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| Season | Pokémon the Series: XY Kalos Quest (Season 18) · A Showcase debut & a new look arc (XY060–XY064) |
| Episode | Season 18, episode 14 · English episode 857 · Japanese episode 862 · Bulbapedia code XY062 |
| English title | The Future Is Now, Thanks to Determination! |
| Japanese title | サイエンスの未来を守れ！電気の迷宮！！ Saiensu no Mirai o Mamore! Denki no Meikyū!! — “Protect the Future of Science! The Electric Labyrinth!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 26 February 2015 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 9 May 2015 · Cartoon Network |
| Screenplay | Junki Takegami |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Getta Banban (Mad-Paced Getter) – Tomohisa Sako · Doridori (DreamDream) – Shōko Nakagawa |
| English opening | Be a Hero – Ben Dixon and The Sad Truth |
| Who’s That Pokémon? | Luxray (US) |
| Previous episode | An Oasis of Hope! (XY061) |
| Next episode | A Fork in the Road! A Parting of the Ways! (XY063) |
Plot episodeLuxio evolves into LuxrayClemont flies ahead
The Future Is Now, Thanks to Determination! is the 14th episode of Pokémon the Series: XY Kalos Quest, the eighteenth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 857th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 862, Bulbapedia code XY062). It first aired in Japan on 26 February 2015 and in the United States on 9 May 2015. It falls within the season’s A Showcase debut & a new look stretch (EP60–EP64).
Synopsis
Team Rocket seize the Kalos Power Plant and use it to control Electric-type Pokémon, and Clemont frees them by grounding a power surge through his own body, inspiring his Luxio to evolve into Luxray before he leaves for Lumiose City to train for his Gym battle with Ash. Crossing the Lumiose Badlands, Clemont is so preoccupied with the coming match that he burns lunch, though he insists he is fine. The group reaches the Kalos Power Plant, which collects solar energy in space and beams it down to Earth; Bonnie boasts that her brother built it, but he only helped with the programming. Clemont notices the plant’s antennae are pointing the wrong way, and suddenly Pikachu, Dedenne and Luxio cry out, their eyes glowing red, and run inside to join a crowd of hypnotised Electric types at the gates.
With a crowd of hypnotised Pokémon blocking the front entrance, Clemont remembers the giant air vents from the plant’s blueprints, Frogadier jams a fan with its frubbles, and the group crawls through the ducts to free three tied-up workers. They explain that criminals with a talking Meowth tricked their way in, so everyone knows who is responsible. Together they devise a plan: the workers will clear a path to the central control room, and Clemont will trigger an overload when the superconducting ring turns red, showing that the current is flowing backward. Team Rocket spot the group and cut the power to Lumiose City to show who is in control, then use guidance waves to turn Pikachu on Ash. Ash withstands the shocks and reaches Pikachu, but Luxio tackles him, and when Clemont rushes to stop it, Luxio bites him with Thunder Fang.
Clemont holds on, telling Luxio that he is right there and understands its pain, and his voice reaches it just as the ring glows red. Planting his Aipom Arm in the floor, Clemont grounds the electricity through himself while Luxio discharges as hard as it can. The overload frees every Pokémon, and as Clemont nearly collapses, Luxio evolves into Luxray and uses Electric Terrain to destroy the control devices before the freed Electric types drive Team Rocket away. Thanked by the workers for protecting Lumiose’s power supply, Clemont asks to fly back to the city with them by helicopter, wanting time alone at his Gym to train and reflect. As he lifts off, Ash vows to win the Voltage Badge and Clemont vows not to lose.
Major Events
- Luxio evolves into Luxray. Team Rocket hijack the Kalos Power Plant
- Clemont grounds the surge through his own body and Luxio evolves, learning Electric Terrain
- Clemont flies ahead to Lumiose City to train for his Gym battle
- Debuts of the plant workers Jolt, Jules and A.C.
Captures and evolutions
Luxio → Luxray#0405 · Clemont · at the Kalos Power Plant; learns Electric Terrain
Trivia
- The English title plays on Clemont’s catchphrase, “The future is now, thanks to science!”.
- The screenplay is by Junki Takegami.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Kalos storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- The English title card focuses on Ash, read by Ash
- The plant workers Jolt, Jules and A.C. are not named, except in the closed captions
- “Who are you three?” is said to four people
- BBC iPlayer lists the episode as “An Oasis of Hope – Part 2”
- V (Volt) plays as Luxio evolves; the dub uses an instrumental of Be a Hero
Part of our Pokémon the Series: XY Kalos Quest guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.