I Didn't Understand Team Rocket... 🚀 Until Now!

Video Sponsored by Ridge. Check them out here: ridge.com/lockstin. Use my link to get up to 40% off through June 15th!
Team Rocket is the original Pokemon Evil Organization. A crime syndicate known for stealing and smuggling Pokemon. But there's a lot more to them than just that. Join me as we explore their origins and inspirations! Jessie, James, Meowth, and Giovanni, have a lot more going on than you may initially think! This is Team Rocket Explained!
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Additional Credits:
Written by Professor Ramnus
Most Music from EpidemicSound
Pokemon Music Remixes are from my Pokemon Legends Neo Ghetsis project.
#pokemon #teamrocket #pokemontheory
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Team Rocket
00:39 Who is Team Rocket?
03:15 Sponsored Segment!
04:29 What is Team Rocket?
11:40 Why is Team Rocket?
14:27 Anime Team Rocket THEORY
Gnoggin, hosted by its creator Lockstin, is a show delving into the mysteries of Pokemon! (and other games sometimes too). Explaining everything there is to explain! Why is each Pokemon given the type it has? What are their origins? What is the lore of the Pokemon world and the design inspirations? And what does it all have to do with alchemy? Let's Go find out!

[@Gnoggin]

Thanks for watching! We're considering delving into more of the Pokemon antagonists later too, what do you think? Also these deals are blasting off at the speed of light! This Video was Sponsored by Ridge. Check them out here: ridge.com/lockstin. Use my link to get up to 40% off through June 15th!

[@mrmysterious8124]

When will you look at all of the Dinosaurs from the video game Fossil Fighters🦕🔥🦖

[@komodrasteel8019]

please do

[@evvieboi4745]

Could you do a vid on cassette beasts? It’s an amazing creature collector.

[@thedotgiver2820]

.•

[@noahberan6498]

I'd love to see a video on the Aether Foundation! There's a lot of behind the scenes things that go on that many people might have missed

[@Geostelar4920]

On the Jessie and James thing, its made really obvious and clear throughout the anime that the Trio are great at everything EXCEPT being criminals, whenever they try something else, start a business, be a cordinator or anything like that they do really, really well but they fall into old habbits

[@JT5555]

it should also be noted that jessie was a top student at the team rocket academy where her only weakness was her inability to work with a partner until she met james and meowth...but now that she is officially partnered with them,they clearly drag her down as a criminal.

[@Nickle_King]

I do wonder how many properties Jessie and James acquired that Team Rocket now owns...

[@madnessarcade7447]

@@Nickle_King jessie and James don’t acquire them they start them from scratch

[@EWOODJ]

Even though that hasnothing to do with their screw ups. When they aren’t chasing Ash all the time they were pretty dangerous criminals.

[@CodaBlairLucarioEmperor]

Don't forget the start of Best Wishes, where they effortlessly pulled off that heist, or how prior to when we met them they were so feared. Really, it seems more like they're good at stuff, as long as it doesn't involve stealing pokemon, particularly Ash and friends'.

[@choicedecision]

In addition to Giovanni being an Italian name, further cementing the idea he’s meant to be a mobster, it took me forever to realize that his name is another pun associated with his gym. He’s a ground type specialist (mostly) and his name is “Gio” (Geo)

[@KitsunenoHibi]

.... oh my god. I never realized this part. That's amazing!

[@LudacritzTTV]

I was today years old...

[@wildefice1]

I am so DUMB!!!!

[@choicedecision]

@@wildefice1 lol, you’re good mate 👍

[@Razsac]

Gio for Geo... omg. It was always there. I am a fool

[@atevalve]

Team Skull is a good evil team too. Evil because the system screwed them over and now they want to fight against the system but aren't recognizing that the way they were doing it was mostly just hurting regular people.

[@kingmagikarp97]

I feel the same way about team skull

[@KalDoesStuff]

Yes ! Speak louder for the ones in the back !

[@thedragonwarrior5861]

Agreed. They may be ridiculous, but they are just normal people, not actual criminals like most others, so it makes sense

[@Nickle_King]

a bunch of punks all wearing the same hipster brand does not an evil team make. "Oh no! Look out! Poke-Emos!"

[@atevalve]

Taking over a town and driving all of its residents out, stealing people's Pokémon and other property, and shaking them down for money while their leader's also actively aiding a billionaire cult leader who wants to reshape the world in her image does. They just happen to be mostly burnouts and disillusioned young people who were easily manipulated into being an evil team.

[@castform7]

14:53 Another point supporting this is that there seems to be a different motto that we hear from Cassidy and Biff with "protect the world from devastation" replaced by "infect the world with devastation". Their motto in general is more "nasty" than Jessie and James' which can lead one to believe that that's the offical Team Rocket motto while Jessie and James use the motto they think suits them (and by extension the organisation) better. That's actually a really fun thought.

[@danielsnyder9200]

His name is BUTCH! 🤣😂🤣😂 But I certainly can appreciate the fact that someone kept the gag going 😁

[@formlessone8246]

I think the reason is precisely because Jessie and James perceived Butch and Cassidy as rivals, so they took their motto and inverted it. The irony is that Butch and Cassidy may have been highly competent criminals, but in the long run it was Jessie and James who caught the boss's attention. Their attitude was just right for taking down rival organizations like Galactic and Plasma, organizations whose goals would have created... devestation.

[@madnessarcade7447]

I think Cassidy and butch created their motto as a way to mock jessie and James

[@madnessarcade7447]

@@formlessone8246 ironically Cassidy and butch got redeemed jessie and James didnt

[@danielsnyder9200]

I distinctly remember one instance when Jessie, James, Cassidy and Butch and Meowth were arguing over how the Team Rocket motto actually went; my understanding from that discussion was that Cassidy and Butch's version was the TRUE motto and that Jessie, James and Meowth had been saying it wrong this whole time (except for the times when they deliberately changed it for the sake of mixing it up every now and then) Either way, Whichever version of the Team Rocket motto you like best, one thing stands true: Team Rocket will always be... Prepared for trouble 😁🚀

[@twilighttoast01]

“Professional superhero’s funded by organized crime” might be one of my new favorite sentences. The idea of that is seriously so funny

[@Ebola-Jones]

Haven't seen The Boys?

[@Alexdluffy2451]

15:38 Also one other reason Giovani keeps both Jessie and James on is a bit deeper for Jessie Mentioned in the radio Drama that explained Giovani’s mother the old boss of team rocket. Jessie’s Mom was a high ranking and respected Member of team rocket a favorite of Giovanis mother. Jessie’s Mom was the first to actually prove the living existence of mew in the “current” modern Era by recording its cries and was sent to find Mew for team rocket her location is currently unknown but she is alive so Giovani keeps Jessie as respect for his mothers Respect. James reasoning isn’t as complex James family is very wealthy probably the richest in Kanto with multiple Mansions Across multiple regions so if James were to get fired Giovani Would lose a big asset. And Meowth is a talking Pokémon that’s extremely valuable so why would he let something like that go. plus there’s their unwilling loyalty to the group is somthing to admirable even there counter parts butch and Cassidy as strong as they where quit after a while So it really explains why Giovani keeps the group around

[@noisyphilosopherkrk522]

I wonder if Giovanni realizes they'd do better in r and d than on the field or with different directives..... or if he's purposefully allowed them to continue fieldwork for the simple reason that they can still do that and continue their escapades as the monster iconic members of team rocket..... and possibly as an active distraction for authorities to cover other operations

[@benamisai-kham5892]

@@noisyphilosopherkrk522 I mean honestly yeah that would be so smart, let the bumbling idiots make the whole team seem like a joke so that no one thinks they're a threat, we've met some others like butch and Cassidy but they weren't much better but to be fair though they probably did fine without ash around.

[@noisyphilosopherkrk522]

@@benamisai-kham5892 I wouldn't call them idiots Crazy fools is more accurate in my opinion Afterall the definition of insanity boils down to repetition and they always seem to have an immense amount of potential that is misaimed to put it lightly

[@ebonyblack4563]

Immediately went to the comments to look for somebody mentioning Jessie's mother. Pleased to see it so quick too.

[@specksgreenred33]

Gen 3 and onward the reason they’re kept on is because they were supposed to be setting up Team Rocket branches in locations where there was no Team Rocket, and he was interested in what Aqua, Magma, and Galactic were up to in there respective regions.

[@terrysyvertson9205]

an old audio drama that was Japan exclusive actually tells the story of why Giovanni keeps jessie around, it's because Jessie's mom who was a member ofteamrocket (who was the most accomplished member of team rocket) was sent on a mission by Giovanni's mom, who was the boss of team rocket at that time, to find the mythical pokemon mew, Jessie's mom got lost up in a mountain range that was covered in snow during a snowstorm but she found a cave to take cover in, unfortunately there was an avalanche and covered the entrance trapping her inside, mew ended up appearing before her and kept her company for a bit but Jessie's mom ended up freezing to death, when her body was eventually found (Giovanni was in the process of fully taking over team rocket from his mom) Giovanni's mom asked Giovanni to fulfill a last request she had before retiring which was to watch over jessie and keep her safe, which Giovanni agreed to

[@KagepazRequiem]

That's...

[@avvu9043]

Now that is dark....

[@robotninjago]

:(

[@firepuppies4086]

... wasn't Jessie basically a vagabond when she was a kid too? Moms exist in Pokemon so her basically scrounging for food... Oh wow

[@terrysyvertson9205]

@Fire puppies that was only for the English dub

[@avvu9043]

Jessie and Jame also have the habit of unintentionally taking out other organizations from each region, making it a easy place for Team Rocket future operations.

[@JTruong3rd]

Yeah explains why they're always sent as the expedition team to new regions.

[@TheHammerGuy94]

Tho, they edited a video to show they wiped out Team flare's boss. Kalos was the only team they didn't have much involvement in destroying but was at least there to witness it.

[@sinisternorimaki]

So they're professional saboteurs

[@TheEphemeralEternity]

The premise of Team Rocket being crime sponsored heroes is an insanely appealing take on their duties within the organization. Jesse, James, and Meowth make up an official division that keeps Team Rocket on top of the world by making sure there is a world for the organization to be on top of. The theory explains why these 3 have been kept around for so long despite all their failed attempts at snatching pokemon: theivery is not the primary directive for them specifically. This ay just be a theory, but it's a really compelling one at that.

[@KHasBeenSquared]

With the Team Rocket "motto," Jessie and James say the incorrect motto, according to Butch and Cassidy. The original motto is "Prepare for trouble...and make it double! Here's our mission, so you better listen! To infect the world with devastation! To blight all people in every nation! To denounce the goodness of truth and love! To extend our wrath to the stars above! Cassidy! And Butch, of course! We're Team Rocket, circling Earth all day night! Surrender to us now or you will surely lose the fight!

[@JT5555]

butch and cassidy could have easily just been lying because they like their motto better and jessie and james are their rivals.

[@formlessone8246]

I think it's not that Jessie and James don't know it, but that they deliberately changed it to spite Butch and Cassidy, who they hate. 😂 Joke's on Butch and Cassidy, because in the long run, Jessie and James did way more for the Team by eliminating Team Galactic and Plasma, the second being a mission the boss specifically gave them, and they succeeded. Nothing makes the boss happier than results.

[@madnessarcade7447]

@@formlessone8246 ​​⁠ Cassidy and butch only say that to try to be superior because it’s pretty clear jessie and James made up the motto and butch and Cassidy made up their own as a way to mock them and try to be better then them cuz neither Giovanni nor the other team rocket members have ever acknowledged the existence of any type of motto Which explains why jessie and James come up with new ones each season The mottos were always made up

[@madnessarcade7447]

@@JT5555 ​​⁠ Cassidy and butch only say that to try to be superior because it’s pretty clear jessie and James made up the motto and butch and Cassidy made up their own as a way to mock them and try to be better then them cuz neither Giovanni nor the other team rocket members have ever acknowledged the existence of any type of motto Which explains why jessie and James come up with new ones each season The mottos were always made up

[@Ixmore]

I think his name is Bith

[@castform7]

I still admire the anime for every now and then giving us an episode to really feel for the Jessie James Meowth and Wobbuffet. Yes 85% of the time, they can be a fun little nuisance at best and (more commonly) an annoying cheap way of increasing the episodes run time at worst but that 15% is magical. I especially like how they all have their own bit of sadness to them. Jessie's an orphan who's mother died in an avalanche so now she's left to munch on snow for most of her childhood. James' parents tried to marry him off to a girl he didn't love and stayed on the side of the girl for years not caring about their son's feelings. Meowth was a street cat that was constantly beaten up and rejected by a girl he worked tirelessly to change himself for. Even Wobbuffet while more mild, had a trainer who simply got bored of training it and wanted to trade it away to train a new Pokemon. These guys were brought together through misery and became horrible villains but great people and I couldn't be happier for them.

[@NagKai_G]

Yeah, when the chapters they appear in actually get to show their personalities and stories, they're really good

[@lucasclyde7424]

If only 15% of the characters' screentime are where they stand out while the other 85% are where they are insufferable, then, you might wanna reconsider how "admirable" the anime is for its inconsistency.

[@Magicwaterz]

You have to give Jessie, James, and Meowth credit. Their antics also managed to help them expand the organization to Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, and Alola.

[@BuizelCream]

I have missed seeing a lot of Pokemon Journeys. They did not expand to Galar tho? That's sad.

[@Magicwaterz]

@@BuizelCream I don't remember them briefing their boss regarding Galar after the Darkest Day arc, that's why I didn't include it.

[@igorlopes8463]

@@Magicwaterz Well, Galar never had an "evil" team, Team Yell is just a cheerleader group (gone wrong) and the Macro Cosmos is a legal organization with a somewhat messed up CEO.

[@Magicwaterz]

@@igorlopes8463 So does Alola

[@Luzhong_editz]

Wait how ?

[@feverdreams17]

In a recent episode, Jesse and James were given vacation time so that other Team Rocket Operatives could steal a great deal of pokemon gathered in on eplace. Even succeeding in taking pikachu and multiple other pokemon and flee quickly. Jesse and James, absolutely pissed they were put on the sidelines not only showed their various talents for both finding pikachu, picking locks, crafting materials and gadgets, and pulling off anti-espionage against other Team Rocket members and saving the day while still in disguise. It as a great episode and a RARE win for them.

[@elvismartinez9067]

Which episode is that?

[@remote-kid_link_dragmire]

That was another thing I noticed about Giovonni, didn't really punished them for failing in everything, nor failing to get Pikachu as well as saving the world, no he punished them when they stopped their plans, or fought against them every now and again.

[@JT5555]

giovanni never wanted ash's pikachu: they just assume he does because they know how strong it is but all he'd see is a common pikachu not worth his time.

[@formlessone8246]

They did at one point in the third generation have their membership revoked for failing to pay their annual membership fees, IIRC. They had to work to get back into the Team officially.

[@igorlopes8463]

@@JT5555 until the end of Journey's when Ash's Pikachu took down the World Champion's ace

[@zacharybartolo5111]

Fun Fact: In Pokémon Adventures, "Rocket" is an acronym standing for "Raid On the City, Knock Out, Evil Tusks." Don't ask me what that means, cuz I don't know.

[@Oturan20]

That spells ROCKOET not ROCKET.

[@AnimationisTHEfuture]

@@Oturan20 Knockout on its own is a word I think he means "Raid On the City, Knockout, Evil Tusks."

[@JEZ346]

You forgot about the part where Jessie's mom named Miyamoto was a top-ranking member of Team Rocket under Madame Boss. Miyamoto found evidence of Mew then was sent by Madam Boss on an expedition to find it and presumably died in a blizzard on a mountain in the process trying to find Mew. So my head Cannon is that when Madame Boss retired as the leader of Team Rocket and gave it to her son Giovanni she made him promise to keep Jesse in Team Rocket and subsequently James and Meowth as a favor to her lost top ranking Rocket member Miyamoto.

[@typemasters2871]

I enjoy the idea that Giovanni keep Jessie, James, and Meowth around because he considers them as his go-to team when considering expanding the organisation to other regions, have the trio enter the new region and take care of any potential rival organisations if they ever appear Mind you, I think I remember the trio being let go in Johto but managed to rejoin team rocket and have their own delivery Delibird all in one episode But after the trio reported to have taken down three organisations in Hoenn and Sinnoh, sent them to Unova to deal with team plasma and then just let them go to whatever region the trio end up travelling with the assumption that the trio will take care of any “obstacles” the team might have

[@pkmntrainermark8881]

Wait a sec, the Magikarp Salesman wasn't with Team Rocket. That's not once suggested in the games and in the anime, he even scams Team Rocket.

[@Nickle_King]

Team Rocket is my favorite team in Pokemon for one reason. They are the only team whos goals aren't completely self destructive, or ignorant to the point of suicide. Before the first game, Team Rocket pretty much ran Kanto. The only people who could stop Giovanni were the Pokemon League members, but he kept them wrapped in red tape or busy else ware. On another note, I would argue that every team after was generic, not Team Rocket. What did the other teams want "We want this one Pokemon so we can reshape the world!" What did Team Rocket want? "I want to have the best technology, the strongest pokemon, multiple legal and illegal businesses, and the respectability to do it all with a public face. All so we can steer our organization to greater ends." The rest of the teams wanted to destroy the world, and they failed miserably. Often in comically inept ways. Team Rocket wanted to own the world, and they had already taken over a region in a short amount of time, and were gaining speed while also being untouchable by the law. No other team had that kind of foothold. Team Rocket isn't the most "generic." They are the most down to earth. And, because of that, they had the most power. They didn't need some powerful pokemon to move the earth or control the people. They were already doing it.

[@AzraelThanatos]

Yeah, Team Rocket are basically the gangsters in it for the money...pretty much all the rest are some variant of terrorist

[@RealGengarTV]

Fun story about cutting off the little finger tip; according to my kendo sensei (so I'm not sure this story is verified) cutting ones pinky makes handling the sword with correct technic nigh impossible and i agree, you strike with your katana holding the sword lightly by your pinky, whipping it. Your right hand controls the direction of your sword so all your power comes from your left hand and the pinky

[@Stejers]

"What is your motivation as an evil team?" "Money"

[@Wolfbane382]

Even though I never played the games until recently, and never watched the anime, even I knew who Team Rocket was. Also, I love the Meowth Hotair Balloon Jessy and James used in Go.

[@megadog9305]

That's a mainstay of the original anime too, so I'm glad they ported it over.

[@madnessarcade7447]

Maybe it’s time you did lol watch the show

[@edwardnygma8533]

Sounds like you oughta watch at least the first season of the anime, as there'd be plenty for you to like. Meowth balloon, pedal powered mechanical Gyarados, etc etc.

[@TyshaggyGaming]

@@edwardnygma8533 I wouldn't say season one is a good jumping in point too get someone to *Want* to watch it. Personally if Mewtwo strikes back can't get you into, nothing will, which is why I always reccomend it first

[@michaeldaniels642]

15:49 "Why do you want to save the Galaxy?" "Because I'm one of the assholes living in it!"

[@aisadal2521]

So happy to see you a deep dive into the iconic villainous Team (and trio!) that started it all! 🥰

[@edvega91]

They stole my heart before they tried to steal Pikachu.

[@metronicmagician1816]

I kind of enjoy that there are functionally 2 types of evil organizations in Pokémon. You have the large scale and small scale villains. Large scale would be all those world ending and civilization destroying groups (that get defeated by 10 year olds). Small scale is pretty much the rest or more accurately groups that don’t threaten the world/societal existence. From just being an organized crime candidate like with team rocket or just a bunch of hooligans that teamed up like with team star and skull. Hell for the past few gens we’ve had a fun mix of both small scale and large scale where there’s usually some small time gang that is the baddy for the first 1-2 acts who then become friends of some sort in helping defeat the third act evil group who are actually threatening to destroy the world.

[@formlessone8246]

I'd say that Team Star isn't even an evil organization. They are a slightly different take on Team Skull, as they're a bunch of kids who were neglected by the school administration. They don't even commit crimes, and Clavell himself discovers that the rumors about them harassing other students is largely false. Only Penny actually commits any criminal activities when she defrauds the Pokemon League by hacking their financial system. The real villain of the story is definitely Arvin's parents for being the third worst parents in Pokemon's history and for breaking causality.🎉

[@metronicmagician1816]

@@formlessone8246 yeah team star is very much not evil, but that’s just the name the community has given the group of generic grunt+hyper stylized leaders. They’re kind of like team yell where they really don’t do anything evil, but are a thorn and roadblock in the protagonists side for the majority if the story. I will say I do love that the true villain of that game is neglectful parenting.

[@madnessarcade7447]

@@metronicmagician1816 even arven’s parents were more misguided also can’t be neglectful if they’re dead

[@metronicmagician1816]

@@madnessarcade7447 I mean because they were being neglectful and working on the Time Machine they are dead so….

[@formlessone8246]

@@madnessarcade7447 the journals they left behind ain the Area Zero research stations straight up tell you that one of his parents walked away shortly after he was born, so yeah, not exactly someone interested in raising a family. To think that a major split in the Pokemon timeline was decided by which one of them was stuck with custody over their son. They're not as bad as Lusamine or Ghetsis, but definitely on par with Guzma's parents.

[@NutmegBGB]

I personally like the fan theory that Giovanni is Ash's father and Jessie and James are basically told to capture pikachu as a way to make sure they keep track of Ash and co. They aren't meant to be a threat, they're meant to be babysitters.

[@demonthekid718]

16:09 That theory explains it all. after watching 25 years as a gullible child, I thought nothing more of Jessie, James, and Meowth as superheroes, and this may be true as their white uniforms (plus Meowth's fur) are the symbol of pure goodness, unlike the color black which is the symbol of bad, like in every cartoon villains.

[@formlessone8246]

Weird fact, in Japan and a lot of other Asian countries, the color white is associated with death.

[@demonthekid718]

@Formless One I wondered where you found the source from. Because I often heard interviews from foreigners that they were told, black is associate the color of death lol.

[@formlessone8246]

@@demonthekid718 it's information you can find even just on Wikipedia, and many other places online. White is the color worn at funerals in China and Korea, and in Japan the deceased is put in a white kimono; hence it has strong associations with death there that are the inverse of western expectations. Of course there are other associated meanings as well-- pilgrims in Japan also wear white for purification ceremonies, so it can also symbolize purity as well-- but expecting black to be the color of death everywhere is a common mistake.

[@benamisai-kham5892]

@@formlessone8246 I think it's also a superstition thing too, cause the word for white has 'shi' in it (which is why they now say yon instead for 4 because they believe it sounds too close to death)

[@SketchingPandaRen]

Reminder that Butch and Cassidy has said that Jessie and James are saying the wrong motto. Ant that their version say "To infect the world with devastation!" Also idk, someone attacking you personally is more memorable then someone destroying the world.

[@madnessarcade7447]

⁠ Cassidy and butch only say that to try to be superior because it’s pretty clear jessie and James made up the motto and butch and Cassidy made up their own as a way to mock them and try to be better then them cuz neither Giovanni nor the other team rocket members have ever acknowledged the existence of any type of motto Which explains why jessie and James come up with new ones each season The mottos were always made up

[@Kankan_Mahadi]

Team Rocket even keep turning up in so many "Helluva Boss" fan comics. Guess we know where they're going... This is my favorite line from James in 1 of those crossover fan comics. "Jesse? What's a 'furry'"?

[@madnessarcade7447]

Also their influence in other shows like big city greens

[@ZurichiVonVorst]

I found the artist name who made that comic. Its EMositeCC they have two both pretty funny.

[@jameshamaker9321]

I appreciate this and approve of the Meowth, in lockstin's shirt pocket. Congratulations, on bringing back the pocket in pocket monsters.

[@Actionfan19]

I hope you do vids for the other evil teams. I'd love to see what deeper stuff went into Aqua, Magma, Galactic, Plasma, Flare, Skull, Yell and Star.

[@cle-loumehl6172]

One common misconception is that Team Rocket found the DNA of Mew in Guyana, but it is in fact in *French Guiana*. This is due to the hypothesis that life on earth comes from outerspace, and Mew is often described as the ancestor of Pokémon, therefore coming from space too. The link with French Guiana? This is where Europe has its Spaceport for launching Rocket. See the link? Team Rocket? Spaceport?

[@Dusxio]

Team Rocket gives me the vibes of a proper super villain organization. They want to rule and profit, but also know when to minimize loses and protect instead. A yeah, the Anime Trio excel at not-crime. Their radio show, malasada stand, Contest Runs... They do well at things Not Stealing Pikachu. Heck, even their engineering considering the mechs XD

[@littlebabyman8494]

It’s odd how good of a mechanic Meowth is. He doesn’t know very strong moves and is shown to be pathetic in battle at multiple points. Yet he excels in mechanics and sometimes improvised strategy proving that if he got a little stronger he’d excel in battle. Does he see his value more in smarts than strength?

[@pkmntrainermark8881]

Regarding the motto, it's actually brought up by Cassidy and Biff that the Trio are getting it wrong. That first part should be, "To infect the world with devastation."

[@michaeldaniels642]

The anime did have high ranked agents that ran operations. Also, since Team Rocket never got taken down in the anime there was never a need to introduce second in commands or similar.

[@jakabshaw4127]

Sakaki means "divine tree" I think that it would connect to the professors, as up until gen 9 all professors had a tree for their name.

[@gojiblock8401]

OMG yes! I am one HUNDRED percent on board with you looking at other evil teams!!! I've been wanting evil team videos with your video style. These videos are really fun and interesting! Keep it up dude, you're killing it!

[@k-fey6642]

Dont Butch and Cassidy say that the rocket trio motto is wrong ?

[@jameshamaker9321]

Yes.

[@madnessarcade7447]

⁠ Cassidy and butch only say that to try to be superior because it’s pretty clear jessie and James made up the motto and butch and Cassidy made up their own as a way to mock them and try to be better then them cuz neither Giovanni nor the other team rocket members have ever acknowledged the existence of any type of motto Which explains why jessie and James come up with new ones each season The mottos were always made up

[@Distant_Dubstep]

The Regan joke unironically made me do a spit take cuz it took me so off gaurd xD

[@brilliantsableye2591]

It would be cool if we'd get a video for any other evil team's origin as well. Next in line would be Team Sky.... I mean Team Aqua and Team Magma.

[@KalDoesStuff]

TEAM SKYYYYY

[@thedragonwarrior5861]

Why would we worry about those idiots when we can talk about the glorious sky?

[@brendenroodt3718]

I've also always thought that Jessie and James act as spies and scouts to the other regions so that team rocket could expand and identify rivals like the other evil teams.

[@pokemonsliver]

I'll always love how well done Team Rocket was done in the Adventure series. With them accomplishing feats like capturing lengendaries, using all of Kanto to capture and unleash powerful Pokemon, they felt like a ligament threat. Even then. it's not like they weren't allowed to be funny. Loved how Green took out a bunch of grunts with her Ditto.

[@lilharm]

I believe it’s revealed at some point in the anime that Jessie and James are actually saying the motto wrong and in fact nearly the opposite of how they’re supposed to

[@OctoInkk]

Love seeing a proper deep dive on the Rocket Gang, especially mentioning the Gym Leader’s’ involvement with Rocket. I’d like to imagine that there are things to gain by being in the Gang that Gym Leaders couldn’t have had access to on a “straight and narrow” path, like technology from Silph Co, or rare Pokémon.

[@professorhazard]

I always figured that Giovanni tasks Jessie and James with following Ash around because he wants to make sure that no actual danger befalls him. Whether that means he's Ash's long-missing dad or not is, of course, up for eternal debate.

[@sinisternorimaki]

There's no debate, the answer is no. I doubt Giovammi even knew of Ash's existance before Unova.

[@zarahdescoteaux9185]

That’s a fun theory

[@DaenaMichelle]

"I need this planet, it's where I keep all my stuff!" I'm, so stealing this.

[@Snoebal]

Team skull had to be my 2nd favorite evil team after team rocket because they basically did what team rocket did on a smaller and sillier scale.

[@KalDoesStuff]

Team Skull is my favorite team :) They weren't so "evil" just some kids who were messed up by the system. They were literally just some gang that treated each other as a better family They remind me of "The Greasers" from the book "The Outsiders" in terms of their relationship to eachother :D

[@formlessone8246]

They also inverted the relationship Team Rocket had with Sylph Co, in that whereas Team Rocket was trying to take over their business, Team Skull's leader was already in league with the Aether Foundation's president simply because ironically, despite being terrible to her own kids, she's the only person who ever believed in him.

[@timwoods2852]

The end had me rolling!😂 It's so true though. You're correct, it is just Jessie, James, and Meowth (and their Pokemon)'s motto. Butch and Cassidy revealed in season 1 that they were reciting it wrong.

[@azraelneji]

Wow Thank You so much for this video. On part with Jassie and James I've got some nostalgic tears 😅 love all the content :)

[@mattwo7]

6:31 Curious, a lot of people think _Sega_ works with the Yakuza (for reasons that apparently don't all have to do with the Yakuza video game franchise) but Nintendo started off as a playing card manufacturer. Really makes you think.

[@ThatJaymsWisdom]

Omg that pipes screensaver in the background is _such_ a blast from the past. I'd forgotten it existed!

[@DinoJake]

I always headcanoned that Sakaki is his real name, whereas "Giovanni" is an alias he got in college while studying abroad in PokeItaly. He loved the culture so much, that he gave his first-born son an Italian name - Salvatore. But since Salvatore hated his father, he eventually changed his name to Silver.

[@pkmntrainermark8881]

Even stranger, Team Rocket didn't recruit Jugglers, they recruited ONE single Juggler.

[@charlesentertainmentcheese5301]

in one of the earlier episodes of the anime, butch & cassidy recited a different version of jessie & james “to protect the world from devastation” that was more ominous so i feel like jessie & james just personalized it bc theyre good people

[@lionheart4424]

7:40 I had NEVER in my life seen that artwork of Giovanni and Persian. They look the most badass ever portrayed. Loved the ending about Jesse and James.

[@Kokonutzlz]

Lockstin frowning on using the term "gypsy" for the jugglers ✅ 7:19 Lockstin proceeding to use the word "gypped" just a few minutes later seemingly okay with it as a joke❓

[@mindwarp42]

Re: the name Sakaki and that connecting how the Yakuza had a number of ex-military IRL: nope. The Imperial Japanese Navy had pretty standard naming schemes for ships, witn ones that break with that tending to be conversions of ships that did fit their name scheme originally. Destroyers were usually natural occurances like weather or moon phases or stuff like trees. Both the WW I era Kaba-class IJN Sakaki and the unfinished WW II era Tachibana-class inheritor of the name fall into the latter category. Sakaki/Giovanni isn't the only Pokemon character that shares a Japanese name with a IJN/JMSDF ship. Off the top of my head, there's also Ushio/Matt from Team Aqua and Akagi/Cyrus, who most would pick up maybe the reference to Mt. Akagi which the battlecruiser converted to a carrier was named after. A quick check of names also has Katsura/Blaine, Kasumi/Misty, Ibuki/Clair, and Hibiki/Ethan (plus Musashi/Jessie, as IJN Musashi like the OG Musashi Miyamoto shared a classical province name, the standard battleship naming scheme) that fit.

[@KnightsofGaming2016]

If we ever get Legends: Kanto, I'd like to see the formation and a more darker Team Rocket from that time period. Also, that ending segment was hilarious 😂

[@youngchili1543]

Not even a sub and I viewed this at like mins old. Some sideways dedication right there. But I’m here for the support, keep doing you man!

[@thetoondevil]

Team Rocket also has a surprisingly good theme song in Gold and Silver that i just cant stop listening too.

[@TheHammerGuy94]

that's their official theme. Gen 1 had no character themes, and rocket grunts just play the basic trainer theme. and if you missed the Rainbow Rocket Episode of USunMoon, Giovanni has his own remix!

[@hhjan594]

I'm pretty sure Sakaki is also a surname in Japanese. Not very common though, but in Japanese people tend to call people by their surname unless they feel like they are close to someone they are calling..... which you definitely won't think you are close with a mafia boss lol. So in my head canon, Sakaki is actually his surname, his son is actually called "Silver Sakaki" if this makes sense.

[@spindash64]

Also, Mt Silver is an actual location in the Pokémon world, so it’s possible he’s named after the mountain and not the precious metal

[@gozillabk]

@@spindash64 Should also be noted the highest level wild Pokémon in Gold and Silver were at Mount Silver.

[@roberttew6073]

Pretty good video. I have always found the various villain teams of Pokemon to be rather interesting. What do you think of the spin off game organizations? From like say the Colosseum games? Snagem and Cypher? Or the various crime gangs from the Ranger series?

[@Tamo8]

14:45 Jesse and James are always the adversaries of the evil organizations of other regions. Their motivations are different but they always end up helping Ash and co in defeating the villainous organizations.

[@8393Robertrex]

I mean tbh. Theyre not really a mafia Crime organization actually fits pretty perfectly to me Pokemon mafia feels like giovanni would be more. Idk fatherly? They feel so strict where the mafia feels more loose, hes more, c.e.o. than pirate or mafioso

[@asterlyons8564]

Yeah, a lot of people use the word Mafia to refer to all organized crime, but mafia has a familial structure to it. Its a more specific form of organized crime

[@johnathanedwards9054]

The mafia is very strict about enforcing their rules in their families. They even take an oath holding a burning picture of the virgin Mary with your blood on the face as it turns to ash. The enforcement of the rules are simple, do what is asked of you when it is asked of you and you'll be fine, break them and risk getting killed.

[@hunter_hiebert]

16:26 I need that moment. *fails to protect the world from devastation* _finally captures Pikachu_

[@adoeri7159]

I'm so sad that the clash between Team Rocket and Team Plasma never happened in the anime. I think that would've been one of the biggest "to save the world from devastation"-moments

[@TheBohobemeister]

As always, wonderful video!

[@TerminusTartaros]

A group of heroes who save the world but are trying to be evil and sponsored by crime is a really cool story beat

[@psycologo121]

I was really digging the Celedon City Remix music at the beguining

[@zacharybartolo5111]

Thanks for doing a video on Team Rocket, both the group and the trio! Yeah, compared to the others, TR just don't really compare to the world enders (except Chairman Rose), but they still hold a place in the hearts of many pokemon players, including my own. The TRio especially I love with all my heart. They were the bad guys, but many times they weren't JUST the bad guys. They helped Ash and the others, supported them when they didn't really have to or need to because they know what it's like to lose, be losers and just alla round get treated like dirt. They cheered on Pikachu to beat Surge's Raichu, they helped Charizard get into Charicific Valley, they saved the world so many times and above all they truly love their Pokémon, enough to let them go to be happy. And not just that, but they support each other too. They can be real asses to each other and they have had their falling outs, but no matter what happens, they are always there for each other, ready to support whatever it is they want or aid them in whatever endeavor they are trying to achieve. And even if they fail, they just get right back up and try again. Their persistence, their dedication to whatever it is they do, whether it's being TR Grunts, laborers or even capturing pikachu, they always keep trying no matter what's thrown at them or what gets in their way. I'm sure a lot of people have come to be annoyed by Team Rocket after all these years, which is understandable. We've had them for so long, but I'm more grateful to have had them for as long as we did, then not at all. They brought so many laughs and so many smiles. They are the Saturday morning bad guys we all know and love because they are more than just that. They have heart.

[@10tailedbijuu]

can't believe i missed this episode, it is awesome!!

[@sabercat5490]

Team Rocket may have been the most basic but to me they're the most memorable when all the other were remembered fir just one thing that was beyond their reach.

[@Dr.Disney]

I’m getting the feeling that this is the start of a “Evil Organizations Explained” type of series and I’m all for it

[@TheHammerGuy94]

Rocket: Mostly a Yakuza. Aqua and Magma: Extremist Environmentalists Galactic: Space nerds destroying the Universe Plasma: PETA turned to 11. Flare: I see both Team rocket with Galactic's motives. Skull and Yell: Literally just punks Aether: stopping an alien invasion by doing sketchy stuff in the background. Macro Cosmos: not enough Nuclear Energy (yes, Dynamax energy is like nuclear power. kaijus and all) Star: Anti-bullying club.

[@jl3039]

The last line made me completely lose it. Ty, great vid

[@justanactualrealbear]

"Villains on par with Bowser, Darth Vader, Ronald Reagan" had me dying honestly

[@madnessarcade7447]

12:20 they are more world ending in the anime tho they have committed greater atrocities than the game versions and are more infamous throughout more regions In the anime team rocket’s plans and scales are larger having branches in every region and being know by almost every evil other team So that’s something

[@HyponMixhog]

The funny thing I find about the last statement that how the Team Rocket Trio ironically enough good at saving the world, it reminds me of that episode from X&Y where an alternate reality shows Team Rocket to be Justice Organisation XD

[@madnessarcade7447]

Surprised he didn’t mention that

[@LordM46]

Most interesting. I love Team Rocket too both the organisation, its leader and the trio.

[@videakias3000]

16:09 "they are proffessional superheroes" you went full matpat this individual part of the video.

[@KZN02]

2:59 Kind of foreshadowing to those legendary trio combo sketches in Scarlet and Violet.

[@Zakading]

I like how most of the lieutenants are named after EXPANDABLE rockets.

[@ThiagoBits-lz7yo]

even more fitting given they were not given names in G/S/C and were only generic admins

[@4restFinders]

More Gnoggin in the video is making me all sorts of happy

[@maganhassan2627]

I remember team rocket trio in black & white anime being a highlight of that series it's a shame the anime staff abandoned that concept later on they made that series fresh & don't get me wrong i like their goofy life

[@transyuri4534]

It's confirmed in one episode that jessie james and meowth actually get the motto wrong.

[@wolfgang313i3]

Didn't butch and Cassidy say that Jesse and James get the moto wronged every time?

[@madnessarcade7447]

⁠ Cassidy and butch only say that to try to be superior because it’s pretty clear jessie and James made up the motto and butch and Cassidy made up their own as a way to mock them and try to be better then them cuz neither Giovanni nor the other team rocket members have ever acknowledged the existence of any type of motto Which explains why jessie and James come up with new ones each season The mottos were always made up

[@some_guy117]

8:58 the buildings even have the similar amount of floors, counting 9/10 floors of windows

[@streamer9923]

They shuld have made team rocket like an secret boss. Apering in every game as post game content with difrent familes runing smal scale operations. And somhow always maneging to steal somting imortaint from the main evil team that culd grant power to the main legendery ore revel a new one

[@jakoblent4694]

and that could cumilate into a reveal of rainbow rocket being the reasons the other timelines worked because rainbow rocket put the missing piece into their hands and caused millions of people too die everywhere in multiple timelines

[@sunnybunny7053]

4:42 easily pokemon’s best sound effect

[@theta8529]

On the Note of Zapticunotres. A fangame called Pokemon: Infinite Fusion adapts that Concept into a Gimmick Very Well, Including The Legendary Bird's Being Fused Together. Worth Having a Look at. Very Good Game.

[@epicbruhmoment6985]

Giovanni recognizes that Ash is a magnet for world ending events so he sends Jessie and James along as his back up

[@ivysaur2thefirst]

I feel like Giovanni kinda lost interest in Pikachu after a while, considering he never tried any harder than Jesse and James to get him. He also had the chance to steal Pikachu when he wiped the floor with Ash in Black and White but just left.

[@nartaga1624]

Showing my age here because I was old enough to watch it upon airing. In the Johto seasons (episode 231 Dues and Dont's) of the Pokemon anime Jessie and James were revealed to have basically been rogue by not paying their dues to Team Rocket. The Rocket Scout lady even points out that they altered their uniforms against regulation, AND that they changes the motto they recite.

[@madnessarcade7447]

In the anime team rocket’s plans and scales are larger having branches in every region and being know by almost every evil other team So that’s something

[@RuV9999]

its because Jessie and James influential for being in every region chasing Ash and pikachu.

[@bluntizard4481]

0:21 NICE 😃 Great Reagan reference

[@namerif731]

"Fail spectacularly but hey got Pikachu" I'm dying laughing.

[@mattwo7]

Butch and Cassidy were proper team rocket grunts who corrected Jessie and James on their motto. So no, they're just incompetent. Also one alternate universe version of them (because there is SOMEHOW more than one) captured Dialga and rewound time so everyone would turn into babies and the pokemon into eggs, that's messing with world-destroying forces right there.

[@ashmander3465]

Great discussion video

[@madnessarcade7447]

The magikarp salesman isn’t team rocket he’s just supposed to parallel the one from the anime