Meowth (Team Rocket)
- This article is about the Meowth who works for Team Rocket. For the TCG card from the Team Rocket set, see Meowth (Team Rocket 62).
- For the Wizards Promotional card, see Team Rocket's Meowth (Wizards Promo 18).
- For the EX Team Rocket Returns card, see Rocket's Meowth (EX Team Rocket Returns 46).
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 Meowth of Team Rocket | ||||||||||||||
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Meowth (Japanese: ニャース Nyarth) is a member of Team Rocket, more specifically part of a trio with Jessie and James, that follows Ash Ketchum and his friends around in Pokémon the Series, usually trying to steal Ash's Pikachu. His major difference from other Meowth, and nearly all other Pokémon, is that he can talk and walk on two legs like a human.
In animation
Pokémon the Series
History
Pre-series
In a flashback in Go West Young Meowth, Meowth's earliest memory is being alone at Camp Pokéhearst. With no food, he was always starving and once tipped over a basket of baseballs believing it was food. As punishment for tipping the basket over, the baseball coach hung him from a tree; from this tree, he was able to see a movie called That Darn Meowth!, which depicted a Meowth in Hollywood being given delicious food by its family. Meowth instantly decided to go to Hollywood, which he believed would be a paradise.
However, when he arrived in Hollywood, he was merely perceived as a stray Pokémon, and was constantly being chased for stealing food. Soon, a Meowth gang, led by a Persian, took him in. Meowth lived on the streets as a member of the gang for a long time; the gang annoyed the humans in town by stealing food and causing trouble, the town's local Butcher Shop Owner in particular. One day, Meowth came across a female Meowth named Meowzie. She rejected him, saying that he was poor and that she preferred humans, so Meowth attempted to make himself more human-like to make her love him. Thus, he painstakingly taught himself to speak human language and walk upright like a human. When he approached her after this transformation, she once again rejected him, calling him a freak. Heartbroken, Meowth remembered the first human word he understood—"rocket"—and was inspired to join Team Rocket.
In Battle Aboard the St. Anne, Meowth stated that he was Giovanni's "Top Cat" in front of Giovanni with no objection (while noticing that Persian was now in that position). In Training Daze, however, he was shown to have been present at Team Rocket HQ for a short time, during which it is revealed that Persian is already there. During this time, Meowth became a servant to Giovanni, bringing him food and drinks; however, he was unsuccessful at this task because he tripped over a wire, spilled Giovanni's coffee, and got himself shocked. Giovanni didn't appear to be angry, but he assigned Meowth to Jessie and James's team.
Pokémon the Series: The Beginning
Kanto
Meowth made his debut in Pokémon Emergency. Alongside Jessie and James, they set their sights on the injured Pokémon in the Viridian City Pokémon Center. As the two sent out their Ekans and Koffing from their Meowth balloon, they quickly overtook the Pokémon Center, which only had Nurse Joy, Ash, and Misty inside. Before they could steal any of the Pokémon, however, Ash's Pikachu, who teamed up with many other Pikachu in the Pokémon Center, used an electric attack, causing the entire Pokémon Center to explode. It was here that Team Rocket vowed to capture Pikachu, deeming Ash's one as an exceptionally powerful Pokémon, making it their lifelong goal to capture him.
In Electric Shock Showdown, after hearing that Pikachu would fight to defend his own honor and Ash's, the trio were inspired to cheer on Pikachu before his rematch against Vermilion Gym Leader Lt. Surge's Raichu.
In Battle Aboard the St. Anne, the Team Rocket trio worked together with other Team Rocket Grunts to steal the Pokémon of all the Trainers on board the S.S. Anne. Out on the open ocean, Team Rocket began taking the Pokémon of everyone by force. Ash led a counterattack against the Rockets, leading to a large battle and many of the members of Team Rocket being blasted off through the side of the ship. Afterwards, the S.S. Anne started taking on water and sunk, trapping Team Rocket, Ash, and his friends underwater. When the two groups met up, they initially fought, but Misty took charge and directed all of them in an emergency escape plan before the ship fell into the depths of the sea floor. They eventually found an exit, with Team Rocket nearly drowning due to having to rely on James's Magikarp to swim them to safety. After getting stranded, Magikarp evolved into Gyarados and sent them all flying with a cyclone made from Dragon Rage.
In Island of the Giant Pokémon, following the events of the last episode, Team Rocket was swept away onto Pokémon Land, located on the Island of the Giant Pokémon. Meowth, Ekans, and Koffing were separated from Jessie and James in the chaos and landed on another part of the island. When Meowth found Pikachu without Ash, he ordered Koffing and Ekans to attack Pikachu, but they refused since Meowth was not their actual master. The following day, the trio found their way back to Jessie and James.
In The Problem with Paras, Meowth fell in love with a girl named Cassandra after she nursed him back to health. Meowth later tried to repay her by helping her Paras evolve. He, along with Arbok and Weezing, faked losing against Paras to fire it up. This boost in confidence allowed it to defeat Ash's Charmeleon, though the Flame Pokémon went out of control and attacked the trio before he could be stopped. Meowth later asked Cassandra to become the company mascot, but was rejected when her grandmother found a Persian to take the role.
In Who Gets to Keep Togepi?, Meowth bonded with Ash's Egg after the trio stole it. Ash and his friends later find them and fight for it, and during the squabble the egg hatches into a Togepi. Unable to decide who should raise it, Meowth, Ash, Misty, and Brock decide to battle for it. Meowth's first match was against Brock's Onix, which Meowth was able to defeat by dumping buckets of water onto the Rock Snake Pokémon. Brock called him out for cheating, which Meowth countered by claiming it was his right to be a protective parent unhindered. He later battled Ash's Pikachu, which was cut short by one Thunderbolt from Pikachu. Meowth, charred to a crisp and sobbing, had to be dragged away by Jessie and James. In the end, Togepi chose to stay with Misty.
Jessie used Meowth during the Queen of the Princess Festival contest in Princess vs. Princess, though his lack of battle skills made him fairly useless.
In The Purr-fect Hero, Meowth, Jessie, and James attempted another ploy to kidnap Pikachu, but ended up with a boy named Timmy. Realizing they could trick the kid, Jessie and James put on an act to look like they wanted to hurt Timmy. Meowth "stopped them" with Fury Swipes and ran back to the school with Timmy where Pikachu waited. The plan backfired, however, when Meowth accidentally spoke in front of Misty, forcing him to flee.
In The Battle Of The Badge, Meowth, Jessie, and James were made the temporary Gym Leaders of the Viridian Gym in Giovanni's place. Having rigged the platforms so that the Trainer feels the pain their Pokémon feels, they battled against Ash. Despite using Giovanni's Pokémon and cheating, they ultimately lost and were sent blasting off.
In Go West Young Meowth, Meowth, Jessie, and James returned to Hollywood while following Ash. While there, Meowth was reunited with Meowzie, who had since been abandoned by her mistress and was forced to join the gang of street Meowth. Meowth fought his former Persian leader to win Meowzie's love, and won, but Meowzie demonstrated that her loyalty was with Persian since he took care of her when she needed it (in addition to calling him a walking talking freak Meowth). Meowth was, once again, left heartbroken.
Orange Islands
The Team Rocket trio continued to follow Ash to the Orange Islands, where they were ordered by Giovanni to operate a blimp in an attempt to get rid of them. The three performed their duty as wait staff before realizing no one was piloting the blimp, and because of this it drifted straight into a storm. They then found Ash and friends and started a battle, which tore a hole in the blimp. Meowth attempted to make a parachute from some of the broken fabric, but Jigglypuff landed on top of it andsang a song. Meowth, unable to stay awake, let go of the fabric, causing the trio to fall into the ocean and drift away.
In Pikachu Re-Volts, Meowth was put under the hypnotism of Butch and Cassidy's Drowzee and forced to attack Jessie and James. He was later freed by Ash and Pikachu.
Because of the effort Meowth exerted while learning to speak and walk like a human, he has not learned the signature move of his species, Pay Day. In Meowth Rules!, Meowth was worshiped by an island of people who believed that he could bring them riches with Pay Day. When he was caught in a battle meant to induce Pay Day, Jessie and James had to secretly bail him out by throwing the last of their spare change and some of James's prized bottle caps in order to appease the islanders.
In Bound For Trouble, Team Rocket had a plan to capture Pikachu that involved tying him up with Meowth. This succeeded at first, but Meowth and Pikachu got separated from Jessie and James. Being lost on the island, the two Pokémon had to work together to defeat powerful Pokémon and get to safety. In the end, Ash, Misty, and Tracey managed to find the duo first and separated them from each other.
After Jessie fell ill from inhaling Vileplume Stun Spore in The Stun Spore Detour, Meowth and James attempted to find Salveyo weed. However, they had to contend with Misty and her newly befriended Poliwag, also on a mission to heal her friends, for the rare medicinal plant. Despite their antics, Misty later gave them some Salveyo weed.
Pokémon the Series: Gold and Silver
In Snubbull Snobbery, a Snubbull took interest in Meowth's tail, which they used to their advantage to lure the Fairy Pokémon to them. The plan ended up failing when they were found by Ash and his friends, but, unbeknownst to them, Snubbull followed the trio to stay with Meowth. Snubbull returned in Tunnel Vision, biting down onto Meowth. The trio identified it as the same one and decided to keep it. Meowth demanded they pick him or the Snubbull, which backfired when his teammates happily welcomed Snubbull to the group. Dejected, Meowth left, though they later reconnected.
Meowth dressed up as a Sunflora for the first time in Grin to Win!, where he entered the Sunflora Festival. He repeated the costume in The Grass Route, where he and Jessie entered the Grass Tournament. He did surprisingly well against Ash's Bulbasaur with his Fury Swipes, but ended up being eliminated when his disguise was shredded by Razor Leaf.
In The Trouble with Snubbull, Team Rocket first tried using Meowth as bait for a newly evolved Granbull so they could collect a reward from the Granbull's owner, Madame Muchmoney. This failed, and they subsequently used a Meowth-shaped mecha for their next attempt. Through a misunderstanding over Meowth trying to release Granbull from the mecha's tail, Team Rocket were mistakenly assumed to have tricked Madame Muchmoney. When Team Rocket was blasted off following a battle between the mecha and Granbull, Granbull returned home and no longer followed Meowth.
In The Poké Spokesman, Meowth met Simon, a man who claimed to be able to speak with Pokémon. Although uncertain of his abilities when he failed to understand his conversation with Pikachu, he later came to respect his talent and helped save him when he was kidnapped by the Phony Pokémon interpreters. Later, Meowth staged a fake talking Pokémon encounter with Simon in order to encourage him to continue his operation.
In Got Miltank?, Meowth was separated from Jessie and James during an encounter with Ash and his friends. He ended up being taken to a Pokémon oasis, where he was treated by a Miltank. When Jessie and James later arrived, Meowth pleaded with them to leave, as the oasis did not welcome humans. Meowth convinced Team Rocket's Pokémon to not attack and tried his best to free Miltank after it was caught in a net by James, but was restrained by his teammates. Thankfully, Ash's Pokémon were able to stop Jessie and James and send them blasting off.
In Fly Me to the Moon, Meowth befriended a Pidgey by the name of Orville, who he sympathized with after he overheard Orville's plan of flying towards the sun. He gave the Tiny Bird Pokémon a headset so they could keep in contact during his flight. With support from Meowth, Orville was able to breach the outer atmosphere and achieve his dream.
In Dues and Don'ts, the Team Rocket trio learned they'd been disbanded from Team Rocket for unpaid dues. However, a Rocket Scout informed them she could get them back in if they prove themselves to her by defeating Ash and his friends. The three begged to borrow her Delibird to help them, which she agreed to. Even with the support, they failed to complete the mission, but were reinstated anyway due to a labor shortage. Their signing bonus helped pay off their bills, but the Rocket Scout informed them Delibird would be following them to make sure it didn't happen again. By Can't Beat the Heat!, Delibird stopped following them, satisfied with the money they earned during the Silver Conference.
Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire
Hoenn
The trio continued to follow Ash to Hoenn. It was during this time that Meowth also started having frequent fantasies about presenting Giovanni with various Pokémon. These fantasies often involve whatever creature it happens to be assisting Giovanni in his daily routine.
In A Poached Ego!, Team Rocket took on Rico, a Pokémon poacher who had captured a herd of Ekans and Koffing in Petalburg Woods. Eventually, James and Jessie reluctantly ordered Weezing and Arbok to stay in the wild and guard the young Ekans and Koffing while they and Meowth stalled for time by battling Rico's Tyranitar.
In Ready, Willing, and Sableye, Meowth found himself lost in a mine and teamed up with a prankster Sableye to play tricks on Ash and his friends. After a few pranks, Meowth convinced the Sableye to help him kidnap Pikachu and Ash's Corphish, after which he escaped with Jessie and James. They were stopped by the twerps and Sableye, who sent them blasting off.
In A Scare to Remember!, Pikachu developed amnesia after an attack by Team Rocket and their machine. Team Rocket took advantage of this and tricked Pikachu into joining them. Trying to get Pikachu back, Ash jumped on their balloon, and the trio ordered Pikachu to hit Ash with Thunderbolt. This caused them to get blasted off, while Ash and Pikachu fell into a river. As Ash protected him, Pikachu managed to regain his memory and got rid of Team Rocket once again.
Upon learning of his species' love for gathering coins and shiny objects from Ash's Pokédex in Do I Hear a Ralts?, Jessie criticized him for not doing so.
Jessie, disguised as "The Jester", used Meowth in the Pacifidlog Contest in Mean With Envy. In the Appeals Round, he created an ice sculpture of Giovanni, his Persian, and himself. During his Contest Battle against Erica's Jynx, he used "Transform" by using the pouch attached to his belly. He transformed into a Sunflora first, using Razor Leaf against Jynx. Later, he transformed into a Kirlia and again into a Wailord. He popped the inflatable Wailord with his claws and Jessie was eventually disqualified.
Battle Frontier
In Time Warp Heals All Wounds, Meowth overheard Edna's tragic backstory and how she lost her husband, Jonathan, in the past. He headed to the train station where she last saw him to think it over and in the process ran into May. Her Squirtle then found Edna's lost locket. The locket emitted a mysterious light and enveloped the three. They soon realized they'd been transported back in time to when Edna's husband was about to make his departure. Working together, they delayed the train long enough for Edna to catch up to Jonathan and stop him from leaving. They then returned to the present, and due to their actions, found the couple living happily together.
In Off the Unbeaten Path, Meowth entered Potpourri Island's Pokémon Orienteering with Jessie. The duo had trouble finding the checkpoints and decided to drop out of the competition. They planned on letting James and his Mime Jr. collect the five stamps, thinking James would share the sample of fruit prize with them. To assure James's victory, they dug several pitfall traps throughout the island so as to slow down the other contestants. When James was declared the winner, they were certain they would get to eat some fruit. However, James was more interested in the Pokémon Teamwork Medal and he agreed to donate the fruit after Nurse Joy asked him to, much to their disappointment.
In King and Queen for a Day!, Meowth, along with Mime Jr., Pikachu, and Brock's Bonsly, were blasted off after an encounter with Ash and his friends. After landing somewhere in the nearby town, the group was chased by three men in black suits. Escaping them a few times, they stumbled upon a casting crew, where it was revealed that a Bonsly and Mime Jr. had gone missing from the set. With no other choice, the Director decided to cast the two. Jessie and James, having found Meowth, interrupted the filming, causing a fight to break out. Mime Jr. and Bonsly attacked each other, and the battle was captured by the camera. The strange turn of events ended up satisfying the Director, who wrapped up the filming.
In Pokémon Ranger - Deoxys' Crisis! (Part 1) and 2, the trio head about a Deoxys and set their sights on capturing it. However, Meowth ended up being possessed and used as the DNA Pokémon's translator. He and Max were then taken to another dimension, where Deoxys explained it was scared during the space flight and felt lonely. Ash and his friends later arrived and battled Deoxys, causing friction in the alternate dimension. With help from Jessie and May, Meowth and Max were able to escape. Deoxys possessed Meowth one last time to thank Max for everything before flying away, wanting to explore the planet even more.
In The Ole' Berate and Switch!, following a failed attempt of getting Ash's Pikachu, Meowth separated with Jessie and James. He later got involved in a Team Rocket scheme and met up with the two again, where he was the first to stop their arguing and remind them of the good times they had together. The three quickly reunited and became a team again.
Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl
In Two Degrees of Separation!, Giovanni approved the trio's plans to set up a Team Rocket branch in the Sinnoh region.
In All Dressed Up With Somewhere To Go!, Meowth and Jessie entered in the Pokémon Dress-Up Contest. During the event, Meowth was seen dressed as a Weavile, earning him perfect marks. In the second round, Meowth noticed the prize, an Egg, was unguarded, and he and Jessie abandon the competition to steal it, greatly upsetting James.
The trio were hired by Team Galactic to steal the Adamant Orb from the Eterna Historical Museum in A Secret Sphere of Influence!. Team Rocket successfully made the theft, framing Nando in the process, but ultimately failed to get away with the orb.
In Sleight of Sand!, the trio argued with Butch and Cassidy over who would steal a Hippowdon. Their constant bickering made it easy for Ash and his friends to save the Heavyweight Pokémon.
In Cream of the Croagunk Crop!, Jessie and James dressed Meowth up in a Croagunk costume and entered him in the Pastoria Croagunk Festival. Meowth was thoroughly embarrassed, but the crowd and judges went wild for his appearance. In the brick-breaking contest, Meowth charged the pile of bricks, but since he couldn't learn Brick Break, the only thing he broke was his paw. Out of the festival, the trio settled for stealing the Croagunk. They were stopped by Nurse Joy's Croagunk, Chrissy.
In Jumping Rocket Ship!, Meowth was separated from Jessie and James during an explosion and landed with Pikachu. Devising a plan to later kidnap him, he told Pikachu he no longer wanted to be with Team Rocket and wanted to instead travel with the twerps. Pikachu remained suspicious, which forced Meowth to run from Jessie and James when he found them. As the ruse continued, Meowth started to consider leaving and, following a suggestion to become a television personality, headed to the Pokémon Center to get in contact with Sinnoh Now host Rhonda. Along the way, however, the group falls into one of Team Rocket's pitfall traps. As the two groups battled, Meowth remembered his times with his friends and attacked Barry's Empoleon with Fury Swipes, claiming his heart always belonged to Team Rocket.
In Noodles! Roamin' Off!, Christopher, a former Team Rocket member and the owner of the ramen shop, saw Meowth use Fury Swipes to slice dough to make ramen and asked him to work in his restaurant as a noodle maker. After some thought, which included reflecting back on previous failures and the lack of appreciation and respect from Jessie and James, Meowth quit the Team Rocket Trio and accepted the offer. However, he eventually rejoined the group after hearing that James and Jessie were in danger.
In To Thine Own Pokémon Be True!, Jessie and Meowth were competing against another Trainer and his Marowak. Although Jessie complained that Marowak's Thick Club would put her and Meowth at a huge disadvantage, the match continued. However, they were immediately disqualified from the Pokémon Ping Pong Tournament, because Meowth accidentally sliced the ball with his Fury Swipes, instead of hitting it.
In Dressed for Jess Success!, James disguised himself as Jessilina due to Jessie being sick. Meowth, following his promise in Old Rivals, New Tricks!, was used during the Performance Stage, where he used his talent for slicing ramen noodles. The two then gave the judges the ramen to taste, which was declared to be of excellent quality. The performance was impressive enough to advance Jessilina to the Battle Stage. Upon seeing the appeal on TV, Christopher became very proud.
Meowth fell in love with a Glameow in For The Love of Meowth!. Determined to stay with his love, he convinced his teammates to steal it, which backfired when the two decided to send it to Giovanni. Late at night, Meowth left a note saying he resigned and was leaving to start a new life with Glameow. He took Glameow away by boat, hoping to woo it, but the cat remained skeptical of Meowth's intentions. The next day, Meowth was found by his former team and the twerps, who were determined to take Glameow away from him. Using his "Fury Swipes of Love", Meowth defeated several of the group's Pokémon. However, after James's Carnivine managed to hit Glameow with Bullet Seed, it evolved into Purugly. Along with becoming much larger, Purugly developed a bossy personality and started to order Meowth about, as well as squishing him with its larger body. Meowth, in shock, lost interest in Purugly and was quickly defeated. He then allowed Purugly to return to its Trainer.
Pokémon the Series: Black & White
Unova
Meowth, Jessie, and James were sent to the Unova region under orders from Giovanni after they were promoted in Memories are Made of Bliss!. To prevent them from getting too much attention, Giovanni did not allow Jessie's and James's other Pokémon to be sent to them, only making them use Pokémon native to Unova. This, however, made Meowth think of what would happen to him. Throughout most of the series, Meowth and his two friends were presented as horribly failing and erroneous criminals, always failing in their missions to capture Ash's Pikachu or other Pokémon. In Unova, however, he, along with the rest of his team, developed a more serious attitude in their work, as he had when first introduced, being quicker-witted and much more resourceful than before, using ingenious methods of escape and thus proving much more difficult for Ash to defeat. He has also demonstrated better battling skills, being agile enough to land on his feet when blown back by Ash's Pidove's Gust, and unlike before, does not horribly injure himself in battle.
The trio completed multiple missions for Giovanni in the early episodes of this series, with their first mission coming in Triple Leaders, Team Threats!. After arriving in Striaton City, Giovanni ordered them to visit a former laboratory located at the nearby Dreamyard, where they were tasked to take control of the area's mysterious ‘Future Energy'. They arrive and assemble a machine to collect data to be sent back to headquarters, though the machine ended up alerting Ash, his friends, and Officer Jenny of their plan. The machine is destroyed, but not before they transmitted the data back to HQ for analysis.
In The Bloom Is On Axew!, Giovanni instructed the trio to head to the Desert Resort and meet up with another Team Rocket agent to investigate a meteorite fragment located there. Upon arriving at the meetup location, the trio were surrounded by the police. As Officer Jenny prepared to arrest them, the agent-Pierce-arrived and rescued them. As they escaped, Pierce handed a briefcase to James with vital information.
In A Home for Dwebble!, the trio succeeded in their mission to steal data concerning the Meteonite from the Antimony Research Lab.
In A Night in the Nacrene City Museum!, the trio was given a mission to break into the Nacrene Museum and swap out a fake meteorite with the real one, which they accomplished in the next episode, and later handed it off to Dr. Zager.
In A Venipede Stampede!, they located the Meteonite in the Desert Resort. This would be their final mission from Giovanni, and after this they were advised to act on their own in the best interest of Team Rocket. The three decided to focus on what they do best-trying to capture Ash's Pikachu.
In Club Battle Finale: A Hero's Outcome!, while in Nimbasa City, Team Rocket prepared to put their latest plan into action. Later, in the next episode, Meowth's Scrafty Tactics!, Meowth was found injured by Ash, Iris, and Cilan. While recovering, Meowth explained that while in Nimbasa City, he had botched up Team Rocket's scheme badly and was fired by Giovanni, leading to Jessie and James turning their backs on him. Later, Iris's Axew was kidnapped by a Scrafty, who wanted Axew's help to get its home back from a Mandibuzz. Using his ability to speak to both Pokémon and humans, Meowth not only helped get Axew back but also helped Scrafty get its home back and helped Mandibuzz return to her original nest.
Afterwards, Meowth decided to travel with Ash and his friends, only for Iris to attempt to capture him in a Poké Ball. The capture nearly succeeded but Meowth broke out and told her he was going to help her regardless. Ever since, it seems to have become a running gag that he ends up in a Poké Ball at one point in an episode, as Iris tried twice (one of which was because Meowth didn't want a Purrloin to get caught), and by Cliff. However, in Crisis from the Underground Up!, it was revealed that Meowth's being fired was fake and all just one of Team Rocket's schemes to steal all the Pokémon from Nimbasa City's Pokémon Center.
In Stopping the Rage of Legends! Part 2, after destroying the shrines of Tornadus and Thundurus, Team Rocket tried to capture the forces of nature, but were thwarted by Ash and his friends.
In A Restoration Confrontation! Part 1, the trio were given a mission by Dr. Zager to obtain a Cover Fossil inside Twist Mountain, which would be used to open a time gate to steal countless Fossil Pokémon from the past. Once they stole one from Ferris, they retreated to Dr. Zager's helicopter. The Cover Fossil was successfully revived into a Tirtouga, but it escaped from the group. Team Rocket chased it down-where it evolved into a Carracosta-and held it down in front of the Time Gate. As they were about to pass through the gate, Ash and his friends arrived to stop them. This, along with Carracosta from the past, forced Team Rocket to flee emptyhanded.
The trio reappeared in An Epic Defense Force!, where they tried to capture a Meloetta for a future job: Operation Tempest. The plan continued in All for the Love of Meloetta!, where they were able to injure Meloetta before it was found by Ash and Cynthia. In Meloetta and the Undersea Temple!, the operation began in full, with the trio capturing Ash, Pikachu, and Meloetta and bringing them to the Abyssal Ruins.
Once there, Giovanni used Meloetta's song to summon the Reveal Glass and the forces of nature. During the battle, Giovanni possessed by the Reveal Glass, and Meowth, Jessie, and James jumped in and removed him from its influence. He then ordered a full retreat from the Unova region, with the trio joining him.
He, along with Jessie and James, returned to Unova starting in New Places... Familiar Faces!, where they set their goals on Pikachu once again.
In Meowth, Colress and Team Rivalry!, the Team Rocket trio invaded Colress's newest laboratory and drew his security into a trap in the woods. Once Colress was alone, Meowth approached him and attempted to convince him to join Team Rocket. Colress refused, but offered to allow Meowth to participate in an experiment to increase his strength. Meowth agreed, having undergone training to resist the mind control device. However, Colress still managed to take control of Meowth, and ordered him to attack Jessie and James. Using Frillish and Amoonguss, they managed to snap him out of it before escaping. In What Lies Beyond Truth and Ideals!, the extension of his battling skill was shown again; he took on multiple opponents, including several of Team Plasma's Liepard.
Decolore Islands
In Danger, Sweet as Honey!, Meowth was separated from Jessie and James, getting stuck with Pikachu, Ash's Oshawott, and Iris's Axew. During their journey to find their friends, Meowth formed a connection with the three, and upon returning to their separate groups, Meowth was unable to join in Jessie and James's attack due to the bonds he formed.
In Crowning the Scalchop King!, Meowth, disguised as a Dewott, entered the Scalchop King Competition. He was able to make it through a few rounds before his costume was destroyed and he was eliminated.
In The Journalist from Another Region!, Meowth entered the Pokémon Sumo Tournament disguised as a Golem. He was easily pushed out of the ring by a Golurk and sent blasting off with Jessie and James.
Pokémon the Series: XY
Meowth continued to travel with Jessie and James through Kalos in Pokémon the Series: XY. In A Battle of Aerial Mobility!, Giovanni approved the trio's plan to steal as many rare and powerful Pokémon as they could in Kalos.
In A Conspiracy to Conquer!, Meowth, along with Jessie and James, encountered an evil Malamar, who managed to take control of Jessie and James, as well as their Pokémon, but Meowth used Fury Swipes on himself to endure the hypnotizing. After escaping, Meowth encountered Ash and his friends and warned them of the Malamar. With Team Rocket in tow, Malamar found the whereabouts of Ash's group by a tree. It took Pikachu with them and forced him to be under their control. By the time Meowth, Ash and his friends arrived in the observation chamber of the radio observatory, Malamar took control of Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena. Meowth and Ash managed to endure it by once again using Fury Swipes on their faces to keep focus. The Automatic Pikachu Retrieving Device that Clemont built earlier entered the observatory and crashes into Malamar, breaking its control over everyone it hypnotized. Meowth translated Malamar's evil ambitions of conquering the world as part of an evil grand design to Ash and company and tried to stop it from doing so. But unfortunately for them, Malamar escaped. As Team Rocket recuperated from their ordeal with Malamar, Meowth revealed them that Malamar is the evolved form of Inkay, causing them to react nervously when they looked at James's Inkay.
In Coming Back Into the Cold!, Meowth tried to stop Serena, Bonnie, and Alexa from rescuing an Amaura that he stole alongside Jessie and James, even showing off his prehensile strategy of using Fury Swipes to block Serena's Fennekin's Hidden Power. However, the parent Aurorus appeared in front of Meowth and froze him with Blizzard, allowing the three heroes to save Amaura.
In A Battle by Any Other Name!, the Team Rocket trio entered the Poké Puff Contest. After failing the preliminary round, the three decided to instead steal all the food and Pokémon at the event. They are stopped by a combined attack from the twerps Pokémon.
In Facing the Grand Design!, Team Rocket, Ash, his friends, and Officer Jenny faced the evil Malamar from before. Meowth was scared of Inkay again because Inkay evolves into Malamar. They followed Inkay and met the evil Malamar again, who had now two Malamar allies. Clemont, Meowth, and James managed to escape, but the evil Malamar held Ash, Pikachu, Serena, Bonnie, Jessie, Wobbuffet, and Officer Jenny with Psychic. However, thanks to the combined forces of the good Malamar and Inkay from the forest below Grace Tower, they managed to stop the evil Malamar, rescue everyone and save the world from certain destruction. But the evil Malamar escaped into the future, swearing to fight again and their grand design will succeed someday once they return.
In So You're Having a Bad Day!, Meowth became tethered to Bonnie after a failed attempt to capture the twerps Pokémon. The two bickered at first, but were eventually able to cooperate and later separate.
In A Frenzied Factory Fiasco!, Team Rocket staged an ambush for Ash and his friends, tricking the heroes into giving them their Pokémon in their Poké Balls before trapping them. However, after stealing some freshly made Poké Balls, the group discovered that Pikachu was still free. Meowth then chased Pikachu throughout the Poké Ball Factory, attempting to recall the Mouse Pokémon into his Poké Ball. Failing to do so, Team Rocket attempted to escape with their stash of stolen Poké Balls in their getaway van, but got stopped in their tracks by Pikachu's Thunderbolt. Meowth then challenged Pikachu to a duel, wagering Ash and his friends's Poké Balls, while at the same time trying to recall Pikachu again. However, the Scratch Cat Pokémon was defeated again by his enemy before being blasting off with the rest of his team.
In Performing with Fiery Charm!, he performed with Jessie and Wobbuffet in the Dendemille Town Pokémon Showcase. They lost but they made it to the performing round.
In Dream a Little Dream from Me!, Meowth appeared with other members of his group, apparently unable to sleep due to the loud snoring of Jessie and James, but successfully did so after putting in earplugs and counting Mareep. Later it woke up in a nightmare of Squishy, caused by a wild Darkrai's Bad Dreams. He later woke up due to Clemont's alarm clock exploding. Meowth then returned to Jessie and James and explained his strange dream. James, however, claimed that Meowth has been working too much and is starting to hallucinate, and Jessie suggested that Meowth should go back to sleep, but the Normal-type Pokémon decided that he's never going to sleep again, because he didn't want that dream again.
In A Dancing Debut!, he and his teammates reached Couriway Town and witnessed the Showcase venue. Later they sneaked up in the Showcase premises to learn the theme of the Theme Performance so that Jessie might prepare before hand. When Jessie revealed a sheet with an abstract drawing on it she stole rather hastily due to Meowth setting up the alarm, he deduced that Theme Performance is about fashion and making hats. However his intuition is proved wrong when they learn that the theme actually revolves around Poké Puff baking. Later, in Jessilee's performance, the Scratch Cat Pokémon was seen giving a 'paw massage' to the dough and later imprinted his charm on the Poké Puff. He then ended his part by using Fury Swipes to spread chocolate syrup on the Poké Puff. When the Showcase ended and Jessie is awarded the Princess Key, he was seen crying, happy that Jessie managed to win the Princess Key.
In An Explosive Operation!, Meowth, Jessie, and James were seen contacting Giovanni and informed them about Team Flare and a powerful Pokémon which can exhibit various Formes. Intrigued, Giovanni assigned them with the task to catch the Pokémon. As the trio searched for Squishy, they met up with another Pokémon resembling Squishy but having a blue core and Team Flare scientists Aliana and Mable. After James's Inkay successfully damaged the device which was used by Team Flare to catch Z2, Jessie sent out her Gourgeist to attack Mable's Weavile and Aliana's Druddigon with Seed Bomb, which created smoke, successfully allowing Team Rocket to flee with Z2. She and her teammates were confronted once again by Team Flare, but despite putting up a good fight, her Gourgeist ended up being knocked out. Later, they witnessed Z2 transform into its 50% Forme to fight against Team Flare's Pokémon and later Alain's Charizard. When the Order Pokémon lost, she along with her teammates jumped in front of Z2 to rescue it from Team Flare but ended up being blasted off by Mable's Weavile and Aliana's Druddigon.
In Master Class Is in Session!, Meowth first appeared praising Jessie, who had entered the Gloire City Pokémon Showcase Master Class, as the future Kalos Queen. During the first round, he was seen with Wobbuffet in the waiting room, cheering on Jessilee as she performed with her Gourgeist. He was Jessie's partner Pokémon in the quarter finals and semi-finals (along with Gourgeist). When Jessie lost the semi-finals, he and Gourgeist held on to each other, fearing Jessie's anger, but their fears were unfounded, as she seemed pretty delighted at her performance in the Master Class, happy that Kalos could see her beauty. When the Master Class was over, he, along with James, Inkay, Gourgeist, and Wobbuffet, were seen walking behind a silent Jessie through Gloire City, fearing her wrath on losing. However, she shrugged their fears and decided that she just wanted to give them a feast for supporting her, which caused them to be overjoyed and jump over her; Jessie then angrily declared that the feast shall be financed by James.
He along with his teammates and Jessie's Wobbuffet worked as Malva's assistants during the Lumiose Conference from A League of His Own! to Down to the Fiery Finish!, with the aim of earning money and capturing any strong Pokémon in the Kalos League. However, they were not very pleased with their job and felt that they were over-working; despite this, they did not quit their jobs. In Kalos League Passion with a Certain Flare!, they made it a point to steal the two finalists' Pokémon, Ash and Alain's, after the battle, but could not execute their plan due to Team Flare wreaking havoc in Lumiose City.
In Coming Apart at the Dreams!, he, in disguise of a news reporter, set out with his teammates, Serena, Mairin and Professor Sycamore towards Lysandre Labs in an attempt to take over the base and bring Team Flare down. In the next episode, he fled the building after the Giant Rock transformed into a Zygarde, along with his teammates, on their helicopter. He was in-charge of shooting footage of the entire incident surrounding the Rock as he followed it on their helicopter on its way towards Anistar City, and like his teammates, was utterly surprised to see the seven Gym Leaders and Kalos Champion Diantha arrive on the scene to deal with the Giant Rock.
After the disaster, he and his teammates claimed sole credit for defeating Team Flare to Giovanni.
Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon
In Loading the Dex!, the trio arrived in the Alola region to obtain some rare Alolan Pokémon for Giovanni. The first Pokémon they encountered was a Mimikyu on Melemele Island. After being scared by it, Meowth was the first to ascertain that it was not actually a Pikachu. He also refused to translate what Mimikyu was saying, determining it to be too scary. Since Jessie and James had left Gourgeist and Inkay at headquarters before going to Alola, Jessie threw Meowth at Mimikyu to try to capture it. Fury Swipes had no effect on it. Meowth then tried to remove its Pikachu costume. But when it looked within, Meowth was badly hexed, and fell unconscious. He had a vision of walking down a long tunnel, then ran into a light, finding visions of Glaceon, Gardevoir, and Lopunny calling for him. They turned out to be projections cast by Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar. Everything disappeared, and he fell into an abyss.
In the real world, Jessie and James dumped water on Meowth, reviving him. After relating his apparent near-death experience, he blamed Mimikyu for it. They hid from the approaching Ash and his classmates from the Pokémon School. When Mimikyu battled Pikachu hard, Team Rocket decided to attempt to capture it, and stepped in to stop Ash. When Pikachu threw an Electro Ball at Meowth, Mimikyu used Shadow Ball to deflect it, aligning itself with Team Rocket. Before they could fight again, however, a Bewear stepped in and carried Jessie and James off. Meowth got Mimikyu to disengage from Pikachu so they could chase the Bewear.
In First Catch in Alola, Ketchum-Style!, Bewear looked after the trio, giving them food and shelter at her den.
In The Sun, the Scare, the Secret Lair!, Meowth participated in a battle against Ash, and, working with his teammates, was finally able to gain the upper-hand by poisoning his Rowlet and dealing serious damage to Pikachu. As Mimikyu was about to launch one final attack, Bewear suddenly appeared from the water and took Team Rocket away with her.
In Racing to a Big Event!, Meowth and Wobbuffet teamed up inside of a Bewear robot to compete in the Pokémon Pancake Race. Using the rocket thrusters, they shot towards the finish line, but were grabbed by Bewear right before winning.
In They Might Not Be Giants!, Meowth attempted to catch Ash's Rowlet and Lana's Popplio, who had been separated from their Trainers, but was defeated by a wild Litten. Later, when Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio were caught by Team Rocket, Meowth invited Litten to join them. The Fire Cat Pokémon apparently agreed, but it turned out to be a ruse to get itself and the other two free. Afterwards, they sent Team Rocket blasting off.
In A Seasoned Search!, the trio completed their secret base in Bewear's den.
In One Journey Ends, Another Begins..., Meowth became worried for Litten after its caretaker Stoutland came down with an illness. Later, he came across Ash and told him to protect Litten. Following Stoutland's disappearance, Meowth visited Litten to try and get it to talk before leaving when Ash approached. Meowth later watched as Ash caught Litten, claiming that it was for the best, even though it turned them into enemies.
In A Team-on-Team Tussle!, the trio, upon learning about Z-Moves, began their search for a Z-Ring. They discovered a Darkinium Z in a nest of Alolan Rattata and Raticate, led by a Totem Raticate, and attempted to retrieve it. However, they were intercepted by members of Team Skull, who were after the same Z-Crystal. Ultimately, after a clash with the other team, and with the Totem Pokémon, the trio obtained the Z-Crystal for themselves.
Meowth competed in the in Charjabug race in Mounting an Electrifying Charge!. He hid inside a fake Charjabug racer, making it past the first pit stop before accidentally getting ejected and disqualified. In A High-Speed Awakening!, he competed in the Vikavolt race and captured the competing Vikavolt in a net. Horacio had his Vikavolt destroy Meowth's mecha with Charge Beam, with Bewear coming to the rescue moments later.
In Alola, Kanto!, Team Rocket was revealed to have flown to Kanto as per orders from the headquarters. At the airport, the trio noticed Misty and Brock meet up with Ash and his classmates, and after eavesdropping on the group's conversation, decided to steal Pokémon off of Professor Oak's Laboratory to present them to Giovanni. However, their attempt to steal the group's Pokémon was thwarted, and they were carried back to Alola by Bewear in When Regions Collide!.
In Acting True to Form!, Meowth became upset when Jessie stole his limited-edition ice cream and ran off, upset only to fall into some mud and encountered an Alolan Meowth. Jessie and James came looking for him and mistook the Alolan Meowth for him. Returning to base, he discovered the Alolan Meowth was winning over Jessie and James and ignored his warnings about not trusting it. Later, the Alolan Meowth arrived at Team Rocket Headquarters and found itself the assistant of Matori. It later contacted Meowth, stating its intentions to replace Persian on Giovanni's lap.
In Why Not Give Me a Z-Ring Sometime?, James's Mareanie learned Knock Off, meaning the trio finally had a move that worked with their Darkinium Z. They reported this to Giovanni and Matori, who informed them they needed a Z-Ring to use it. Giovanni told them to head to Ula'ula Island to meet Nanu, an old acquaintance of his who could help them out. They later arrived on the island and ran into a Gengar-nicknamed Greedy Rapooh-who stole their Darkinium Z. They chased it down, with Mimikyu attacking it with Shadow Ball. Greedy Rapooh jumps from body to body possessing them; James used the distraction to retrieve the Darkinium Z. As the battle continued, Nanu arrived and gave the trio a Z-Power Ring. The Greedy Rapooh is then defeated with Mareanie's Black Hole Eclipse. Afterwards, Jessie was given a Mimikium Z from Acerola.
In A Battle Hand-Off!, Team Rocket acted as Ash's opponent during his Thrifty Megamart trial. Mimikyu battled Pikachu, and eventually Mimikyu used Let's Snuggle Forever, with all of Team Rocket working together to provide the Z-Power. However, Pikachu was able to survive the Z-Move when he shielded himself with his newly learned Electroweb. When Ash's Electrium Z turned into a Pikashunium Z, Pikachu was able to use 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt, which defeated Mimikyu.
In Beauty is Only Crystal Deep!, Meowth fell in love with a Pheromosa. Meowth helped it search for Z-Crystals in an attempt to win its affection, but became heartbroken when he realized how little it cared for him.
In Spying for the Big Guy!, Giovanni informed the trio that he wanted them to send Bewear to him, as they had earlier stated they had caught her. They attempted to catch her before realizing it would be impossible, after which Matorni and her Meowth appeared demanding the Strong Arm Pokémon. They managed to stall by promising other strong Pokémon-namely those belonging to Ash and his friends and Grandpa Forest. Both attempts failed, and Matori settled for taking Stufful. Unable to let their friend be taken, the trio tricked Matori into taking Meowth disgused as Stufful. When the ruse was discovered, Matori's Meowth attacked, which summoned Bewear to the rescue.
In Thank You, Alola! The Journey Continues!, Team Rocket received a call from HQ to return to headquarters. Unable to believe Mimikyu and Mareanie would be happy there, they released the two Pokémon before returning to Kanto.
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
In Ivysaur's Mysterious Tower!, Giovanni ordered Meowth, Jessie, James, and Wobbuffet to steal strong and rare Pokémon for the organization and make Team Rocket known and feared across the world. He then promised to deliver them a new secret weapon meant to help them achieve these objectives: The Rocket Prize Master. They used it for the first time against Ash and Goh, receiving a Tyranitar and Gyarados. Despite the powerful Pokémon, they lost to Ash's Pikachu.
Sometime prior to Kicking It from Here Into Tomorrow!, Team Rocket was revealed to have made a secret base in Vermilion City.
In A Talent for Imitation!, Team Rocket encountered a movie-star Ditto who'd run away due to its inability to properly Transform and its Trainer's short temper. Deciding to make Ditto a new member of Team Rocket, the group worked to teach Ditto to control its nerves and transform properly. After learning that Ditto was needed back, however, Team Rocket pretended they'd kidnapped Ditto to cover up the fact it ran away. The trio provoked Ash and Pikachu to blast them off, and with that Ditto was returned to the studio.
In A Little Rocket R & R!, Team Rocket was ordered to go on vacation to the Resort Area in Sinnoh. However, the reward was a ploy by Matori and her agents, who planned to steal many Pokémon from the Resort Area. After overhearing her insulting them, the four decided to get their revenge by helping Ash and Goh free the Pokémon. The subsequent battle quickly turned against Matori and her unit, and when Officer Jenny arrived, they retreated.
In Sword and Shield: The Darkest Day!, the trio were sent to Galar on Giovanni's command. During the trip, the Darkest Day began, and the trio planned on using the opportunity to capture Eternatus. The plan failed, however, when Meowth was hit by a beam of Dynamax energy, causing him to Gigantamax. Unable to handle the energy, he began to attack his teammates. He eventually regained control of himself and went to attack Eternatus with G-Max Gold Rush, but was robbed of his Dynamax energy and subsequently sent blasting off by the Gigantic Pokémon.
In Showdown at the Gates of Warp!, Meowth lost his ability to speak his human language as a result of a clash between Dialga and Palkia distorting time. After Arceus stopped the fight between Dialga and Palkia, the temporal and spacial Pokémon repairs the distortions their fighting had caused and grants the Jessie and James's wish in restoring the Pokémon when Meowth started talking again, reversing the devolution.
In The Good, The Bad, and The Lucky!, Meowth, Jessie, and Wobbuffet met up with Butch, who was running a bakery in a quiet coastal village alongside a female Meowth. The group helped Butch run his place as repayment for a few days; then Jessie and Wobbuffet continued their Team Rocket duties while persuading Meowth to stay, as he had taken interest in Butch's Meowth. A heartbroken Meowth eventually left Butch after realizing the female Meowth was in love with a Persian.
In Radio Lulled the Mischievous Stars!, Team Rocket was ordered by Giovanni to recruit new members for Team Rocket. They figured radio was the best method, and as a result started a new late-night radio show. However, after their first episode, they discovered not a single person tuned in to listen. The second episode went no better, and as a result they gave the show a major overhaul. Through many changes, Team Rocket's radio program started to become more and more popular, but along the way they forgot about the goal of recruitment. They were later scolded by Giovanni for this, though they occasionally did the show for fun.
In Team Rocket Expedition which stands by the evils of love and truth, Meowth briefly travels alongside Jessie and James to the Paldea region.
In Rocket Revengers!, Meowth, Jessie, and James reunited with Team Rocket's Pokémon that had been residing at Team Rocket HQ. Realizing the potential of such a large group, the team hatched a scheme to isolate Ash's Pikachu and capture him. Meowth was one of the many Pokémon that waited at the end of the trap, where he ambushed an isolated Pikachu. Despite their efforts, however, Pikachu was able to evade capture, and a wild Latias that had been following Ash intervened and sent the evil group blasting off. Upset over the failure, the trio decided it was time to go their separate ways.
In Ash and Latios, he returned to the headquarters and gained a job working in the cafeteria, though the work was harder than he imagined. He later snuck out to try and steal Pikachu once again, where he unexpectedly ran into Jessie and James, who had gotten the same idea. Tired of working at the cafeteria, the Team Rocket trio rekindled their friendship and decided to work together once more. They launched their attack, snatching Pikachu in a net and reciting their motto to celebrate their reunion. Ash's Pidgeot came to Ash and Pikachu's rescue, and Pikachu delivered the usual blast-off Thunderbolt. Despite failing once again, the Team Rocket trio were happy to be together again and vowed to never give up on chasing after Pikachu as a team as they disappeared into the distance.
Personality and characteristics
Meowth has an ambitious, conniving, and idealistic personality. He has made it his life goal to please his boss, Giovanni, and will stop at nothing to capture or steal Pokémon, especially Ash's Pikachu, which he has been pursuing since Pokémon Emergency.
Meowth is a characteristically jealous individual, particularly towards other cat Pokémon such as Giovanni's Persian and Matori's own Meowth. He often clashes with them because they are equally as smug and conniving as he. Many of his personality traits are typical for other Meowth, where they have an affinity for affection, but he has an eye for sparkling objects. Unlike most other Pokémon, who are not truly evil and will only commit evil deeds when ordered to do so, as stated by Jessie's Ekans in Island of the Giant Pokémon, Meowth is both perfectly capable of and willing to commit evil deeds without the aid of others (and takes great pride in that fact). He is motivated by self-interest and greed, but also enjoys the thrill of taking advantage of others.
His relationship with Jessie and James varies in quality; for example, in Go West, Young Meowth they stated that they regarded Meowth as a friend, but in Bound for Trouble, having discovered Meowth and Pikachu after the two had been stuck together, they both stated that they had really been looking for Pikachu and Meowth was just 'part of the package'. Meowth seems to have aspects of each of his teammates in him; in arguments, he can often be seen siding with either Jessie (usually denouncing James' incompetence) or James (usually complaining about Jessie's overdramatic and rash behavior). Despite these fights, the three remain very close and loyal friends, although at one point in Giovanni's Gym in Viridian City, they threatened to split up. However they realized they had over reacted, and became friends again, proving themselves very loyal to each other.
Despite his seemingly outgoing nature, Meowth also has a contemplative inner side that is not seen as often. In one of his image songs, Meowth's Song, and in Mewtwo Strikes Back, he is a philosopher. Meowth comforted Ash's Chimchar in Tears For Fears! and even expressed some admiration for Ash and his friends. On a few occasions, Meowth has become stranded with Pikachu, and during these times, the two work together fairly well. Pikachu distrusts Meowth, but Meowth is more willing to let go of the past and work together. Usually, by the end of these episodes, Meowth will betray Pikachu once he and Pikachu find Jessie and James.
Meowth recognizes himself as a Pokémon, but has always felt at odds where he doesn't perfectly fit into the Pokémon world because of his ability to speak like a human. Despite his often self-interested nature, he is willing to support individuals with their own passions, and will go out of his way to ensure they achieve their goal. Examples include Simon from The Poké Spokesman, who was certain he could understand the feelings of Pokémon, or Michelle's Bagon who was keen on learning how to fly.
Meowth is an amorous Pokémon, developing crushes on occasion, which often jeopardize Team Rocket's operations. He has also demonstrated aspirations of being a parent-like caretaker, like in Who Gets to Keep Togepi?, when he coddled Togepi's Egg before fighting for custody of it, only to lose it to Misty. To regain custody of Togepi, he even defeated Brock's Onix by throwing a bucket of water in its face and finishing it with a Fury Swipes attack to the head.
Meowth normally does not battle unless there are extreme circumstances; his explanation is that his ability to talk and walk upright came at the expense of battling ability. However, when forced to fight, Meowth is fairly resourceful, such as dumping a bucket of water on an Onix to weaken it, most notably Brock's Onix in Who Gets to Keep Togepi?. He has also used his claws to pick locks on several occasions, such as when he wanted to get into Canalave City's Old Chateau in Get Your Rotom Running!.
Much like Ash's Pikachu, Meowth does not stay inside a Poké Ball, though he is technically a wild Pokémon. He remains a part of the trio because he feels he has a place with them. Meowth considers himself the brains of the trio's operations, namely because his ability to translate Pokémon speech for Jessie and James, and also because of his extensive technical knowledge, which has helped construct many of Team Rocket's mechas. He utilizes fantasies to explain his schemes to his teammates, though these also expose Meowth's ambitions to be Giovanni's sole companion. On several occasions, Meowth's value has been questioned, and he has shown signs of having abandonment issues, for example in Tunnel Vision or in A Hot Water Battle. He even had some tension towards Jessie's Wobbuffet when he first joined the trio and kept taking his place in the Team Rocket motto, but the pair now gets along. His attachment to Jessie and James is more obvious when he finds himself separated or when the trio has decided to go their separate ways. Examples of this include Hoenn Alone or Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, when he became sad after Jessie and James got swallowed up by the Tree of Beginning's antibodies.
During Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, Meowth developed a bond with Litten. In They Might Not Be Giants!, Meowth was brought to tears when Litten explained its past. His concern for Litten grew in One Journey Ends, Another Begins..., when Stoutland began to grow ill before disappearing, and he even informed Ash that he had better protect Litten. Following Stoutland's disappearance, Meowth visited Litten to try and get it to talk before leaving when Ash approached. Meowth later watched as Ash caught Litten, knowing that it was for the best even though it meant they were enemies. Encountering Torracat for the first time since Litten evolved during Love at First Twirl!, Meowth seemed to be excited by its evolution.
Appearance
- See also: Gigantamax
| As a Gigantamax Meowth |
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Moves used
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G-Max Moves used
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Moves improvised
| Picture | First Used In | Moves Involved | Partnered With |
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Bound For Trouble | None | None |
| Description: Meowth jumps onto a Rhydon and uses an improvised Tickle attack. However, the move Tickle wasn't released until Generation III. | |||
| The Grass Route | Scratch | None | |
| Description: Meowth uses a "Scratch Fake Out", clapping his hands in the face of Bulbasaur, stunning it, before kicking it. However, the move Fake Out wasn't released until Generation III. | |||
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For The Love Of Meowth! | Fury Swipes | None |
| Description: Meowth also improvised a move that he called "Fury Swipes of Love" to protect a Glameow he was in love with. | |||
I Choose You! trilogy
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This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Expansion of role in M20, full role in M21, M23, and JNS05 |
Meowth appeared in I Choose You!, which is set in a different continuity from Pokémon the Series. He first appeared in disguise with Jessie and James in a Pokémon Center, being wanted for stealing Pokémon. When a Trainer who had just battled an Entei hurried inside the Pokémon Center, Team Rocket eavesdropped on the conversation and decided to hunt for Entei themselves. While looking for Entei in the forest, they were blasted off by a raging Onix.
Voice actors
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Artwork
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| Official artwork from the Original series |
Official artwork from Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire |
Official artwork from Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl |
Official artwork from Pokémon the Series: Black & White | ||
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| Official artwork from Pokémon the Series: XY |
Team Rocket trio from Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon |
Official artwork from Pokémon Journeys: The Series | |||
| For more artwork, please see Meowth and Team Rocket's Meowth images on the Bulbagarden Archives. | |||||
In the games
In the core series
Meowth appears as part of Jessie and James's team each time they appear in Pokémon Yellow, alongside Ekans, Koffing, and their evolved forms. However, unlike in Pokémon the Series, Meowth resides in a Poké Ball instead of traveling around with Jessie and James. He reappeared in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, which is based on Yellow. Unlike Yellow, he is no longer a part of the battles that Jessie and James have against the player. Also unlike the animated series, he does not speak the human language, and instead, his dialogue mainly consists of making generic cat noises.
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In events
Team Rocket's Meowth was distributed via Wi-Fi from December 7, 2012, to January 10, 2013, for Japanese players of Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, because of Meowth's involvement in the Best Wishes: Episode N season of Pokémon the Series.
Team Rocket's Meowth was again distributed via Wi-Fi from May 10 to June 9, 2013, for Korean players of Pokémon Black 2 and White 2.
Team Rocket's Meowth was also distributed in Italy as part of the Pokémon Day event held at the Mirabilandia amusement park. It was available from July 13 to 14, 2013.
| Pokémon Info | Trainer Memo | Battle Moves | Ribbons | ||||||||||
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 ニャース
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♂ | Dex No. | 0052 | Random nature. | Normal | Fury Swipes | 
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Normal | Pokémon Cartoon | Dark | Nasty Plot | |||||||||
| OT | Ｒだん | Apparently had a | Dark | Snatch | |||||||||
| ID No. | 12072 | fateful encounter at | This Pokémon was available in Japan and Wi-Fi from December 7, 2012 to January 10, 2013. | ||||||||||
| Item | Ability | Lv. 15. | |||||||||||
 Smoke Ball
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| The date this Pokémon was received is determined by the date on the DS when the Wonder Card is received. | |||||||||||||
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In the spin-off games
Arcade games
Meowth appears in Pokémon: Battle Nine and Pokémon: Wobbuffet Fell Down!.
In Battle Nine, if a Meowth or Team Rocket symbol is selected instead of a Poké Ball, it will trigger the appearance of Meowth or the whole Team Rocket trio respectively. If Meowth appears, it will attempt to steal 1 captured Pokémon. If successful, it will replace it with a fresh Pokémon. If the whole Team appears, they will steal all captured Pokémon and replace them with fresh ones, essentially causing the player to start over. Both actions will cause the player to lose potential combo bonuses involving the captured Pokémon.
In Pokémon: Wobbuffet Fell Down!, players use medals to bring forth and control various Pokémon in order to reach a goal guarded by Meowth. He begins facing the tree chanting "ソーナンスがころんだニャ!", "Wobbuffet fell down, meow!" at varying speeds. He will turn around upon saying "meow!", and any Pokémon he sees at this time will be frozen from the game.
Intellectual Training Drill Pokémon Diamond & Pearl: Letter and Number Intelligence Game
Meowth appears in Intellectual Training Drill Pokémon Diamond & Pearl: Letter and Number Intelligence Game.
Pokémon Channel
Meowth appears on the PNF (Pokémon News Flash), along with Psyduck. He goes out and interviews random Pokémon in random locations.
Meowth also appears in Pichu Bros. in Party Panic, along with Jessie's Wobbuffet and the Squirtle Squad. He plans a party for himself and invites all the Pokémon from Big Town.
Pokémon Masters EX
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This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Double Trouble event information |
Starting on July 1, 2020, Meowth would occasionally appear in the Pokémon Center, stating how he got separated from his teammates Jessie and James while searching for a Mythical Pokémon. They are reunited for the Double Trouble Event.
Unlike most characters in Pokémon Masters EX, Meowth's appearance is based directly on his Pokémon the Series incarnation, and retains his Japanese voice actress.
Quotes
- Main article: Team Rocket trio/Quotes
Pokémon Mezastar
Meowth appears in Pokémon Mezastar. It appears as an opponent during the first Super Tag set. Upon beating the Team Rocket trio, the player can receive a Support Pokémon Ticket based on Meowth.
As an opponent
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Disks
| Tag No. | Name | Type | Grade |
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| 2-1-070 | Meowth | 
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Pokémon Puzzle League
Meowth is a playable character, along with Jessie and James. Their theme is Double Trouble.
Pokémon Zany Cards
In Special Seven mode, Meowth appears as card #2. When the Meowth card is used, he will force the opponent to draw 2 cards. This can be countered if the player has another Meowth card, in which case the effect will pass on to the next player, unless they also have a Meowth card, and so on.
Meowth also makes a cameo in Four Kings mode. When the game is won, he tells the player to try the next level of difficulty. Meowth also appears on the box art.
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Meowth appears as a trophy. This trophy is unlocked after obtaining each All-Star trophy for all 25 playable characters.
Melee trophy information
This...is Meowth's dream. Meowth strides all over the globe scattering invitations to other Pokemon, insisting they come to "Meowth's Party". At this wonderful party, guests are packed in like sardines as Meowth climbs up the stage with its faithful guitar. It strikes a chord, pauses, and then rocks their world.
Sega Pico games
Meowth appears in Pokémon: Catch the Numbers!, Pokémon Advanced Generation: I've Begun Hiragana and Katakana!, and Pokémon Advanced Generation: Pico for Everyone Pokémon Loud Battle!.
In the manga
Ash & Pikachu
In Ash & Pikachu, which is based on the animated series, Meowth appears along with Jessie and James.
Moves used
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The Electric Tale of Pikachu
Meowth debuts in Pikachu's Excellent Adventure, where he is searching for the Hidden Village with Jessie and James when he runs into Tommy, Pikachu, and other Pokémon, who are also searching for the village. Meowth offers them free breakfast (made by Jessie and James) and the trio travel with them to the village. Later, he is expelled from the Hidden Village by Kangaskhan when Jessie and James try to steal the Pokémon.
Meowth reappears in You Gotta Have Friends, when he, Jessie, and James attempt to steal a herd of wild Pikachu. Following this, the Team Rocket trio begin regularly appearing in the manga, following Ash to the Pokémon League championship at Indigo Plateau and cheering him on at the Orange League.
Movie adaptations
As Meowth appeared in every movie to date, he appeared in the manga adaptations of them as well.
Pokémon Journeys
Meowth debuted in Flash of the Titans!. In the manga, the role of Team Rocket Trio is quite reduced compared to the animated series, so their participation ends up being removed or much smaller than the episodes on which each chapter is based.
In the TCG
Meowth is featured in the TCG as one of Team Rocket's Pokémon and as a Pokémon 
. The following is a list of cards featuring Meowth.
| Meowth Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats. | |||||||
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| Card | Type | English Expansion |
Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion |
Rarity | # |
| Team Rocket's Meowth | 
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Wizards Black Star Promos | 18 | Unnumbered Promotional cards | |||
| Rocket's Meowth | 
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EX Team Rocket Returns | 
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46/109 | Rocket Gang Strikes Back | 
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059/084 |
| Meowth
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Movie Commemoration Random Pack | 017/022 | ||||
| Meowth |
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Ash vs Team Rocket Deck Kit | 013/026 | ||||
- Meowth also appears in the cards Here Comes Team Rocket! (Team Rocket 15), Wobbuffet (Ash vs Team Rocket Deck 8), Team Rocket's Mimikyu-GX (Ash vs Team Rocket Deck 10), Bewear (Ash vs Team Rocket Deck 18), Jessie & James (Sky Legend 48), and Jessie & James (Hidden Fates 58).
Merchandise
20th Anniversary Team Rocket Special Case
The final item released during the XY BREAK Era, and the XY Era as a whole, was the 20th Anniversary Team Rocket Special Case (Japanese: 20周年記念 ロケット団スペシャルケース). This item could only be purchased from the Pokémon Center Online as part of a make to order run, with each case costing ¥12,000 plus tax. The reservation period began on November 3, 2016, and closed after December 18, 2016. Cases began shipping to customers from mid-February 2017. Each case is made of high-quality plastic and includes a handle and clasps to secure it when closed. Inside are molded high-density foam inserts that contain the case's 2 exclusive Full Art promotional cards, Team Rocket-themed Deck Case, set of 64 sleeves, and metal coin.
Product images:
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Ash vs Team Rocket Deck Kit
- Main article: Ash vs Team Rocket Deck Kit (TCG)
The Ash vs Team Rocket Deck Kit (Japanese: 30枚デッキ対戦セット「サトシVSロケット団」) is a Japanese-exclusive Deck Kit released alongside the Facing a New Trial subset, on April 21, 2017. The deck features Pokémon from Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, including Ash's Pikachu and Jessie's Mimikyu as Pokémon-GX. The Deck Kit also includes a player's guide, damage and Status Condition markers, 2 GX markers, a coin, a playmat, and a How to Play instruction manual.
Product image:
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SM10b accessories
April 26, 2019 saw the release of Sky Legend, the second subset associated with the Double Blaze expansion, as well as the Great Detective Pikachu subset, promoting POKÉMON Detective Pikachu that premiered in Japan the following Friday. A variety of merchandise featuring artwork based on the two subsets was available to purchase from the same day, as were many other items in anticipation of Golden Week, traditionally a busy shopping period and longer in 2019 than usual due to the Japanese imperial transition.
Deck cases: Each deck case comes with 2 organizational dividers and can store up to 180 cards.
- The Team Rocket Deck Case (Japanese: デッキケース ロケット団) features a Ken Sugimori illustration of the Team Rocket trio Jessie, James, and Meowth. This deck case was limited to Pokémon Centers.
Playmats: Each single-player playmat is made from a resilient rubber-like material. All playmats available from April 26, 2019, were exclusive to Pokémon Centers.
- The Team Rocket Rubber Playmat (Japanese: ハーフプレイマット ロケット団) features Team Rocket members Jessie, James, and Meowth against a space-themed backdrop containing planets and galaxies.
Sleeves:
- The Team Rocket Sleeves (Japanese: デッキシールド ロケット団 Deck Shield: Team Rocket) feature the infamous trio of Team Rocket agents Jessie, James, and Meowth in front of the Team Rocket emblem. These sleeves case could only be purchased at Pokémon Centers.
Product images:
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Trivia
- Meowth is the first talking Pokémon in the animated series. He is also one of the few talking Pokémon that do not do so telepathically.
- While Meowth is able to interpret most Pokémon speech, he cannot understand the "space talk" spoken by some extraterrestrial Pokémon like the Deoxys featured in Pokémon Ranger - Deoxys' Crisis! Part 1 and Part 2, as well as Ultra Beasts like Ash's Poipole.
- Meowth claims that he is unable to learn Pay Day as a trade off for learning to speak. He claims to have "used up all [his] smarts" doing so.
- In the English dub, Meowth refers to his koban as a charm.
- Sunflora is Meowth's most frequently used Pokémon disguise in Pokémon the Series, using the disguise seven times.
- There is some inconsistency as to whether or not Meowth hates water. In Snow Way Out!, he wanted a hot spring, and in Who Gets to Keep Togepi?, he is seen taking a bath with the Egg that will hatch into Togepi. Meowth has suggested that he and his teammates go into the water in Pokémon Paparazzi and again in Fit to be Tide, while in episodes like The Pirates of Decolore!, he prominently remains swimming in the sea without showing any displeasure. However, in Pokémon Shipwreck, Friend and Foe Alike, and Big Meowth, Little Dreams (Part 1), he hates water like a cat.
- Meowth is the only known Pokémon to have been a Gym Leader, briefly sharing the title with Jessie and James in The Battle of the Badge after they had to fill in for Giovanni.
- Aside from Ash's Pikachu, Meowth has appeared in the most episodes out of any Pokémon in the animated series, at 1008 main series episodes.
- In the original Japanese version of Pokémon the Series, Meowth ends almost all of his sentences with "ニャー (nya)", which is the Japanese equivalent to "meow", the onomatopoeia for the sound cats make (such verbal tics are a common trait in anime). This gag was initially incorporated into the English dub, but far less often, and it was eventually scrapped altogether (although it is sometimes present when Meowth recites the motto).
- For DP022, Professor Oak's Big Pokémon Encyclopedia is about Meowth. He writes this senryū about him: 「ピカチュウに いつかはかちたい ニャースかな」 "Wanting to beat Pikachu someday, is that Nyarth?".
References
- ↑ Confirmed in Where No Togepi Has Gone Before!.
Related articles
- For more information on this Pokémon's species, see Meowth.
- Talking Pokémon
- Episodes focusing on Team Rocket
- Images on the Bulbagarden Archives
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| Jessie | James | ||||||
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| For a list of other Pokémon Team Rocket has commanded, see here and here | |||||||
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 Team Rocket
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| Rocket Game Corner • Team Rocket Hideout • Viridian Gym • Team Rocket HQ • Rocket Warehouse | |||||
| Boss | Admins | ||||
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| Giovanni (Masters • Pocket Monsters) |
Archer (Masters) |
Ariana (Masters) |
Petrel (Masters) |
Proton (Masters) | |
| Other members | |||||
| Jessie (Masters) • James (Masters) • Meowth • Team Rocket Grunts (Rocket Siblings) • Scientists (Gideon) Grey (Golden Boys) • Kaede (How I Became a Pokémon Card) | |||||
See also: Pokémon the Series • Adventures • Team GO Rocket • Team Rainbow Rocket
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 Aether Foundation
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| Aether Bases (Heahea City • Route 8 • Route 16) • Aether Paradise • Aether House | |||||
| President | Branch Chiefs | ||||
| Lusamine (Masters • anime) |
Wicke | Faba (anime) | |||
| Other members | |||||
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| Aether Foundation Employees | |||||
| Related | |||||
| Mohn • Lillie (Masters • anime) • Gladion (Masters • anime) | |||||
| In Pokémon the Series | |||||
| Former members: Jessie • James • Meowth Ultra Guardians: Ash • Lana • Kiawe • Lillie • Sophocles • Mallow • Gladion | |||||
See also: Team Skull • Ultra Recon Squad
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This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation. |
- Articles needing more information
- Articles with section stubs
- Team Rocket
- Aether Foundation
- Game characters
- Team Rocket's Pokémon
- Red, Blue and Yellow characters
- Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! characters
- Masters EX characters
- Ash & Pikachu characters
- Electric Tale of Pikachu characters
- Pokémon Live!
- Members of Team Rocket
- Gym Leaders
- Aether Foundation's Pokémon
- Male characters (Pokémon)
- Pokémon with TCG move errors
