mouth at Woobat, hitting it.)
James: Yamask, hit Snivy with your shadow ball.
(Yamask creates a ball of dark energy of throws it, hitting Snivy.)
Ash: Snivy, fight back with leaf storm.
(Snivy starts spinning rapidly and leaves start appearing and spinning around her body. Then, she fires it at Yamask, hitting it.)
Jessie: Woobat, use gust attack.
(It flaps its wings really fast and creates a gust of wind, aiming it at Snivy, hitting her.)
Ash: Snivy, use vine whip.
(She lashes out her vine whip.)
James: Yamask, shield Woobat.
(Yamask uses its mask like a shield and protects Woobat from Snivy's vine whip.)
Jessie: Woobat, use air slash.
James: Yamask, you use will-o-wisp.
Ash: Snivy, use leaf storm.
Dawn: Piplup, use hydro pump.
(All of the attacks intersect each and are pushing back and forth. Eventually, the leaf storm and hydro pump attacks overtake them and hit Woobat and Yamask directly, knock them both out.)
Meowth: Uh-oh. I think this might end badly.
Ash: Pikachu, Thunderbolt, now.
Dawn: Piplup, use Hydro Pump.
(The thunderbolt attack spirals around the hydro pump and the combined attacks hits Team Rocket and sends them flying off the ground.)
Team Rocket: We're blasting off again.
(They fly off into the distance.)
Ash and Dawn: Oh, yeah. (They give each other a high-five.)
Ash: That was great.
Dawn: Yeah. It was really exciting.
Ash: Pikachu and Piplup, I'm just glad that you're okay.
Pikachu: Pika.
Piplup: Pip.
Dawn: Yeah. Who knows what would've happened if we didn't find you in time.
(They all turn to the viewers.)
Both: Thanks for the help, guys.
Piplup: Pip.
Pikachu: Pika.
(Cut to them back down the mountain.)
Ash: Well, we had a great time today? Did you have a great time? (He waits for an answer from the viewers.) All right. I liked having that awesome battle.
Dawn: I liked rescuing Pikachu and Piplup.
Both: Thanks again, guys. See you next time.
(They both wave goodbye to the viewers, and the scenery fades to black, ending the episode.)
