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| Season | Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series (Season 25) · Chasers, homecomings & Paul arc (JN110–JN114) |
| Episode | Season 25, episode 22 · English episode 1192 · Japanese episode 1198 · Bulbapedia code JN112 |
| English title | Helping the Hometown Hero! |
| Japanese title | 凱旋！アローラチャンピオン！！ Gaisen! Arōra Chanpion!! — “A Triumphant Return! The Alola Champion!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 27 May 2022 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 24 February 2023 · Netflix |
| Screenplay | Aya Matsui |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Wan, Tsū, Surī (One, Two, Three) – Satoshi & Go (Rica Matsumoto and Daiki Yamashita) · Batsugun Taipu (Supereffective Type) – Pokémon Music Club |
| English opening | With You – Echosmith |
| Who’s That Pokémon? | Incineroar (US) · Incineroar (Japan) |
| Previous episode | The Homecoming Crown! (JN111) |
| Next episode | Chasing to the Finish! (JN113) |
Plot episodeAlola homecomingBattle Royal
Helping the Hometown Hero! is the 22nd episode of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series, the twenty-fifth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 1192nd episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 1198, Bulbapedia code JN112). It first aired in Japan on 27 May 2022 and in the United States on 24 February 2023. It falls within the season’s Chasers, homecomings & Paul stretch (EP110–EP114).
Released on Netflix in the US on 24 February 2023 with the second part (JN103–JN117); Teletoon had premiered it in Canada on 5 November 2022.
Synopsis
Ash returns to Alola with Lillie’s family, reunites with his classmates and battles Professor Kukui, Kiawe and Gladion in a Battle Royal held in honour of the region’s Champion. On Melemele Island, Mallow’s family throws a feast to celebrate Mohn’s return, Lillie is reunited with her classmates, and Hobbes, Faba and Wicke are moved to tears. Chloe’s Eevee befriends Lana’s Eevee, Sandy, and when Chloe admits she still cannot decide on an evolution, Lana suggests leaving Eevee unevolved, as Ash’s Pikachu has chosen to stay as it is. Kiawe is missing, having gone to train at Wela Volcano the moment he heard Ash was coming, and the classmates say they watched Ash’s entrance battle against Raihan, since he is Alola’s Champion, while Gladion slips away to train. At Professor Kukui’s house, the boys learn that a Battle Royal will be held at the Battle Royal Dome the next day, with Kukui among the competitors; he agrees to wear the Masked Royal’s costume but promises to fight Ash as himself.
The next day the whole region fills the Dome. Faba and Wicke introduce Ash and Pikachu, Kukui and Incineroar, Kiawe and Marowak, and Gladion, who has chosen Lillie’s Nihilego after seeing how excited it was watching his Pokémon train. At the bell, every opponent targets Pikachu, which dodges with Quick Attack, knocks Incineroar off balance with Iron Tail, and catches it in Electroweb while it recharges from Blast Burn. Incineroar breaks free with Throat Chop and trades Iron Tails with Pikachu until Nihilego’s Meteor Beam drives them apart. Kiawe turns on Nihilego for the first time, vowing to defeat Ash, and Marowak dodges Venoshock and knocks the Ultra Beast out with Iron Head as Mohn and Lusamine cheer their son. Kiawe unleashes Inferno Overdrive, but Pikachu launches itself skyward on a Thunderbolt, and Incineroar’s Darkest Lariat knocks Marowak out.
Only Ash and Kukui remain, and as they remember their exhibition at the Alola League, the crowd begins chanting for its Champion, and Goh and Chloe realise just how famous Ash has become in Alola. Kiawe and Gladion urge him to win the Masters Eight Tournament for Alola, and Ash tosses his hat to Pikachu as they launch their Z-Move. Pikachu’s 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt clashes with Incineroar’s Malicious Moonsault in a blinding flash, and the result is left unknown. Later, Kukui finds Ash on the beach at sunset, where Ash says he is glad to be back. Tapu Koko appears and performs a dance that Kukui believes is a prayer for Ash’s success, and Ash promises to do his best, comforted to know that the whole region is behind him.
Major Events
- Alola homecoming. Ash returns to Alola and meets Lana, Sophocles, Mallow, Kiawe, Kukui, Burnet and Rotom again
- Lana suggests that Chloe’s Eevee might stay unevolved
- A Battle Royal between Ash, Kukui, Kiawe and Gladion, using Lillie’s Nihilego, ends unresolved as Pikachu’s 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt meets Malicious Moonsault
- Tapu Koko appears
- The last appearances of Hala, Lusamine, Mohn, Hau, Guzma and others
Trivia
- The screenplay is by Aya Matsui.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Kanto, Galar & beyond storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- The Alola caption and the Z-Move captions for Inferno Overdrive, 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt and Malicious Moonsault are removed
Part of our Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.