Team Rocket mottos

The Team Rocket motto (Japanese: ロケットのり Rocket Gang's self-introduction) is a motto that Team Rocket members often recite and/or live by.

Jessie, James, and Meowth
In the, Jessie, James, and have several mottos, saying one of them in nearly every episode when they reveal themselves to  and. Early on, they had an irresistible urge to say it whenever hearing the word "trouble", but this seemingly has been left to the past. This motto would usually be said by all members of the trio, but when one of them is not present, another member takes their line.

Kanto, Orange Archipelago, Johto, and Hoenn
The original motto was used from Pokémon Emergency! to From Brags to Riches. The original background music was used until the end of the. The new music debuted in Get the Show on the Road.

Note that the lines "To denounce the evils of truth and love!" and "To extend our reach to the stars above!" were often said by both Jessie and James in the first season. In many later episodes, James said "fight, fight, fight" instead of just the singular "fight" at the end of his last line. also began saying his name at the end of the motto in Tunnel Vision, and has done so in most episodes since. There were many occasions in which they would use a radio or something else to play the background music.

Since the episode Team Rocket was introduced in, the duo has been rhyming "prepare for trouble" and "make it double" phrases. Also, in almost all episodes after the Orange League, they tend to alter the first two sentences to match the current situation. An example from ZigZag Zangoose!, in which Jessie was training and Meowth filled in for her, is:
 * Meowth: Prepare for trouble, here in the wood...
 * James: ... and make it double, like you know that you should!

This version of the motto was used in commercials for with each line being said by different children, omitting the parts at which Jessie, James and Meowth say their own names and the line "Team Rocket, blasting off at the speed of light." This motto was also adapted into the songs Team Rocket Forever and Double Trouble

Team Rocket used this motto in A Lean Mean Team Rocket Machine, as a return to their "hip and cool" ways, done by only Jessie, James, and Meowth, without the usual ending additions of Wobbuffet and Mime Jr.

This motto was also used in SM042, where Team Rocket had followed Ash and to Kanto during their extracurricular activity.

Kanto Battle Frontier
During the saga, Jessie, James, and Meowth changed their motto. This motto was used from The Scheme Team to Two Degrees of Separation!.



Since the first episode, they have adapted their traditional rhyming phrases "Prepare for trouble" and "Make it double" into the motto, thereby restoring the first two lines of the original motto. James's and  also contribute their names at the end of the motto in most episodes they appear in.

In Sinnoh, the trio changed to a new motto yet again. This motto was used from When Pokémon Worlds Collide! to Bucking the Treasure Trend!.



In the dub, they often replace the first two lines with
 * Jessie: Listen, is that a twerpish voice I hear?
 * James: It's shrieking to me loud and clear.


 * Jessie: Listen, is that a pitiful head of a Pokécenter I hear?
 * James: It whines to me loud and clear.

or something similar. As in Battle Frontier, Mime Jr. contributes its name after Wobbuffet.

It is notable that the Sinnoh motto is modified more often even in the Japanese version.

Best Wishes! and Best Wishes! Season 2
In Unova, the trio changed to a new motto yet again. This motto was used from Enter Iris and Axew! to A Restoration Confrontation! Part 1.



"*" denotes the phrase Jessie copies when they are about to announce their motto.

Best Wishes! Season 2: Episode N and Best Wishes! Season 2: Decolora Adventure!
In New Places... Familiar Faces!, Jessie, James and Meowth reverted to their original motto with some slight alterations, after having failed in their latest operation and making a brief retreat back to Kanto. Starting in Adventures in Unova and Beyond, the motto is altered to the situation.



Just like in Adventures in Unova and Beyond, Jessie, James and Meowth still currently use their original motto from the original series, but it is altered to the situation at hand in the episode.

In Alola, the trio once again changed to a new motto, which debuted in Loading the Dex!.

"*" denotes the phrase Jessie copies when they are about to announce their motto.

Only the line Jessie copies from and the line she begins the motto with are shown. The rest of the motto follows.

Starting in Adventures in Unova and Beyond, the motto is altered to the situation.

Meowth filling in for Jessie or James
On many occasions, because Jessie or James weren't around, Meowth would fill the missing member lines. This first happened in Island of Giant Pokemon, when Meowth, along with and, were separated from Jessie and James. When they discover Ash's Pikachu,, , and , who were separated from their Trainer as well, Meowth attempted to recite the motto, but failed because Jessie and James weren't around. In The Stun Spore Detour, where Meowth and James were following Misty to get some Salveyo Weed to heal Jessie from an attack by a wild 's. It happened again in ZigZag Zangoose!, in which Jessie was training Seviper, and James, Meowth and Wobbuffet tried to steal Ash's Pikachu. Later, in That's Just Swellow, Jessie and Meowth tried to steal the losing flying Pokémon almost at the end of the Contest, and because James was still participating on it, Meowth and Jessie said the motto all by themselves. In The Saffron Con, meanwhile Jessie was at an operation room, Meowth and James tried to steal some Pokémon. When Ash and his friend saw them, they said a special motto. Also, in Off the Unbeaten Path, while James was participating in the Pokémon Orienteering Contest, Jessie and Meowth tried to steal the prize and some Pokémon. When they were spotted by, they said their motto. Meanwhile, they were saying that, Ash and his friends saved the Pokémon and the prize, leaving Jessie and Meowth really angry. In Bonnie for the Defense!, Jessie and Meowth said the motto together, surprising Ash and his friends while they were escorting a lost back to the ocean. James's absence was later explained by him being waiting further ahead, ready to catch the group off-guard in case they got away.

In Sinnoh, the trio changed to a new motto yet again. This motto was used from When Pokémon Worlds Collide! to Bucking the Treasure Trend!.

In the dub, they often replace the first two lines with
 * Jessie: Listen, is that a twerpish voice I hear?
 * James: It's shrieking to me loud and clear.


 * Jessie: Listen, is that a pitiful head of a Pokécenter I hear?
 * James: It whines to me loud and clear.

or something similar. As in Battle Frontier, Mime Jr. contributes its name after Wobbuffet.

It is notable that the Sinnoh motto is modified more often even in the Japanese version.

Best Wishes! and Best Wishes! Season 2
In Unova, the trio changed to a new motto yet again. This motto was used from Enter Iris and Axew! to A Restoration Confrontation! Part 1.

"*" denotes the phrase Jessie copies when they are about to announce their motto.

Best Wishes! Season 2: Episode N and Best Wishes! Season 2: Decolora Adventure!
In New Places... Familiar Faces!, Jessie, James and Meowth reverted to their original motto with some slight alterations, after having failed in their latest operation and making a brief retreat back to Kanto. Starting in Adventures in Unova and Beyond, the motto is altered to the situation.

Just like in Adventures in Unova and Beyond, Jessie, James and Meowth still currently use their original motto from the original series, but it is altered to the situation at hand in the episode.

In Alola, the trio once again changed to a new motto, which debuted in Loading the Dex!.



"*" denotes the phrase Jessie copies when they are about to announce their motto.

Only the line Jessie copies from and the line she begins the motto with are shown. The rest of the motto follows.

Starting in Adventures in Unova and Beyond, the motto is altered to the situation.

Meowth filling in for Jessie or James
On many occasions, because Jessie or James weren't around, Meowth would fill the missing member lines. This first happened in Island of Giant Pokemon, when Meowth, along with and, were separated from Jessie and James. When they discover Ash's Pikachu,, , and , who were separated from their Trainer as well, Meowth attempted to recite the motto, but failed because Jessie and James weren't around. In The Stun Spore Detour, where Meowth and James were following Misty to get some Salveyo Weed to heal Jessie from an attack by a wild 's. It happened again in ZigZag Zangoose!, in which Jessie was training Seviper, and James, Meowth and Wobbuffet tried to steal Ash's Pikachu. Later, in That's Just Swellow, Jessie and Meowth tried to steal the losing flying Pokémon almost at the end of the Contest, and because James was still participating on it, Meowth and Jessie said the motto all by themselves. In The Saffron Con, meanwhile Jessie was at an operation room, Meowth and James tried to steal some Pokémon. When Ash and his friend saw them, they said a special motto. Also, in Off the Unbeaten Path, while James was participating in the Pokémon Orienteering Contest, Jessie and Meowth tried to steal the prize and some Pokémon. When they were spotted by, they said their motto. Meanwhile, they were saying that, Ash and his friends saved the Pokémon and the prize, leaving Jessie and Meowth really angry. In Bonnie for the Defense!, Jessie and Meowth said the motto together, surprising Ash and his friends while they were escorting a lost back to the ocean. James's absence was later explained by him being waiting further ahead, ready to catch the group off-guard in case they got away.

Butch and Cassidy
Butch and Cassidy also have a set of mottos, which are similar to Jessie and James's mottos. In The Breeding Center Secret, it is implied to be based on Jessie and James's motto, though in Pikachu Re-Volts, they state that theirs is actually the correct version. During Pokémon Chronicles, they add "(now) here's our mission, so ya better listen!" after Butch's first line of their version of the "original" motto. Like Meowth and Wobbuffet, Cassidy's appears at the end. Apparently, they have switched to a new motto, which is itself similar to Jessie and James's Sinnoh motto, with Butch's appearing instead of Cassidy's Raticate.

Sinnoh motto
This is the version used in Sleight of Sand. Because of some of the lines included, it was probably composed especially for whenever the two Team Rocket groups crossed paths.


 * Cassidy: A shrieking whine! A blast from the past!
 * Butch: Spinning like a and moving fast!
 * Cassidy: To the moon...
 * Butch: ...And beyond...
 * Both: ...What a blast!
 * Cassidy: Administering justice with lightning speed!
 * Butch: Bashing the bad guys, should we feel the need.
 * Cassidy: So here's a newsflash from across the wire...
 * Butch: The real Team Rocket is now on fire!
 * Cassidy: Cassidy!
 * Butch: And it's Butch!
 * Shuckle: Shuck-uckle!
 * Cassidy: Teaching the losers a thing or two...
 * Butch: ...The true Team Rocket...
 * Both: Us! Not you!

Ripoffs
The motto has been ripped off repeatedly by Ash and during the series. The first time it was done was in Bye Bye Butterfree, in which Ash, Misty and Brock entered the house where Team Rocket was by breaking the windows and by saying the first lines of the motto. In Ditto's Mysterious Mansion, Ash, Misty, and Brock, along with Duplica, put on Team Rocket uniforms and mocked the original motto, with Duplica severely angering the two by saying "ignite" instead of "unite". In Holy Matrimony!, James's parents revealed that they weren't dead by saying the lines "Prepare for trouble!" and "Yes dear, and make it double!".

The director Cleavon Schpielbunk used a motto to introduce himself — "Prepare for trouble! No stunt double!" — with Jessie saying, "Wait a second, aren't those our lines?" after the first two lines.

In It's Mr. Mime Time when Ash revealed that he was the one in the Mr. Mime costume, the Team Rocket background music was playing. The motto was mockingly mimicked again in The Chikorita Rescue!. In The Mother Of All Battles!, the Pokémon Poacher Brothers introduced themselves to Ash and the gang in a Team Rocket-style motto. However, there was no background music like in the Rocket's introduction; instead, they only said their names with a big "B" behind them. But even though it was different, Jessie stated that they were just imitating them. Much later, the DP motto was mocked in Mass Hip-Po-Sis and The Keystone Pops!. Like the many times before, the trio was angered.

In Mega-Mega Meowth Madness!, and  imitated the motto, angering them once again.

In The Cave of Mirrors!, the Mirror World's version of Team Rocket performed their own motto, reflecting their heroic characteristics.

Blasting off
When defeated, and sent flying off due to a Pokémon's attack (usually 's ) or a malfunction in their mechas, Jessie, James, and Meowth usually cry, ("What a bad feeling!") in the original, which was dubbed "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!", "Team Rocket's blasting off again!", or simply "We're blasting off again!" before disappearing into the distance with a twinkle. The first time they blasted off was in their debut episode, and the first time the twinkle was seen was during their following blast off, in Clefairy and the Moon Stone. In some episodes, they said their catchphrase while finishing each other's sentences or when it's told by one character or two.

Blasting off usually happens only one time per episode, but there have been many occasions in which it has happened multiple times, especially in Malice In Wonderland!, in which they are shown blasting off four times on screen, and heard to blast off many more times offscreen. Another occurrence when they blasted off more than once was in Noodles! Roamin' Off!, but this could be because the episode focused on Team Rocket. In A Faux Oak Finish!, James blasted off by himself. Butch and Cassidy have also "blasted off"; however, James noted once that he, Jessie, and Meowth had copyrighted it in Off The Unbeaten Path.

After Memories are Made of Bliss!, Team Rocket initially didn't blast off during the. From Scare at the Litwick Mansion! onwards, they usually used jetpacks in order to escape. For this reason, those blastoffs weren't against their will nor involved pain, so they did not scream their famous quote. Also, there was no twinkle visible when the jetpacks were used, except for Scare at the Litwick Mansion! and Movie Time! Zorua in "The Legend of the Pokémon Knight"!. Starting from New Places... Familiar Faces!, Team Rocket has blasted off like before, although they didn't say the catchphrase until Team Plasma's Pokémon Power Plot!. They still used their jetpacks in some episodes.

Sometimes, when Team Rocket blasts off, they shout something other than "We're blasting off again!", such as in Team Rocket's Shocking Recruit! when instead they shouted "We're blasting off family style!", or A Battle by Any Other Name!, where they shouted "There's nothing sweet about blasting off! AND WE'RE DOING IT AGAIN!!!". There are also occasions where they do not blast off per se, but they disappear with the trademark twinkle by other means such as running away. In some very rare instances, they blast off without a twinkle, as seen in their debut, The Island of Illusions! where they fell into the sea instead, Tracey Gets Bugged, where they get their hair and fur cut short by a Scyther, or To Find a Fairy Flower!, where they were relaxed by a 's.

Starting from Loading the Dex!, rather than blasting off, would unexpectedly appear and take the trio away; Jessie, James, and Meowth would cry,  ("What's with this feeling!?") in response, which was dubbed as "Off with a new blast!". In To Top a Totem!, they were about to blast off, only for Bewear to jump into the air and catch them before the 'ping' sound. They Might Not Be Giants! was the first episode where the trio successfully blasted off without interference, although Bewear was able to catch them before they hit the ground.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga
In the Pokémon Adventures manga, the "Rocket" in Team Rocket is apparently their motto, which is an acronym for:


 * Raid
 * On
 * City
 * Knock out
 * Evil
 * Tusks

When translated from Japanese, this motto means 'Attack cities one after another!! Devastate them!! We are the fangs of evil!!'.

Trivia
What's in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet ;
 * The is rather unique since it was said once during the Pokémon: Diamond & Pearl season.
 * However, it was also said in the first episode in the Diamond and Pearl series but they didn't do the full motto.
 * In every one of Butch's appearances in the original series' English dub, he was the one who said the opening line "Prepare for trouble!", which is usually said by the female character. In The Breeding Center Secret, Butch, along with Cassidy, said "Prepare for trouble and make it double!". In Pikachu Re-Volts, he was the one who began the motto showdown by saying "Then prepare for trouble!". In The Fortune Hunters, he said alone "Prepare for trouble and make it double!". In The Mystery is History!, he said "Prepare for trouble, you got that right!". The last time he did this was in A Parent Trapped!, in which he said "It's time to prepare for trouble!". In Pokémon Chronicles, the motto was dubbed with the Cassidy saying the first line like how it is was in Japanese.
 * In the Sinnoh motto, Jessie's section of "A rose by any other name is just as sweet" alludes to Act II Scene II Shakespeare's , in which Juliet argues:
 * This is a meaning that the names of things do not matter, only what the thing is. This quote is also the origin of the title for A Battle by Any Other Name!.


 * In the Unova motto, Jessie likens herself to with the words "white" and "fiery", while James likens himself to  with "black" and "thunderous".
 * The first two lines of the motto were mentioned and said by the Fortune Teller as a warning in an episode of Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, a show that was also dubbed by 4Kids Entertainment (and also based on a Nintendo franchise). The episode the Fortune Teller appeared in was "The Fofa Factor".
 * In the Finnish dub, the original motto was different than usual in Team Rocket's first two appearances (Pokémon Emergency! and Ash Catches a Pokémon), where it was translated directly from English without rhyming. The rhyming motto was used for the first time in Challenge of the Samurai.
 * In the European Portuguese dub, the expression "Preparar para azar!", the Portuguese equivalent to "Prepare for trouble!" (which literally translated is "Prepare for bad luck!") is still used in recent episodes as a Team Rocket's catchphrase, even during some mottos.
 * In the Korean dub of the Sun & Moon series, the expressions "", "", and "", which are direct to  translations of the Japanese motto, are given explanations at the bottom of the screen due to the difficulty in understanding these phrases.
 * Toward the end of the Pokémon Trading Card Game: Trainer Video, the original motto is recited by various kids. It omits "Prepare for trouble; Make it double," and Meowth's name, and the kids make various mistakes before correcting themselves.