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| Season | Pokémon Master Journeys: The Series (Season 24) · Mega Evolution & Bea arc (JN084–JN088) |
| Episode | Season 24, episode 38 · English episode 1166 · Japanese episode 1172 · Bulbapedia code JN086 |
| English title | A Battle of Mega Versus Max! |
| Japanese title | メガシンカ対キョダイマックス Mega Shinka tai Kyodaimakkusu — “Mega Evolution VS Kyodaimax” |
| First aired (Japan) | 5 November 2021 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 26 May 2022 · Netflix |
| Screenplay | Atsuhiro Tomioka |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Wan, Tsū, Surī (One, Two, Three) – Karaage Sisters · Batsugun Taipu (Supereffective Type), Version 2 – Pokémon Music Club (on TV Tokyo, with a live-action dance video in place of the animation) |
| English opening | Journey to Your Heart – Haven Paschall |
| Previous episode | Battle Three With Bea! (JN085) |
| Next episode | Breaking the Ice! (JN087) |
Plot episodeAsh’s first Mega EvolutionRank 36
A Battle of Mega Versus Max! is the 38th episode of Pokémon Master Journeys: The Series, the twenty-fourth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 1166th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 1172, Bulbapedia code JN086). It first aired in Japan on 5 November 2021 and in the United States on 26 May 2022. It falls within the season’s Mega Evolution & Bea stretch (EP84–EP88).
Released on Netflix in the US on Thursday 26 May 2022 with the rest of Part 3; Teletoon had premiered it in Canada on 26 February 2022, followed by e.tv in South Africa on 19 April 2022 and Australian television on 12 May 2022.
Synopsis
Ash’s battle with Bea concludes in a clash between Mega Lucario and Gigantamax Machamp, and Lucario’s newly learned Steel Beam wins Ash the match and lifts him to 36th in the World Coronation Series. Machamp grips Lucario with Strength, but Lucario shifts its Reversal energy from its fists to its feet, kicks free, and Ash recalls it. To Goh’s surprise, Ash sends out Sirfetch’d rather than Dragonite, which Korrina explains is because Ash wants to face Bea’s Fighting types with his own. Sirfetch’d lands a Fury Cutter on Machamp, so Bea switches to Hawlucha, whose Flying Press bounces off Sirfetch’d’s shield; Sirfetch’d dodges Night Slash and Brutal Swing, but Hawlucha’s Sky Attack overpowers its Night Slash for the first knockout. Pikachu comes in, and when Hawlucha charges another Sky Attack, Ash improvises: Pikachu balances on an Iron Tail planted in the ground and uses Quick Attack to vibrate its body, blunting the blow and hurting Hawlucha.
Goh recalls the similar trick Ash used against Visquez at the Vermilion Gym, and Korrina explains how the vibrations work. Bea admires Ash’s quick thinking, but Pikachu intercepts Hawlucha’s High Jump Kick with a super-effective Thunderbolt, leaving each Trainer with two Pokémon. Grapploct then catches Pikachu in Octolock after a Quick Attack, and Bea, wise to Ash’s trick of having Pikachu relax, finishes it with relentless Close Combat. Ash sends out Lucario and, to save strength for Machamp, orders a single Aura Sphere that pushes through Grapploct’s Liquidation. With both remaining Pokémon badly hurt, Bea, enjoying the battle and declaring that Ash has earned her respect, Gigantamaxes Machamp with her Dynamax Band, and Ash’s Key Stone reacts with the Lucarionite: Lucario Mega Evolves at last. Aura Sphere and Max Steelspike cancel out, and Mega Lucario lands Force Palm through Max Strike.
Machamp unleashes G-Max Chi Strike, and Lucario braces itself and endures the devastating blow, to Bea’s surprise. It then runs up Machamp’s arm and strikes its face with Aura Sphere, and the giant topples and shrinks back to normal size, still standing and still carrying its G-Max power boost. Machamp finds Lucario’s weak spot with Bullet Punch, and as the two strain against each other, Lucario’s Force Palm transforms into Steel Beam, which Leon recognises from the announcer’s booth. The Steel-type attack blasts through, and Machamp collapses. The Drone Rotom declares Ash the winner, Mega Lucario reverts and collapses into Ash’s arms, and his rank rises to 36. Leon leads the applause before leaving. That evening, on the empty battlefield, Ash laments that Leon left so quickly, but Bea says they should meet only on a battlefield; she promises Ash another battle, bumps fists with him and, for the first time, calls him by his name.
Major Events
- Ash vs Bea, part 2. Ash’s first Mega Evolution: Mega Lucario learns Steel Beam and beats Bea’s Gigantamax Machamp, lifting Ash to 36th
- Gigantamax Machamp debuts and becomes the first Dynamax or Gigantamax Pokémon to revert before being defeated
- The last time Pikachu is seen losing a Trainer battle
- A preview of JN089–JN090 follows the episode in Japan
- Eyecatches replace Who’s That Pokémon?
Trivia
- The screenplay is by Atsuhiro Tomioka.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Kanto, Galar & beyond storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- Music from Kyurem VS. the Sword of Justice
Part of our Pokémon Master Journeys: The Series guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.