Chapter Summaries

Ash battled Taichi for the Stone Badge, then returned to Pallet Town with Serena as he prepared for the Indigo League. He introduced Serena as his girlfriend to his mother and woke the next day to find Serena and his mother already getting along.

• Minccino lost to Charizard, while Helioptile and Charizard knocked each other out, leaving Ash and Taichi to face off with their final Pokémon.
• Taichi used Extreme Evoboost to power up Eevee, whose Flail defeated Pikachu and won the battle.
• Taichi gave Ash the Stone Badge, completing Ash’s collection of all eight Badges, and explained that he had earned his Z-Ring during the Alola Island Challenge.
• Lucy and Brock declined to return to Pallet Town with Ash and Serena, choosing instead to go to the Battle Frontier so Brock could help Lucy run the Battle Pike.
• Ash and Serena flew to Pallet Town, where Ash introduced Serena to his mother as his girlfriend and his mother welcomed them with plans for a feast.
• The next day, Ash came downstairs and found Serena packing her backpack while she and his mother were already getting along.

Ash and Serena investigated Professor Oak’s research into Key Stones, Mega Stones, and the Sundial, then Ash focused on training for the Indigo League. The chapter left Ash in a practice battle against a red-haired trainer whose Umbreon had poisoned Infernape.

• Ash and Serena visited Professor Nishinomori, who said Professor Oak had left him research about Key Stones, Mega Stones, and the Sundial but that he could not continue it alone.
• Ash and Serena searched Professor Oak’s abandoned laboratory and found a damaged file stating that Key Stones originated from a meteorite tied to the Second Calamity and that Mega Stones were formed through the Ultimate Weapon’s effects.
• Professor Oak secretly watched Ash search the laboratory, while Gary warned him that their organization was beginning to suspect them.
• Ash decided to postpone investigating the research until after the Indigo League and continued training for the tournament.
• A red-haired trainer challenged Ash to a practice match, and his Umbreon poisoned Infernape before Ash ordered a Flare Blitz.

Ash traveled to the Indigo League with Serena, learned that the red-haired trainer who defeated him was Giovanni’s son Silver, and drew the Grass Field for his first-round match. His tournament began with Charizard losing to Youngster A-Da’s Giant Mushroom Bug, leaving Ash behind one Pokémon.

• Umbreon recovered with Wish and Leftovers, then used Protect to defeat Infernape, and its trainer left without answering Ash’s questions.
• Ash and Serena set out for the Indigo Plateau, where Giovanni told Ash that the red-haired trainer was his son Silver and gave him a box of items.
• Brock arrived to cheer Ash on, and Ash drew the Grass Field as the battlefield for his first-round three-on-three match.
• Ash chose Gogoat for his team, then entered the arena with Pikachu and sent out Charizard against Youngster A-Da’s Giant Mushroom Bug.
• Giant Mushroom Bug’s Spore ability put Charizard to sleep after Charizard used Dragon Claw, and Leech Seed drained Charizard’s health to secure the first victory.

Ash’s Dragonair defeated A-Da’s Giant Mushroom Bug and Snover before Slaking knocked Dragonair out. Ash sent out Gogoat and began a strategy against Slaking, ending with Gogoat preparing to fire Seed Bomb into Slaking’s nostril.

• Ash sent out Dragonair, who washed away Giant Mushroom Bug’s Spore with Surf and defeated him with Dragon Rage.
• Dragonair used Surf to form an ice wall against Snover’s Blizzard, then circled behind Snover and knocked him out with Dragon Tail.
• A-Da sent out Slaking, who endured Dragonair’s attacks and defeated him with Play Rough.
• Ash sent out Gogoat, whose Razor Leaf hurt Slaking before Slaking used Rest to heal himself.
• Gogoat charged into Slaking with Tackle, and Ash ordered him to put Seed Bomb into Slaking’s nostril.

Ash won his first-round battle with Gogoat, drew the Water Field for his next match, and reunited with Dawn, who agreed to travel with him after the Indigo League. In his second-round battle, Swablu struggled against Ming’s Seismitoad until he evolved into Altaria and launched a counterattack.

• Ash had Gogoat place Seed Bombs in Slaking’s nostrils, and the explosion knocked Slaking out, winning Ash the match.
• Ash drew the Water Field for his second-round battle and watched Silver advance effortlessly with Starmie.
• Ash, Brock, and Serena found Dawn performing with Piplup and agreed to reunite for a journey after the tournament.
• Ash prepared Pikachu and Swablu for his Water Field battle against Ming, who sent out Seismitoad.
• Ming’s Seismitoad used Rain Dance, Muddy Water, and Sludge Wave to overwhelm Swablu, who evolved into Altaria and answered with Hyper Voice.

Ash defeated Ming in the water-field match, using Altaria and Pikachu to overcome all three of Ming’s Pokémon. After advancing to the semifinals, Ash reunited with Hiroshi at the athletes’ village.

• Ash used Altaria’s song to put Seismitoad to sleep, then defeated it with Dragon Pulse.
• Ash sent Pikachu against Cloyster, which Pikachu defeated with a close-range Thunder attack after blocking its shell from closing.
• Tentacruel bound Pikachu and dragged it underwater, but Pikachu’s Static slowed Tentacruel, allowing Pikachu to escape and win with Thunderbolt.
• Ash won his battles on the ice and rock fields after defeating Ming, advancing to the semifinals as he and Pikachu moved closer to the championship.
• Hiroshi and his Pikachu, Raine, arrived at the athletes’ village, and Ash greeted them happily.

Ash reunited with Hiroshi and learned they would face each other in the Indigo League semifinals, then discovered Giovanni’s gift before the tournament began. Their semifinal battle opened with a Pikachu draw, and Hiroshi’s Tyranitar gained the advantage over Ash’s Pokémon as Ambipom prepared a Focus Punch against it.

• Ash and Hiroshi caught up on their adventures and revealed that they would meet in the semifinals, while Ash later opened Giovanni’s mysterious gift with Serena and Brock.
• Ash and Hiroshi sent out their Pikachu, Raine and Pikachu exchanged attacks, and both Pokémon were ruled unable to battle after their Iron Tails struck simultaneously.
• Ash sent Dragonair against Hiroshi’s Tyranitar, Cruz, but the sandstorm injured Dragonair before Hiroshi used Earthquake to drain away Ash’s muddy-water Surf.
• Ash recalled Dragonair and sent Infernape, whose Mach Punch hurt Cruz, but a fissure filled with muddy water trapped Infernape and Tyranitar knocked it out with Hyper Beam.
• Ash sent out Ambipom and ordered Double Team followed by Focus Punch, while Hiroshi commanded Cruz to identify Ambipom’s true form.

Ash and Hiroshi traded Pokémon as Ash used the cracked battlefield to defeat Butterfree and Tauros outmaneuvered Azumarill, but Hiroshi’s Granbull defeated the exhausted Tauros. Ash sent out his weakened Dragonair against Granbull, leaving the battle nearing its final showdown.

• Ambipom knocked out Tyranitar with a strike to his belly, but Hiroshi sent out Butterfree, forcing Ash to switch to Altaria.
• Altaria used Hidden Power to hit Butterfree with ice balls while Butterfree tried to redirect them, and Altaria won the exchange.
• Ash recalled Altaria and sent Ambipom against Azumarill, who defeated him with Bubble Beam after overpowering his Double Hit.
• Tauros forced Azumarill out of bounds with a feint, then defeated her with Zen Headbutt and Horn Attack, though his front legs were left trembling.
• Hiroshi sent out Granbull, who eventually forced Tauros down and defeated him after Tauros rolled over him.
• Ash recalled Tauros and sent out his weakened Dragonair to face Granbull.

Ash and Hiroshi’s battle reached its final round as their Mega Charizard forms fought for victory. Ash defeated Hiroshi’s Mega Charizard X with a risky Blast Burn counter and advanced to the final, where Silver acknowledged him as a worthy opponent.

• Dragonair and Granbull knocked each other out after Granbull swam through Dragonair’s Surf and used Crunch.
• Hiroshi sent out Charizard, and Ash and Hiroshi Mega Evolved their Charizard into Mega Charizard X and Mega Charizard Y.
• The two Mega Charizard traded Flamethrower and Dragon Claw attacks, and Hiroshi’s Charizard gained an advantage by grabbing Ash’s Charizard’s tail and throwing him down.
• Ash’s Charizard interrupted their Flamethrower attacks with a headbutt, then Ash used Flamethrower to thaw and evaporate muddy water in cracks in the ground.
• Hiroshi’s Mega Charizard X used Blast Burn, but Ash’s Mega Charizard Y survived by jumping into a pit and struck him down, winning Ash the match.
• Hiroshi congratulated Ash and wished him luck in the final, while Silver watched and called Ash a worthy opponent.

After the Legendary Birds’ capture caused extreme weather across Kanto, Ash, Serena, Brock, and Dawn traveled to Team Rocket’s base in the Sevii Islands for help. They reached the underground base on Five Island and found Jessie, James, and Meowth waiting there.

• Silver defeated his semifinal opponent using only three Pokémon, and Ash told Brock that Silver had beaten him before the Indigo League.
• Abnormal weather spread across Kanto, and President Charles Goodshow explained that the capture of Fire Bird and Thunder Bird had unbalanced the world’s weather.
• Silver directed Ash and his friends to Team Rocket’s base in the Sevii Islands, and Dawn joined them as President Charles Goodshow suspended the Indigo League final.
• Ash, Serena, Brock, and Dawn flew to One Island, where Celio gave them a map showing the base’s location on Five Island.
• The group reached Five Island, entered the underground base using Giovanni’s name as the password, and met Jessie, James, and Meowth.

Ash and his friends traveled to Shamouti Island to investigate the Shuttle Corps and protect Lugia, only to learn that Bishas had stolen two sacred orbs and kidnapped Flula. Bishas attacked with Primal Reverted Fire Bird and Thunder Bird, and Articuno was left battling both Legendary Birds.

• Jessie, James, and Meowth told Ash and his friends that the Shuttle Corps' Aerial Fortress had appeared over Shamouti Island, and the group planned to search for Lugia and the fortress.
• Ash and his friends arrived on Shamouti Island, where villagers told them the Shuttle Corps had stolen the Fire Orb and Thunder Orb, taken Flula, and that the Ice Orb had disappeared years earlier.
• Bishas brought the Aerial Fortress over the island, demanded Ash's Articuno and Ice Orb, then sent Fire Bird and Thunder Bird to attack.
• Brock noticed the Fire Orb and Thunder Orb hanging from the Legendary Birds, and Ash realized they could undergo Primal Reversion and sent Articuno to fight them.
• Bishas's Fire Bird and Thunder Bird overwhelmed Articuno with combined attacks, but Ash had Articuno use Roost while falling to the ground, where it recovered and lost its temporary Electric weakness.

Ash and his allies fought Bishas as he summoned Lugia, but Bishas captured Lugia with a Dark Poké Ball and turned it into a Dark Pokémon. After Lugia flooded Shamouti Island, Ash challenged Bishas again, and Lugia’s Aeroblast overwhelmed Articuno’s Blizzard.

• Snorlax arrived and protected Articuno, using Snore to make Thunder Bird flinch while Articuno froze Fire Bird and Thunder Bird.
• Bishas emerged from his fortress with hypnotized Flula, who played the Song of Lugia, while Shedinja knocked Ash unconscious.
• Bishas summoned Lugia and threw a Dark Poké Ball at it, turning Lugia into a Dark Pokémon despite Pikachu knocking Shedinja down.
• Dark Lugia flooded Shamouti Island, so Ash evacuated his allies with his flying Pokémon while Jessie and James helped rescue the villagers.
• Bishas ordered Lugia to use Aeroblast on Articuno, and the attack sliced through Articuno’s Blizzard and badly injured it.

Ash and his friends fought Bishas and Lugia, freed the Legendary Birds, and purified Lugia with Flula’s Song of Lugia. After Bishas was arrested and the world was saved, Lugia and the Legendary Birds departed, leaving Ash to say goodbye to Articuno.

• Ash sent Snorlax and Team Rocket to search for the frozen Fire Bird and Thunder Bird while Charizard, Crobat, and Togekiss tried to hold off Lugia.
• Snorlax found the frozen birds, and Silver used Starmie’s Scald to thaw them before healing them with a Potion.
• Ash returned to the battle with the Legendary Birds, and Snorlax used Protect to block Lugia’s Aeroblast, allowing Tri Attack to strike Lugia.
• Wild Pokémon helped bring down Bishas’s fortress, and Officer Jenny arrested Bishas after Braviary stopped his escape.
• Flula played the Song of Lugia, purifying Lugia and healing his wounds as the water receded from Shamouti Island.
• Lugia departed with the Legendary Birds, and Ash tearfully said goodbye to Articuno.

After the Blizzard ended, Ash left the ruined Shamouti Island and set out for Alola with Serena to learn more about Professor Oak’s connection to the Shuttle Corps. The chapter ended with Samson Oak greeting Ash and Serena at the Pokémon School, but looking troubled when he saw Ash.

• Melody explained that the Articuno Ash met at the Seafoam Islands had inherited the Ice Orb after the previous God of Ice died, and Ash prepared to continue pursuing the Shuttle Corps.
• Jessie and James told Ash that Snorlax had been taken to the Aether Foundation and had refused every adoption, so they had kept him safe; Ash exchanged contact information with them.
• Ash announced that he and Serena would travel to Alola, while Brock returned to Lucy and Dawn went home to Twinleaf Town with Ambipom.
• Ash and Serena returned to Pallet Town, told Ash’s mother about their plans, and then flew to Alola the following evening.
• Ash and Serena visited Professor Kukui’s laboratory in Iki Town, found him absent, and went to the Pokémon School to look for him.
• Ash and Serena met Principal Samson Oak, whose expression darkened when he saw Ash.

Ash visited Alola to learn about Professor Oak’s undercover mission and search Aether Paradise for Pokémon he had left behind. After a thief disrupted the foundation and stole Pokémon, Ash tracked her down, where she mistook him for someone named Red.

• Ash learned from Principal Oak that Yukinari and his grandson had infiltrated the Shuttle Corps to investigate Key Stones, Mega Stones, the Sundial, and the organization’s plans.
• Ash asked about the Ultimate Weapon and Second Calamity, learned that the former was tied to Kalos, and thanked Professor Kukui for returning his Rotom Pokédex.
• Ash and Serena traveled to Aether Paradise, but staff could not help them because a woman had stolen Pokémon from its conservation area.
• Ash saw a wanted poster identifying the thief as Xiao Lan and persuaded Serena to search for her around Hau'oli City.
• Ash and Serena found Xiao Lan, who hugged Ash because she mistook him for Red, then showed him a photo of Red, who looked remarkably like him.

Ash and Serena returned to Johto to track down Xiao Lan, who had stolen Ash’s Altaria, and seek information about the Shuttle Corps. After Bill revealed that Red and Xiao Luo were in Johto fighting the organization, Ash and Serena headed to Professor Elm’s laboratory, where they found Professor Oak attacking Elm.

• Xiao Lan escaped with Jigglypuff after stealing Ash’s Altaria, prompting Ash and Serena to return home and travel to Johto.
• At Bill’s house in Goldenrod City, Bill explained that Red and Xiao Luo had stayed in Johto to fight the Shuttle Corps.
• Ash and Serena questioned Officer Jenny, then decided to visit Professor Elm in New Bark Town.
• A Shuttle Corps Officer defeated a young man’s Pokémon and ordered his Blastoise to crush the young man’s Blastoise.
• Ash and Serena arrived at Elm’s laboratory and found Professor Oak reaching for Elm’s throat with a disturbing expression.

Ash and his friends discovered that Professor Oak had been controlled by a Key Stone hidden in his sunglasses, leaving him with temporary amnesia after they stopped him. Xiao Lan then revealed evidence that Goldenrod City's Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny worked for the Shuttle Corps, and Red organized a covert investigation before challenging Ash to a battle.

• Professor Oak attacked Ash and Professor Elm, but Infernape knocked him down and removed his sunglasses, exposing a Key Stone attached to one lens.
• Ash, Serena, and Professor Elm gave Professor Oak first aid and took him to the hospital, where a doctor said his memory loss was temporary.
• Red and Xiao Luo arrived at the hospital, and Ash explained the attack and shared what he knew about the Shuttle Corps.
• Xiao Lan showed Ash, Serena, Red, and Xiao Luo a video of Goldenrod City's Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny wearing Shuttle Corps uniforms, prompting Red to plan a covert investigation at the Pokémon Center.
• Red assigned Xiao Luo and himself to investigate inside the Pokémon Center while Ash, Serena, and Xiao Lan watched from nearby, then challenged Ash to a warm-up battle.
• Red and Ash each sent out their Pikachu to begin the battle.

Red and Xiao Luo infiltrated the Goldenrod City Pokémon Center to expose a fake Nurse Joy, while Ash, Serena, and Xiao Lan watched from a rooftop. The real Nurse Joy rescued Red and Xiao Luo from the poison-filled room, but the fake Nurse Joy triggered another mechanism as the chapter ended.

• Red defeated Ash's Pikachu with a Toxic-coated Iron Tail, then cured it with an Antidote before the group headed to Goldenrod City.
• Red and Xiao Luo entered the Pokémon Center while Xiao Lan monitored them, but Officer Jenny caught Ash, Serena, and Xiao Lan on the rooftop.
• Xiao Lan used Ditto to transform into Bewear and carry Ash and Serena away as the police moved to arrest them.
• The fake Nurse Joy trapped Red and Xiao Luo in a room with poisonous mist, but the real Nurse Joy arrived and battled her with Meganium against Houndoom.
• Red revealed that he had released Aerodactyl, which struck Houndoom, while Xiao Luo healed Meganium; the fake Nurse Joy then activated another mechanism, dropping several Poké Balls from the ceiling.

Ash and Serena searched Ecruteak City's Burned Tower for clues about the escaped impostors and uncovered a feather that might belong to Ho-Oh, but flames trapped them at the top. Elsewhere, a new trainer traveled with Riolu, searched for a way home, and approached a Ninja Boy and his Bubble Frog before someone blocked the path.

• Ash and Red learned that the impostors were pursuing the Artificial Pokémon Project, and Ash and Serena split from Red to search Ecruteak City.
• Ash and Serena found the Ecruteak Gym unattended and chased a shadow into the Burned Tower.
• Real flames trapped Ash and Serena inside the tower, and they followed a clear path to its top as the fire intensified behind them.
• Pikachu found a hidden, intact feather, and Ash suspected it belonged to Ho-Oh just as the flames reached them.
• A trainer traveling with Riolu searched for their house and decided to challenge a Ninja Boy training beneath a waterfall, but a figure suddenly leaped in front of them.

Silver lost his first battle with Riolu, then rescued her from Team Rocket with help from Santalune Gym Leader Viola. While Riolu recovered at the Pokémon Center, he met Sakuma, whose Chespin clung to him, and agreed to help her find a Pokémon that liked dressing up.

• Silver and Riolu returned to Santalune City with the ninja boy, who bought them food before they battled; Riolu refused to fight Bubble Frog, and Silver lost.
• Team Rocket attacked Silver and Riolu in a park, but Viola defeated them with her Surskit.
• Silver rushed Riolu to the Pokémon Center, where Miss Joy took her in for treatment.
• Silver met Sakuma, whose Chespin clung to him and resisted going back to her.
• Sakuma explained that she wanted to dress up Pokémon, and Silver agreed to help her find one that liked dressing up.