The saddest Pokémon episode isn’t the Butterfree one

When it comes to cartoons and anime that scarred us for life as children, Season 1, Episode 20 of 1997’s Pokémon often comes into the conversation. Titled “Bye-Bye Butterfree,” the episode sees Ash learn that once Butterfree reach adulthood, they mate for life and fly off into the sunset together, never to return. Don’t get me wrong, the episode is definitely a bit of a tear-jerker, though for me, most of that comes from watching poor Butterfree repeatedly try to woo a mate, only to be met with repeated rejections.