So, in this episode, Fennel and Prof Juniper revive the "extinct" Pokemon Archen. Ash and friends try and teach the "extinct" Pokemon how to fly. The "extinct" Archen evolves into the also "extinct" Archeops.

Awesome episode (:

It was great!

Awesome episode! Archen/Archeops is such an awesome Pokemon! And seeing Professor Juniper and Fennel again was also really cool!

Cool episode.

This episode felt a bit blah and at some points it felt like they were stretching my suspension of disbelief. Ash & co. have met up with Professor Juniper and Fennel to witness a revival of the Fossil Pokemon Archen. Having revived it, Archen starts freaking out which eventually leads it to outside looking for food that it can eat as well as Ash & co. trying to teach it to fly. However a mysterious plant starts growing through the lab which just so happens to grow fruit which Archen likes and this suddenly causes it to evolve into an Archeops! While this is all happening, Team Rocket are watching carefully wanting the data for the revival machine. Will Team Rocket be able to get the revival machine data? Will the mystery of this suddenly growing tree be solved? Will Archen be able to learn to fly, and if not as an Archen then what about an Archeops? Will Ash & co. figure out how to treat a Pokemon that has just been brought back to life after a 100 million years as a fossil? Well there will be no silly shenanigans if the last one gets answered, though for all the others you can read below:

A Freak Out From The Past:
We start this episode rather suddenly with Professor Juniper showing Ash & co. a Plume Fossil which was donated to her by Lenora.

Iris: Looks like a rock if you ask me.
Comment: Being you have a brain made of the stuff I trust you to be an expert on that.

The comment almost makes Professor Juniper drop the Plume Fossil but catches and says her usual "different people sees things different ways" line (Iris's is inside a 2D box with very opaque sides). Ash asks what kind of Pokemon did it come from and Professor Juniper gives Ash a book showing Archen and explains that Archen is the ancestor of all bird Pokemon having lived 100 million years ago which Iris says it's like Pidove's great great great grandparent (you need to keep on with the "great" there Iris, just about, say, a million more). Professor Juniper says they're going to revive the Archen... WITH DREAMS! Oh, by the way, Fennel is here too making me ask where are they and when were Ash & co. asked to meet them because we're barely a minute in, the opener and title haven't played yet! Speaking of which...

Back, Professor Juniper puts the Plume Fossil into a machine (I guess "DREAMS" isn't enough afterall) saying the time to revive it is here as Fennel starts up the reviving process as statisitcs appears all over the large monitor. Fennel, who's blushing for some reason, starts running and dancing around with her Munna saying things about memories long, long ago, their machine bringing the Pokemon back to life, and seeing it's form though Iris says she just sees a bunch of computer numbers (as oppose to normal numbers?). Cilan says Fennel being able to see a "form" with the numbers proves how smart she is (or she can just be metaphorically speaking) and Professor Juniper says Fennel is a woman with big dreams. Fennel says the "genetic analysis" is complete and sends out her Musharna to start the next step as it positions itself to sleep and Fennel attaches a hose to Musharna's forehead "gem" which is seaping out Dream Mist. Professor Juniper reminds Ash & co. about Fennel's research on "Dream Energy" and in order to resurrect Archen the machine needs to use Musharna's Dream Energy (you know, I'm willing to believe the Pokemon World has technology advanced enough to bring Fossils back to life, but this right here is streatching it). Having collected enough "Dream Energy", Fennel starts the actual reviving process and the machine the Plume Fossil in glows pink for a few seconds and Fennel states there is signs of life which gets everyone excited.

Professor Juniper starts recording them opening the machine (shouldn't you have been recording this whole entire thing this entire time? I'm assuming you're recording to show Dream Energy can be used to revive Fossil Pokemon) and after smoke spews out they here chirping and finally Archen reveals itself.

Fennel: It looks just like the illustration.
Comment: I'm going to assume that's probably because Archen have been revived before thus people know that they look like. Remember there have been fossil reviving machines in the past, you just made one which is much more quicker and uses "Dream Energy".

As Professor Juniper congratulates Fennel, Archen FREAKS OUT and starts jumping and pecking at Fennel, Professor Juniper, Ash, and Iris (and did something else to Cilan which I can't believe wasn't editted) before bouncing off Musharna and Munna an running off it looks to have dropped something. Where did Archen run off? Well it tried heading through a window but smashed against the glass so turns around as everyone tells it to calm down and Ash rushes toward it having them collide which knocks Archen out (you know, maybe a cold, bright and shining laboratory isn't such a great "welcome" to a creature that's hasn't been alive for 100 million years). Fennel holds Archen in her arms and goes on about past and present combining and Professor Juniper welcoming Archen saying she understands why it would be scared after "sleeping" for so long (if by sleep you mean having died and been turned into a rock).

As Professor Juniper says Archen has plenty of time to learn about the modern era, Team Rocket listens in and Jessie says it's a genius idea to use the "Dream Energy" like that and Meowth agrees telling James to hack into their computers. James has already hacked into their network but their security is stronger than he expected but Dr. Zager soon pops up telling them it doesn't matter how long it takes them explaining the information is priceless and to get everything they can.

In The Future We Will Fly:
Back to the lab, Cilan walks in with some Pokemon Food announcing it was worth the wait as Ash and Iris shush him as Archen is still in "sleeping time" and he puts the food down near it. Professor Juniper thanks Cilan who says he made his Flying-type recipe with some added touches as Fennel tells Professor Juniper that reviving Archen should give her research a huge boost. For those of you who don't pay attention to the game's dialogue, much like the other professor, Professor Juniper specializes in a specific kinds of research, and with her it's the origin of Pokemon as Fennel explains to Cilan. Professor Juniper says it's a study filled with many more question then answers (hey, I never said she was good at it) such as despite Archen being the ancestor of Flying-type Pokemon it can't fly so she wants to find out how from Archen Flying-type Pokemon developed to fly (easy, Archen may not be able to fly, but its evolution Archeops can (badly, but still), and being Archen evolves through leveling up there should be no reason why Archen couldn't evolve in the past). Fennel says that've already learned something about Archen which Cilan asks what and Professor Juniper tells him it's Cry which they couldn't learn from a fossil and studying it's vocal patterns they can learn how it communicates.

Archen finally wakes up to the faces of Pikachu and Axew as Ash yells in excitement that its up (you know, things you shouldn't do to a creature that's scared) and Archen screams out causing everyone to cover their ears while the "seeds" it dropped earlier start glowing and sprout into the floor. Archen starts flying (writers, did you forget something?) towards the windows but Cilan steps in front of it which it responds with a DragonBreath which knocks Cilan aside and shatters the windows as Ash grabs Archen telling it to calm down. Archen doesn't take being held back well and starts pecking Ash and screeching once more, causing the sprouted seeds to glow and grow even more, which exhausts Archen. Ash puts Archen down saying they just want to be friends though Archen just gives back a confused look as Pikachu jumps on Ash's shoulder with some Pokemon food and Ash gives it to Archen who sniffs it and eats it though quickly spits it out surprising Cilan.

With their food attempt having failed Archen runs and jumps out the window as Team Rocket spots it from the building they're at. Archen climbs a tree with small, yellow, apple-like fruit as Ash & co. (+ Professor Juniper & Fennel) run out and Professor Juniper says it may not be able to fly but it's good at climbing though through her camera we see Archen eat the fruit but spitting it out which Professor Juniper says could be a problem as they don't know what it eats (you didn't think to research that before reviving it? How did you plan on taking care for it?). Archen jumps out of the tree and sees Munna and starts flapping its wings as if it's trying to fly which Ash asks if it is trying to which Iris says it does.

Iris: Do you know what that could mean?
Cilan: I certainly do. We could witness the moment when the ancestor of all Flying-types learns to fly.
Comment: First off, it's the ancestor of all bird Pokemon, not Flying-types. Second, no, you're not witnessing the moment when it learns to fly because you're in the modern era, it learning to fly now is meaningless and just means it did have the potential to fly if it tried. Also this inspiration to fly was driven by seeing Munna floating, and I doubt Munna existed 100 million years ago so this is more or present day meddling then an evolutionary breakthrough.

Of course Professor Juniper, a person who's studying the ORIGIN of Pokemon (thus should be wanting to study how it would act with minimal present day interferences), agrees with Cilan and Ash decides to help Archen learn to fly and sends out Tranquill (when did Ash withdraw Tranquill? What Pokemon does Ash have with him?). Tranquill shows Archen how to takeoff and Archen follows its actions as Professor Juniper continues to record this.

Professor Juniper: Utterly fascinating, a modern Pokemon teaching an ancient Pokemon how to fly.
Comment: Too bad this does little to nothing for your research...

Iris wants to also help and sends out Emolga who for some reason uses Attract on Archen however it doesn't work meaning, as Cilan points out, Archen is female. Archen pecks Emolga causing it to use Volt Switch (mind you Archen is part Flying-type thus is weak to Electric-type attacks) and switches out to Cilan's Stunfisk. Iris yells at Emolga for using Volt Switch as Professor Juniper says Emolga's Volt Switch is unusual which Iris pathetically agrees to. Back to past and present meeting, Stunfisk and Archen look at each other for a short while until Archen pokes Stunfisk causing it to jump back and shock Archen (who's weak to Electric-type attacks, welcome to the modern era Archen!) with a Thundershock. Cilan tells Stunfisk to stop and apologizes to Archen asking if its okay and it gives out a large scream which causes the plants in the lab to grow even bigger and it starts to damage the reviving machine.

After a "Archen's That Pokemon", we go back to Archen trying to learn to fly in addition with seeing what everyone is up to, though the most importent one if Fennel who plays a video of Archen's cry causing the plant in the lab to grow.

Nesting Where It Probably Shouldn't:
Back to Team Rocket, Jessie asks if they're ready and James says they'll be done "very, very soon" which Jessie and Meowth says their counting on him as they continue to watch Archen learn to fly saying how clueless Ash & co. are.

Putting Archen's cry on loop, Professor Juniper tells Fennel it's been making the same cry over and over again and says it isn't any normal cry and must have a purpose (how do you know? For all you know it could just be yelling "WHAT IS GOING ON!?" considering the circumstance) as the plant continues to grow above them. Ash and Iris continue to help Archen fly and is able to fly for a short distance though lands soon after while Professor Juniper has Cilan fill her in on how it's going. Professor Juniper says Ash is an interesting trainer saying he's putting in a lot of effort to help a Pokemon that's been just restored (well why wouldn't someone not want to help?) and he has a talent for putting himself in a Pokemon's place and Cilan throws in a cooking metaphor, though mentions Ash's "uniqueness" is why he's travelling with him. Fennel walks into the lab watching the "Archen's cry" clip causing the plant to grow even further as Ash encourages Archen, though Fennel soon notices the lab has been overtaken by the plant.

Fennel rushes outside to tell everyone else but they're already looking at the lab seeing the plant has grown a bit outside it and it continues to grow and starts producing flowers which turn into fruit. Professor Juniper asks what it going on and Fennel is in agreement noting she never seen fruit that look like that before though Archen sure has as it climbs up the plant and starts eating the fruit. Ash says that must be what Archen eats and Iris says it looks happy with Cilan adding in "hungry too" as Archen gives out another cry which causes more fruit to be produced. Everyone sees this and Fennel says the tree has been growing in sync with Archen cries though Iris asks how can that be and Professor Juniper says some seeds must have been fossilized along with Archen and was revived when it was (okay, but why does it grow when Archen gives out a cry?). Archen eats some fruit and decides that since it's evolution probable wouldn't get such an easy chance to appear in the anime, it evolves into an Archeops!

Archeops starts flapping its wings which almost blows everyone down finally starts flying as Professor Juniper declaring a success and Fennel saying Archen learn to fly by evolving into Archeops (and you didn't know this because...? I mean it's kind of fairly obvious).

Back to Team Rocket, they notice the evolution and Jessie says her interests also "evolved" as James says he finished copying the data and now just has to send it to Dr. Zager and Jessie tells them that while they're stealing the information they might as well also steal Archeops *insert dull surprise*.

Archeops lands on the tree and cries out once more causing it to grow more and Cilan says that it looks like Archeops is going to make a nest which Professor Juniper seems perfectly fine with despite said nest is on a tree which is GROWING THROUGH THE LAB AND HAS DESTROYED YOUR REVIVING MACHINE AMOUND OTHER PROBABLY EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT! No, instead Professor Juniper says Pokemon are full of power and mystery and she hasn't seen a more perfect example than Archeops (well what about the other Fossil Pokemon? We still have one more Fossil Pokemon that was introduce in Gen V afterall). Fennel says maybe they should let Archeops make this place into its home though Iris ask if that's a good idea and Professor Juniper says that if Archeops wants to survive in the modern world it'll need the right environment (I guess we're just gonna ignore the whole "destroyed lab" part).

However things get interupted as Archeops dodges a Shadow Ball and we see Team Rocket, flying on their jetpacks, and their Woobat and Yamask confronting Archeops as Yamask uses a Night Shade which sets the tree on fire! Tranquill uses Air Cutter though Yamask counters it with a Shadow Ball as Woobat tries using an Air Slash but that gets countered by Munna's Psychic. Pikachu tries using an Electro Ball but much like with all the other attacks it gets countered by Woobat's and Yamask's Air Slash and Night Shade, respectively. Iris tells Ash that the fire is out of control and Ash sends out Oshawott (who freaks out seeing the fire) and Roggenrola to use Water Gun and Sandstorm, respectively, as Team Rocket tells Archeops it's coming with them. James has a bazooka pop out and fires an electrified net at Archeops though Archeops has had gotten hit with enough electricity for one day and blast Team Rocket with a DragonBreath which they nearly dodge. Team Rocket decides that they did what they were asked to do so they return their Pokemon and send out a smokescreen as a now free Archeops flies at them only for it to go through the smoke revealing Team Rocket have vanished.

However the damage Team Rocket has caused becomes realized as the tree has been burned to a crisp and Professor Juniper says they'll help Archeops find a place where it belongs. As Archeops cries out, other similar cries are heard in the distance and three more Archeops fly to the just revived Archeops (I guess some trainers must have not liked Archeop's Defeatist Ability, and I can't blame them) and Fennel asks where did the other Archeops come from.

Fennel: Some hidden place in the Unova region that has allowed them to survive for all these million of years?
Comment: Yeah, I'm stinking with my "trainer releasing them" idea.

Professor Juniper says Archeops' cry must be for its own kind (then how come that made the tree grow? No answers, why am I not surprised...) and they decide to let Archeops go with Ash wondering if its a place filled with Ancient Pokemon though Professor Juniper and Fennel says they just want them to have peace. With the announcer here it's time for me to... wait, what is this? Team Rocket are seen talking to Dr. Zager about the reviving machine and Jessie points out they were using Musharna's "Dream Energy" and asks if that would be a problem. Dr. Zager tells them no as they still have the data the Rocket Trio got from the Dream Yard and using that would be easy and we end this episode here with Dr. Zager giving a sinister snicker.