Synopsis
Continues the story of Pokémon: The First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back
Scientists splice the genetic material of the mythical Pokémon Mew to engineer Mewtwo, intended to be the most powerful Pokémon in existence. Refusing to remain a lab subject, Mewtwo lashes out with its psychic abilities, annihilating its creators in a fit of fury. It later seeks to master its abilities under Giovanni, the backer of the original research, only to realize it is being exploited once more. Determined to carve out its own destiny, Mewtwo vows revenge on humanity and unleashes a catastrophic storm to wipe out all life on Earth. Ash Ketchum and fellow trainers receive Mewtwo's summons to a battle, yet quickly learn the true motive: Mewtwo intends to clone their Pokémon to serve its own agenda. Ash races to thwart Mewtwo's scheme before it reaches fruition. The theatrical cut ran 75 minutes; a year later, a "complete version" aired on television just ahead of Pokémon the Movie 2000, expanding the runtime to 85 minutes with a retold sequence of Ash and Pikachu's first encounter.
In this installment
In the Johto region, Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket, locates Mewtwo in a secluded area. While attempting to recapture Mewtwo, Ash and his friends are abducted by Domino, a new member of Team Rocket, as they rescue Pikachu from Jessie and James. The cloned Pokémon are also seized and used as bait to draw Mewtwo out. This sparks a clash between Mewtwo and Giovanni, with Mewtwo trying to understand its own purpose and the meaning of its existence alongside the other clones, questioning the value of their origins as scientific creations.
