Battling in the Freezing Raid!


Season	Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series (Season 25) · Marnie, the Monarch & a return to Kalos arc (JN099–JN104)
Episode	Season 25, episode 12 · English episode 1182 · Japanese episode 1188 · Bulbapedia code JN102
English title	Battling in the Freezing Raid!
Japanese title	トライアルミッション！氷結のレイドバトル！！ Toraiaru Misshon! Hyōketsu no Reido Batoru!! — “Trial Mission! A Freezing Raid Battle!!”
First aired (Japan)	18 March 2022 · TV Tokyo
First aired (US)	21 October 2022 · Netflix
Screenplay	Shōji Yonemura
Opening / ending (Japan)	Wan, Tsū, Surī (One, Two, Three) – Satoshi & Go (Rica Matsumoto and Daiki Yamashita) · Batsugun Taipu (Supereffective Type) – Pokémon Music Club
English opening	With You – Echosmith
Previous episode	A One-Stick Wonder! (JN101)
Next episode	The Future is Now, Thanks to Strategy! (JN103)

Plot episodeProject Mew trialArticuno Raid Battle

Battling in the Freezing Raid! is the 12th episode of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series, the twenty-fifth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 1182nd episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 1188, Bulbapedia code JN102). It first aired in Japan on 18 March 2022 and in the United States on 21 October 2022. It falls within the season’s Marnie, the Monarch & a return to Kalos stretch (EP99–EP104).

Released on Netflix in the US on 21 October 2022 with the first part (JN091–JN102); Teletoon had premiered it in Canada on 13 August 2022. The last episode of Netflix’s first part.

Synopsis

Goh’s Project Mew Trial Mission is a Raid Battle against Articuno in the Seafoam Islands, where he, Ash, his childhood friend Horace and Gary are defeated but learn hard lessons about teamwork. Goh dreads the mission because he doubts his teamwork skills, but Ash reminds him of their earlier Raid Battle against a Golurk. On the Seafoam Islands Goh catches an attacking Golbat, the boys navigate a maze of dead ends and aggressive Geodude, and they pass exhausted Project Mew challengers who have given up. When Grookey strikes a crystal spike and it rings, Goh has Inteleon use the crest on its head to echolocate the way to a cave. Inside, Goh catches a Graveler that bursts from the ground, and the pair lower themselves on Caterpie’s String Shot into the hole it leaves. There they find Horace and his Bayleef battling a wild Cloyster; Cinderace’s Pyro Ball weakens it, and Horace lets Goh catch it. Horace is also a Project Mew challenger, aiming to meet Celebi by finding every Psychic-type Pokémon.

Deeper in the icy caverns Gary appears, to Goh’s irritation, and ferries everyone across a lake in an inflatable boat, since a Raid Battle needs several Trainers. An ice wall shatters to reveal Articuno, and a Project Mew drone allows each Trainer three Pokémon. Articuno’s Blizzard knocks out Sirfetch’d, Darmanitan, Tyranitar and Indeedee at once. In the second wave, Gary’s Umbreon confuses Articuno and is knocked out by Sheer Cold, while Lucario’s Aura Sphere and Cinderace’s Pyro Ball land and Gardevoir’s Reflect blocks Ice Shard. Gary sends out Arcanine and directs Cinderace and Lucario to grab hold of Articuno; Goh resents taking orders but passes them on at Ash’s urging. Flamethrower, Blaze Kick and Steel Beam all hit, and Gardevoir heals Cinderace with Heal Pulse, but another Blizzard breaks through Light Screen and leaves only Arcanine standing.

For their final picks Ash chooses Pikachu, Goh Boldore and Horace Bayleef. Gary has Bayleef hold Articuno with Vine Whip, and when Articuno breaks free he predicts Sheer Cold and tells everyone to spread out, while Goh tells them to hide behind Boldore. Gary is right: Sheer Cold freezes Pikachu and Arcanine, and a Blizzard finishes Bayleef. As Articuno flies off, Goh admits he could not have won alone; Horace says Goh’s willingness to take the front line let him focus on support, while Gary criticises Goh’s selfishness. Quillon calls to award three tokens each, with an extra token for Gary’s leadership and Horace’s teamwork, and tells Goh to think carefully about whether teamwork is needed to find Mew, while Danika reveals that Quillon was once selfish too. Back on the mainland, Horace encourages Goh, and Gary explains that strictness is essential on the road to Mew; understanding him at last, Goh bids him a respectful farewell.

Major Events

Project Mew: the Articuno trial. Goh catches Golbat, Graveler and Cloyster in the Seafoam Islands
With Horace, whose Chikorita has become a Bayleef, and Gary, whose Tyranitar is revealed, he loses a Raid Battle against Articuno
Tokens: Goh 3, Gary 4, Horace 4
Barrett Leddy takes over Goh’s Inteleon
Typhlosion returns after 858 episodes and Articuno after 777