The Earthshaking White Zygarde – Pokémon Horizons Season 2, Episode 43

Plot episodeFloragato evolves into MeowscaradaZygarde abandons Gibeon

The Earthshaking White Zygarde is the 43rd episode of Pokémon Horizons: The Search for Laqua, the second season of the Pokémon anime, and the 1312th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 1321, Bulbapedia code HZ088). It first aired in Japan on 14 March 2025 and in the United States on 26 September 2025. It falls within the season’s Laqua stretch (EP83–EP89).

Released on Netflix in the US on Friday 26 September 2025 with the rest of Part 4. It had gone on sale in UK digital stores on 5 July 2025, reached Australia’s Stan on 12 July and BBC iPlayer on 17 July 2025.

Synopsis · Major Events · Trivia · Dub Changes · All episodes

Synopsis

Liko, Roy, Dot and Amethio battle Gibeon’s White Zygarde, and when Floragato evolves into Meowscarada and lands a Flower Trick, Zygarde abandons Gibeon, and Pagogo takes its Stellar Form to purify Laqua with the Six Heroes. In Pericarp Town, the Matriarch fears that history is repeating itself and Yuha worries for his new friends; aboard the Brave Olivine the crew cannot reach the children, and Orla turns to the emergency button installed during the repairs. In Laqua, the Explorers work to activate the Laquium Core while Pagogo gathers energy. Zygarde easily dodges the four Trainers’ opening attacks; Dot notes that only Crocalor’s Disarming Voice is super effective against it, but Land’s Wrath blocks Floragato and Quaxwell as they try to open a gap, and Core Enforcer stops Ceruledge’s Shadow Claw and hits the others as well. Crocalor launches into the air with Flame Charge, only for Thousand Arrows to bring him down, and when Zygarde fires Core Enforcer at Ceruledge from above, Floragato shields it with her bud as the children remind Amethio that he is not fighting alone.

With Dot stuck for a plan, Roy proposes simply charging in, and Amethio agrees. They dodge Thousand Arrows when Dot spots an opening, but Zygarde’s Thousand Waves catches them off guard before its Cells return. As Core Enforcer comes again, Ceruledge’s Phantom Force lifts the team into the air, and from there Crocalor’s Disarming Voice hits super effectively; Liko thanks Amethio, who credits their synchronisation. Quaxwell’s Aqua Cutter and Ceruledge’s Psycho Cut block more Core Enforcers, and Floragato’s Magical Leaf and Crocalor’s Flamethrower open a chance for the others, but Gibeon lets Zygarde take the hits so that it can unleash Land’s Wrath, leaving its opponents close to defeat. When Gibeon orders Core Enforcer at Pagogo, Floragato blocks it with Magical Leaf. Spinel is sure the battle is over, but Liko runs to Floragato, still standing guard, vows to protect everyone’s wishes and urges Roy and Dot to support their partners, and Floragato evolves into Meowscarada.

Ceruledge has strength for only one more attack, so Amethio entrusts the finish to Liko and Meowscarada while he clears the way. Meowscarada and Ceruledge dodge Land’s Wrath, Ceruledge blocks Core Enforcer with Bitter Blade, and Meowscarada closes in with a string of Acrobatics; when Zygarde leaps over her Sucker Punch, her newly learned Flower Trick slams it to the ground, to Gibeon’s shock. Zygarde rises but ignores his order to keep fighting, gazes at Liko, Amethio and their Pokémon, and dissolves back into the earth, leaving him behind. Lucius tells Gibeon he has lost now that Zygarde accepts the children, and when Gibeon asks what makes them different, Lucius answers that it is their bonds: Pokémon can create miracles, as Meowscarada’s evolution showed, and Amethio adds that he felt his heart sync with Ceruledge. Lucius suggests that Zygarde was showing its Trainer the endless possibilities of such bonds, and both men gaze at the empty Poké Ball. Then Pagogo shines, flies to the top of the Laquium cluster with the Six Heroes, takes its Stellar Form and shares its power with them, and all of them rise into the sky.

Major Events

• Floragato evolves into Meowscarada. Liko, Roy, Dot and Amethio battle Gibeon’s White Zygarde
• Floragato evolves and learns Flower Trick
• Zygarde gives up and abandons Gibeon
• Pagogo takes its Stellar Form with the Six Heroes
• Thousand Waves is used for the first time
• The last episode with Sparkle! and the Seminar

Pokémon making their anime debut

• Meowscarada#0908 · HZ088

Captures and evolutions

• Floragato → Meowscarada#0908 · Liko · against Gibeon’s White Zygarde; learns Flower Trick

Trivia

• The screenplay is by Kureha Matsuzawa.
• This is a plot episode: it advances the Paldea, Kitakami and Johto storyline.

Changes in the English Dub

• The last episode with Sparkle! as the Japanese ending

Part of our Pokémon Horizons: The Search for Laqua guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.