Evolving Research! – Pokémon Season 22, Episode 14

Plot episodeVikavolt and BrionnePrimarium Z

Evolving Research! is the 14th episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon – Ultra Legends, the twenty-second season of the Pokémon anime, and the 1040th episode of the English dub overall (Japanese episode 1046, Bulbapedia code SM106). It first aired in Japan on 27 January 2019 and in the United States on 1 June 2019. It falls within the season’s Poni Island & the last grand trial stretch (EP104–EP109).

Premiered on 1 June 2019, after a two-week break; it went on sale on Amazon Prime Video on 18 May, iTunes on 20 May and Google Play on 22 May, and aired in the UK on 30 May.

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

Synopsis

Sophocles’ Charjabug evolves into Vikavolt in the magnetic depths of Vast Poni Canyon, and Lana’s Popplio evolves into Brionne just in time to earn her a Primarium Z from Ida. Hapu delivers fresh radishes to the Pokémon Center and backs Sophocles’ plan, so Ash and Kiawe tag along to the canyon. In Seafolk Village, Lana is reunited with Ida, whose Brionne has evolved into Primarina, and asks to be trained, but Ida and her father, Kanoa, are leaving the next morning to perform water shows in other regions. Ida’s idea of training on Poni Beach turns out to be letting the Pokémon play, which disappoints Lana. In the canyon, Togedemaru absorbs Charjabug’s Discharge during a battle with a wild Golduck, and the group meets Sophocles’ old rival Horacio, who claims that his own Charjabug will evolve with a mysterious Bug Stone his father learned about.

The rivals agree that whoever evolves their Charjabug first, without help, wins, and Sophocles leaves Togedemaru with Ash and heads into the caves. In the darkness he is terrified, but Charjabug offers its electricity as a light, and when a swarm of Golbat attacks, it binds them with String Shot and drives them off with Discharge. The canyon’s strong magnetic field scrambles Sophocles’ GPS. Then the friends see Horacio crossing a rotten rope bridge, which snaps and leaves him and his Charjabug dangling over the gorge. At that moment Sophocles’ Charjabug evolves into Vikavolt and flies to the rescue. Horacio’s green “Bug Stone” does nothing, and Sophocles explains that the magnetic field triggered the evolution. Horacio stalks off vowing to win a Vikavolt race next time, and tumbles off a ledge as he goes.

That night, Mallow’s cooking makes Ida and Kanoa’s farewell party special, and Ida’s Primarina performs the Z-Move Oceanic Operetta. Inspired, Lana slips away to train with Popplio. The next morning, as Ida and Kanoa prepare to sail, Lana arrives just in time and has Popplio blow a water balloon. As she sings, the balloon swells enormously, and Popplio glows and evolves into Brionne, shaping the balloon before bursting it into sparkles. Ida is so impressed that she offers Lana her Primarium Z. Lana hesitates, but Kanoa explains that he found the Z-Crystal on the seabed, and she gratefully accepts. Ash and his classmates wave as Ida and Kanoa sail away aboard their Steelix-shaped boat, with two of the class’s Pokémon newly evolved in a single day.

Major Events

• Two evolutions. Sophocles’ Charjabug evolves into Vikavolt in Vast Poni Canyon, the only on-screen evolution of one of his Pokémon
• Lana’s Popplio evolves into Brionne, and Ida gives her a Primarium Z
• The first time two main characters’ Pokémon evolve in one episode since AG028
• Meltan’s cameo debut
• Toru Sakurai voices Kiawe’s Charizard from this episode

Pokémon making their anime debut

• Vikavolt#0738 · SM106
• Meltan#0808 · SM106
• Brionne#0729 · SM106

Captures and evolutions

• Charjabug → Vikavolt#0738 · Sophocles · in Vast Poni Canyon’s magnetic field, rescuing Horacio
• Popplio → Brionne#0729 · Lana · while blowing a giant water balloon for Ida, who gives her a Primarium Z

Trivia

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

Changes in the English Dub

• Your Adventure insert

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