Rising from the Ruins! – Pokémon Season 20, Episode 37

Plot episodeRockruff evolves into LycanrocType: Null

Rising from the Ruins! is the 37th episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, the twentieth season of the Pokémon anime, and the 972nd episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 977, Bulbapedia code SM037). It first aired in Japan on 10 August 2017 and in the United States on 28 October 2017. It falls within the season’s The Akala Island field trip stretch (EP31–EP37).

Premiered on 28 October 2017; iTunes had released it on 22 October, six days before the broadcast.

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

Synopsis

After a brutal night encounter with Tapu Lele and a desperate search across Akala, Ash’s Rockruff is healed and evolves at sunset into a rare Dusk Form Lycanroc. On their last night on Akala, Ash and Pikachu sleep at the Pokémon Center, but Rockruff, haunted by biting Rowlet in the grand trial, slips out to train, waking Pikachu, who wakes Ash. Under the full moon Rockruff practises Rock Throw against a cliff, dodging falling rocks, until Tapu Lele glides down, destroys the cliff face with a single move and challenges it, spreading Psychic Terrain. Rockruff attacks again and again, but Tapu Lele dodges and lands Dazzling Gleam after Dazzling Gleam, laughing innocently as Rockruff is badly hurt. When Tapu Lele hears Ash coming, it flees. Ash finds Rockruff howling and hostile; it bites him, remembers Rowlet, and runs off, with Ash and Pikachu in pursuit.

At sunrise Professor Kukui and Olivia find Ash, who explains what has happened. Lillie organises a wider search and Sophocles runs a location simulation, while Olivia’s Midday Lycanroc goes looking on its own. Gladion’s Midnight Lycanroc hears Rockruff’s howl and leaves, and in a cave Gladion releases a Type: Null, nicknamed Silvally, from a Premier Ball and calms it. A Fearow startles Rockruff, which falls into a river and drags itself onto the bank, exhausted. Both Lycanroc find it, and the Midnight Lycanroc carries it to Tapu Lele; along the way, a wounded Yungoos is healed by the guardian’s glittering scales. But Tapu Lele attacks the Midnight Lycanroc, and when Olivia’s Lycanroc pleads, it replays the earlier battle, partly heals Rockruff and attacks it again, until Olivia’s Lycanroc shields it.

Ash, Olivia and Kukui find a Yungoos glittering with Tapu Lele’s scales, realise the guardian is nearby, and head for the Ruins of Life. There Tapu Lele uses Draining Kiss on both Lycanroc and on Ash, transferring their energy to heal Rockruff, which wakes Ash before Tapu Lele departs. At sunset a green flash lights the sky, and Rockruff evolves into a Lycanroc unlike either form, with bright green eyes. The three Lycanroc howl together; Rotom has no data on this Dusk Form, Kukui explains that it is a rare phenomenon, and Olivia, in tears, says that it brings good luck. The next morning the class sails back to Melemele on Olivia’s boat, and Ash suggests that one day they return to Akala, to which his new Lycanroc agrees. The Japanese ending now shows Lycanroc in place of Rockruff.

Major Events

• Dusk Form Lycanroc. Tapu Lele batters, then heals Rockruff at the Ruins of Life
• Rockruff evolves into Dusk Form Lycanroc
• Gladion’s Type: Null, nicknamed Silvally, is revealed, the first Pokémon shown kept in a Premier Ball
• The class returns to Melemele
• The Japanese ending is updated with Lycanroc

Pokémon making their anime debut

• Type: Null#0772 · SM037

Captures and evolutions

• Rockruff → Lycanroc#0745 · Ash · at sunset at the Ruins of Life, into the rare Dusk Form

Trivia

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

Changes in the English Dub

• The Japanese and English endings show Dusk Form Lycanroc in place of Rockruff from this episode

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