The Climb to Be the Very Best! – Pokémon Season 23, Episode 13

Plot episodeGigantamax PikachuAsh vs Leon

The Climb to Be the Very Best! is the 13th episode of Pokémon Journeys: The Series, the twenty-third season of the Pokémon anime, and the 1093rd episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 1099, Bulbapedia code JN013). It first aired in Japan on 16 February 2020 and in the United States on 11 September 2020. It falls within the season’s Monarch Leon & the World Coronation Series stretch (EP12–EP18).

The first episode of Netflix’s second batch, JN013–JN024, released on Friday 11 September 2020 and announced in August.

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

Synopsis

Pikachu unexpectedly Gigantamaxes to stop the rampaging Drednaw at Wyndon Stadium, and Leon rewards Ash with a Dynamax Band and an unofficial battle that Ash loses, inspiring him to enter the World Coronation Series. Picking up from the cliffhanger, Ash and Goh rush outside to lure the Gigantamax Drednaw away from the stadium, admitting they have no plan for fighting a giant. Pikachu’s Thunderbolt and Scorbunny’s Double Kick do nothing, Electroweb only slows it, and the boys flee until Drednaw’s neck reaches its full stretch. Glowing red cracks in the ground then pour energy into Pikachu, which swells into its Gigantamax form. Its huge body is too slow for Quick Attack, and Drednaw’s G-Max Stonesurge knocks it back into the stadium, but Pikachu lands Max Steelspike just as Leon arrives, astonished to see a Gigantamax Pikachu commanded by a boy with no Dynamax Band. When Drednaw starts Max Rockfall, Leon calls down from his balcony telling Ash to use G-Max Volt Crash, and the blast sends Drednaw flying and shrinks it back to normal while Team Rocket scramble after it.

Leon introduces himself, and when a staff member scolds the boys for Dynamaxing on the premises, he defends them as the heroes who saved the stadium. The next day, outside the Wyndon Pokémon Center, Goh catches a Skwovet that is helping itself to Ash’s scones, his second Galar catch, while Ash sits lost in thought about Leon’s battle. Goh explains how to reach Leon: register for the World Coronation Series online and climb its rankings. Newcomers start in the Normal Class; ranks 999 to 100 form the Great Class, 99 to 9 the Ultra Class, and the top eight the Master Class, whose tournament decides the Monarch. Ash decides that he simply needs to win lots of battles and, cheered up, wolfs his scones and nearly chokes—until Leon hands him a glass of water and accepts his challenge. Meanwhile Team Rocket, having searched all night for Drednaw, find a Chewtle clinging to Jessie’s hair and decide to present it to Giovanni.

At the stadium Leon gives Ash a Dynamax Band and explains Max Moves and G-Max Moves, which Goh illustrates with examples. Pikachu faces Leon’s Charizard with Dan refereeing: Thunder Punch blocks Quick Attack and Iron Tail and smashes through Electroweb, Air Slash lands, and Flamethrower forces back Pikachu’s Thunderbolt. Driven by Ash’s determination, the Band sends energy into Pikachu, which Gigantamaxes again and turns its Thunderbolt into G-Max Volt Crash, knocking Charizard down. Leon Gigantamaxes Charizard in reply; Max Airstream throws Pikachu back, Max Lightning interrupts Max Steelspike, and when both Trainers unleash their G-Max Moves, Charizard endures while the aftereffect of G-Max Wildfire defeats Pikachu—Ash’s first loss since SM105. Leon gives Pikachu an Oran Berry, lets Ash keep the Band, and tells him he must break out of his shell before promising an official rematch before a crowd. Leaving the stadium, Ash declares that he will enter the World Coronation Series and beat Leon next time.

Major Events

• Ash decides to enter the Series. Ash’s Pikachu Gigantamaxes and beats the Gigantamax Drednaw with G-Max Volt Crash
• Leon gives Ash a Dynamax Band and beats him in an unofficial battle, Ash’s first loss since SM105
• The World Coronation Series classes are explained
• Ash decides to enter
• Goh catches a Skwovet
• Team Rocket find a Chewtle
• Pikachu has now used 19 moves, a record

Pokémon making their anime debut

• Chewtle#0833 · JN013
• Skwovet#0819 · JN013

Captures and evolutions

• Skwovet#0819 · Goh · caught helping itself to Ash’s scones in Wyndon

Trivia

• The English title plays on the first line of the English Pokémon Theme, “I wanna be the very best”.
• The screenplay is by Shōji Yonemura.
• This is a plot episode: it advances the Kanto, Galar & beyond storyline.

Changes in the English Dub

• The Gym battle theme for both of Pikachu’s Gigantamax moments

Part of our Pokémon Journeys: The Series guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.