Alex the Genius

"Alex the Genius" is the second episode of Season 1. It first aired on NBC in the United States on January 12, 1990.

Synopsis
Alex gets the highest aptitude score out of the class, much to Olimar's dismay.

Plot
The Pikmin Club spend a night of playing Scrabble and Red Pikmin reminds Alex that he is supposed to be stimulating his brain with various vocabulary if he hopes to pass his intelligence test. He cheats his way to victory by coming up with his own word, "comeyoh", basing its definition on an insulting description of Olimar. This angers Olimar and he chases after Alex, much to the embarrassment of his family.

At Pikminville Elementary School, Alex is busted for vandalism by Principal Michael, who has been informed by class genius Ulises. Faced with the prospect of failing an intelligence test, Alex surreptitiously switches exams with Ulises (as a way to pay him back for getting him in trouble). When the school psychologist, Dr. Anderson, studies the results, he identifies Alex as a genius, to the delight of Olimar and Margo, who enroll him in a new school. However, Blue Pikmin is not fooled by his supposed genius and still believes Alex to be a moron; Michael shares her belief, but takes advantage of Alex's departure from the school.

At the Enriched Learning Center for Gifted Children, Alex feels out of place among the other students with advanced academic skills. Meanwhile, Margo attempts to stimulate Alex with a little culture by taking the group to the opera. However, this proves disastrous as Alex and Olimar are quite disruptive, much to Yellow Pikmin's joy. Ostracized by his brilliant classmates, Alex visits his former school, where his old friends reject him because of his perceived intelligence. On the bright side, he enjoys newfound attention from Homer and he covers for them when Margo makes another attempt to stimulate Alex's brain by taking them to a film festival. After Alex's chemistry experiment explodes, filling the school lab with green goo, he confesses to Dr. Anderson that he switched tests with Ulises. Dr. Anderson realizes that he was never a genius and has him readmitted to Pikminville Elementary.

Alex returns home and tells Olimar that he had cheated on the intelligence test, but he is glad they are closer than ever. Though Olimar is touched by this sentiment, he is ultimately upset and angry at Alex for lying to him about the test and chases Alex through the house, only for Alex to lock the door of his bedroom. Red Pikmin pronounces that Alex is back to being his normal, dumb self.