Rocking Clawmark Hill! – Pokémon Season 20, Episode 15

Plot episodeAsh catches RockruffClawmark Hill

Rocking Clawmark Hill! is the 15th episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, the twentieth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 950th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 955, Bulbapedia code SM015). It first aired in Japan on 23 February 2017 and in the United States on 24 June 2017. It falls within the season’s Snowy, Rockruff & Steenee stretch (EP11–EP18).

Premiered on 24 June 2017; iTunes released it on 25 June under SM016’s title and description.

Synopsis · Major Events · Trivia · Dub Changes · All episodes

Synopsis

Professor Kukui’s Rockruff turns out to be a wild Pokémon testing itself in nightly battles at Clawmark Hill, and after Ash helps it learn Rock Throw and win a rematch, Ash catches it. Ash, Pikachu, Rotom and Kukui come home one night to find Rockruff missing, and it returns injured; Kukui treats it with a Potion. At school the next day Ash reveals that Rockruff is not Kukui’s Pokémon but a wild one he looks after, and tells his classmates how they met. Sophocles thinks it may be close to evolving, and Rotom explains its evolution, Lycanroc, with its Midday and Midnight Forms, warning that a Pokémon near evolution can become aggressive and independent. That night, Kukui shows Ash security footage, and the two hide outside to watch on Kukui’s phone as Rockruff attacks a stuffed toy, quite unlike its usual behaviour. When Rockruff slips out of the house, they follow it into the forest.

At Clawmark Hill a Midday Lycanroc and a Midnight Lycanroc howl a call, and wild Pokémon gather to test their strength against each other while the two Lycanroc battle. A Magmar beats several opponents in a row before Rockruff challenges it; Magmar’s Flamethrower stops Rockruff’s charge, and Rockruff is knocked out. On its way home, Rockruff meets Ash and Kukui, and Ash praises its effort and offers to help it learn Rock Throw, which Rockruff and Pikachu eagerly accept. On the beach Ash has Rockruff focus its power while Pikachu copies the motion to charge an Electro Ball. Kiawe’s Turtonator joins in with Flamethrower, which Pikachu dodges while Rockruff watches closely, singeing its tail. At last Rockruff learns Rock Throw, hitting Ash with its first attempt, and then lands one on Pikachu in a practice battle.

That night Rockruff is restless again, and Kukui decides it is ready. At Clawmark Hill Rockruff challenges the Magmar once more. It dodges the first Flamethrower and lands a hit, but it is knocked back and takes a second Flamethrower head on. Refusing to give up, Rockruff charges again and defeats Magmar. Kukui tells Ash that Rockruff trusts him most and suggests that he catch it. Pikachu and Rockruff are both delighted, and Ash throws a Poké Ball and catches Rockruff, his second Alolan Pokémon. Kukui happily lets it go to its new Trainer, remarking that this is simply Ash’s style. Rockruff is revealed to know Tackle and Bite as well as its new Rock Throw; the episode debuts both Lycanroc forms and features the first Magmar in the anime since Paul’s in Sinnoh.

Major Events

• Rockruff. Rockruff is revealed as a wild Pokémon Professor Kukui looks after
• Nightly battles at Clawmark Hill
• Rockruff learns Rock Throw and beats a Magmar
• Ash catches Rockruff
• Anime debut of Midday and Midnight Form Lycanroc

Pokémon making their anime debut

• Lycanroc#0745 · SM015

Captures and evolutions

• Rockruff#0744 · Ash · the wild Rockruff Professor Kukui looked after, after it beats Magmar at Clawmark Hill

Trivia

• The screenplay is by Atsuhiro Tomioka.
• This is a plot episode: it advances the Alola storyline.

Changes in the English Dub

• Alola!! insert

Part of our Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon guide. Browse every season of the Pokémon anime.