Chasing to the Finish! – Pokémon Season 25, Episode 23

Plot episodeGoh catches RegielekiChasers chosen

Chasing to the Finish! is the 23rd episode of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series, the twenty-fifth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 1193rd episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 1199, Bulbapedia code JN113). It first aired in Japan on 3 June 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 12 November 2022. Australian iTunes released it on 30 October 2022, before its Canadian broadcast.

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

Synopsis

Goh and Gary team up in the Crown Tundra’s Split-Decision Ruins for their final Project Mew Trial Mission, catching Regieleki and Regidrago and becoming Chasers. In Galar’s Iron Ruins, Quillon’s Urshifu wears down a Registeel with Close Combat. At the Cerise Laboratory, Goh chooses a final mission requiring him to catch Regieleki and Regidrago, and surprises Ash by going alone so that Ash can train for the Masters Eight. Crossing the Roaring-Sea Caves, the Frigid Sea and Three-Point Pass, Goh reaches the ruins and finds Gary there on the same mission. Quillon arrives to translate the sealed door’s inscription, which says that it opens when the giants of rock, ice and steel are gathered, and releases Regirock, Regice and Registeel from his Ultra Balls. The door opens, and Quillon rules that each Trainer may use only two Pokémon. Inside, Gary says he has noticed Goh’s growth in teamwork, and Goh explains that he wants to meet Mew to understand all Pokémon, a goal Gary shares.

In the main chamber, only one Trainer’s floor panels can light at a time, so the rivals make no progress until Gary suggests stepping on them together. Before they reach the last panels, Lyla’s Frosmoth and Sterling’s Galarian Darmanitan trap them with Icicle Spear and Icicle Crash, but Cinderace’s Blaze Kick and Gary’s Hatterene’s Psycho Cut free them. To save their Pokémon, both pairs agree to a Tag Battle with one Pokémon each: Cinderace and Gary’s Blastoise against Sandaconda and Runerigus. Blastoise’s Hydro Pump frees Cinderace from Sand Tomb, the pair dodge a double Bulldoze, and Cinderace rides Blastoise skyward on Water Pulse and kicks it back with Blaze Kick, knocking out both opponents. Lyla concedes, though Gary sees that she is saving her Pokémon in case the rivals fail.

The statues shatter to reveal Regieleki and Regidrago. Goh’s Flygon faces Regieleki and Hatterene faces Regidrago, but the giants swap targets with Dragon Energy and Thunder Cage, then swap again to knock both out with Extreme Speed and Hammer Arm. Cinderace and Blastoise make no headway until Regidrago whips up a huge Twister; on Lyla and Sterling’s advice, Blastoise climbs it with Rapid Spin, carrying Cinderace, and the pair slam both giants into the wall. Goh catches Regieleki and Gary catches Regidrago. At sunset, the five giants react together as a Dynamax Regigigas appears on the hills, gazes down at the group and vanishes. Professor Amaranth then announces the new Chasers: Gary first with 15 tokens, Horace second with 11, and Goh third. Overjoyed, Goh calls Ash, and Gary reminds him that this is only the starting line.

Major Events

• Project Mew: the final mission. At the Split-Decision Ruins, with Quillon’s Regirock, Regice and Registeel and a Dynamax Regigigas, Goh catches Regieleki and Gary catches Regidrago, Gary’s first catch on screen
• Goh and Gary win a Tag Battle against Lyla and Sterling
• Gary (15 tokens), Horace (11) and Goh become the new Chasers
• Goh’s last catch while travelling with Ash
• Pikachu has no lines
• Debuts of Hatterene, Frosmoth, Galarian Darmanitan, Runerigus, Sandaconda, Regieleki and Regidrago

Pokémon making their anime debut

• Hatterene#0858 · JN113
• Frosmoth#0873 · JN113
• Runerigus#0867 · JN113
• Sandaconda#0844 · JN113
• Regieleki#0894 · JN113
• Regidrago#0895 · JN113

Captures and evolutions

• Regieleki#0894 · Goh · in the final Project Mew mission; his last catch while travelling with Ash
• Regidrago#0895 · Gary · his first catch on screen

Trivia

• The screenplay is by Shōji Yonemura.
• This is a plot episode: it advances the Kanto, Galar & beyond storyline.

Changes in the English Dub

• The Crown Tundra caption is removed
• Gary names Thunder Cage (an “electric cage” in Japanese)

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