Since it launched in 1997, the Pokémon anime has aired over 1,200 episodes. One reason the anime has been able to run for as long as it has is that the writers are never afraid to mix things up, with most series featuring at least one episode that stands out for taking things in a different direction.
However, even in this massive field, the episode “Time Warp Heals All Wounds” stands out due to how unexpected it is. Pokémon’s new cast means now is the perfect time to try something like it again.
What is “Time Warp Heals All Wounds”?
The 157th episode of Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire and the 431st episode overall, “Time Warp Heals All Wounds,” starts with Ash, May, Brock, and Max arriving in Fuchsia City only to quickly get split up as Brock flirts with Nurse Joy, Ash heads off to train for his upcoming match at the Battle Pike, and Max goes to feed Munchlax. But when May sees Squirtle follow Ash outside, she chases after it, not wanting it to get lost.
However, Squirtle doesn’t run to Ash. Instead, it runs to an abandoned train station, where a woman is standing, wistfully looking out at the train tracks. The woman introduces herself as Edna and says she comes to wait for the train every day. Soon, Katrina, Edna’s granddaughter, appears and tells Edna that it is time to go home. Katrina tells May that, years ago, Edna and her true love, Jonathan, used to run a Pokémon breeding center. But one day, Jonathan left to go study medicine without telling Edna. Edna found his farewell note and raced to the station, as unbeknownst to Jonathan, she was pregnant. But, by the time Edna reached the station, the train had already left. A year later, Edna was told that Jonathan had died in an accident, and unable to deal with her grief, she denied it and now comes to the station daily to wait for him to return.
May, Squirtle, and Meowth return to the old station that night. While there, they find Edna’s long-lost locket and get whisked back in time. The trio soon realizes they’ve been taken back to the day Jonathan left, and, realizing they can undo Edna’s tragic fate, the trio gets to work altering history. Interestingly, once the group finishes their work, they find that this trip to the past wasn’t a dream or a Pokémon-induced delusion, as the world has changed significantly, and no one, not even their friends, remembers the old timeline.
Why Pokémon Should Do More Episodes Like “Time Warp Heals All Wounds”
The Pokémon anime should do more episodes like “Time Warp Heals All Wounds,” as they elevate the series and keep it fresh. While Pokémon battles are fun, there is only so much that can be done with them, so episodes that mix in other genres help keep the audience invested and prevent the show from becoming too repetitive. Also, the story is very memorable and hard-hitting, despite its oddness. Edna’s grief is beautifully and realistically realized, perfectly capturing how past events can haunt a person and leave them mourning a lost future. This impact is only amplified by the fact that these themes are rarely touched on in Pokémon, making this episode a sudden and out-of-nowhere gut punch.
Emotional Pokémon episodes help make the world feel more alive, showing that while Trainers are the show’s focus, they’re not the only people who exist; other characters are experiencing their own stories, even if the camera isn’t focused on them. Also, showing the Pokémon world’s past further helps deepen the world, making it clear that things don’t only exist when the protagonists are around. This also allows the writers and animators to experiment with different stories and visual styles, all of which come together to make the show more immersive. And, by establishing these ideas early on, Pokémon Horizons can pull viewers in and get them invested in the entire world rather than just the main characters, which will, in turn, make all the later stories more impactful.
Plus, unusual Pokémon episodes allow the writers to show fans a new side of long-running characters. While the whole cast is involved in “Time Warp Heals All Wounds,” only May and Meowth go back in time, allowing the audience to see a side of them they wouldn’t get to see during a regular episode. This is especially true for Meowth, as due to his antagonist role, he rarely gets to show his emotional side. But this episode proves that, under his cocky exterior, he has a softer side. His lines also suggest that he has some unresolved pain in his past, showing how episodes like this can lay the foundation for future character development.
Also, “Time Warp Heals All Wounds” really helps develop May’s character. May is often overshadowed by Ash and his long-running story, but by sending only her back in time, the writers can give her a story that’s uniquely hers while logically justifying why Ash isn’t around to help out. This helps give her a unique identity, something that supporting characters in ensemble casts tend to lack or lose over time, as most of their screen time is focused on helping the hero advance the core storyline. But by giving supporting characters these moments, not only do the writers keep the show interesting, but they also open up future storytelling possibilities as the main story can build on the character development that episodes like this provide. As Pokémon has recently introduced loads of new characters, now would be a great time for episodes like “Time Warp Heals All Wounds,” as they can build and establish the supporting cast early, giving them a multitude of storytelling threads to use further down the line.
While the storyline in “Time Warp Heals All Wounds” is a little unusual, it doesn’t feel totally out of left field. The Pokémon universe is home to many strange things, including clones, psychics, and ghosts. So while the episode never explains what knocks the characters back in time or how changing history works, this event doesn’t feel totally out of place, nor does it break viewer immersion, meaning the series could get away with doing more experimental episodes like it.
“Time Warp Heals All Wounds” is one of Pokémon’s most memorable episodes. While the concept may seem strange, the show pulls it off perfectly, telling a human story that pulls at the viewer’s heartstrings. It also helps make the world feel alive, giving fans a tantalizing glimpse into the wider Pokémon world and giving the characters a chance to show sides of themselves they don’t usually get to show. This all comes together to prove that Pokémon should step out of its comfort zone more often because when it does, it creates stunning episodes that stick with viewers long after the credits roll.
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