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| Season | Pokémon Horizons: The Series (Horizons Season 1) · Diana’s castle arc (HZ024–HZ026) |
| Episode | Horizons Season 1, episode 25 · English episode 1249 · Japanese episode 1258 · Bulbapedia code HZ025 |
| English title | Rivals in the Dark of Night! |
| Japanese title | 闇夜の強敵（ライバル） Yamiyo no Raibaru — “Rivals in the Dark Night” |
| First aired (Japan) | 20 October 2023 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 9 August 2024 · Netflix |
| Screenplay | Dai Satō |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Dokimeki Daiārī (Heart-Pounding Diary) – asmi feat. Chinozo · RVR ~Raijingu Borutekkāzu Rappu~ (Rising Volt Tacklers Rap), Dot Ver. – Liko (Minori Suzuki) & Roy (Yuka Terasaki) |
| English opening | Becoming Me – Haven Paschall (version 1, with clips from Heart-Pounding Diary) |
| Previous episode | Reunion at the Ancient Castle! (HZ024) |
| Next episode | Terapagos’s Adventure (HZ026) |
Plot episodeFriede beats AmethioThe Six Heroes
Rivals in the Dark of Night! is the 25th episode of Pokémon Horizons: The Series, the first season of the Pokémon anime, and the 1249th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 1258, Bulbapedia code HZ025). It first aired in Japan on 20 October 2023 and in the United States on 9 August 2024. It falls within the season’s Diana’s castle stretch (EP24–EP26).
Released on Netflix in the US on Friday 9 August 2024 with the rest of Part 3 (HZ024–HZ034); it had appeared first on Australian iTunes and Google Play (1–10 April 2024), and BBC iPlayer released it in the UK on 27 May 2024; 9Go! aired it in Australia on 3 May 2024.
Synopsis
The Explorers lay siege to Diana’s castle as Friede and Charizard finally defeat Amethio’s Ceruledge, the admins Sidian and Coral join the attack, and Captain Pikachu and the Brave Olivine arrive to rescue everyone, after which Diana sets the team on the trail of Lucius’s Six Heroes. Terapagos cries aggressively at Amethio, and Diana holds the Explorers off on Arcanine while her Squawkabilly digs a tunnel for the children; Zirc warns her not to interfere with the Explorers, and she is surprised to hear the name. Rhydon breaks through the tunnel ceiling, startling Liko into recalling Hatenna, and Zirc deduces that the tunnel leads to a tower. Halfway up, Friede leaves the children to call Murdock for a pickup, but Amethio attacks on Corviknight with Hurricane, so Friede leaps from the tower, calls out Charizard mid-fall and lures Amethio into a one-on-one battle to keep the children safe. Meanwhile, Diana packs books and an ancient belt, only to be confronted by Hamber and his Dusknoir.
Keeping his distance to avoid triggering Weak Armor, Friede attacks with Air Slash and Flamethrower, but when Charizard’s Dragon Claw meets falling rubble, Ceruledge takes the hit with Phantom Force, gains Speed and lands a string of Night Slashes. As Amethio charges a finishing Psycho Cut, Friede Terastallizes Charizard into a Dark type, shrugs off the Psychic move and defeats Ceruledge with a super-effective Tera Blast, the first time one of their battles has ended. Below, Liko and Roy are cornered by Zirc and Onia; Sprigatito quickly defeats Golduck, and Fuecoco’s Stomping Tantrum disrupts Rhydon’s Megahorn. Sidian’s Garganacl tears through the castle with Salt Cure, while Diana asks Hamber why the Explorers would target her when they were once Lucius’s friends; he refuses to answer, and she escapes in the commotion.
As the damaged tower collapses, Friede and Amethio fly clear, Zirc and Onia retreat, and Liko and Roy are surrounded by Coral and Sidian until Captain Pikachu dives in with Thunder Punch: the Brave Olivine has arrived. Orla’s Metagross collects the children while Cap faces the admins, dodging Glalie’s Blizzard, evading Salt Cure and sending Garganacl flying with Volt Tackle. Ignoring Sidian’s objections, Coral has Glalie use Self-Destruct, defeating both of the admins’ Pokémon, while Cap escapes with Friede and Charizard and Diana rides out of the smoke on Arcanine and leaps onto the wing deck. At dawn Sidian scolds Coral for her recklessness. Aboard the ship, Diana gives Liko Lucius’s memoirs and urges her to find the Six Heroes who travelled with him: the Black Rayquaza, Arboliva, Galarian Moltres, Lapras, Kleavor and Entei. At headquarters, Hamber tells Gibeon that the cogs are turning again.
Major Events
- Friede beats Amethio. Friede’s Tera Dark Charizard defeats Ceruledge — their first finished battle
- Coral’s Glalie Self-Destructs
- Captain Pikachu and the Brave Olivine rescue everyone
- Diana joins the ship and names the Six Heroes
- The end of Liko and Roy’s Departure
Trivia
- The screenplay is by Dai Satō.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Kanto, Galar and Paldea storyline.
Part of our Pokémon Horizons: The Series guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.