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| Season | Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon (Season 20) · Classmates & the first trials arc (SM005–SM010) |
| Episode | Season 20, episode 10 · English episode 945 · Japanese episode 950 · Bulbapedia code SM010 |
| English title | Trial and Tribulation! |
| Japanese title | 出るかZワザ！大試練への挑戦！！ Deru ka Z-Waza! Daishiren e no Chōsen!! — “Will the Z-Move Work! Challenge the Grand Trial!!” |
| First aired (Japan) | 12 January 2017 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 20 May 2017 · Disney XD |
| Screenplay | Aya Matsui |
| Opening / ending (Japan) | Alola!! – Satoshi (Rica Matsumoto) with Pikachu (Ikue Ōtani) · Pōzu (Pose) – Taiiku Okazaki |
| English opening | Under the Alolan Sun – Jannel Candrice and The Sad Truth (featuring Ben Dixon and the Vestigial Horns) |
| Who’s That Pokémon? | Crabrawler (US) |
| Previous episode | To Top a Totem! (SM009) |
| Next episode | Young Kiawe Had a Farm! (SM011) |
Plot episodeGrand trial vs HalaElectrium Z
Trial and Tribulation! is the 10th episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, the twentieth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 945th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 950, Bulbapedia code SM010). It first aired in Japan on 12 January 2017 and in the United States on 20 May 2017. It falls within the season’s Classmates & the first trials stretch (EP5–EP10).
Premiered at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday 20 May 2017, the last of Disney XD’s eight daily premieres (SM003–SM010).
Synopsis
Ash defeats Hala in Melemele Island’s grand trial with his first Breakneck Blitz, and Tapu Koko swaps the promised Fightinium Z for a new Electrium Z. The morning paper carries a story about Ash’s success, and Officer Jenny and her new Gumshoos come to thank him before driving him and Professor Kukui to Iki Town. There Ash and Hala pray for Tapu Koko’s blessing, and the guardian’s cry echoes nearby as if in answer. Kukui checks that Ash remembers the Normal-type Z-Move pose, reminds him that a Z-Move can be used only once per battle, and takes his place as referee. Ash leads with a wide-awake Rowlet, and Hala sends out Crabrawler. Rowlet dodges Bubble Beam and lands a super-effective Peck, but Crabrawler grabs it and pounds it with Brutal Swing and Power-Up Punch.
Rowlet recovers, but Bubble Beam blocks its Leafage. When Rowlet startles Ash by appearing silently behind him, Ash gets an idea: Leafage as a smokescreen, then a surprise attack from behind, followed by a flurry of Pecks. Hala has Crabrawler guard with one pincer and punch with the other, but Rowlet dodges Brutal Swing and knocks Crabrawler out with Tackle, then promptly falls asleep in mid-air and has to be recalled. Hala’s second Pokémon is his Hariyama, which Rotom says can launch a truck with one punch. Fake Out stops Pikachu’s Iron Tail, Knock Off slams Pikachu into the ground, and Arm Thrust batters it after blocking Electro Ball. Pikachu slips past for a Thunderbolt, but it barely affects Hariyama, and Hala raises the stakes with Belly Drum, maximising Hariyama’s Attack at the cost of half its health.
Hala and Hariyama perform their Z-Move pose and unleash All-Out Pummeling. Pikachu’s Quick Attack cannot carry it fully clear, but it gets back up, to Hala’s admiration. Pikachu circles Hariyama with Quick Attack and drops it to one knee with an Iron Tail to the leg, and then Ash and Pikachu perform their pose for Breakneck Blitz, which hurls Hariyama clean out of the battlefield. Ash has passed the grand trial. Hala offers him a Fightinium Z, but Tapu Koko swoops in, swaps it for an Electrium Z and flies off, and Hala laughs as he hands the new crystal to Ash. That night Ash, Hala and the classmates celebrate with a feast, and Ash thanks Tapu Koko and vows to use Gigavolt Havoc in their next battle.
Major Events
- Melemele grand trial. Ash beats Hala: Rowlet defeats Crabrawler, and Pikachu survives All-Out Pummeling to win with its first Breakneck Blitz
- Tapu Koko swaps the Fightinium Z for an Electrium Z
- The first VS screen of the series
Pokémon making their anime debut
Crabrawler#0739 · SM010
Trivia
- The screenplay is by Aya Matsui.
- This is a plot episode: it advances the Alola storyline.
Changes in the English Dub
- The All-Out Pummeling and Breakneck Blitz captions are removed
- The kanji for “grand trial” on the VS screen become “VS”
- The Sinnoh Gym Leader battle music plays in the grand trial
Part of our Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.