Recaps

At Snowpoint City airport, Xiaoyun and his friends reunited with Ash and Serena as Ash returned Misaki’s ocean-crossing Piplup. Xiaoyun confronted Ash’s partner Goh over his plan to catch every Pokémon and warned that the League could suspend his Trainer privileges; Goh still resisted, leaving the dispute unresolved.

• Xiaoyun, Dawn, and Zoey learned that Misaki’s Piplup had run away and swum from Sinnoh to Kanto, and they waited at the airport for Ash to return it.
• Ash arrived with Serena, reunited with his friends, and returned the recovered but still sulking Piplup to Misaki.
• Ash told Xiaoyun he had registered for the Pokémon World Championships at Great Ball Tier, number 79.
• Goh introduced himself as Ash’s partner and declared that he intended to catch every Pokémon, prompting Xiaoyun, Dawn, and Zoey to challenge his attitude toward Pokémon.
• Goh said he would leave the Pokémon he caught at Cerise Laboratory and claimed he would catch Mew, angering Xiaoyun.
• Xiaoyun warned Goh to respect Pokémon and said he could ask the League to block his Poké Ball access and freeze his Trainer ID if he refused to change.

Xiaoyun challenged Goh to a battle with strict consequences, then used a borrowed Sneasel to defeat Goh’s first two Pokémon at the Snowpoint Gym. Goh had four Pokémon left, while Xiaoyun’s Sneasel remained on the field.

• Goh challenged Xiaoyun to a duel, and Xiaoyun set terms limiting Goh’s future catches and requiring League evaluations for his Pokémon if he lost.
• Xiaoyun agreed to use three beginner-level Pokémon borrowed from Candice, while Goh could use his six Pokémon and win by defeating just one.
• At Snowpoint Gym, Candice and Dawn discussed Goh’s dream of catching every Pokémon as the battle began.
• Xiaoyun’s Sneasel used Icy Wind to slow Beedrill, then knocked it out with Metal Claw.
• Sneasel dodged Pinsir’s Vice Grip, boosted its claws with Hone Claws, and defeated Pinsir with two Metal Claw strikes.

Xiaoyun’s Sneasel defeated all six of Goh’s Pokémon, exposing Goh’s lack of battle skill and bond with them. Goh left the Gym devastated, while Xiaoyun said he could reconsider the ban on catching Pokémon if Goh genuinely changed.

• Goh’s Scyther, Taillow, and Venomoth fell to Sneasel’s tactics and attacks.
• Sneasel defeated Goh’s final Pokémon, Scorbunny, giving Xiaoyun a complete victory.
• Xiaoyun told Goh that he treated Pokémon as tools and did not understand a Trainer’s responsibilities.
• Goh could not defend himself and left the Gym overwhelmed by regret.
• Ash asked whether banning Goh from catching Pokémon was too harsh, and Xiaoyun said he would reconsider if Goh truly changed.

Xiaoyun and his friends entered Snowpoint City's drift-ice swimming competition, where Misaki's Piplup won and eased the tension between them. After Ash and Serena left for a Dynamax-related assignment, Xiaoyun and Dawn traveled to Wyndon, where Nessa and Sonia greeted them.

• Dawn, Zoey, Xiaoyun, Ash, and Misaki entered the Snowpoint City Drift Ice Swimming Competition with their Pokémon.
• Misaki's Piplup outpaced the other competitors and won the race, earning a year's supply of Bluk Berries and bringing Misaki and Piplup closer.
• Ash and Serena left for Galar after Professor Cerise called them about a new discovery involving Dynamax energy.
• Xiaoyun told Dawn they would travel to Galar to answer Raihan's challenge, and they arrived in Wyndon a few days later.
• Nessa welcomed Xiaoyun and Dawn at Wyndon Airport and introduced them to Sonia, a Galar researcher and Leon's childhood friend.

Xiaoyun met Sonia and Nessa in Wyndon, received a Dynamax Band, and met Champion Leon, who looked forward to battling him after his match with Raihan. At Wyndon Stadium, Xiaoyun and Raihan exchanged bold declarations before their battle began.

• Nessa gave Xiaoyun a calibrated Dynamax Band, and Sonia explained that Raihan was a powerful Dragon-type specialist ranked seventh in the world.
• Leon visited the tea restaurant, welcomed Xiaoyun to Galar, gave him a special stadium Badge, and urged him not to lose to Raihan before their own future battle.
• The next afternoon, Xiaoyun and Raihan arrived at a packed Wyndon Stadium for their highly anticipated match.
• Raihan declared that he would defeat Xiaoyun and use the victory as a battle cry against Leon.
• Xiaoyun dismissed Raihan's ambitions and declared that he intended to win and claim first place, exciting the crowd and Raihan.

Xiaoyun defeated Raihan in a Dynamax battle after Buzzwole endured Duraludon’s attacks and won their final clash. Xiaoyun successfully defended his position as champion at Wyndon Stadium.

• Raihan opened the battle with Duraludon and a sandstorm, while Xiaoyun sent out Buzzwole and boosted it with Bulk Up.
• Buzzwole endured Dragon Pulse, broke through Stone Edge, and landed a powerful Dynamic Punch on Duraludon.
• Raihan recalled Duraludon and Gigantamaxed it; Xiaoyun Dynamaxed Buzzwole, and their Max Moves clashed evenly.
• Dynamax Duraludon used G-Max Depletion, but Dynamax Buzzwole met it with Max Darkness in a final head-on collision.
• Both Pokémon returned to normal size and fell, but Buzzwole stood back up, winning the battle and defending Xiaoyun’s position.

Ash battled Bea in a Great Ball Tier ranking match in Hammerlocke, losing his first Pokémon, Dracovish, to her Grapploct before Dragonite defeated Grapploct. Bea sent out Machamp as the battle continued.

• Xiaoyun, Dawn, Serena, Korrina, and Viola watched Ash face Bea in a two-on-two ranking match, with Bea challenging Ash, who was ranked higher.
• Bea's Grapploct defeated Ash's Dracovish after restraining it with Octolock and slamming it with Submission.
• Ash sent out his affectionate Dragonite, which quickly dodged Grapploct's Liquidation attacks and struck it with Dragon Pulse.
• Dragonite engulfed Grapploct in Hurricane, leaving it unable to battle and evening the match.
• Bea recalled Grapploct and sent out Machamp for her second Pokémon.

Ash and Bea’s battle ended in a draw after Mega Dragonite and Dynamax Machamp exhausted themselves in a clash of powerful attacks. A Dynamax Corviknight then went berserk in Hammerlocke, and Dawn sent Pheromosa to stop it as the others watched.

• Bea’s Machamp overwhelmed Dragonite until Ash Mega Evolved Dragonite, and Bea responded by Dynamaxing Machamp.
• Mega Dragonite and Dynamax Machamp traded powerful attacks before both lost the strength to battle, resulting in a draw.
• After the match, Ash invited Xiaoyun, Dawn, and Serena to explore Hammerlocke, while Bea confronted Korrina about giving Ash the Mega Stone.
• An explosion outside the stadium revealed a Corviknight undergoing an out-of-control Dynamax, and Xiaoyun warned that its energy was still rising.
• Dawn sent Pheromosa to approach the rampaging Corviknight and interrupt its Dynamax while avoiding falling debris.

Dawn and Pheromosa stopped a rampaging Corviknight in Hammerlocke as reports of uncontrolled Dynamax incidents mounted. President Rose then awakened Eternatus to secure Galar’s future energy, triggering the Darkest Day and sending Leon racing toward the energy plant.

• Dawn directed Pheromosa to disrupt Corviknight’s unstable energy with Bug Buzz and end its Dynamax with High Jump Kick, then police took control of the scene.
• Officer Jenny said the Corviknight incident was the third uncontrolled Dynamax case in Hammerlocke that week, and Bea offered to report the problem to Leon.
• Rose and Oleana prepared to awaken Eternatus, which Rose believed could provide Galar with more than a thousand years of energy.
• At the energy factory, Rose ordered the final awakening sequence, and the revived Eternatus unleashed dark red energy across Galar, causing widespread disasters and uncontrolled Dynamaxing.
• Sonia warned Leon that Eternatus was out of control, and Leon flew toward the energy plant on Charizard.

Out-of-control Dynamax Pokémon rampaged through Hammerlocke as Xiaoyun and the others rushed to help Leon face Eternatus. The crisis remained unresolved when Xiaoyun and Ash reached the stadium and found Team Rocket’s Dynamax Meowth fighting alongside Eternatus.

• Xiaoyun, Ash, and their friends left a restaurant to find Dynamax Pokémon rampaging through Hammerlocke, where Raihan, Bea, Korrina, and Viola were already fighting them.
• Sonia told Xiaoyun that Rose had awakened Eternatus at Hammerlocke Stadium and asked him to help Leon, while Serena stayed behind to fight a Dynamax Coalossal.
• Leon confronted Rose at the stadium, but Eternatus suppressed Charizard’s Dynamax, forcing Leon to attack with Charizard’s ordinary power.
• Oleana tried to block Xiaoyun and Ash, but Dawn sent out Diancie to hold off Oleana’s Milotic and let them continue.
• Xiaoyun and Ash reached Leon’s platform and found him battling Eternatus and a Dynamax Meowth while Jessie and James dodged its attacks.

Leon, Xiaoyun, and their Pokémon fought Eternatus as Rose tried to stop them, but Eternatus transformed into its overwhelming Eternamax form. Darkrai saved Sceptile from Eternatus’s five Dynamax Cannons, while Leon concluded they needed Galar’s legendary hero and the sword and shield to defeat it.

• Rose tried to recruit Xiaoyun to harness Eternatus’s power, but Xiaoyun rejected him, and Rose sent Copperajah and Ferrothorn to fight Ash.
• Ash battled Rose’s Steel-type Pokémon while Leon and his Pokémon attacked Eternatus, wounding it but exhausting Charizard and Inteleon.
• Eternatus absorbed Galar’s energy and transformed into its gigantic Eternamax form, then shrugged off attacks from Leon and Xiaoyun’s Sceptile.
• Eternatus fired five Dynamax Cannons, and Sceptile’s Divine Departure briefly stopped them before the attack overwhelmed it.
• Darkrai emerged from Xiaoyun’s shadow and absorbed the remaining Dynamax Cannon energy, while Leon said they needed Galar’s legendary hero and the sword and shield.

Xiaoyun summoned Kyurem to battle Eternamax Eternatus, then called on Squishy and Tuantuan when Kyurem struggled against Eternatus's strongest attacks. They transformed into Zygarde Complete Forme as Sonia arrived with the sword and shield relics, leaving Galar's crisis poised for a renewed fight.

• Xiaoyun summoned Kyurem, and Kyurem's Glaciate clashed with Eternatus's Flamethrower in a draw.
• Kyurem changed into White Kyurem and struck Eternatus with Fusion Flare, but Eternatus healed and countered with Eternabeam.
• White Kyurem met Eternatus's Eternabeam with Ice Burn, and the clash pushed Kyurem back as Leon worried they still needed the sword and shield heroes.
• Xiaoyun opened a passage to the Tree of Beginning, and Squishy and Tuantuan arrived while Sonia and Goh reached the platform with the sword and shield relics.
• Sonia recognized Squishy and Tuantuan as Zygarde Cores, and the two transformed into Zygarde-50% Forme before merging into Zygarde Complete Forme.

Xiaoyun, Ash, Dawn, and their Pokémon defeated Rose, Oleana, and Eternatus, ending the Darkest Day crisis in Galar. Xiaoyun entrusted the weakened Eternatus to Leon, who captured it and arrested Rose.

• Ash used Lucario and Pikachu to defeat Rose’s Copperajah and Ferrothorn, while Dawn defeated Oleana’s Milotic with Diancie.
• White Kyurem transformed into Black Kyurem and fought Eternatus with Freeze Shock until Complete Forme Zygarde joined the attack with Core Enforcer, overwhelming Eternatus and ending the uncontrolled Dynamax crisis.
• Goh tried to catch the weakened Eternatus, but Xiaoyun stopped him and Leon reprimanded him.
• Xiaoyun asked Leon to catch Eternatus so Galar could retain its Galar Particles under the Champion’s supervision, and Leon successfully captured it.
• Leon arrested Rose after Xiaoyun pointed him out, and Rose protested as he was escorted into a police car.

Xiaoyun accepted Volkner’s challenge and faced him in a three-on-three exhibition match at Hammerlocke Stadium. Sirfetch’d defeated Luxray and traded itself for Rotom, leaving Suicune and Electivire to decide the battle as Suicune’s overwhelming Ice Beam caught Volkner off guard.

• Xiaoyun accepted Volkner’s challenge after receiving his request to spar.
• Xiaoyun and Volkner began their exhibition match, with Sirfetch’d facing Luxray.
• Sirfetch’d used Swords Dance and Meteor Assault to knock out Luxray.
• Volkner’s Rotom paralyzed Sirfetch’d and struck it with Hex, but Sirfetch’d used Final Gambit to knock Rotom out as well.
• Volkner sent out Electivire, and Xiaoyun answered with Suicune.
• Suicune’s Ice Beam froze and pierced Electivire’s Discharge, grazing Electivire’s left arm despite Volkner’s attempt to dodge.

Xiaoyun defeated Volkner by Dynamaxing Suicune, then learned that Suicune had sensed another of its kind and followed the presence to a polluted forest lake. There, Xiaoyun, Dawn, and Paul confronted Pokémon hunters trying to lure and capture the other Suicune, and Xiaoyun’s Suicune began overpowering them.

• Xiaoyun recalled Suicune during Electivire’s Wild Charge, Dynamaxed him, and won with Max Geyser after Electivire’s Thunder failed to stop the attack.
• After Paul won his ranking match, Suicune appeared and told Xiaoyun that he sensed another Suicune; Xiaoyun, Dawn, and Paul set off to investigate.
• Suicune guided them to a forest lake polluted by Pokémon hunters dumping industrial waste to lure the other Suicune out.
• Xiaoyun’s Suicune began purifying the lake, but the hunters attacked with capture nets and tranquilizers, so Suicune froze the nets and blasted them with Blizzard.
• The hunters sent out Muk, Trubbish, and Weezing, but Suicune’s Blizzard froze their sludge attacks and quickly overwhelmed much of their force.

Xiaoyun and his companions stopped hunters from capturing two Suicune, but the wild Suicune proved so weak that Paul offered to train it. After Paul defeated Goh in a battle, Suicune accepted Paul's offer and entered his Great Ball.

• A second Suicune arrived at the polluted lake, and Gore emerged to attack it with Garbodor.
• The wild Suicune struggled against Garbodor and was caught in a rope and net, but Xiaoyun's Suicune froze Garbodor, three Muk, Gore, and the other hunters before Officer Jenny took them into custody.
• Paul confronted the dispirited Suicune and offered to train it, while Goh interrupted and challenged Paul for the right to catch it.
• Paul's Torterra defeated Goh's Cinderace with Frenzy Plant, and Paul criticized Goh and Ash.
• Paul offered Suicune a final choice, and Suicune touched its forehead to Paul's Great Ball and was captured.

Team Galactic stole the Flame Plate and captured Heatran to power a space-time gate at their Mt. Coronet base, hoping to bring back Cyrus. The experiment spiraled out of control, and Uxie contacted Xiaoyun for help as the Lake Guardians moved to contain the disaster.

• Mars and Jupiter stole the Flame Plate from the Coronet Museum while its security systems were offline.
• Saturn and his team captured Heatran at Stark Mountain using restraint nets and coordinated attacks from Gallade and Rhyperior.
• Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn used Heatran's Magma Storm to channel energy from the Flame Plate into a space-time gate at the Team Galactic base.
• The energy conduit exploded, the Flame Plate went berserk, and Heatran transformed into a rampaging lava behemoth as space-time rifts spread through the base.
• Arceus awakened and ordered Mesprit, Azelf, and Uxie to stop the disaster, allowing them to seek Xiaoyun's help if needed.
• Uxie contacted Xiaoyun in Galar while Mew slept beside it.

After learning that Team Galactic had stolen the Flame Plate and unleashed a lava beast at Mt. Coronet, Xiaoyun rushed back to Sinnoh while Ash, Serena, and Brock joined Mesprit and Azelf to stop it. The chapter ended with Ash and Saturn battling as the lava beast advanced toward Mt. Coronet.

• Uxie telepathically warned Xiaoyun that Team Galactic had stolen the Flame Plate and created a lava beast, so Xiaoyun and Dawn flew back to Sinnoh.
• At a Hisui exhibition, Ash, Serena, and Cynthia saw an energy pillar erupt from Mt. Coronet, and Mesprit and Azelf explained that the beast threatened Sinnoh's stability.
• Ash agreed to help stop the beast, while Cynthia promised to contact the Pokémon League and organize an evacuation.
• Ash, Serena, and Brock reached Mt. Coronet and found Team Galactic commanders Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter blocking their path to the lava beast.
• Ash battled Saturn, using Dragonite and Pikachu to counter Rhyperior and Toxicroak and sending Rhyperior staggering with Iron Tail.

Cynthia, Ash, Serena, and Brock fought Team Galactic’s commanders and the lava beast while trying to hold the battlefield. Ash, Serena, and Brock defeated Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter, while Cynthia trapped the lava beast temporarily and waited for Xiaoyun to return.

• Serena countered Mars’s attacks with Greninja and Delphox, while Brock used Blissey’s healing to withstand Jupiter’s assault.
• Cynthia attacked the lava beast with Gastrodon and Milotic, then Mega Evolved Garchomp and used Earth Power and Sandstorm to restrain it with help from Mesprit and Azelf.
• Pikachu’s Iron Tail and Dragonite’s Dragon Rush defeated Rhyperior and Toxicroak, leaving Saturn defeated.
• Serena used Delphox and Greninja’s combined Fire Pledge and Water Pledge to knock out Purugly and Magnezone, defeating Mars.
• Brock Mega Evolved Steelix and used Stone Edge to knock out Skuntank and Golbat, defeating Jupiter.

A Flame Plate-fueled lava beast grew into a Primal Groudon-like monster, and Hoopa summoned Kyogre to fight it. When Kyogre could no longer hold it back, Xiaoyun called for another Legendary Pokémon to help separate Heatran from the Plate.

• The lava beast absorbed more Flame Plate energy, shrugged off the group’s attacks, and expanded the space-time rift as it headed toward Mt. Coronet’s ley lines.
• Hoopa brought Kyogre through a space-time rift, and Kyogre used Primordial Sea and powerful Water-type attacks to batter the lava beast.
• Xiaoyun arrived with Dawn, Hoopa, and Uxie, while Kyogre’s assault drove the lava beast into a volcanic crater.
• The Flame Plate empowered the beast again, transforming it into a Primal Groudon-like form that could withstand Kyogre’s Origin Pulse.
• Ash identified Heatran as the beast’s core, and Xiaoyun organized a plan to suppress the monster while the Lake Guardians extracted Heatran.
• Xiaoyun asked Hoopa to summon another ally, and Lugia emerged from Hoopa’s golden ring above Mt. Coronet.

Ash and Xiaoyun defeated the lava behemoth, rescued Heatran, and stopped the disaster at Mt. Coronet. Arceus repaired the rifts and restored the forest before leaving, and Xiaoyun arranged for the Team Galactic commanders to be arrested.

• Lugia joined Kyogre and helped suppress the lava behemoth with torrential rain and Aeroblast.
• Ash rode Dragonite into the behemoth with the Lake Guardians' help, and Pikachu broke the Flame Plate's energy chains binding Heatran.
• Ash dragged Heatran out of the behemoth, causing the creature to collapse and the Flame Plate to fall free.
• Arceus arrived, reclaimed the Flame Plate, sealed the space-time rifts, and restored Mt. Coronet's burned forest with the Meadow Plate.
• Heatran thanked everyone and returned to the crater to recover, while Arceus gave Xiaoyun an approving look and vanished.
• Xiaoyun had Officer Jenny arrest the three Team Galactic commanders, and Ash stopped Brock from trying to flirt with Dawn.

Alain challenged Xiaoyun to a Great Ball Level ranking match to test how far his strength had come. Goodra gained the advantage over Lucario with Rain Dance and Muddy Water, but Xiaoyun responded by Dynamaxing Lucario.

• Xiaoyun accepted Alain's challenge after seeing that Alain was ranked No. 10 in the Great Ball Level.
• At Wyndon Stadium, Alain explained that he wanted to measure his strength against Xiaoyun, and they began a three-on-three Single Battle.
• Alain sent out Goodra and used Rain Dance to create a battlefield that favored it.
• Goodra used Muddy Water and Aqua Tail to pressure Lucario and force Xiaoyun to recall it.
• Xiaoyun activated his Dynamax Band and sent Dynamax Lucario back onto the battlefield.

Xiaoyun’s Dynamax Lucario defeated Alain’s Goodra before both Lucario and Tyranitar knocked each other out. Alain sent out Mega Charizard X to face Xiaoyun’s Totem Sceptile, and their clash escalated into a contest between Blast Burn and Light of the Corona.

• Xiaoyun’s Dynamax Lucario overwhelmed Alain’s Goodra with Max Quake and Max Knuckle, winning the first exchange.
• Alain sent out Tyranitar, whose Sand Stream replaced the rain with a sandstorm, and its battle with Lucario ended in a mutual knockout.
• Alain brought out his ace Charizard and Mega Evolved it into Mega Charizard X, while Xiaoyun revealed Sceptile’s Totem Form, empowered by Necrozma’s Totem Aura.
• Totem Sceptile’s enhanced speed and power let it drive Mega Charizard X back with Dragon Claw clashes and Leaf Blade: Cross Slash.
• Alain ordered Charizard to use Blast Burn, and Xiaoyun directed Totem Sceptile to counter with Light of the Corona, filling the battlefield with blinding light.

Xiaoyun defeated Alain's Charizard with Sceptile and defended his position. Meanwhile, Professor Hodaka's Project Mew team landed on an uncharted Hoenn island to investigate Mew, where they encountered a hostile Swampert.

• Xiaoyun ordered Sceptile to use Frenzy Plant, knocking out Alain's Charizard and winning the battle.
• Professor Hodaka gathered Barry, Ayaka, Kieran, Shiyang, Gary, and Asahi to explain that Project Mew's final mission was to investigate and contact Mew, not capture it.
• Professor Hodaka's team traveled to the uncharted island, where Barry revealed he wanted Mew's strength to challenge Xiaoyun.
• Kieran and Weavile led the group through the island as they recorded data and fought off wild Pokémon.
• A Swampert erupted from a pool and blocked the team's path, so Shiyang sent out Virizion and ordered Magical Leaf.

The group split up to search for Mew and encountered powerful Regice, Registeel, and Regirock guarding three cave passages. Watching from the cave’s depths, Xiaoyun had Mew boost the guardians’ strength, leaving Kieran and Asahi struggling after their Pokémon were hit hard.

• Shiyang used Virizion’s Magical Leaf to drive off a Swampert before the group found a glowing cave filled with Carbink and split up at a three-way fork.
• Barry and Ayaka faced Regice with Regieleki and Regidrago, but Regice’s Hyper Beam overpowered their combined attacks.
• Gary and Shiyang battled Registeel with Arcanine and Virizion, while Kieran and Asahi fought Regirock with Weavile and Jellicent.
• Xiaoyun watched the battles with Dawn and Mew, explaining that the guardians protected the Tree of Beginning and deciding to make the challenge harder.
• Mew boosted the three guardians through the Tree of Beginning’s energy network, and Regirock badly injured Weavile and knocked Jellicent unconscious with its sudden surge in power.
• Kieran prepared another Poké Ball as he and Asahi realized they would have to show their full strength to escape Regirock.