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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 45 · English episode 933 · Japanese episode 938 · Bulbapedia code XY138 |
| English title | The First Day of the Rest of Your Life! |
| Japanese title | サトシとラストバトル！セレナの選択！！ Satoshi to Rasuto Batoru! Serena no Sentaku!! — “The Last Battle with Satoshi! Serena’s Choice!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 13 October 2016 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 7 January 2017 · Cartoon Network |
| Screenplay | Akemi Omode |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | XY&Z – Satoshi (Rica Matsumoto) · Doridori, Serena Ver. (DreamDream) – Serena (Mayuki Makiguchi) |
| English opening | Stand Tall – Ben Dixon and The Sad Truth |
| Who’s That Pokémon? | Hoppip (US) |
| Previous episode | Battling with a Clean Slate! (XY137) |
| Next episode | Facing the Needs of the Many! (XY139) |
Plot episodeSerena chooses Hoenn
The First Day of the Rest of Your Life! is the 45th episode of Pokémon the Series: XYZ, the nineteenth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 933rd episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 938, Bulbapedia code XY138). It first aired in Japan on 13 October 2016 and in the United States on 7 January 2017. It falls within the season’s Farewells & the legend of X, Y and Z stretch (EP137–EP140).
Premiered on 7 January 2017, after the 31 December break; it went on sale on iTunes and Amazon Prime Video on 25 December 2016, was leaked by Teletoon on Demand in Canada on 15 December and premiered in Canada on 31 December and in Australia on 1 January 2017.
Synopsis
Serena organises a performance to lift the spirits of Lumiose City, and after a heartfelt talk with her mother and a battle with Ash, she declines Palermo’s offer and decides to go to Hoenn to compete in Pokémon Contests. Watching news reports that the city still has wounds to heal, Serena gets an idea and asks Professor Sycamore for help. The next day she leads her friends to a Performance Exhibition in the city centre, joined by Shauna, Tierno, Trevor and Sawyer. Serena and Shauna open with Braixen’s Flamethrower and Ivysaur’s Solar Beam, showering the audience with sparkles, and Jessie, unable to resist, joins in with Gourgeist. The three perform together as the crowd dances, Mairin coaxes Alain into dancing, and Jessie decides to stay in Kalos to chase the title of Kalos Queen, to her partners’ dismay. Grace arrives and calls out to her daughter at the finale.
At Meyer’s house, Grace thanks him for looking after Serena, and he replies that Serena has helped care for his children. That night at their hotel, Serena tells her mother that performing has taught her why she loves it, and that she wants to bring smiles like Aria’s to others, but she fears losing what she has gained on her journey. Grace assures her that her experiences will always be part of her and tells her to have confidence. The next morning Grace leaves for Vaniville Town, Shauna, Tierno and Trevor set off to help wild Pokémon that fled the city, and Sawyer heads for the ruins of Lysandre Labs to search for the Giant Rock at Steven’s request, promising Ash a future battle. Ash and Serena learn that the airport will soon reopen, and Serena grows quiet as she looks at a dress in a shop window.
Noticing her mood, Ash challenges Serena to a battle and leads her by the hand to the field where he had his first battle in Kalos. Pikachu’s Quick Attack and Iron Tail meet Braixen’s Flamethrower, Scratch and Fire Blast, and Serena tells Braixen to treat it like a rehearsal. Ash says that the support of one’s Pokémon is essential to strength, and Serena calls out Pancham and Sylveon to ask whether they will join her even if the journey is hard; they agree, and she realises what she wants to do. The battle is called off. At the Pokémon Center, Serena calls Palermo and declines her offer, explaining that she wants many people to see her perform while she travels with her Pokémon. Palermo, noting that Serena is the first Performer ever to turn her down, suggests she try Pokémon Contests in Hoenn. Serena tells her friends, Clemont bursts into tears, and Ash wishes her luck.
Major Events
- Serena’s choice. Serena, Shauna and Jessie perform for the recovering city and Jessie decides to stay in Kalos
- Ash and Serena’s battle is called off
- Serena declines Palermo and decides to compete in Hoenn’s Pokémon Contests
- The last physical appearances of Grace and Meyer
- Japanese ending DreamDream (Serena Ver.)
Trivia
- The screenplay is by Akemi Omode.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Kalos storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- DreamDream (Serena Ver.): the first half as an insert, the second half as the ending; the dub uses instrumentals
Part of our Pokémon the Series: XYZ guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.