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| Season | Pokémon the Series: XYZ (Season 19) · Farewells & the legend of X, Y and Z arc (XY137–XY140) |
| Episode | Season 19, episode 44 · English episode 932 · Japanese episode 937 · Bulbapedia code XY137 |
| English title | Battling with a Clean Slate! |
| Japanese title | はじまりはゼロ！シトロンの決断！！ Hajimari wa Zero! Shitoron no Ketsudan!! — “Starting from Zero! Citron’s Decision!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 6 October 2016 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 24 December 2016 · Cartoon Network |
| Screenplay | Shinzō Fujita |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | XY&Z – Satoshi (Rica Matsumoto) · Kirakira, Citron Ver. (Brilliantly) – Citron (Yūki Kaji) |
| English opening | Stand Tall – Ben Dixon and The Sad Truth |
| Who’s That Pokémon? | Psyduck (US) |
| Previous episode | Forming a More Perfect Union! (XY136) |
| Next episode | The First Day of the Rest of Your Life! (XY138) |
Plot episodeClembot rebuiltSycamore’s medals
Battling with a Clean Slate! is the 44th episode of Pokémon the Series: XYZ, the nineteenth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 932nd episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 937, Bulbapedia code XY137). It first aired in Japan on 6 October 2016 and in the United States on 24 December 2016. It falls within the season’s Farewells & the legend of X, Y and Z stretch (EP137–EP140).
Premiered on Christmas Eve 2016; on sale on iTunes and Amazon Prime Video from 18 December. Cartoon Network showed no new episode the following Saturday, 31 December.
Synopsis
As Lumiose City recovers, Clemont rebuilds Clembot without its old memories and reopens the Lumiose Gym, while Professor Sycamore awards medals to everyone who fought Team Flare and Alain returns to his mentor’s lab. Ash, Serena and Bonnie help Meyer repair the Gym, and Clemont finishes a new Clembot, though he admits it remembers nothing. Team Rocket tell Giovanni they deserve much of the credit for Team Flare’s downfall and plan to bring Pikachu home as a surprise once the airport reopens. A Trainer named Alvin arrives to challenge the Gym, having trained hard for a rematch after losing to Clembot, and is saddened to learn what happened; he agrees to return the next day. At Professor Sycamore’s lab, Mairin plans a homecoming party for a still-distant Alain, and when she burns the food everyone helps in the kitchen.
Over lunch, Ash says he plans to return to Kanto and start his journey anew. Alain, still guilty about helping Lysandre without knowing his aims, tells Ash he is unsure of his future, and Ash encourages him to battle again someday, which Alain promises. Alain no longer wears his Mega Ring, and his Charizard no longer carries its Mega Stone. When an alarm sounds, Team Rocket have captured Pikachu, but Greninja frees it with Cut and wrecks their device, and with Alain’s Charizard it blasts the trio off for the last time in Kalos. The next day, with Meyer refereeing, Clembot faces Alvin and learns from Clemont to stay calm and observant. Alvin’s Vivillon puts Magnemite to sleep and knocks it out, but Magneton washes away the Sleep Powder with Rain Dance and defeats Vivillon and Pyroar with Thunder.
Alvin’s Cubone defeats Magneton with Brick Break after Bonemerang meets Sonic Boom, and Clemont tells Clembot that losing hurts but helps one grow stronger. Clembot’s Heliolisk badly damages Cubone with Focus Blast, but Bonemerang breaks through and knocks Heliolisk out, and Alvin wins the Voltage Badge. Clembot says it enjoyed the battle and asks Clemont to teach it about Pokémon, and Clemont happily agrees. Later, since the League’s award ceremony was never completed, Professor Sycamore hands out medals, and at Bonnie’s suggestion he honours everyone who fought Team Flare. He asks Alain to become his assistant again, and Alain, after hesitating, accepts when Sycamore says Lumiose needs his help. That night Meyer switches on Prism Tower’s lights to reopen the Gym amid fireworks, and when Clemont asks Serena about her plans, she says she is not sure, remembering Palermo’s offer.
Major Events
- Clembot rebuilt. The Lumiose Gym reopens and Alvin beats the rebuilt Clembot for the Voltage Badge
- Professor Sycamore awards medals and takes Alain back as his assistant
- Heliolisk stays at the Gym
- Team Rocket’s last motto and blast-off in XY
- Japanese ending Kirakira (Clemont ver.)
- Debut of Alvin, the last XY character of the day
Trivia
- The screenplay is by Shinzō Fujita.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Kalos storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- Alvin orders “Stun Spore” instead of Sleep Powder
- Getta Banban plays at the end of Alvin’s Gym battle
- Japanese ending Kirakira (Clemont ver.)
Part of our Pokémon the Series: XYZ guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.