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| Season | Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon – Ultra Legends (Season 22) · Farewell to Alola arc (SM145–SM146) |
| Episode | Season 22, episode 54 · English episode 1080 · Japanese episode 1086 · Bulbapedia code SM146 |
| English title | Thank You, Alola! The Journey Continues! |
| Japanese title | ありがとうアローラ！それぞれの旅立ち！！ Arigatō Arōra! Sorezore no Tabidachi!! — “Thank You, Alola! Respective Departures!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 3 November 2019 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 7 March 2020 · Disney XD |
| Screenplay | Aya Matsui |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | None – the finale has no opening · Taipu: Wairudo (Type: Wild, 2019 version) – Shōko Nakagawa (as listed on the finale’s own page; the song’s page ends its run at SM145) |
| English opening | None – the finale has no opening, and the dub runs its credits before the title card |
| Who’s That Pokémon? | Solgaleo (US) |
| Previous episode | Dreams of the Sun and Moon! (SM145) |
Plot episodeSun & Moon finaleAsh leaves Alola
Thank You, Alola! The Journey Continues! is the 54th episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon – Ultra Legends, the twenty-second season of the Pokémon anime, and the 1080th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 1086, Bulbapedia code SM146). It first aired in Japan on 3 November 2019 and in the United States on 7 March 2020. It falls within the season’s Farewell to Alola stretch (EP145–EP146).
Premiered on Saturday 7 March 2020 — the last Pokémon episode on Disney XD and on US broadcast television, and the end of the last season dubbed at DuArt; Pokémon Journeys: The Series premiered on Netflix on 12 June 2020.
Synopsis
The friends say their goodbyes as Lillie sets off with her family to find her father, Team Rocket return to Kanto, and Ash leaves his Alolan Pokémon with the Professors and flies home to Pallet Town. At school, Kiawe announces that he will train under Olivia, and Lillie arrives with Magearna, whose Soul-Heart has pointed a beam at a photo of Mohn; she, Gladion and Lusamine will search for him, and she promises to return. At Bewear’s den, Giovanni orders Team Rocket home, and the trio decide that Mimikyu and Mareanie will stay with Bewear and Stufful. On the beach, Mimikyu attacks Pikachu and falls into the sea after seeing its own reflection, and Ash and Pikachu pull it out. That night, Meowth persuades the troubled Mimikyu to move forward, James leaves the sleeping Mareanie the trio’s Z-Power Ring, and Bewear hurls their balloon towards Kanto.
The next morning, Lillie is caught in a bubble at Aina’s Kitchen as her friends spring a surprise party, and Ash, Pikachu and Rotom arrive riding Nebby, explaining that they have just returned from an adventure through an Ultra Wormhole, where they helped an unfamiliar Ultra Beast. Rotom reveals that Lusamine has hired it to work at Aether Paradise. Ash then announces that he is going back to Pallet Town to continue towards his dream of becoming a Pokémon Master, and his friends give him their full support. At the port, Rotom takes a group photo before Lillie’s ship departs, and from the back deck Lillie shouts her thanks to Ash for helping her overcome her fear of touching Pokémon, while Gladion and Ash shake hands and promise to battle again. Before dawn the next day, Professors Kukui and Burnet drive Ash and Pikachu to the airport.
Ash asks the Professors to look after Rowlet, Lycanroc, Incineroar and Melmetal, and Kukui promises to bring them to school sometimes. Burnet hugs Ash in tears, Kukui joins in, and as Ash’s plane takes off his friends fly alongside on their Ride Pokémon in Ultra Guardian uniforms. As the holiday begins, Sophocles leaves for Mossdeep City with Molayne, Kiawe flies off to train with Olivia, and Lana sails with her father to look for Manaphy. Mallow’s brother Ulu comes home for good with a bouquet of Gracidea, and Shaymin changes into Sky Forme and flies off with a flock of its kind. Hau battles Nanu in a grand trial, Guzma drills his Grunts, and Rotom’s research overwhelms Faba and Wicke. Finally, Kukui rests his hand on Burnet’s, revealing that they are expecting a baby.
Major Events
- The farewell. Team Rocket release Mimikyu and Mareanie and return to Kanto
- Rotom joins the Aether Foundation
- Lillie leaves with Gladion and Lusamine to find Mohn
- Ash leaves Rowlet, Lycanroc, Incineroar and Melmetal with Kukui and Burnet and flies home to Kanto
- Mallow’s Shaymin leaves in Sky Forme
- Burnet is expecting a baby
- No opening, and the longest credits of any episode
- The last Japanese episode before Pokémon Sword and Shield
Trivia
- The screenplay is by Aya Matsui.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Alola storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- The credits run before the title card, and the ending credits follow the regular ending theme
- Most non-English dubs drop the closing text “…and your dreams!”
- An added airport announcement, voiced by Lisa Ortiz, calls “flight PK2254” to Kanto with connections to Johto and Unova (PK2254 = season 22, episode 54)
- No opening; Your Adventure plays as Ash, Pikachu and Rotom ride Nebby
- The dub replaces both Japanese songs with instrumental music
- The longest credits of any episode, about two and a half minutes
- The last episode whose background music was primarily composed by Shinji Miyazaki
Part of our Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon – Ultra Legends guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.