Recaps

Xia You and the others discovered that Team Rocket had been using a Magikarp Submarine to capture Magikarp from Birth and Evolution Lake for their Gyarados Army. After Lühé’s threat to call the police was mocked, Xia You said they would have to handle Team Rocket themselves.

• Lühé and the others saw the lake churn before a giant Magikarp Submarine surfaced.
• Xia You recognized the red R on the submarine, and Ash identified Team Rocket.
• Jessie and James revealed that they were capturing Magikarp to build a Gyarados Army.
• Lühé demanded that Team Rocket release the Magikarp and threatened to call the police.
• Team Rocket mocked Lühé, and Xia You told him they would have to rely on themselves.

Ash, Misty, Tracey, and Xia You attacked Team Rocket’s Magikarp Submarine to rescue the captured Magikarp, but Team Rocket transformed it into a powerful Mechanical Gyarados. Lühé identified a likely weak spot in its lower-belly armor, giving the group a way to try to free the Magikarp.

• Lühé pleaded with Xia You and the others to save the Magikarp, and Ash, Misty, Tracey, and Xia You sent out Pikachu, Starmie, Marill, and Charizard to attack Team Rocket’s submarine.
• Pikachu, Starmie, and Marill struck the submarine while dodging its mechanical arms, but their attacks could not break its steel hull.
• Meowth activated Team Rocket’s secret weapon, transforming the submarine into a Mechanical Gyarados that attacked with electric currents and mechanical arms.
• The Mechanical Gyarados’s electric attacks hit Starmie, and its defenses easily resisted Charizard’s Flamethrower and Pikachu’s Thunder Shock.
• Lühé pointed out that the Mechanical Gyarados’s bulging lower belly likely held the captured Magikarp and had thinner armor, identifying it as a potential weak spot.

Xia You, Ash, and the others destroyed Team Rocket’s mechanical Gyarados, accidentally setting off the Magikarp’s mass evolution at Birth and Evolution Lake. The newly evolved Gyarados turned furious and attacked, leaving everyone to defend Lühé and his equipment from their Hyper Beams.

• Xia You, Ash, and the others combined their Pokémon’s attacks to destroy the mechanical Gyarados, sending the Team Rocket Trio flying away.
• The Magikarp containers exploded, scattering the Magikarp into the lake, where more than a dozen began evolving at once.
• Xia You and the others saw that the newly evolved Gyarados were enraged, and Xia You led Misty and Sabrina away as the Gyarados charged Hyper Beam.
• Tracey tried to pull Lühé away from his equipment, but Lühé broke free and tried to shield it himself.
• Xia You called Ash back, and the group’s Pokémon combined their attacks to intercept the Gyarados’s Hyper Beams before they reached the campsite.

Xia You and the others survived the Gyarados’s devastating attack, but the rampaging Pokémon forced them to defend Lühé and the camp in a chaotic battle. As the fight continued without a clear advantage, Haunter emerged from Xia You’s shadow to protect him.

• A massive shock wave blasted a crater into the lakeshore, but Sabrina’s barrier protected Xia You, Misty, Ash, Tracey, and the camp from serious harm.
• Xia You saw that Lühé stayed behind to check his equipment, so he and the others formed a line to protect him and their belongings from the approaching Gyarados.
• Ash tried to calm the Gyarados, but they ignored him, and Xia You sent the group’s Pokémon to stop them.
• The Pokémon fought the Gyarados in a chaotic battle, while Misty recalled Psyduck after it wandered into danger.
• Ash’s Charizard attacked wildly after being hit by Hydro Pump, and Haunter left Xia You’s shadow to guard him as the battle continued.

Xia You sent out his Gyarados to break the stalemate against the rampaging wild Gyarados on Tangelo Island. As his Gyarados overwhelmed them, Lühé demanded that Xia You recall it, but Xia You chose to let the battle continue.

• Lühé returned to Xia You and said the wild Gyarados had been provoked, while Xia You insisted they had to be defeated to stop their rampage.
• Xia You sent out his Gyarados and ordered it to knock sense into the wild Gyarados.
• Xia You's Gyarados roared, then swiftly battered one wild Gyarados after another, forcing the other Pokémon to stop fighting and back away.
• Ash praised Xia You's Gyarados, and Misty noted that it had helped Xia You win the Indigo Conference championship.
• Lühé urged Xia You to recall his brutal Gyarados, but Xia You kept it on the battlefield to see how far it could grow.

Xia You let Gyarados fight the remaining wild Gyarados on its own, and it defeated all ten despite suffering severe wounds. Gyarados stood victorious as the sun rose over Tangelo Island, leaving the onlookers stunned and Misty asking what they should do next.

• Lühé tried to stop Xia You from sending Gyarados into battle, but a woman and Haunter intimidated him into staying back.
• The ten remaining wild Gyarados surrounded Xia You's Gyarados after Ash's and Misty's Pokémon withdrew.
• Xia You let Gyarados fight without commands as it battled the wild Gyarados and defeated them one by one, despite bleeding and losing scales.
• Gyarados defeated the last wild Gyarados and stood roaring among its unconscious opponents as the sunrise illuminated it.
• Lühé marveled at Gyarados's strength, and Misty asked Xia You what they should do next.

Lühé and Tracey treated the injured Gyarados while Xia You and the others recovered their scattered belongings and prepared breakfast. After the wild Gyarados left and the Magikarp ceremony ended, Lühé gave Xia You a Gyarados Mega Stone, believing Xia You and his Gyarados could use it to its full potential.

• Lühé gathered medicine and, with Tracey's help, treated the injured Gyarados while Xia You and the others searched for their scattered luggage.
• Tracey prepared a lavish breakfast with help from Ash and Misty after Lühé finished treating the injured Pokémon.
• The wild Gyarados left the lake with the unevolved Magikarp, bringing the annual evolution ceremony to an end.
• As Xia You and the others prepared to leave, Lühé gave Xia You a Gyarados Mega Stone and said he believed Xia You and his Gyarados could make the best use of it.

Xia You parted from Lühé, Ash, Misty, and Tracey after receiving a Gyarados Mega Evolution stone and encouraged Ash to keep growing until he could challenge him. He flew to Citrus Island, rested with Sabrina, and applied at Orange League Headquarters for a Winner’s Cup challenge.

• Xia You accepted the Gyarados Mega Evolution stone from Lühé, who then returned to his tent.
• Xia You, Sabrina, and Tracey left Lühé and the Gyarados behind and returned to the shore, where they prepared to part from Ash and Misty.
• Ash interrupted Misty as she tried to speak to Xia You, and Misty hit him for it.
• Xia You told Ash that he believed Ash might one day defeat him, and Ash promised to work harder.
• Xia You and Sabrina flew by Charizard to Citrus Island, rested at a hot-spring guesthouse, and visited Orange League Headquarters the next day to arrange a Winner’s Cup challenge.

Xia You registered to challenge the Orange League’s Winner’s Cup, and Vice President Carl arranged a tour of the venue before the match. The challenge was set for ten the next morning, where Xia You would face an undefeated Top Pokémon Trainer known for his powerful Dragonite.

• Xia You presented his four Shell Badges, and Carl verified them before recognizing him as the Indigo Conference winner.
• Carl introduced himself as the Vice President of the Orange League and welcomed Xia You as a major challenger.
• Carl told Xia You and Sabrina that Dragonite was revered as the island’s guardian and that the Orange League’s Top Pokémon Trainer had never lost the Winner’s Cup.
• Carl completed Xia You’s registration and scheduled his match for ten the next morning.
• Carl offered to show Xia You and Sabrina around the venue, explaining that challengers rarely came and the reception could be left unattended.

Xia You toured the Kumquat Colosseum and Winner's Palace with Carl and learned the rules for the next day's Orange League Winner's Cup battle. Seeing the champions commemorated in the hall strengthened his resolve to win and leave a trace of himself in this world, and he wondered why so few past winners were memorialized.

• Carl led Xia You and Sabrina up to the Kumquat Colosseum and showed Xia You its battlefield and facilities.
• Xia You asked Carl about the Winner's Cup rules, and she explained it was a six-on-six match with the battlefield changing after either side lost three Pokémon.
• Carl brought Xia You to the Winner's Palace and showed him the champions' photographs, Pokémon handprints, and statues.
• Xia You imagined leaving his own name and Pokémon's handprints there, which made him more determined to win.
• Xia You asked Carl why the hall had so few memorials despite the Orange League having run for decades.

Xia You learned about the Orange League’s history and its undefeated Top Pokémon Trainer, Drake, then researched the rules for their upcoming Winner’s Cup match. He discovered that Drake could not switch Pokémon until one was knocked out, leaving Sabrina puzzled by a rule that seemed to disadvantage the defending champion.

• Carl explained that the Winner’s Palace displayed only recent winners because Drake had remained undefeated as the Orange League’s Top Pokémon Trainer.
• Xia You and Carl finished touring the Orange League, and Carl invited Xia You to meet him at the Kumquat Colosseum the next day.
• After Xia You and Sabrina left headquarters, Sabrina accused Carl of hypocrisy for politely wishing Xia You well despite wanting Drake to win.
• Xia You and Sabrina went to Mandarin Town’s swimming beach, where Xia You researched Drake and the Winner’s Cup rules.
• Xia You discovered that the defending Top Pokémon Trainer could not switch Pokémon until one was knocked out, and Sabrina questioned why the Orange League had adopted the rule.

Xia You and Sabrina encountered Drake on Tangelo Island and learned that his next Winner's Cup match would be held the following morning. After hearing how certain locals were of Drake's strength, Xia You bet a stallholder that the challenger would win, wagering oranges on the outcome.

• Sabrina sensed something approaching over the sea, and Xia You saw Drake riding Dragonite toward the Kumquat Colosseum.
• Xia You and Sabrina tried the stallholder's Warm Oranges and praised their flavor.
• An announcement invited residents to attend Drake's Winner's Cup match the next morning, and the stallholder prepared to reserve a good seat.
• The stallholder told Xia You that Drake was so strong that challengers rarely dared to face him, and predicted Drake would win again.
• Xia You bet that the challenger would win, wagering that the stallholder would give him a few dozen jin of oranges if he was right, or that he would pay double if he was wrong.

Xia You and Sabrina returned to their guesthouse as he prepared for his Winner’s Cup match against Drake. A televised special revealed the Orange League’s major publicity push, and Xia You spent the night planning his lineup before finally falling asleep.

• Xia You explained to Sabrina that he had bet with a stallholder as a joke, and Sabrina teased him for it.
• Xia You considered Drake’s likely team and the Pokémon he could choose from for the match.
• A television special announced Xia You as Drake’s opponent and promoted the Winner’s Cup broadcast across the Orange Islands.
• Xia You discussed the publicity with Sabrina, then called his Pokémon together to review their preparations.
• Xia You struggled to sleep while thinking about the match, then exhausted himself and eventually drifted off.

Xia You arrived at the Kumquat Colosseum on Citrus Island before his Winner's Cup match against Drake, drawing a crowd of spectators and reporters. He avoided the press and met Orange League officials before being led to the competitors' lounge.

• Spectators crowded Citrus Island and headed to the Kumquat Colosseum, with most local fans supporting Drake.
• Xia You and Sabrina arrived at the colosseum's side entrance in disguise, and Sabrina reassured Xia You about the pressure of representing the Indigo League.
• Carl recognized Xia You and reporters rushed to question him, but Xia You ignored them and Carl had an aide hold them back.
• Carl brought Xia You and Sabrina inside, where Xia You greeted Orange League officials before heading to the competitors' lounge.
• Carl praised Xia You for appearing comfortable among the officials, and Xia You said he had experience with similar occasions.

As Xia You prepared for the Winner’s Cup match against Drake, Carl told him that the unusually large crowd had gathered because of his fame. Friends and supporters across the Orange Islands and Kanto tuned in to watch, while Xia You rested and focused before the battle.

• Carl explained the competition procedures to Xia You and said the stadium crowd was larger than usual because of him.
• After Carl left, Xia You released his Pokémon to prepare, then rested on the lounge sofa while Sabrina watched over him.
• On Shamouti Island, Flula, Gloria, and the mayor gathered around the television and discussed Xia You’s chances against Drake.
• Gloria said she doubted Xia You would use the Legendary Birds in the competition, and Flula accepted that he would likely avoid drawing attention.
• At Cerise Laboratory, Professor Cerise’s family, Chrysa, and Ren watched the broadcast, while Xia You’s Biker Gang supporters gathered at their club.

Xia You faced Orange League champion Drake in the Winner’s Cup, where Drake opened with Ditto and Xia You answered with Gyarados. The first battle began with both Pokémon on the Rock Field.

• Drake and Xia You entered the Kumquat Colosseum to thunderous cheers and shook hands before taking their positions.
• The stall owner who had bet with Xia You the previous day recognized him on the big screen as Drake’s opponent.
• The referee started the match, and Drake sent out Ditto on the Rock Field.
• Xia You sent out Gyarados, whose roar drowned out the stadium crowd.

Xia You’s Gyarados faced Drake’s Ditto, which had transformed into a matching Gyarados, in the opening battle of their match. After their first attacks seemed evenly matched, Xia You ordered Gyarados to use Thrash, leaving Drake puzzled by the move.

• The audience and the Biker Gang reacted to Gyarados’s fearsome appearance, while Ditto was intimidated before the match began.
• Drake ordered Ditto to use Transform, and it copied Gyarados’s form and Ability.
• The referee started the match, and both Pokémon charged into the pool before trading Hydro Pumps that canceled each other out.
• Xia You sent Gyarados in with Aqua Tail, and its tail clashed with Ditto’s in a dramatic collision.
• After the host called the battle even, Xia You ordered Gyarados to use Thrash, and Drake wondered why he had chosen a move that caused confusion.

Xia You’s Gyarados overwhelmed Drake’s Ditto in a brutal close-range fight, winning the first match. Drake acknowledged Xia You’s formidable Pokémon as Xia You recalled Gyarados to recover from Thrash.

• Gyarados repeatedly rammed Ditto after Ditto dodged its first Bite, leaving the two Pokémon locked together at close range.
• Drake ordered Ditto to use Bite, but Gyarados countered by biting Ditto and thrashing until Ditto let go.
• Drake had Ditto use Thrash, but Gyarados pinned it down and tore through its scales until it lost consciousness and returned to its original form.
• Drake recalled Ditto, and the referee declared Xia You the winner of the first match.
• Xia You recalled his still-rampaging Gyarados, and Drake praised it as the most formidable Gyarados he had ever seen.

Xia You sent Venusaur to face Drake’s Onix in the second match, hoping to use Venusaur’s type advantage. Onix quickly burrowed beneath the rocky battlefield, forcing Venusaur to move toward the pool and watch for an underground attack.

• Drake sent out Onix for the second match, and Xia You answered with Venusaur.
• The announcer criticized Xia You for choosing a Pokémon with a type advantage, but Xia You and Drake remained unfazed.
• The referee started the second match, and Xia You ordered Venusaur to use Vine Whip.
• Drake told Onix to burrow underground, and it dodged Venusaur’s vines with exceptional speed.
• Xia You recognized that the rocky terrain favored Onix and ordered Venusaur to move toward the pool while watching beneath its feet.

Xia You used water from the pool to force Drake's Onix out of its burrow, then had Venusaur bind and defeat it with Razor Leaf. Xia You led Drake two battles to none, while Drake recalled Onix and prepared to continue with his remaining Pokémon.

• Onix burst from underground and struck Venusaur, then evaded its counterattack by burrowing again.
• Xia You ordered Venusaur to channel water from the pool into Onix's tunnel, forcing Onix to surface.
• Venusaur bound Onix with its vines and struck it with Razor Leaf, knocking it out.
• The commentator and audience reacted in surprise as Xia You won his second battle against Drake.
• Drake recalled Onix and resolved to continue the match with his four remaining Pokémon.

Xia You sent Haunter to face Drake’s Gengar, and Haunter won without taking a hit before evolving in front of the stunned spectators. The match stood at three to zero as the newly evolved Gengar returned to Xia You, who told it not to draw so much attention again.

• Drake sent out Gengar, and Xia You recalled Venusaur before choosing Haunter to battle it.
• Haunter easily overpowered Gengar’s moves and waited out Destiny Bond before defeating it without receiving a hit or any commands from Xia You.
• The referee announced that Xia You had taken a three-to-zero lead, leaving Drake and the spectators stunned by the mismatch.
• Haunter evolved into Gengar in front of everyone after the battle, surprising Drake and the announcer.
• The newly evolved Gengar returned to Xia You, who praised its performance but said it had revealed his last trump card too soon.

Xia You’s Scyther defeated Drake’s Venusaur, putting Xia You ahead four to zero as the field changed to a Grass Field. Ash, Misty, and Tracey arrived at the colosseum in time to see the victory, and Misty enthusiastically cheered for Xia You.

• Gengar asked Xia You why he called it his trump card, and Xia You praised it while secretly calming the shaking Great Balls on his belt.
• The referee paused the match for a field change, and Xia You rested while thinking about the three battles he still needed to win.
• The arena machinery replaced the rocky field with an overgrown Grass Field, and Xia You and Drake returned to their command areas.
• Ash, Misty, and Tracey hurried to the colosseum after earning their fourth Badges on the way to Citrus Island.
• Xia You’s Scyther defeated Drake’s Venusaur with X-Scissor, making the score four to zero.
• Misty cheered for Xia You from the stands while Ash and Tracey watched the match.

Xia You defeated Drake’s Electabuzz with Crystal Onix, leaving Drake with only his longtime ace, Dragonite. As Dragonite entered the field, Xia You recalled Crystal Onix and sent out Charizard for the final battle.

• Drake sent out Electabuzz, and Xia You answered with Crystal Onix, whose crystal body stunned the crowd and was identified as the legendary Pokémon from Mandarin Island.
• Crystal Onix resisted Electabuzz’s limited attacks and used Rock Tomb and Rock Throw to defeat it, leaving Drake with only Dragonite.
• Drake praised Xia You as the strongest Trainer he had faced, while Xia You credited his Pokémon for his winning streak.
• Drake released Dragonite, and Xia You recalled Crystal Onix before sending out Charizard to face it.

Xia You’s Charizard faced Drake’s Dragonite in a tense battle, trading close-range attacks before Dragonite’s Thunderbolt was weakened by the Grass Field. Both Trainers struggled to gain an advantage as Xia You recognized Dragonite as a champion-level opponent.

• Drake sent Dragonite against Xia You’s Charizard, and spectators worried over Charizard’s type disadvantage.
• Drake opened with Water Gun, which Charizard dodged before the Pokémon clashed with Thunder Punch and Dragon Claw.
• The two Pokémon traded blows and separated after their tails collided, with neither gaining a clear advantage.
• Drake used Thunderbolt, but Charizard evaded it by diving toward the ground, where the Grass Field reduced the attack’s effectiveness.
• Xia You recalled Dragonite’s exceptional strength and judged it to be champion-level.

Xia You’s Charizard gained ground against Drake’s Dragonite, but Dragonite answered with a Water Gun and the battle remained close. When Drake retreated to wear Charizard down, Xia You used Flamethrower to ignite the Grass Field, leaving half the field ablaze.

• Xia You ordered Charizard to grab Dragonite during its Rocket Headbutt and throw it to the ground.
• Charizard struck Dragonite with Dragon Claw and Air Slash before Dragonite retaliated with Water Gun.
• Drake lost confidence and had Dragonite retreat while using ranged attacks to drain Charizard’s stamina.
• Xia You ordered Charizard to use Flamethrower, and its sparks ignited the weeds, setting half the Grass Field ablaze.