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| Season | Pokémon DP: Galactic Battles (Season 12) · Canalave & the Mine Badge arc (DP105–DP109) |
| Episode | Season 12, episode 5 · English episode 572 · Japanese episode 576 · Bulbapedia code DP109 |
| English title | Leading a Stray! |
| Japanese title | 迷子のホエルコ！ Maigo no Hoeruko! — “The Stray Hoeruko!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 8 January 2009 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 6 June 2009 · Cartoon Network |
| Screenplay | Shōji Yonemura |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Hai Tatchi! (High Touch!) – Satoshi (Rica Matsumoto) & Hikari (Megumi Toyoguchi) · Ashita wa Kitto (Surely Tomorrow) – Kanako |
| English opening | Battle Cry – (Stand Up!), Version 1 – Erin Bowman |
| Previous episode | Dealing With Defensive Types! (DP108) |
| Next episode | Steeling Peace of Mind! (DP110) |
Filler / stand-alone episodeWailmer evolves into Wailord
Leading a Stray! is the 5th episode of Pokémon DP: Galactic Battles, the twelfth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 572nd episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 576, Bulbapedia code DP109). It first aired in Japan on 8 January 2009 and in the United States on 6 June 2009. It falls within the season’s Canalave & the Mine Badge stretch (EP105–EP109).
On its first Cartoon Network airing the end credits played twice.
Synopsis
A stranded Wailmer needs help getting back to its family in Canalave’s harbour, and Ash leads it through the city’s sewers with the help of a gang of wild Pokémon. A school of Wailord is blocking the harbour when a Luxio, a Whismur and a Nidoran♂ steal the group’s picnic, and Ash chases them underground while Team Rocket seal the manhole behind him.
Dawn bribes Mamoswine with Poffins to lift the cover, and she and Brock follow Piplup’s nose through the tunnels. Below, Ash learns that Luxio leads the sewer’s Pokémon, and he finds the exhausted Wailmer. With Buizel keeping it wet, the group haul it over drops with ropes, an ice ramp and a sled, and Luxio’s attack bumps it over the top.
At the exit an angry Swampert defends its territory, and Grotle’s Razor Leaf defeats it. Wailmer evolves into Wailord just before a drawbridge, too big to pass, so Pikachu, Luxio, Pachirisu and the sewer Pokémon combine their electricity to raise it. The Wailord pod reunites and leaves, clearing the harbour.
Major Events
- A stranded Wailmer is guided back to its pod
- Luxio leads a gang of sewer Pokémon
- Grotle beats a territorial Swampert
- Wailmer evolves into Wailord before the drawbridge
- Luxio’s TV debut
Pokémon making their anime debut
Luxio#0404 · DP109
Captures and evolutions
Wailmer → Wailord#0321 · wild · in Canalave City’s sewers, too big to pass the drawbridge
Trivia
- The English title plays on “leading astray”, for a stray Wailmer led through the sewers.
- The screenplay is by Shōji Yonemura.
- This is a stand-alone episode: it can be skipped without losing the thread of the Sinnoh story.
Changes in the English Dub
- The first English broadcast played the end credits twice
Part of our Pokémon DP: Galactic Battles guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.