Riding the Waves – Pokémon Horizons Season 3, Episode 16

Plot episodeDot catches GimmighoulMighty G’s curry

Riding the Waves is the 16th episode of Pokémon Horizons: Rising Hope, the third season of the Pokémon anime, and the 1329th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 1338, Bulbapedia code HZ105). It first aired in Japan on 8 August 2025 and in the United States on 20 March 2026. It falls within the season’s Allies, Amethio & Mega Dragonite stretch (EP101–EP108).

Released on Netflix in the US on Friday 20 March 2026 with the rest of Part 2; BBC iPlayer had premiered it in the UK on 27 February 2026.

Synopsis · Major Events · Trivia · All episodes

Synopsis

In a two-part episode, Ludlow’s masked alter ego Mighty G rescues Amethio from a storm and teaches him to cook curry, while on a sunny beach Dot reluctantly goes surfing for Quaxwell’s sake and ends the day by catching the Gimmighoul that has been following her. On a stormy day, Ludlow and Quagsire sense trouble at sea; Ludlow becomes Mighty G and dives in with Sharpedo. Amethio’s Corviknight is struggling against the weather within sight of an island, and Mighty G arrives just in time, to Amethio’s bafflement, and the two shelter in a cave. Mighty G wants to leave because his back hurts, while Amethio plans to search the cave for Zygarde Cells — and promptly collapses from hunger. Mighty G and Quagsire bring ingredients for curry, and when Amethio admits he can only roast berries, Mighty G teaches him how to cook it properly and, after Amethio sneezes, how to dry his soaked clothes.

Mighty G stays so that Amethio can enjoy a meal with company for the first time in a long while. Over curry, Amethio explains that he wants to prove to his late grandfather Gibeon that the path he has chosen is right, and Mighty G tells him that taking a break now and then is worthwhile in its own right; Amethio agrees, and the Pokémon praise his effort. When the storm clears, Mighty G returns to the sea and Amethio continues his journey with Ceruledge and Corviknight. Meanwhile the Rising Volt Tacklers reach a beach, where Liko, Roy and Ult swim while Dot watches from the sand before heading back to the ship. On the way, Mollie and Orla’s water break turns into a search when Dot is found under the Gimmighoul’s control again, hunting for a Gimmighoul Coin. Crowds gather for a surfing Gholdengo that is about to ride the waves with its fans, and Murdock, Lycanroc and Cap invite the children to join.

Dot declines, wanting to edit videos, but notices Quaxwell watching the surfers longingly and, to everyone’s astonishment, decides to surf for his sake. Led by Gholdengo, the group waits for a wave; the Gimmighoul sneaks onto Dot’s board and she lets it stay, then rescues it when it drifts out to sea chasing a dropped coin. A huge wave arrives and everyone rides it together. At sunset, after saying goodbye to Gholdengo, Ludlow — whose back is still recovering from his stint as Mighty G — hears about the day. Dot realises that the Gimmighoul admires Gholdengo the way she admires Iono; understanding that feeling, she offers to help it collect coins and catches it, telling it that there is no need to control her or her Pokémon now that they are a team. Moments later, as she tells Mollie about her new catch, Gimmighoul takes control of her again. The episode’s two-story structure resembles JN026 and JN058.

Major Events

• Riding the waves. Mighty G rescues Amethio from a storm and teaches him to cook curry
• Dot goes surfing with a wild Gholdengo for Quaxwell’s sake and catches the Gimmighoul that has been following her
• Gholdengo debuts
• The two-story structure resembles JN026 and JN058

Pokémon making their anime debut

• Gholdengo#1000 · HZ105

Captures and evolutions

• Gimmighoul#0999 · Dot · a Chest Form Gimmighoul that stowed away on the Brave Olivine

Trivia

• The screenplay is by Kimiko Ueno.
• This is a plot episode: it advances the Rising Volt Tacklers storyline.

Part of our Pokémon Horizons: Rising Hope guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.