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| Season | Pokémon the Series: XY Kalos Quest (Season 18) · Noibat & Pikachu’s movie arc (XY076–XY078) |
| Episode | Season 18, episode 29 · English episode 872 · Japanese episode 877 · Bulbapedia code XY077 |
| English title | A Relay in the Sky! |
| Japanese title | 挑戦ポケモンスカイリレー！飛べ、オンバット！！ Chōsen Pokemon Sukai Rirē! Tobe, Onbatto!! — “The Pokémon Sky Relay Challenge! Fly, Onbat!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 18 June 2015 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 29 August 2015 · Cartoon Network |
| Screenplay | Shinzō Fujita |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Getta Banban (Mad-Paced Getter) – Tomohisa Sako · Gaogao Ōrusutā (Roaring All-Stars) – Little Glee Monster |
| English opening | Be a Hero – Ben Dixon and The Sad Truth |
| Who’s That Pokémon? | Noctowl (US) |
| Previous episode | A Not-So-Flying Start! (XY076) |
| Next episode | A Frenzied Factory Fiasco! (XY079) |
Plot episodePokémon Sky RelayNoibat learns to fly
A Relay in the Sky! is the 29th episode of Pokémon the Series: XY Kalos Quest, the eighteenth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 872nd episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 877, Bulbapedia code XY077). It first aired in Japan on 18 June 2015 and in the United States on 29 August 2015. It falls within the season’s Noibat & Pikachu’s movie stretch (EP76–EP78).
Premiered on 29 August 2015, after Teletoon (22 August) and iTunes (23 August, briefly pulled and back on 30 August). In Japan it shared a one-hour special with Lights! Camera! Pika! (XY078), which Cartoon Network held back until 21 November.
Synopsis
Ash enters the Pokémon Sky Relay with Fletchinder, Hawlucha and Noibat, and despite Team Rocket’s cheating Noibat masters flight on the final leg and finishes a close second. Noibat’s flying is steadily improving, though its excitement at finally staying airborne produces a deafening Supersonic. A flock of Starly, Staravia and Staraptor leads the group to a crowd of Trainers with Flying types, where an elderly man named Ornithol and his Noctowl explain the Pokémon Sky Relay: teams of three flying Pokémon each fly one stage of a course full of obstacles, carrying a sash. The flock belongs to Orson, last year’s champion. Ornithol suggests that Ash enter, and Ash agrees, with Fletchinder first, Hawlucha second and Noibat on the final stretch. Ornithol admits that he has never competed himself, never having caught three flying Pokémon. Team Rocket sign up as well, hoping to grab Noibat.
At the start, the Trainers ride in hot-air balloons above the course, a disguised Team Rocket among them, while Clemont and Bonnie wait with Hawlucha at the second stage and Serena with Noibat at the last. Fletchinder takes an early lead, but in a forest full of obstacles an Altaria moves ahead, until Jessie’s Pumpkaboo bursts out of its fluffy wings and passes the sash to Team Rocket’s mechanical Pelipper, piloted by Meowth. A rocket boost lets the robot smash through rocky barriers, but Ash tells Hawlucha to use the rocks for speed, and it passes both Staraptor and the fake Pelipper. When Meowth tries to ram it, the mecha falls apart, Jessie and James drop their disguises, and the wreckage crashes into their balloon.
Team Rocket blast off twice and are disqualified. Hawlucha hands the sash to Noibat, who races Orson’s Starly for the final stretch, flying better than ever and staying close to the leader until a strong gust over a steep drop throws it off course and Starly pulls ahead. Remembering everyone’s encouragement, Noibat rides the wind and dashes towards the finish neck and neck with Starly, which edges ahead at the line to give Orson his second straight win. Ash’s team places second. Noibat feels terrible about the loss, but Ash, his friends and the other competitors praise its determination and performance, and Ornithol is thrilled to have taken part at last. After the awards ceremony the group heads for Anistar City, with Noibat having finally mastered flight.
Major Events
- Pokémon Sky Relay. Ash enters Fletchinder, Hawlucha and Noibat
- Team Rocket are disqualified
- Noibat learns to fly and Ash’s team finishes second to Orson’s Starly line
- Aired in Japan as a one-hour special with XY078
- Debuts of Ornithol and Orson
Trivia
- The screenplay is by Shinzō Fujita.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Kalos storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- V (Volt) plays at the end of the Sky Relay; 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.