Recaps

Xiaoyun and Dawn confronted Arceus, traveled to ancient Michina and then Hisui, before returning to Sinnoh for the Lake Valor Grand Festival. Dawn advanced through the contest rounds to face Zoey in the final.

• Princess Salvia asked Dawn to take her place for a day so she could enter the Arrowroot Contest, and she won the Ribbon with Togekiss after defeating Kenny.
• Xiaoyun defeated Bertha in a battle, then teamed with Dawn to face Volkner and Flint in a Double Battle, and Infernape reached a new bond form and secured Xiaoyun the Beacon Badge.
• Arceus attacked Michina after rejecting the Life Orb, and Xiaoyun used the Power of Overcoming to persuade it to let him investigate Damos’s past.
• Xiaoyun and his companions traveled to ancient Michina, exposed Marcus’s betrayal, rescued Damos, and returned the Life Orb to Arceus, but a time-space vortex separated Xiaoyun and Dawn.
• Xiaoyun and Dawn awakened in Hisui, where Xiaoyun evolved Ursaring into Ursaluna-Bloodmoon and helped rescue injured Pokémon during a Space-Time Distortion before Dialga returned them to Michina.
• Xiaoyun and Dawn reached the Lake Valor Grand Festival in time to register, and Dawn advanced through the contests by defeating Ursula, Kenny, and Jessie.
• Zoey defeated Nando in the other semifinal, setting up the Grand Festival final between Zoey and Dawn.

Xiaoyun entered the Lily of the Valley Conference, advanced through the tournament, and defeated Paul in a hard-fought quarterfinal. In the semifinal against Ash, the battle remained undecided as Ash Mega Evolved Charizard and Xiaoyun activated Sceptile’s Curse Mark Mode.

• Dawn defeated Zoey to win the Sinnoh Grand Festival, and Xiaoyun began preparing for the Lily of the Valley Conference.
• At the conference opening, Xiaoyun encountered Tobias, then watched Cynthia defeat Flint with Garchomp’s Devastating Drake.
• Xiaoyun won his preliminary matches against Xiaoyu, Xiaoling, and Buck, then defeated Muren’s Florges with Spiritomb to advance.
• Xiaoyun beat A Ning in the round of sixteen, while Paul defeated Barry and Ash defeated Conway.
• Xiaoyun defeated Paul in the quarterfinal as Mismagius, Infernape, Torterra, Bloodmoon Bear, Metagross, and Bond Infernape battled Paul’s team.
• Xiaoyun and Ash began their semifinal Full Battle on a water field, and Xiaoyun’s Pokémon traded victories with Ash’s Swellow, Snorlax, Sceptile, Heracross, and Pikachu.
• Ash’s Charizard defeated Mega Lucario, then Mega Evolved into Mega Charizard X as Xiaoyun activated Sceptile’s Curse Mark Mode.

Xiaoyun won the Sinnoh Conference and defeated Cynthia, then traveled with Dawn to Unova, where they faced new challenges and began their journey through the region. The stretch ended with Xiaoyun’s newly evolved Gabite continuing a six-on-six battle against Trip.

• Xiaoyun defeated Tobias to win the conference, then beat Cynthia in a Champion Challenge but declined the Sinnoh Champion position and accepted an invitation to the Pokémon World Championships.
• Xiaoyun and Dawn visited Fula City, helped Risa and Zeraora, and joined the effort to stop Hunter L’s wildfire before Zeraora chose to travel with Xiaoyun.
• Xiaoyun and Dawn arrived in Unova, where Zekrom attacked them and Zeraora absorbed its lightning before Zekrom escaped.
• Dawn caught Oshawott after it chose to battle alongside her, and Xiaoyun caught Snivy on Route 1 as Zeraora reached Champion level.
• Xiaoyun and Dawn defeated Cress and Chili in a Double Battle at Striaton Gym and earned the Trio Badge.
• Xiaoyun and Dawn encountered Mewtwo at Fennel’s ruined laboratory, where Mega Mewtwo Y defeated Darkrai and Zeraora before letting the group leave.
• At the Kumquat Town Battle Club, Xiaoyun challenged Trip to a six-on-six battle, and Gible defeated Tranquill, Vanillite, and Frillish before evolving into Gabite.

Xiaoyun and Dawn won Gym battles, confronted Team Plasma and rival hunters, and continued their journey through Unova. After the tournament brought them through its elimination rounds, they advanced to face each other in the final, with Champion Alder offering the winner a challenge.

• Xiaoyun defeated Trip in a six-on-one battle, then advised him to be more humble and invited Ash to bring Gible for training.
• Xiaoyun and Dawn earned Basic Badges from Lenora after Dawn defeated Herdier and Xiaoyun’s Servine defeated Stoutland.
• In Pinwheel Forest, Xiaoyun and Dawn helped Burgh fight Team Plasma, where Drapion evolved, defeated Vio’s Beartic, and helped uncover Team Plasma’s search for Kyurem.
• Xiaoyun and Dawn found Volcarona in the Desert Resort ruins, where Volcarona entrusted its two Larvesta to them before the hunters and Team Rocket fought over the meteorite.
• Dawn defeated Burgh in a Gym battle and earned the Beetle Badge, then Xiaoyun also earned the badge after Zeraora countered Galvantula.
• At Rainbow Valley, Xiaoyun coached a heartbroken Cottonee to win a female Cottonee’s affection, and he and Dawn shared a tender moment as the Diamond Breeze arrived.
• Xiaoyun, Dawn, and Ash advanced through the tournament, with Dawn defeating Iris and Bianca and Xiaoyun defeating Georgia, Stephan, and Ash.
• Don George announced that Xiaoyun and Dawn would meet in the final, where the winner could challenge Champion Alder.