Ash and co. continue their way towards Goldenrod City, but they have to make their way through a forest. Pikachu points to a birdhouse that's in a tree. Ash and co. wonder what Pokémon go there. Brock thinks the birdhouse may be too small for a Pidgey and Pidgeotto. Suddenly, a Pokémon flies up to the birdhouse. Ash and co. remain quiet so that they can watch it. Ash looks up the Pokémon in his Pokédex. It is a Noctowl. A tree branch begins to move, and it scares the Noctowl away. Suddenly, a different colored Noctowl approaches the birdhouse. This time a branch with berries approaches the Noctowl. The Noctowl kicks the branch away, and then it headbutts the tree. A man who has been in disguise falls from his hiding place. He is holding on a tree branch so that he doesn't fall. The Noctowl pecks at the man's hands, and he falls down.

Ash and co. run up to the man to make sure he's alright. The man's name is Dr. Wiseman. He explains to Ash and co. that he was trying to capture the different-colored Noctowl, but it out-smarted him again. Ash wants to capture a Noctowl for himself. Wiseman tells Ash that he won't be able to catch the different-colored Noctowl because it is very smart. Ash sees the different-colored Noctowl on a tree branch. He throws a Pokéball to it. The Pokéball bounces off the Noctowl's feet and hits Ash in the face. Then Noctowl uses its Hypnosis on Ash. Ash turns around and tells Pikachu to battle. He notices that Pikachu isn't moving, so he begins to talk to Pikachu. In reality, Ash is talking to a rock. Wiseman explains that the Noctowl hypnotized Ash into thinking that a rock is Pikachu. The Noctowl laughs and flies away.

Wiseman invites Ash and co. into his house. Ash is angry because the Noctowl out-smarted him. Wiseman explains that he moved into a house in the middle of the forest to devote his time in capturing the Noctowl. Wiseman wants to go for only the rare and unusual Pokémon. Misty tells Wiseman that she has an unusual Pokémon of her own. She sends out Psyduck. Wiseman examines Psyduck and wonders what is unusual about it. Misty tells him that it can't swim and Wiseman sighs. Noctowl and Ash both state that they want to capture the Noctowl. Wiseman says that he has a secret trap with him, but it isn't ready yet. Ash wants to see what Wiseman has planned, but Wiseman won't show him. Brock thinks that secret traps are a bad idea because if he does capture it, Noctowl would never respect him as a trainer. Misty agrees and thinks that Ash should capture Noctowl fair and square. Now Ash doesn't care about Wiseman's secret anymore, and he plans on capturing Noctowl with a Pokéball.

Team Rocket has overheard Ash and co.'s discussion about the rare Noctowl. They plan on capturing the Noctowl, too. Later, Wiseman begins to set up his trap. When the trap is all set up, Ash and co. wait for Noctowl. Noctowl lands on the tree. Wiseman pulls the rope, and the trap activates. A mirror is revealed next to Noctowl. Noctowl uses its Hypnosis on the mirror, but the hypnotic waves are reflected right back at Noctowl. Wiseman's trapped worked! Noctowl hypnotized itself. Noctowl then glances at Wiseman and falls out of the tree. Wiseman walks up to Noctowl. He picks it up. Ash and co. notice that Wiseman has picked up a giant rock. Brock realizes that Noctowl hypnotized Wiseman a second before it fell out of the tree. They see the real Noctowl close by, but it is still under its own spell. Ash runs up to the Noctowl. Noctowl reacts in a fierce way towards Ash. Brock warns Ash to be careful as Noctowl might feel threatened by him.

Suddenly, a giant gust of wind starts. An enormous, robot Noctowl is seen, and Team Rocket says their motto. Meowth tells Ash and co. that they will capture Noctowl.

Wiseman notices that the robot Noctowl is huge. He tells Team Rocket that they should be ashamed of themselves because they don't have the skill to capture such a small Pokémon. Ash and co. tell Team Rocket that they should play by the rules. Team Rocket doesn't believe in the rules. They only believe in stealing whatever they want. Ash orders Pikachu to use Thundershock. The electricity bounces right off the robot. Ash doesn't want Team Rocket to steal Noctowl. He sends out Totodile and Cyndaquil. Meowth pumps up air in their wind bag. When the bags are pumped, a gust of wind is formed to blow the Pokémon away. While Ash and co. are distracted, Wiseman plans on capturing Noctowl for himself. He picks up Noctowl and begins to run away with it. Team Rocket sees Wiseman stealing Noctowl. Meowth presses a button, and a mechanical claw extends out and picks up Wiseman. The claw tosses Wiseman away and traps Noctowl. Team Rocket cheer, and then they begin to make their getaway.

Ash sends out Bulbasaur and Chikorita. Bulbasaur and Chikorita use their Vine Whip attacks to stop Team Rocket from escaping. Then Ash climbs a tree and jumps on the claw. He begins to pull on the claw to free Noctowl. Meowth tells Ash that Noctowl is trapped in the claw tightly, and he won't be able to get it out. Ash is able to move the claw a little so that Noctowl can fly away. Noctowl flies away. Team Rocket can't believe Noctowl escaped. They throw Ash to the ground. Misty and Brock run to Ash's side. Noctowl begins to discuss a strategy with the other Pokémon. Cyndaquil uses its Flamethrower on the robot. Then Totodile uses its Water Gun on the hot fire to make the robot crack. Finally, Pikachu uses its Thunderbolt attack in the crack to shock Team Rocket. The robot explodes, and Team Rocket blasts off again.

Ash congratulates his Pokémon for defeating Team Rocket. Misty and Brock tell Ash that it was because of Noctowl that the Pokémon were able to defeat Team Rocket. Noctowl flies onto a branch and tells Ash something. Wiseman tells Ash that Noctowl wants to challenge it. Ash knows that Wiseman wants Noctowl too, but Wiseman says that the Noctowl is too smart for him. He hopes Ash has better luck with capturing Noctowl. Ash is ready to battle.

Ash uses Pikachu for the battle. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt, but Noctowl uses its Hypnosis attack to confuse Pikachu. Pikachu begins to shock random things including itself. By shocking itself, Pikachu recovers from the Hypnosis. Then Noctowl dives for Pikachu, but Pikachu ducks. Pikachu sees Noctowl coming back, and it begins to run away. Ash tells Pikachu not to look in Noctowl's eyes and to concentrate where Noctowl is by the sound of its wings. Pikachu closes its eyes and concentrates. When Pikachu senses Noctowl, it uses a Thunderbolt attack on Noctowl. Then Ash throws his Pokéball. The ball stops wiggling, and Ash has succesfully captured Noctowl.

Now that Noctowl is with Ash, Ash and co. set out once again for Goldenrod City.

English Official Summary

Ash has his sights set on a rare and brightly-colored Noctowl, but this Pokémon's hypnosis leaves Ash's team unable to tell reality from illusion, much less stand up to another Pokémon in battle.

Italian Official Summary

Ash mette gli occhi su un esemplare insolitamente colorato di Noctowl, ma il Pokémon usa una serie di Ipnosi per sfuggirgli. Riuscirà il nostro Allenatore a catturarlo approfittando di un pisolino dello sfuggevole Noctowl?

Portuguese Official Summary

Ash volta seus olhos para um raro Noctowl com uma coloração incomum, mas este esperto Pokémon repetidamente usa Hipnose para enganá-lo! Será que Ash conseguirá capturar esse Noctowl?

Spanish Latin America Official Summary

Ash tiene el ojo puesto en un Noctowl poco común y de colores brillantes.

Spanish Official Summary

Ash tiene el ojo puesto en un Noctowl poco común y de colores brillantes.

English Great Britian Official Summary

Ash has his sights set on a rare and brightly-colored Noctowl, but this Pokémon's hypnosis leaves Ash's team unable to tell reality from illusion, much less stand up to another Pokémon in battle.

Dutch Official Summary

Ash heeft zijn zinnen gezet op een zeldzame Noctowl met ongewone kleuren, maar deze handige Pokémon gebruikt keer op keer Hypnose om hem te slim af te zijn! Kan Ash deze Noctowl bij verrassing vangen?

French Official Summary

Sacha a jeté son dévolu sur un rare Noarfang aux couleurs vives.

German Official Summary

Ash möchte sich ein seltenes und farbenfrohes Noctuh schnappen.