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| Season | Pokémon Horizons: Rising Hope (Horizons Season 3) · Friede returns arc (HZ120–HZ123) |
| Episode | Horizons Season 3, episode 31 · English episode 1344 · Japanese episode 1353 · Bulbapedia code HZ120 |
| English title | Dot and Penny’s Top-Secret Mission! |
| Japanese title | ドット＆ボタン！極秘大作戦（シークレットミッション） Dotto ando Botan! Gokuhi Daisakusen (Shīkuretto Misshon) — “Dot and Botan! Secret Mission” |
| First aired (Japan) | 5 December 2025 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 26 June 2026 · Netflix |
| Screenplay | Michihiro Tsuchiya |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Aioraito (Iolite) – Eve · Nete mo Samete mo (Asleep or Awake) – Polkadot Stingray |
| English opening | Evolving Again – Haven Paschall |
| Previous episode | Don’t Give Up, Crocalor! (HZ119) |
| Next episode | The Catcher in the Sky (HZ121) |
Plot episodeExceed Museum heistGimmighoul evolves into Gholdengo
Dot and Penny’s Top-Secret Mission! is the 31st episode of Pokémon Horizons: Rising Hope, the third season of the Pokémon anime, and the 1344th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 1353, Bulbapedia code HZ120). It first aired in Japan on 5 December 2025 and in the United States on 26 June 2026. It falls within the season’s Friede returns stretch (EP120–EP123).
Released on Netflix in the US on Friday 26 June 2026 with the rest of Part 3; BBC iPlayer had premiered it in the UK on 25 May 2026.
Synopsis
Dot and Penny sneak into the Exceed Museum to steal its Laquium data, escaping the Explorers Chalce, Indi and Rubina when Dot’s Gimmighoul sacrifices itself to protect its team and then evolves into Gholdengo. Disguised, the two girls meet at a secluded spot; when Gimmighoul spills its coins, Dot realises how close it is to evolving into its idol form. At closing time they slip in, send their partners to deal with the guard Pokémon, and with Cervantis’s help reach the floor hidden from the public. Gimmighoul wanders back downstairs looking for coins, is caught by Indi and Rubina — who are investigating the knocked-out guards — and puts them under its control, so the two Explorers are hunting for coins when the girls find them. Having secured the data, Dot and Penny run into Chalce, who has already been informed. Chalce orders her subordinates to capture the girls, and the three Explorers boost their Pokémon with Strong Spheres.
Dot faces Indi’s Drapion and Rubina’s Scolipede with Tinkaton, immune to their poison, and Quaxwell’s Air Cutter, while Penny’s Sylveon and Jolteon land a super effective Moonblast and Thunder Fang on Chalce’s Medicham and Xatu. Chalce has Xatu seize Gimmighoul as a hostage, and when Dot gives chase, Gimmighoul hits a button that lowers the shutters, separating the girls and robbing Dot of her type advantage. Dot reassures her guilty partner and has Tinkaton charge Gigaton Hammer, but Chalce, who has seen the tactic before, has Xatu Teleport in front of it and strike with Aerial Ace, then Teleport again so that Quaxwell accidentally hits Tinkaton. When Tinkaton tries again, Xatu’s Power Swap — the move’s first anime use — leaves her unable to lift her hammer, and Chalce’s Pokémon batter Dot’s team.
Gimmighoul can no longer stand by and takes the attack meant to finish off its teammates, and while Dot is stunned, Chalce snatches the Rotom Phone holding the data. Dot notices a coin glowing briefly; she has Gimmighoul distract Chalce with Astonish, grabs the coin and tosses it to Gimmighoul, which evolves into Gholdengo. Riding its new surfboard, Gholdengo retrieves the Rotom Phone; Dot recalls Quaxwell and Tinkaton, climbs aboard, and Make It Rain blasts through the shutters. She finds that Penny has defeated Indi and Rubina on her own, scoops her up, and a second Make It Rain shatters a window as the girls escape. Chalce assumes the data cannot change much at this stage. Penny promises to give the data to Jacq for analysis, and Dot rushes the Tacklers away before the Explorers can follow. While she examines the data the next day, a surprising call comes in from Friede: he is on his way back from space. Penny is the first game-origin character to battle the Explorers.
Major Events
- The Exceed Museum heist. Dot and Penny steal Exceed’s Laquium data
- Penny’s Jolteon
- Chalce’s Xatu uses Power Swap, its first anime use
- Gimmighoul evolves into Gholdengo and uses Make It Rain
- Penny beats Indi and Rubina
- Friede calls on his way back from space
- The last Japanese episode before the Mega Dimension download
Captures and evolutions
Gimmighoul → Gholdengo#1000 · Dot · during the Exceed Museum heist; uses Make It Rain
Trivia
- The screenplay is by Michihiro Tsuchiya.
- 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.