Recaps

Chen Shi said goodbye to the dream Cynthia and Xiao Xi as their world collapsed, and he began to awaken with his memories of the real world returning. The two urged him to find real happiness and to cherish his daughter in reality.

• Chen Shi and Cynthia spoke about Xiao Xi and shared a quiet moment together in the kitchen.
• Cynthia told Chen Shi he needed to leave the dream and return to the real world, while the dream began to collapse around them.
• Xiao Xi became frightened, and Cynthia comforted her before telling her that Chen Shi was going to become a hero in another world.
• Chen Shi embraced Cynthia and Xiao Xi as they grew transparent, and Cynthia asked him to hold their daughter the same way in reality.
• Chen Shi began to grow younger, regained his outside-world memories, and heard Cynthia and Xiao Xi say they loved him and hoped he would find happiness.

Dark Rayquaza attacked the World Tree while Ogerpon lay gravely wounded, but Xerneas and Mewtwo arrived in time to intervene. As Ogerpon prepared to die after believing she had kept her promise, the World Tree revived her and preserved her consciousness.

• Dark Rayquaza overwhelmed Ogerpon and fired a Dragon Pulse at the World Tree as the Dark Side launched its planned invasion.
• Ogerpon could not stop the attack and remembered her past failure to protect her Trainer, believing she had failed to protect the World Tree too.
• Xerneas and Mewtwo arrived, and Xerneas engaged Dark Rayquaza while Mewtwo promised Ogerpon that other Legendary Pokémon were coming.
• Ogerpon felt proud that she had protected the World Tree and began to accept her death as darkness consumed her.
• The World Tree poured life force into Ogerpon, healed her injuries, and gave her an aura that preserved her consciousness.

Legendary Pokémon from across the world rushed toward the World Tree as Ogerpon retained its consciousness despite becoming partly assimilated by dark matter. A rift released powerful Shadow Pokémon into the World Tree Mystery Realm just as Mew brought the arriving Legendary Pokémon inside, leaving both sides poised to battle.

• Diantha and the professors learned that Legendary Pokémon were heading toward the World Tree, while Jirachi, Hoopa Confined, and the Victini set off to find Shi there.
• Ogerpon remained conscious after dark matter blackened its body, thanks to psychic power the World Tree had received from Chen Shi.
• Ogerpon powered up with Swords Dance and Focus Energy, then wielded its enlarged Ivy Cudgel to sweep aside Shadow Pokémon.
• Mewtwo intercepted and injured Psychic-type Pokémon attempting to ambush the World Tree.
• A rift opened in the sky and released powerful Shadow Pokémon as Mew opened the mystery realm to the arriving Legendary Pokémon.
• The Legendary Pokémon and Shadow Pokémon faced one another, and their roars signaled that battle was about to begin.

Mew protected the World Tree with Chen Shi’s Psychic Orbs while the Legendary Pokémon fought an endless Shadow Pokémon assault. The battle worsened as Shiny Rayquaza failed to destroy the enemy passage, and Mew revealed that Chen Shi was near death at the World Tree.

• Mew placed Chen Shi’s three Psychic Orbs into the World Tree and stayed to guard it with Mewtwo.
• Mega Rayquaza, Shiny Rayquaza, and another Rayquaza fought the Shadow Pokémon while Eternatus transformed into Eternamax and cleared a swath of enemies with Eternabeams.
• Shiny Rayquaza charged the spatial passage but failed to destroy it, revealing that its creator was stronger than a Supreme God.
• Xerneas and Shiny Rayquaza sent their Plates away, and Rayquaza suspected the attack was meant to exploit Chen Shi’s absence.
• Mew explained that Black Kyurem from a parallel world had hit Chen Shi with Soul Freeze and another unknown power, leaving the World Tree as the only thing keeping him alive.
• Eternatus told the Legendary Pokémon to stop talking and resume fighting.

The mystery realm shattered, forcing the battle against the Shadow Pokémon into the real world, but Necrozma’s allies sealed off the battlefield and reinforcements arrived. Cynthia returned without waking Chen Shi, yet a purifying light suddenly appeared, signaling that he was there.

• Jirachi, Hoopa, and the two Victini searched for the World Tree until the mystery realm shattered and revealed it above Kanto.
• Rayquaza and the other Legendary Pokémon fought to keep the Shadow Pokémon from spreading dark matter into the real world.
• Hoopa Confined brought Giratina, Latios, and Latias to the battlefield, while Jirachi and the Victini supported the fighters.
• Necrozma opened a passage for Chen Shi’s parallel-world allies and enclosed the battlefield behind a golden curtain of light.
• Cynthia arrived with Darkrai, Cresselia, and Dragapult, then admitted to Mew that she had left Chen Shi in the dream world.
• White light appeared around the battling Legendary Pokémon and instantly purified the dark matter in their wounds.

Chen Shi reunited with Cynthia and used his power to purify the Shadow Pokémon, but the spatial passage remained open. With more enemies likely to emerge, Giratina rallied the Legendary Pokémon and their newly restored allies to keep fighting.

• Chen Shi appeared beside Cynthia, apologized for wanting to escape his responsibilities, and comforted her as she cried.
• Jirachi joined Chen Shi and Cynthia, and Chen Shi reassured Cynthia that the Legendary Pokémon could win.
• Chen Shi sent psychic power through his bonds with the Shadow Pokémon and rapidly purified them.
• The restored Legendary Pokémon stopped fighting, and the parallel-world Rayquaza apologized before Rayquaza forgave it.
• Chen Shi warned that the spatial passage remained open and that he could not purify an unlimited number of Shadow Pokémon.
• Giratina urged the Legendary Pokémon and their new allies to enter the passage and fight.

Chen Shi joined Arceus and Ultra Necrozma in space to fight a vast horde of Shadow Pokémon and tried to purify the Dark Arceus and Necrozma. The Dark Side escaped, and Chen Shi looked back at the planet and made a decision.

• Chen Shi left Cynthia with Jirachi and Little V, then used Teleport to reach the seal around the planet.
• Arceus opened a gap in the barrier, allowing Chen Shi to join Arceus and Ultra Necrozma against the Shadow Pokémon horde.
• Chen Shi lent Arceus and Necrozma his psychic power as Ultra Necrozma trapped the Shadow Pokémon and Arceus unleashed its signature move.
• Chen Shi seized psychic threads linking him to the Dark Arceus and Necrozma and poured his remaining power into trying to purify them.
• The Dark Arceus broke the threads and escaped with the other Shadow Pokémon, threatening to return stronger.
• Chen Shi looked back at the planet and made his decision.

After the Dark Arceus escaped, Chen Shi revealed his plan to merge with the World Tree and sacrifice himself to protect billions of people. He embraced the tree as its consciousness awakened, leaving the world silent and his grandmother overcome with grief.

• Arceus sealed the remaining Shadow Pokémon and admitted that the Dark Side would grow stronger while they prepared to seek allies.
• Chen Shi returned to the World Tree, asked Cynthia to take Jirachi and the others home, and said goodbye to her.
• Chen Shi told the Legendary Pokémon that he would trade his life for billions of others, then walked toward the World Tree despite Ogerpon's distress.
• Mew asked Chen Shi if he had truly decided, and the World Tree's consciousness warned him that there would be no turning back.
• Chen Shi embraced the World Tree, releasing a pillar of life energy and purifying power as people around the world fell silent.
• Grandma Chen felt an inexplicable sorrow at the family villa and tearfully called out for Little Shi.

Chen Shi merged with the World Tree to spread psychic power across the worlds and dispel the darkness, while Rayquaza struggled to stop him. As Chen Shi faded into light, he promised he would come back.

• Rayquaza tried to pull Chen Shi away from the World Tree, but Ho-Oh, Lugia, and Zygarde stopped him.
• Ho-Oh and Arceus explained that Chen Shi was merging with the World Tree so it could spread psychic power and send life rain across the worlds.
• Arceus revealed that Chen Shi had chosen the risky plan because the Dark Army's attacks had forced Mind Chen Shi to merge with him to save his life.
• Rayquaza attempted to rescue Chen Shi with Dragon Ascent, but Eternatus restrained him and urged him to respect Chen Shi's choice.
• Mewtwo told Xerneas that Chen Shi was a devoted grandson, a good Trainer and partner, and a great man willing to sacrifice himself for the world.
• Chen Shi laughed and wept as his body dissolved into the World Tree, then said he would come back again.

Three years after Chen Shi vanished, Yuko and his friends mourned him while Cynthia waited beneath the World Tree. Chen Shi finally returned, and Cynthia reunited with him in tears.

• Yuko visited Chen Shi’s memorial and told him she had become Hoenn’s new Fire-type Elite King, then confessed that she missed him.
• Steven, Diantha, Lance, Lorelei, Leon, and Wallace visited the memorial and learned Cynthia was still staying beneath the World Tree.
• Cynthia shared a Pokéblock moment with Ogerpon and lamented that Chen Shi had lied about returning safely.
• Chen Shi appeared before Cynthia, and she ran into his arms and struck his chest for leaving her waiting three years.
• Cynthia admitted she still loved Chen Shi after he asked whether she loved him.

Four years after marrying Cynthia, Chen Shi saw Gary and Ash off as they began their Pokémon journeys in Kanto. After Celebi took Xiao Xi and Greninja through a space-time tunnel, Chen Shi and Cynthia were left alone together.

• Gary visited Professor Oak's Laboratory to collect his starter Pokémon and set out on his journey, while Xiao Xi asked to go with him.
• Chen Shi sent Dragapult to wake the late-rising Ash, who discovered that Professor Oak's starter Pokémon had all been taken.
• Chen Shi reassured Cynthia that Professor Oak had a plan for Ash, and they waited with Xiao Xi near Pallet Town's exit.
• Gary thanked Chen Shi for his guidance and left, hoping to become a great Pokémon Professor.
• Ash left with Pikachu, promised Chen Shi he would challenge him someday, and endured Pikachu's electric attack without giving up.
• Celebi arrived and took Xiao Xi and Greninja through a space-time tunnel, leaving Chen Shi and Cynthia together.